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RACING SCENE Column – (USAC Sprints @ Peoria, AZ) – By Tim Kennedy

Los Angeles, CA. - The race was the Parker Stores11th Arizona Motor-sports Hall of Fame Classic. I made the 360+ mile drive east from So Cal to Arizona to watch my first racing events at Canyon Speedway Park (CSP) in Peoria, AZ. The Friday-Saturday October 28-29 races at the banked 3/8-mile clay track were the first ever AMS/OIL USAC National and USAC-CRA Sprint Car Series races at CSP. The two day USAC purse of $35,750 awarded $13,050 Friday ($2,500 to win and $300 to start) and $22,700 Saturday ($5,000 to win and $500 to start). The old CRA 410 cu. in. sprint car series raced twice at the Canyon track in Peoria during 1994. Brent (No. 17B) Kaeding, from Campbell, won the 2/5/94 Canyon main event and Bobby (No. 21) Michnowicz, of Torrance, won the last CRA race there on 4/9/94. The Arizona-based SCOA sprint cars also raced at Canyon frequently during the 1990s.
Finding the Canyon site in northwestern Peoria is an adventure. The track is literally in the boonies, nine miles west of the I-17 north-south freeway. The nearest intersection of note is Lake Pleasant Pkwy and Carefree Hwy (Hwy 74). The final mile into the track is via an unpaved, dirt/gravel/rock road that leads to unpaved parking lots in the pits and behind the main grandstand. The CSP facility itself is primitive to put it mildly. The track could appropriately be called Rattlesnake-Coyote Raceway. There are no permanent restrooms and only rows of port a-johns behind the grandstands and in the pits. There is no running drinking water. The site has faucets and running “non-potable water” basins on the main concourse. Bring your own soap and bottled water. Track lighting is merely adequate. The sound system and concessions are acceptable. Here is the good news. The track surface, despite low 80s days and high 60s (at the end of the main events) remained racy and competitive all night both nights. Drivers liked the track and racing competition was worth the trip.

The main grandstand (metal seating) from turn 4 to turn 1 is only ten rows high and seats only about 1,720 people. The top five rows were reserved seating and the bottom five rows were general admission ($20 Friday and $25 Saturday). The grandstand was about 80% occupied Friday and almost 100% of capacity Saturday. The 50/50 cash drawing for fans was $340 Friday and $516 Saturday. All grandstand seating provided up-close viewing of the racing action. The track uses one starter (Conrad Santa Cruz) standing on the main aisle level starters' stand. The track announcer (Bob Buckholtz) hustled down from his booth position to the track to do his feature winner interviews. That's the good, but he needs to give qualifying times when cars back off for the turns or are on the backstretch so fans recording the times can hear his voice. Some times were given only once. Additionally, he gave the Saturday USAC feature starting lineup in a weird way. He jumped all over the lineup in giving the names of the 24 starters as if reading the lineup alphabetically or numerically from his driver reference cards. Start from the pole and work back row by row in order or from the back row to the pole position.

FIELDS: There were solid fields of 35 USAC cars Friday and 34 (including a backup) Saturday. Cars by series were: 10 USAC National, 11 CRA regional series, and 14 Arizona-based. The Keith Ford team from Ventura County used both cars (No. 72 Friday and No. 73 Saturday) for National Series driver Robert Ballou, from Rocklin, CA. To boost attendance and provide a secondary racing series for fans, promoter Kevin Montgomery brought in the Challenge Cup Sprint Series that races primarily at Prescott, AZ, about 70 miles north of Peoria. These 360 cu. in. sprinters were similar to the Senior Sprints (“galloping geezers”) group that races in California at tracks such as Ventura, Perris and Victorville. The CC sprint cars are wet sump, flat tappet cars and roller cams are not allowed. One car even uses a carburetor reportedly. There were 13 CC cars present both Friday and Saturday. They raced in a pair of 8-lap heat races and 25-lap mains both nights.

Friday Challenge Cup sprints ran smoothly with a 13-minute, competitive two-car main event battle between Brian Swinehart, son of ex-Manzanita Speedway driver Darrell Swinehart, and John Shelton, who spun on lap 9 and handed the victory to Swinehart. Ages of CC drivers ranged from their 20s to 60s. Most of the CC sprinters were Dave Ellis or Buck Buckley chassis built in Phoenix. I was told Buckley no longer builds sprinters and the newest CC sprint car builder is RSS Inc. (31st Ave. & Thomas Rd--Phoenix). RSS also constructs quarter midgets. ... Saturday CC sprint heats were entertaining and went to Prescott body shop owner Tim Beal and Swinehart. Beal in a RSS chassis (his third car of 2011) raced against his son Chris, 28, and son-in-law Dan Bauman, 32, a Prescott fireman. They believe a family that races together stays together. They have fun and the entire clan comes to watch them race. Bauman's 3-year old son even has a go-kart. Saturday's CC 25-lap main was a 31-minute nightmare with six yellow flags and one red flag. A triple flip on the backstretch occurred after John Brinkley's No. 26 rode over the wheel of a spinning car leaving turn 2 and tumbled down the backstretch three times without injury. Fans had begun calling for the checkered flag after the third caution. The race was cut to 20 laps at lap 9. After the lap 10 red flag and two more yellows the race was cut to 15 laps. Shelton, a 35-year old two-year sprint car owner/driver, won the 15-lap race at 9:30 pm for his first ever win (heats or mains). He drove a 2009 RSS chassis and received a large trophy and several hundred dollars.

QUALIFYING: (Friday): With the race being the debut for USAC at Canyon, 35 cars qualified from 6:53-7:24 pm. NTRs were set six times from the first qualifier at 15.276 to 14.414 by third qualifier Chris Windom, 13.990 by 13th qualifier Levi Jones and the eventual NTR 13.840 by 28th qualifier Keith Bloom, Jr., 18, from Anderson, CA. Bloom drove the No. 27 Abreu Vineyards Spike chassis built by John Godfrey in Brownsburg, IN. Ballou (29th to qualify) was second fastest at 13.937. Four drivers qualified in the 13-second bracket, 25 in the 14s, and four in the 15s, with two DNQs. (Saturday): Qualifying from 6:42-7:11 pm figured to have slower times on night two, but qualifying times were quicker. Drivers lowered the day-old TR. Bobby East (second to qualify) beat Friday's 13.840 with his 13.709. Fourth timer Levi Jones ran a 13.675 on his first lap and a 13.668 on his second lap. Nik Faas, the 11th qualifier in Mark Alexander's No. 4(x), ran the ultimate FQ time/NTR 13.627 on his second qualifying lap. Eight drivers qualified in the 13s, 21 in the 14s, and one in the 15s. One car looped into the turn 4 infield in a single lap and logged a 34. On Friday 12 drivers ran their faster lap on lap 1 and 22 were quicker on lap 2. On Saturday 15 drivers qualified quicker on their first lap and 19 were quicker on their second lap.

WINNERS: (Friday): Heat races had the first six quickest starters inverted by qualifying times. Winners were Rip Williams (from 2nd), Windom (4th), Josh Pelkey (2nd) and Rickie Gaunt (2nd). B-main winner Jon Stanbrough started 4th and A-main winner Bryan Clauson, 22, started 9th with 19 of 24 starters running at the finish (RAF). Highest finisher from CRA ranks was point leader Mike Spencer in P. 5. Mike, 30, would have won the feature without the lap 25 red flag for a wild flip by P. 4 driver/pole starter Steve Sussex III, 20. His Dewalt No. 1A received contact at the right rear nerf bar from the No. 35 car (Huntler Schuerenberg) that turned his car at a 45 degree angle into the outer wall just past start/finish. Sussex flipped straight-up about 20-25 feet in the air with the car nose pointing skyward and above the top of the front straight wire fencing. The car landed back on the track and flopped onto its side before the first turn entrance. It did not travel far despite the speed because speed was dissipated in the upward flight. Sussex crawled out unhurt and walked to the infield. Spencer held a steady 30-yard lead over Damion Gardner when Sussex flipped. Clauson had taken P. 3 from Sussex on lap 24. On the lap 25 green flag, Clauson shot from third to first past both Gardner and Spencer with a long slide job entering the third turn. Windom took P. 3 from surprised Gardner on lap 25 and took P. 2 from Spencer a lap later. Gardner passed Spencer for third on lap 28 and Levi Jones nipped Mike for P. 4 at the the finish line on the final lap. Winner Clauson told the crowd, “The late caution gave me a chance. Spencer had too many lapped cars (three) between us. I got by Damion and then Spencer on the first lap after the lap 25 green flag.” The race had two red flags for an early flip by Danny Sheridan off the turn 1 wall-less edge after contact by No. 35 and for Sussex on lap 25. Racing concluded at 10:04 pm.

Saturday): Heat winners were Ballou (from 2nd), Matt Mitchell (1st), D. Gardner (4th) and Bruce St. James (2nd). Gaunt won the B-main from pole position and Clauson again won the 30-lap A-main from ninth starting position in a 24-car field that had 23 cars RAF. Highest CRA finisher was Faas in P. 5. The CSU Fullerton student flew to Arizona for the twin race dates. Bloom thrilled fans during the final two laps by running the high line in all four turns to charge from P. 4 to P. 2 past Windom in turn 3 and by Levi Jones exiting turn 4 on the 30th (final) lap. During interviews of the top three finishers, Levi said over the PA system, “This is definitely an interesting track. Hopefully they'll put some money in the place.” The race started at 9:46 and finished at 10:09 pm. ..... Rip Williams, 56, and his sons Cody, 22, and Austin, 21, raced in the A-mains both nights in the three black John Jory owned cars. ..... Sands Chevrolet provided the black Chevy pickup truck that paced every race both nights. ..... ARCA 2007 stock car and NASCAR 2008 Nationwide Series veteran Clauson (No. 41 Chip Ganassi Dodge) won the 2009 and 2010 USAC Thanksgiving Midget GP 98-lap features in Irwindale. The versatile driver from Carmichael, CA now living in Noblesville, IN raced a Firestone Indy Lights car on May 27, 2011 in the annual 100-mile race at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He finished fifth in his Indy Lights debut with 10 of 18 starters finishing all 40 laps on the big IMS track. He won $7,500 for his two nights work at Canyon driving the black and yellow No. 7 CTR-BCI-Curb-Agajanian, Curb Records, NOS Energy Drink-R & B Truckers Spike Chevy.

PROGRAM / H of F INDUCTEES: The 20-page “Canyon Chronicles” $5.00 official program had photos of USAC point leaders Levi Jones (National) and Spencer (CRA) on the color cover. Windy McDonald, former Manzy track announcer/PR man, produced the race program for the event. As a founding member of the Arizona Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1986 Windy authored a program page about the H of F history. In 2001, the H of F name changed from auto racing to motor-sports to encompass all forms of motor-sports. The inductees this year were the 88th to 92nd and each inductee received a plaque from sponsor Parker Stores. The five 2011 H of F inductees on Saturday, October 29 were: off-roader Manny Esquerra, engine builder Mark Niver, the racing chaplain organization Racers for Christ, the newspaper publishing Toops family, and versatile 6-time sprint car, 1-time midget and 1-time modified champion Ricky Johnson, Sr., father of current sprint car driver R. J. Johnson. Windy emceed the induction ceremonies on the walkway in front of the grandstand before the two main events Saturday. Arizona retired driver/great Ron Shuman was the Oct. 28-29 H o F Classic Grand Marshal and he received a special jacket to commemorate the occasion. After receiving an enthusiastic round of applause, Ron said over the PA microphone, “I'm glad to see fans remember who I am.” Nine past Arizona H of F inductees signed autographs for fans at a table inside the front gate from 6:00-7:00 pm Saturday. Autograph signers were: Lealand McSpadden, Ron Shuman, Richard Griffin, Ricky Johnson, Sr., Eric Wilkins, Terry Belcher, Will Schmink, Roger Toops and Phil Hertel.

PIT REPORT: I visited the pits both nights after the USAC features to speak to competitors. I spoke to National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Bruce Bromme, Jr. at the No. 50 Ron Chaffin pit and was surprised to see his right arm in a sling. Bruce was pleased with the track and his first experience there. He said. “the track glazed over tonight. We had a 25-lap set-up it seems.” Bruce said CSP is a good track and racy for sprint cars. He added that driver Levi Jones said the track is like four Indiana tracks—turn 1 is Putnamville, turn 2 is Gas City, and turns 3 and 4 are two other short tracks. As Bruce and I talked, Canyon promoter Kevin Montgomery (formerly co-promoter at USA Speedway in Tucson) made his rounds to each pit to thank teams for coming and asking how things went for them. Bruce asked Kevin how he did on his first USAC event at Canyon. Kevin replied, “Very good. I'm really, really happy.” With that comment I expect more USAC National/CRA sprint races being booked at CSP in 2012 and in future seasons.

TAGLINE: The USAC features both nights used three abreast parade laps instead of the more familiar four abreast parade laps at the wider Perris oval. .... CRA officials Steve Ostling (Race Control) and Dick Hindman (timer-scorer) officiated the CSP event from the booth. .... Danny Sheridan started Friday's feature 12th. On lap 2 his No. 18 Kittle Chevy flipped quickly five or six times off the edge of turn 1. He was unhurt and placed 24th. A Kittle crewman told me Saturday night they had raced the same tough car that flipped Friday. They did not have to unload their backup car that remained on the second deck of their hauler. On Saturday Sheridan qualified 18th fastest in the same No. 18, finished fourth in heat two and 18th in the main event. ..... Two provisional starters made the 24 car fields both nights. Cody Williams and David Bezio used the two provisionals Saturday and started from row 12. Bezio (powered by a 360 cu. in. Chevy) and Casey Shuman used the two provisionals Friday. Casey was a DNQ in time trials after attempting a lap at the end of qualifying and was a non-starter in his heat race because of an engine problem. He drove the Shon Deskins Phoenix-based car with No. 21x on it. Casey used the USAC National Series provisional available to the absent No. 21x Roberts/Tate car driven this season in the Midwest by also absent Dave Darland.

Dirt Road,Gravel, Portable potty, water stations...sounds like a Great Dirt track to me!

Canyon has never changed, no restrooms, no running water, no seats, old lights same old sh t hole. Levi was right put some money into the place rework the race track so the sprints can race side by side. Go to ET speedway if you like side by side sprint car racing JMO.

Go to ET speedway if you like side by side sprint car racing JMO.

No problem with that statement above and what you had to say about the facilities themselves at Canyon, but not only were there no complaints about the track itself, and the racing for those two nights, some of the Cali boy's and Perris regulars thought it was some of the best heat races they'd seen all year, and they were certainly glad they had made the trip over.

As far as what Levi said, maybe he should have ponied up his third place money toward improvements. I thought it was a classless statement on his part, and makes me look at him with a new light.

Do you know how long the new owners have been running that
"sh t hole", as you call it?

By the way, you'll be using a porta potty at Arizona Speedway too, and the lighting is not exactly state of the art, but I've been there for every race except last weekend.

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Hey Fish I was at Canyon both nights, out of eight heat races, six of the winners started on the front row. A 360 won a heat, it was close racing but nowhere to pass looks to me you had to start in the first two rows to win a heat races. Please make the TRACK more RACEY a little wider, and flatter, might help plus put a nice fence all the way around the track.

Nowhere to pass? How did Matt Mitchell start 22nd and finish 6th the first night and start 20th and finish 6th the second night,plus start 9th in his heat on night one and finish 4th if there was no place to pass?

When Victorville has had just a small number of the big names that have run at Canyon in the past he can laugh all he wants. Until then he better just concentrate on not keep shooting himself in the foot.

I don't know why he came on here to bash the place, it's not like the track was a suprise to him; and I sure as hell didn't take him..LOL

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Terry

I know you were there. You didn't see how? You weren't looking? The Jolly Green Giant kept picking Matt up and was resetting him ahead of the others. It was like Canyon was Jolly's own Hot Wheel track

Seriously though, Nice work by Mattie. Wonder if he had to soak his arms in the hot tub afterwards? Lol

I thought I was at that race, but what I saw was passing, tight racing, a show that was kept moving along without much "dead time"... Kevin hasn't been running the track for too long and improvements do take time and $$$. As for the dirt road and porta-potties, so what... 1 mile of dirt road that is in pretty good shape, and I certainly wouldn't judge a race track by the bathroom facilities.... I go to watch good racing, not worry about how comfy the bathrooms are.... I guess some would rather drive in on a paved road, pay $5 just to park, more $$ to get in and see sprints one time a month... But they do have nice bathrooms... I'll take the tracks in AZ, thank you... As for Levi's comments, classless is a good word for them... I had intentions of buying a Levi t-shirt, but those comments convinced me to keep my money in my pocket... We all need to support the tracks that are left, if not there will be nothing to support...

Mike

A group of 8 Perris Auto Speedway regulars made our way to Canyon for the 2 night show.

Yes to most of what has already been said about the track. It was our first time to Canyon.

Would we return again next year if it's a two day show and the mid-west drivers return along with the Perris regulars? YES! The track itself was worth the trip. We try to go to any track that supports 410 racing.

Must admit though that when we returned to Perris for the Ovals, we realize how spoiled we are to have the best dirt Sprint car track in our own backyard. I have already bought 50 season tickets for PAS for the 2012 season.

Enjoy the races!

Lew Miller

TY lew ill be at both tracks with you . i enjoyed the racing in AZ and we are spoiled with the PAS but i like being SPOILED ROTTEN.

We need more sprint car racing at our home track.

Agreed. I'll buy you a beer at the Perris opener. If not another track.

Lew Miller