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Scott Daloisio
PERRIS, Calif. (March 11) - Mike Kirby, long considered one of the best Sprint Car drivers on the West Coast, leads the point standing in the PASSCAR Extreme Late Models as they head a four race program this Saturday night, March 15th, at Don Kazarian's Perris Auto Speedway. In addition to the high speed Late Models, the fast MC Builders Super Stocks, PASSCAR Street Stocks and the Pick-A-Part American Factory Stocks will also be in competition on the half-mile clay oval. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM with racing at 6:30.
Kirby, a father of two daughters who resides in Torrance, California, has long been considered a Sprint Car driver. His 61 Sprint Car main event wins ranks him ninth on the all-time USAC/CRA, CRA and SCRA combined victory list that dates back more than 40 years. However, Kirby began his career in Stock Cars at J.C. Agajanian's legendary Ascot Park in Gardena where he honed his skill racing Pro Stocks and winning Figure 8 championships.
Kirby fashioned one of the finest Sprint Car careers of any driver in history on the West Coast before heading back to Stock Cars at the end of the 2006 season. He won the last ever full season championship for the original CRA Sprint Car Series in 1993. He is tied for fourth in all-time USAC/CRA wins with legendary Rip Williams and he is fifth on The PAS USAC/CRA all-time main event victory list. In fact he won the first two USAC/CRA races at The PAS in 2004.
While Kirby won his fair share of Sprint Car main events at The PAS, he has also won main events in more different classes than any other driver at the track since it opened in 1996. "Mike Kirby has won in Sprint Cars, Late Models, Modifieds, Figure 8 Cars, Super Stocks and Street Stocks at The PAS," promoter Don Kazarian said. "It does not matter what car he gets into, he is always a contender. Few people realize this, but with all of the different classes he has competed in, he has turned more laps on The PAS than any other driver."
Kirby, who leads Marina Del Rey, California's Bill Bartels by one point heading into this Saturday's race, has gotten off to a great start in 2008. In three races thus far, the wily veteran has a win, a second place finish and a DNF. In the DNF, he was running fifth when he broke a drive shaft.
Bartels, who finished second in the championship chase last season, took fifth in the SWDRA (Southwest Dirt Racing Association) main event last Saturday night at Peoria, Arizona's Canyon Raceway. However, that fifth place felt just as good as a victory as the driver who took the win was his grandson Nick "Kid Harley" Bartels of Hawthorne. Regarded in Late Model ranks as one of the most talented youngsters west of the Mississippi, "Kid Harley" led the championship points much of the time last season at The PAS before ending up third behind champion Art Peterson and his Grandpa. Both Bill and Nick Bartels, along with Ron Bartels - Bill's son and Nick's Father - will be on hand to take on Kirby this Saturday night.
Former track champion's Linny White, of Colton, Mark Shackelford of Riverside and Jack Dodd of Riverside will be in action when the MC Builders Super Stocks return for the second time in 2008. Veteran's "Haulin' Henry" Wesolowski of Temecula and Joe Falduto of Santa Ana enter this week's fray tied for first in the PASSCAR Street Stocks. Riverside's Phil Holms will try to make it two wins in a row in the track's brand new Pick-A-Part American Factory Stocks.
Saturday's brawl on the clay will include qualifying for the Late Models and heats, main events and crashes for all four divisions.
Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.
Video and DVD productions for all PASSCAR events are available from Pasadena, California's RAZ Video. For more information on these shows call Howie Zechner at (626) 449-1175 or send an E-mail to: Howie@razvideo.com.
racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment
EXTREME LATE MODELS
1. Mike Kirby - Torrance, CA - 142
2. Bill Bartels - Marina Del Rey, CA - 141
3. Ron Meyer - Anaheim, CA - 138
3. Jeff Dunham - Murrieta, CA - 138
5. Dino Napier - Corona, CA - 114
MC BUILDERS SUPER STOCKS
1. Chris Smith - Trona, CA - 60
2. Linny White - Colton, CA - 57
3. Mark Shackelford - Riverside, CA - 54
4. Ed Perry - Carpinteria, CA - 51
5. John Caley - Riverside, CA - 48
PASSCAR STREET STOCKS
1. Joe Falduto - Santa Ana, CA - 99
1. Henry Wesolowski Sr. - Temecula, CA - 99
3. Tim Shadduck - Hemet, CA - 93
4. Jerry Knight - Murrieta, CA - 87
5. Hap Vertich - Huntington Beach, CA - 84
PICK-A-PART AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS
1. Phil Holms - 60
2. Jim Ramsey - 57
3. Ron Davis - 51
4. Tom Gillum - 45
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