During an August telephone conversation Perris Auto Speedway’s Don Kazarian reaffirmed his commitment to go forward with the 25th edition of the Oval Nationals and stick with a three-night format.
During an August telephone conversation Perris Auto Speedway‘s Don Kazarian reaffirmed his commitment to go forward with the 25th edition of the Oval Nationals and stick with a three-night format.
While that was certainly good news for fans of traditional sprint car racing, a discerning listener could detect a hint of apprehension in his voice. Yes, they were excited to have the race back, but it was undeniably a risky proposition. Kazarian was true to his word and the event kicked off with a feel-good story as Anaheim, Calif., native Jake Swanson finally nailed down his first USAC national sprint car victory in a barnburner.
Two nights later, Kevin Thomas Jr. grabbed the distinct eagle trophy for the third time after a splendid dash through traffic alongside Justin Grant.
That was the good news. The bad news was the shockingly poor crowd on Thursday and Friday night. It was so sparse that veteran announcer Scott Daloisio could only make light of it over the public address and to the audience watching on streaming video. Daloisio also shared what few in the Midwest and beyond truly understand.
The logistics of simply getting to this race track on time after a day at work in the greater Los Angeles area are nearly impossible. When it was pointed out that a 75-mile drive between L.A. and Perris would consume nearly three-and-a-half hours it was easy to understand why even a hardcore fan would get home, dial the race up on their computer or television and crack open a cold one.
It appeared as if the Saturday throng was stronger, but Kazarian and his group still had a three-day purse to cover. To be honest, it caused one to wonder if those drivers who made backhanded comments about the contraction of the prize money from past years looked at the stands on the two preliminary nights.
As one of the crown jewels of non-winged racing there is reason to be concerned. What you see in the grandstand can get your attention, but I‘m worried about more than this event. In a well done and poignant moment the staff at Perris paid tribute to the late Norman “Bubby” Jones. Jones not only was a Hall of Fame racer but he was instrumental in the launching of the track.
His fingerprints are all over the joint. His son, Tony Jones, is the race director for the USAC-CRA series. Another son, Davey Jones, has worked with many of the top USAC drivers, including C. J. Leary and Kevin Thomas Jr. Naturally, the conversation turned nostalgic. Bubby‘s battles with the great Dean Thompson were referenced, as were the careers of so many great drivers who had toiled at Ascot Park and Perris.
The movement of great racers between the West Coast and the Midwest has been a storyline since the days of Legion Ascot in the 1920s. During the post-WWII era, many who honed their skills in midgets in California later made their mark at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
As I have noted previously, the prominence of Indiana Sprint Week was elevated when Kokomo Speedway‘s Kent Evans convinced Mike Miles of Bloomington Speedway and Keith Ford at Paragon Speedway to bring the mini-series under the USAC banner. The next great jolt came when the stars of Ron Shuman‘s budding SCRA decided to trek east and participate in the fun.
When I think about the head-to-head battles that Dave Darland, Tony Elliott, Brian Tyler and Kevin Thomas had with the likes of Cory Kruseman, Richard Griffin, Mike Kirby, J. J. Yeley and so many others all I can do is smile. The car counts were astronomical and people at Indiana bullrings lined up at the trailers to get T-shirts for drivers they rarely had the opportunity to watch. Shuman also helped launch the Non-Winged World Championship tour and that afforded a chance to see Rip Williams or interact with the irrepressible Rickie Gaunt, while those on the left coast enjoyed interacting with the stars of USAC.
It was fun and intense.
That brings me to my central point. For years, aspiring drivers have moved to Indiana in order to race more frequently and be in a place where the sport is a passion and a way of life. Over the past two years, Jake Swanson, Max Adams and Geoff and Shayna Ensign — to name a few — have all relocated to Indiana. Charles Davis Jr. raced in the Hoosier State so often over that same timeframe one would think he lived here, too.
Everyone here is thrilled to have them as a part of the family. Yet the question looms. Who is replacing them? I can‘t speak with any authority about the state of winged 410 sprint car racing in California. I read stories and look at results — but I‘m not there. In many ways that statement also holds for traditional sprint car racing with the exception that I routinely watch streaming broadcasts of USAC-CRA events.
I‘m concerned. At the most recent Oval Nationals no one who would be considered a USAC-CRA racer put up much of a fight against the national regulars. It frankly wasn‘t even close. This isn‘t about putting anyone down. Not at all. Many of the top USAC drivers in all three divisions hail from the west. There is no disputing that.
There is also no denying that nothing matters more than seat time and racing against the best competition. Jake Swanson basically laid out his rationale for relocating during his winner‘s interview at Perris. Yet, I can‘t help but remember when it was much different. In the past, Brady Bacon, Kevin Thomas Jr., C. J. Leary and Justin Grant would not have gone to Perris and shoved people around.
I‘m worried because this is about the health of the sport. This series and so much of the region has been a source of talent. For this form of sprint car racing to be vibrant Indiana cannot be an island.
Could the current state of affairs be a continuing reflection of the ripple effect from the downturn in the economy a few years back and the lingering impact of the COVID shutdown?
Certainly. Are there other factors I‘m not listing? Undoubtedly. Others on the ground could perhaps assure me that help is on the way. Daloisio noted that some drivers on hand were the future of the CRA. He is in a far better position to judge that than I am. If you have been around for more than a minute you have seen this happen.
Racing goes in cycles and the current situation may simply reflect the ebbs and flows that come with retirements and the normal changing of the guard. I certainly hope so.