Forum: SCRAFAN.COM Forum (go)
Moderators: ljennings

USAC WEST COAST SPRINTS
KINGS SPEEDWAY - HANFORD, CA
JUNE 7, 2014 – 23 CARS

DRIVER ROSTER:
Danny Faria Jr., 2, Bowman-
George Morris, 3K, Kruseman-
Marty Hawkins, 3M, Hawkins-
Max Adams, 5X, Adams-
Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-
Trent Carter, 13, Carter-
Davey Pombo, 14, Pombo-
Connor Kassik, 26, Kassik-
Jonathon Logan, 32, Evett/Logan-
Kevin Barnes, 36B, Barnes-
Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-
Garrett Long, 38, Long-
Ryan Bernal, 56, Phulps-
Dennis Howell, 62, Howell-
Markus Niemela, 73, Ford-
Nic Faas, 73X, Ford-
Troy Rutherford, 81, Watt-
Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-
Chris Ennis, 86, Ennis-
T.J. Smith, 87, Van Meter-
Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-
Matt Day, 97, Day-
Landon Hurst, 179, Hurst-

Time Trials are underway.

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-15.575; 2. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-15.781; 3. Chris Ennis, 86, Ennis-15.880; 4. Danny Faria Jr., 2, Bowman-15.907; 5. Troy Rutherford, 81, Watt-15.972; 6. Max Adams, 5X, Adams-15.985; 7. Dennis Howell, 62, Howell-16.013; 8. Ryan Bernal, 56, Phulps-16.022; 9. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-16.046; 10. Nic Faas, 73X, Ford-16.072; 11. Markus Niemela, 73, Ford-16.121; 12. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-16.204; 13. Davey Pombo, 14, Pombo-16.221; 14. Landon Hurst, 179, Hurst-16.250; 15. T.J. Smith, 87, Van Meter-16.380; 16. Marty Hawkins, 3M, Hawkins-16.453; 17. Trent Carter, 13, Carter-16.546; 18. Garrett Long, 38, Long-16.609; 19. Matt Day, 97, Day-16.817; 20. Connor Kassik, 26, Kassik-16.826; 21. Kevin Barnes, 36B, Barnes-16.839; 22. Jonathan Logan, 32, Evett/Logan-17.064; 23. George Morris, 3K, Kruseman-17.268.

Heat Race #1 pushing onto speedway.

FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Hawkins, 2. Faas, 3. Howell, 4. J.Vander Weerd, 5. Faria, 6. Day, 7. Logan, 8. Pombo. NT

SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Bernal, 2. Hurst, 3. R.Vander Weerd, 4. Niemela, 5. Rutherford, 6. Morris, 7. Carter, 8. Kassik. NT

THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Mitchell, 2. Liggett, 3. Adams, 4. Smith, 5. Ennis, 6. Barnes, 7. Long. NT

FEATURE LINEUP:
Mitchell – Bernal
Howell – Adams
R.VanderWeerd – J. VanderWeerd
Ennis – Faria
Rutherford – Faas
Niemela – Liggett
Pombo – Hurst
Smith – Hawkins
Carter – Long
Day – Kassik
Barnes – Logan
Morris

88 Jace Vander Weerd flips on first lap turn4. Driver OK. Complete Restart.

Lap 9. Bernal leads r.vanderweerd mitchell rutherford howell niemela

RED Lap 18. Pombo flips on front straight. Walked away. Bernal leads R.Vander Weerd Howell

LAP 18: Bernal leads R.VanderWeerd Howell Rutherford Mitchell Liggett Faria Niemela Faas Hurst Carter Barnes Hawkins Long Day Morris

RED Lap 21. Faria flips on front straight. Climbed out of car. Bernal leads R.Vander Weerd Howell

Faria walking away.

Bernal wins 4^th straight over R.VanderWeerd Faas Howell Mitchell Niemela

UNOFFICIAL FINISH: 1. Ryan Bernal, 2. Richard Vander Weerd, 3. Nic Faas, 4. Dennis Howell, 5. Matt Mitchell, 6. Markus Niemela, 7. Austin Liggett, 8. Trent Carter, 9. Marty Hawkins, 10. Troy Rutherford, 11. Landon Hurst, 12. Garrett Long, 13. Kevin Barnes, 14. George Morris, 15. Matt Day, 16. Danny Faria Jr., 17. T.J. Smith, 18. Davey Pombo, 19. Max Adams, 20. Connor Kassik, 21. Jonathan Logan, 22. Jace Vander Weerd. NT

----------------------------

**J.Vander Weerd, Pombo, and Faria flipped during the feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Mitchell, Laps 3-30 Bernal.

Well... what Lance couldn't say was that Austin Ligget very clearly pinched (actually more than "pinched," words like "forced," "bumped" and even "banged" come to mind) Dan while Faria was making a clean pass on the outside as they headed down the front straight. Faria did walk away... with a very obvious limp. Which did not prevent him from walking the entire length of the front straight back to where Austin was parked in T4. Gyrations ensued. 

Davey Pombo's flip was probably a "good thing" (not for Davey, but) for Matt Mitchell, whose brakes were showering sparks turning briefly into flames during the preceding lap (about 17). Not sure what (if anything) was done thereafter, but the 37's brakes seemed okay. 

The starting order in the feature (first six rows) was 

37 ... 56

62 ... 5

10 ... 88

81 ... 2

73 ... 73

14 ... 179

Troy Rutherford came from 9th to 4th in the early going, but began to fade around mid-way. Rich VDW and Flyin' Ryan duked it out seriously for a couple of laps at around L10/11, but the 56 never looked back thereafter.

The temp was 102 degrees when I rolled in at 5:45 or so to see that they were still watering. It was 85 when we rolled out of the parking lot after the feature at 10:00. There were no re-waters, however; and the track did not turn to dust. And passing was possible. Scott's crew did a nice job once again. 

Yes the red was fortunate for Matt as the inboard brake caliper malfunctioned and was locking the brakes up,during the red flag for Faria i was able to disconnect the inboard caliper and Matt run the remainder of the race with only the left front brake functioning. So the brakes were far from ok.

This is the type of problem that makes me disagree with the fact that they very rarely open red flags,as we could have very easily replaced the caliper on the next red during the time it took to clear the accident scene. And just to clairify i'm not just saying this because we had problem,during these reds as the cars are sitting there they lose air pressure as the tires cool which could be dangerous if the pressure drops to low and we all have little problems now and then during a race that could be fixed in a quick amount of time if given the chance to do so. I guess what i'm getting at is , is that extra moment that they may save by keeping the red closed and not letting  us teams go out and check air pressures and to look over our cars worth someone getting hurt or destroying their 70 thousand dollar car worth it?

Not disagreeing at all that $70K race cars -- and (multiple) driver safety -- shouldn't be considered, but... how would you police what was going on with crews attending to 15 or more race cars during a red? (Don't you just love ambiguity? And I expect =this= issue has come up once or twice since Barney Oldfield and Eddie Rickenbaker were driving at the Ascot out there on Slauson Avenue.) (Sigh.)