Mike Griffith: Sprint Cars roll into Speedway
| Wednesday, Apr 02 2008 09:50 PM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 08:40 PM
Sprint Cars take center stage Saturday night at Bakersfield Speedway as the Bandit Sprint Car Series makes the first of three stops at the third-mile clay oval.
The central-California based series, which features winged cars limited to 360 cubic inches, stages the majority of its races at Kings Speedway in Hanford and Santa Maria Speedway.
Defending series champion Jessie Mack of Visalia will be among the competitors on Saturday as will transplanted Australian Peter Murphy, who won the 2005 series championships. Greg Taylor, who won the Grand Slam Sprint Car race at Bakersfield last April is expected to compete.
Bakersfield will be well represented with Rusty Carlie, who finished second in 2006 points, and John Iturriria and Matt Day. Jayson May of Taft is also expected to compete.
Also in action will be the California Lightning Sprints and Mini Stocks.
Tate Loftis, 14, is coming off his first Mini Stock feature win last week and is third in points, trailing Chris Holloway and Ed Elliott, each of whom have also won a feature this year.
Racing starts at 6 and all fans will receive a ticket for a free Pepsi.
Shepherd, Pounds strike deal
Dogs and cats don't usually mix and for more than three decades the top two names in local dirt-track racing -- Dick Shepherd and Scott Pounds -- had a relationship that was far from cordial.
They respected each others' abilities, but that was it.
Now the two have struck a deal that will have Scott's son, Brad, driving Shepherd's Late Model in at least two Western Allstars races at Bakersfield, the first on April 19.
The elder Pounds has pretty much retired from racing and is helping Brad. Shepherd also wants to retire and spend time helping his young son, Buddy, but has been unable to sell his car.
"I've watched that kid (Brad) race for years and he has natural talent," Shepherd said. "I need the car to run up front so I have a chance to sell it. I keep telling everybody it's me, not the car.
"I can qualify good and run well in a heat race but I haven't been able to put 40 laps together. Mentally, I'm just not there anymore."
Quick shifts
* The American Nostalgia Racing Association is staging its season-opening race Saturday at Auto Club Famoso Raceway, the first of four events at Famoso this year. Competition takes place in 12 nostalgia classes, including Nostalgia Eliminator I, which features a wide variety of vehicles running on a 7.60-second index. Qualifying begins at 9:30 a.m. with eliminations getting under way at 12:30 p.m.
* The California Sports Car Club (Cal Club) will be holding races Saturday and Sunday at Buttonwillow Raceway Park. Competition takes place in a wide variety of classes both days. Gates open at 8 a.m. both days.
* Former champion Eric Holmes drove to victory last Saturday in the NASCAR Camping World Series West season opener at All American Speedway in Roseville. Bakersfield's David Mayhew was second, with Mike David third. Eric Richardson of Bakersfield placed sixth. Fourteen cars finished all 153 laps around the .33-mile oval.
* Chet Buckley of Lompoc won the Western Allstars Late Model race Saturday night at Kings Speedway in Hanford. Series point leader Bobby Hogge IV of Salinas was second with Steve Drake of San Luis Obispo third. Robert Sanders of Bakersfield placed fifth.
