Saturday Night Racer

Saturday Night Racer
http://www.latemodelracer.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl
Tracks >> MARYSVILLE RACEWAY PARK >> Marysville Raceway Park 10/19
http://www.latemodelracer.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1224546677

Message started by LMR on 10/20/08 at 4:51pm

Title: Marysville Raceway Park 10/19
Post by LMR on 10/20/08 at 4:51pm

Packed house sees Olschowka double at “Stock Car Spectacular”.
Johnson takes Open 4 as Meyers nabs “amazing” Trailer Race
By Bob Burbach

Marysville CA - October 19, 2008 --- The 2nd Annual Open Stock Car Spectacular and Bomber Trailer Race brought the curtain down on the 40th Anniversary season at Marysville Raceway Park Saturday night. Paul and Kathy Hawes hosted 132 cars and a nearly standing room only crowd in this event that has turned into an annual happening at the renovated ¼ mile clay oval. 22 Pro stocks entered with 32 Pure Stocks and 32 Open 4s. An additional 46 EXTREME BOMBERS pulling trailers (and just about anything else one could think of, including an out house) were entered for the grand finale. The atmosphere was electric with a “hoot n’ holler” feel all around the place. Jeff Olschowka took both ends of the Stock Car Open. Oregon’s Brian Johnson came from 17th to grab the Open 4 honors and MRP Wingless Sprint Car Driver Mason Meyers of Paradise survived the bomber finale by being the only car left running after the other 45 competitors crashed and burned (yes burned) to a halt.

Olschowka returned to his home track where a season ending disqualification cost him the track championship in the Street Stock division. He came well prepared and entered both the Pure Stock (2bbl carb & 8” tires) portion of the show AND the Pro Stock (4bbl & 10” tires) portion as well.

The Pure Stock feature was a war between Olschowka and early race leader Phil Marino of Chico. Sixth starting Olschowka spent the first half of the race carving through a stellar field of drivers that included 8 track champions representing over a dozen championships in dirt track stock car action. By lap 8 of the scheduled 20 Olschowka got to 2nd and camped on Marino’s tail. Marino had led from the outset and only Olschowka was able to reel in the fleet #28. Ray Benkowski was having an excellent ride, but had to settle into 3rd. Lapped traffic got into the mix as a long green flag segment challenged the race leaders.

On lap 10 Olschowka made a slick inside move in turn 3 and briefly slid past into 1st. But, Marino made the crossover and re-passed Olschowka with smart move of his own as the pair rocketed off of 4. Olschowka continued to press Marino as the 15th circuit approached. It was dirt track stock car racing at it’s finest.

On the 15th round of this championship style fight Olschowka dove into 3 on the inside with the tail wagging, on the edge of control and collided with Marino. The fans rose as one in appreciation of this tough struggle for the top spot. Olschowka forged his way into the lead as Marino, again, crossed over out of 4 drew up beside Olschowka and carried terrific speed into turn 1. Marino was beside Olschowka in a desperate dive for the lead and, instead of retaking it, started a slow easy slide that he was unable to control and he spun out of the battle. Olschowka cruised from there on and took the checkers without ever being challenged again. Benkowski held on for 2nd with Jeremy Prince of Antioch picking up a fine 3rd.

The Open 4s were next up. This event turned into a bit of a slugfest with a number of caution flags slowing the proceedings and eventually causing a yellow/checkered end to the event. All of the crashing could not take away from the stellar performance of Central Point Oregon’s Brian Johnson. Johnson, who did not compete in his heat race needed to get into the feature by way of the B main. He easily whipped that field and secured a 17th starting spot for the A.

At the drop of the green Johnson was smokin’ fast as he went to the front like a hot knife through butter. Early leader Howard Law seemed to have things in hand early on as this driver has showed a veteran’s savvy in his first few starts here. On lap 4 a hard charging James Foster made it past 2nd running Shawn Merritt and closed rapidly on Law. Coming out of 2 Foster pulled along side Law and the two cars made contact. Law’s car instantly changed direction and pounded the backstretch wall bringing out the 2nd of many yellow flags. Race director Tim Sherman sent Foster to the rear of the field enforcing a rough driving infraction called by an official on the back chute.

Shortly after the restart, the highflying Johnson was already on top of the leaders and effortlessly flew on by to a convincing lead and the ultimate victory. A bone jarring crash on the backstretch put an early end to this event when Greg Davey in the former Nathan Mayo #04 lost it on the backstretch. Davey tried to correct, hit the gas and rocketed across the track into the path of oncoming traffic. Several drivers made it through, but others didn’t. Davey was hammered and as cars scattered everywhere. Orland’s Olin Crane piled into the mess at high speed. The impact could be clearly heard some 100 yards away. The video shows Crane’s car was lifted off the ground when he slammed into the stopped cars. Everyone was OK, but the big crash signaled an end to the race. James Gillaspie was 2nd followed by Brent Hall and Kevin Sprague.

In Open 4 preliminary action, Mario Romano flipped violently in a heat 1 crash. Anderson’s Brian King and Romano were in a great tussle for position when King lost it off of 4. King saved it but came up the track and he and Romano tangled. The video shows that Romano got a wheel and started a wicked series of flips up the front chute. Romano came to rest laying on his side, the roof ripped away and the driver clearly visible to the hushed crowd. Romano was carefully removed and with help wobbled to his feet. Rocked and sore, Romano was taken by ambulance to the pit area but was not transported.

The Pro Stock feature was a romp for the quick Olschowka who bolted from his outside front row starting position to a convincing win. The field represented drivers who had 14 stock car championships. But, champions or not, all of the action was behind Olschowka as he led wire to wire. Fellow front row starter Mike Murphy was able to stay with Olschowka when the black 96 was mired in lapped traffic. But as soon as it cleared Olschowka would move away. The last half of the race saw a revitalized Billy Knoop catch everyone’s attention. Seemingly content to ride in 4th for a good part of the event, Knoop seemed to catch fire in the 2nd half of the race. Knoop secured 2nd when Murphy and 3rd running Jerry Bartlett faded late in the going. The Bartlett 00 was a spectacular sight all night as that car remained seriously twisted during nearly every lap, often bringing the left front way off the ground.

A couple of yellow flag segments allowed the front runners to line up behind Olschowka, but nobody could really challenge. The finishing order was unchanged in the later laps and Olschowka took home $1500 in a great individual performance.

The EXTREME BOMBER TRAILER RACE season finale was EVERYTHING that was advertised and THEN SOME! 46 cars, vans, RVs and even a school bus with an outhouse attached stretched 2 by 2 all the way from the entry to turn 1 to ½ way up the backstretch. They were waiting for starter Robin Davies standing start green flag. The spectators in the grandstand rose to salute the start and didn’t sit down again until they reached their cars in the parking lot.

The chaotic mix of racers poured into turn one and the mayhem was at a fever pitch. Impacts and insane driving of every kind were evidenced. After only a few circuits the entry to turn 1 was almost completely blocked. In an almost unbelievable display promoter Hawes brought out an enormous back hoe and started to sweep the cars, RVs and trucks off to the side like so many flies of a table…AND THE GREEN FLAG STAYED ON. The leaders maneuvered through the debris field and like a gutter being cleared of leaves started to find racing room after Hawes and the CAT cleared the track. The fans were in a frenzy, and this observer (who has witnessed all kinds of racing activity over the last 50 years) has never seen anything like it. It was truly a spectacular sight. A giant piece of machinery smack-dab in the middle of a race is simply something you don’t see every day! The whole grandstand was buzzing with excitement. As 21 0f the scheduled 100 laps was completed simultaneous fires broke out in 2 of the competitor’s vehicles on the front stretch. Then, a 3rd fire broke out in another car in turn 2. The red flag was turned on so the fires could be attended to.

The restart had 1 car and 2 pick-up trucks still running. The car was among the SMALLEST of the entrants and had a 3-lap lead on the 2nd place truck. The 100-lap distance was an unlikely goal as all of the competitors, save the 3 left running, were junk by lap 29. Two laps later with their tires shredded by chunks of debris on the track the pick-ups bogged down and eventually stopped. The little car took the checkers and chugged to a stop at the flagpole. It was a tired and battered piece of smoking steel that once was a Toyota (…or something). Sprint car driver Mason Meyers popped out of the winning car, much to everyone’s surprise. Meyers was not even listed on the entry and as of Saturday morning actually didn’t have a car. Meyers said after his win that, “This car is a 5 hour project. I started working on it this morning.” Meyers received the most bizarre trophy he’s ever seen to commemorate his most unlikely victory. So, for the 2nd straight year the Trailer Race was decided by the “last car running” rule after 45 other vehicles were turned into garbage in 31 laps of mechanical insanity.

The 40th Anniversary celebration season at Marysville Raceway Park is history. On the last night the track hosted it’s most successful event. A packed grandstand and a pit full of cars was a superb way to say goodbye to 2008 and gear up for 2009. With a renewed vigor, promoter Hawes will close the facility and immediately start to rip up and replace and renew portions of the facility. Stay tuned to the website for further updates.

The next event for the track will take place on Saturday November 15th at the Colusa Casino. The track will present its annual awards banquet celebrating the action on the track this year. Promoter Hawes will be giving away 2 sprint car chassis and 2 360cid engines to deserving competitors who attend the festivities. Contact promoter Hawes for reservations.