Mike Griffith: Dirty philanthropist returns to his hometown
| Wednesday, Sep 30 2009 10:02 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Sep 30 2009 11:01 PM
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Felix Adamo / The Californian Kevin Harvick appeared to be having a fun time seeing old friends and racing on the dirt at Bakersfield Speedway in 2008.
Felix Adamo / The Californian NASCAR star Kevin Harvick powers his IMCA Modified car through turn two to win his heat race at Bakersfield Speedway in 2008.
The cars were done, the kids were ready to go, but there was no place to race. Now, Wednesday night, eight clubs from area high schools will be racing at Bakersfield Speedway, thanks to Kevin Harvick.
"We've been supporting the Kern County Youth Racing Series for a few years now, and we want to give these kids the opportunity to race, so we're coming to the Speedway to help make that happen," said Harvick, a 1995 North High graduate.
The program was designed for high school students to experience all aspects of the sport of auto racing at a new half-mile paved raceway planned in west Bakersfield, which is half finished and in bankruptcy.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup driver competed in an IMCA race at Bakersfield Speedway (his first ever at the third-mile clay oval) last year and figured the track would be a good fit for the Youth Series Mini Stocks.
Teams from Centennial, Stockdale, Mojave, North, Porterville, Shafter, Rosamond and Wasco will compete on Wednesday night. Harvick will spend time helping the youngsters with their driving techniques in the afternoon then he'll jump into a ninth car and compete against them.
In addition to the Youth Series race, there will also be a Hobby Stock race paying $1,500 to the winner and a celebrity race.
Admission is $5 ($3 for high school students with ID) and action begins at 6.
"I'm excited to give the high school series kids a chance to race the cars they have worked on," said Speedway owner Scott Schweitzer. "It's a great opportunity to have Kevin Harvick back again."
The event also serves as a kick-off to the annual Budweiser Nationals next Friday and Saturday, which feature competition in Late Model, Modified and Street Stocks.
Hot Rod Reunion near
People will still be the focus of the 18th annual California Hot Rod Reunion (Oct. 16-18) at Auto Club Famoso Raceway, but there will be plenty of nostalgia racing action, thanks in part to an expanded Funny Car field.
Both the Funny Car and Top Fuel fields each will feature 16 cars. Last year the Funny Cars competed in a Chicago-style elimination.
"There's so many Funny Cars we decided to do a 16-car field," said Tony Thacker, executive director of the NHRA Motorsports Museum. "Bucky Austin (out of Fife, Wash.,) is bringing eight cars."
Austin won the March Meet earlier this year at Famoso and was the winner at last year's CHRR.
Quick shifts
Jared Mees of Clio, Mich., raced to a flat-track motorcycle victory Saturday night in the Digger Helm Pro event at the Kern County Fairgrounds. Mees is the top rider on the American Motorcyclists Association circuit. No touring pros competed in the race.
Buddy Shepherd raced to a Junior Sprint victory Saturday night in the Budweiser Grand Prix at Lemoore. It was his fourth win of the season at the track.
Ryan Reed finished third in Legends competition Saturday night at Toyota Speedway of Irwindale, locking up the series championship with one race remaining. Brandon Toy finished 11th and has slipped to third in points. Dallas Montes finished sixth and is sixth in points.
Points leader M.K. Kanke of Frazier Park and rookie Kevin Callahan of Bakersfield (fourth) in points will compete at Spears SRL Series race Saturday night at Stockton 99 Speedway.
