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The Bandit sprint car series 2007 Santa Maria Speedway opener is on track for April 28th.
Defending Champion Jeff Fiscus will be on hand to defend his first championship in 2006. Although Jeff missed the Bakersfield opener on April 7th due to mechanical difficulties, he will continue to be a formidable contender this season. He is coming off of the most successful season of his career. Working out of a new shop and with some crew changes Fiscus fully expects to be more prepared for success than ever.
Fiscus’ championship will be challenged by a host of former champions. Two time Bandit champ Greg Porte will be in his gorgeous 3G looking for championship # 3. Four time Santa Maria champ “Junkyard” Jimmy Thompson will be piloting his former car for new team owner Joe Eames in the Eames Trucking Special. Without usual crew chief, and former owner Ben Thompson, this team will be an interesting one to watch. Nothing needs to be added for team Pombo. Arguably the hottest 360 team in the western US over the last couple of seasons, is a contender every time their car is pushed off. This year Davey is behind the wheel of the red Crossno 38. Grand Slam master Peter Murphy is also looking to steal an occasional show as well as compete for the Grand Slam title again in 2007. They will be joined by former Bandit and SMS IMCA champ Danny Sheridan in the Kittle Motorsports car for as many races as they can make while running a full USAC/CRA program again this season.
Regular contenders and feature winners include rising stars Jayson May, Jessie Mack, Rusty Carlile and Eric Severson. Mack , Carlile and May all were title contenders in 2006 and had feature wins to their credit. We expect each of these racers to be stronger this season. Severson is a young veteran who has traveled the 360 circuit in outlaw fashion and has strong runs with USAC/CRA, Bandits and VRA along with being a grand slam contender.
A rookie crop has yet to be defined with many veteran teams returning but Ryan Guy has committed to the 2007 season. Ryan is the son of journeyman Santa Maria Super modified star Bobby Guy and nephew to 3-time champion Roy Guy jr. . Off to a rough start in Bakersfield Guy looks to change his fortunes and with the quality of his crew, this team surly looks to grow in 2007 and beyond. 2006 R.O.Y. Chargin’ Charles Turner will also be a steadily improving force this season. After a hard flip in Bakersfield, Charles and son are getting the car back together to be flying for a full season.
Returning to the fray after brief hiatus’ are Mike Baker, Bill Jones, Dave Knott and Josh Davis. Hopes are high for Baker and Jones as they have been steadily improving their teams. Baker is in the cockpit after being a part time car owner last season for Jimmy Thompson. Jones is back in a refurbished car and team after a season off . Journeymen Davis and Knott have been competing for over a decade with the Banditos and are welcome back.
The core of the hard charging bandit group is made up of a diverse and competitive field. Paso Robles entrepreneurs the Frisco brothers will be charging had as Patrick Frisco wheels the red 10 around the clay. The Santa Maria Masonry team of Mike Larson and Steve DeMott will be laying for the rest as they have built for the 2007 season along with the fore mentioned Bill Jones to complete the trio. Cabrillo High School Professor and youth mentor Jeff Culver will be showing off his immaculate all new 71x machine. “Gentleman Farmer Down Under” John Iturirria will be flying in his white 27 and Albert “lil Al” Pombo will be forming his own legendary status as a regular Bandito in 2007.
Joining with the great field of sprint car regulars will be VRA teams. Second generation and great journeyman Kevin Kierce. Former SCRA 410 Rookie-of-the-Year Dennis “D-Rod” Rodriquez and 360 star will be on hand tuning up for both of the Grand Slam events. Ron Wade, Ron Tjaarda, and Heidi Tressler are looking to make visits to Santa Maria along with the multifaceted Cory Kruseman Sprint Car School team.
With all of this great competition, what could make the season better? The answer is the Santa Maria Speedway itself. The 2006 season was a resounding success by any measure and a near miraculous turn around from its previous direction. With an ultra fast and smooth surface we were treated to great multi-groove racing with virtually no red flags during regular events. This is a tribute to the effort put into track preparation of an abused and worn out surface. Dave Swindell and his cracker-jack team of John Hansen, John Poquet, and Dave Sneed worked long and hard all of last season to prepare a great facility. Well, 2007 promises to be better. With new clay seasoned throughout the off-season and many hard working hours this year to open the legendary bull-ring fans and competitors will all be treated to classic elbows up racing. Count on Swindell’s standard production of a smoothly operating and efficient show that allows all to be done at a decent hour regardless of circumstance.
One prediction is that with the new surface, track records are going to fall. Look for it. Could these tire churning fuel injected diamonds break the 12 second barrier in 2007? The best cars with the best drivers, of course its possible. Its very possible. This season is so ripe to be one of the greatest in the history of both the Santa Maria Speedway and the Bandit sprint cars. It promises to be very intriguing and interesting and provocative of a well seasoned series. See you there….good luck and great racing…
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