It was a HOT weekend at Kings Speedway in Hanford, CA, as the 8th Annual
Pombo-Sargent Classic was held this past weekend.  This annual 2-day
affair is a tribute to the two most famous drivers of California's
hardtops (supermodifieds) during the '50s and '60s, Al Pombo and
Marshall Sargent.  Pombo was there as usual with his old Circle 3, the
late Sargent's son Mike represented him in the 7, and special guest
Howard Kaeding (on a break from his usual San Jose sprint car duties)
showed up in his beautifully restored 3.  All 3 old cars paced both
nights' feature races, to rousing applause from the stands.

Here's a brief summary of the 410 Northern Auto Racing Club / Golden
State Challenge results, as I witnessed them (highly unofficial).
Sorry, I did not make note of the Bandit (360 non-winged) results,
though the races were highly entertaining and fiercely contested.  The
Bandits are local to Kings and are the only wingless 360s I am aware of.

Friday 7/14
-----------

Despite 100 degree temps as late as 6 PM, the track was in excellent
condition, as usual for Kings.  32 cars took time trials.

Fast time: #69, Brent Kaeding

Heat 1 (transfer positions only): #88, Bobby McMahan, #69 Kaeding, #33T
Jimmy Trulli, #14 Tim Green.

Heat 2: #00 Jason Statler, #3 Paul McMahan, #6C Steve Coelho, #44M Rick
Martin.

Heat 3: #27B Blake Robertson, #83 Greg DeCaires, #11 Steve Kent, #24KT
Chuck Miller.

Heat 4: #24 Troy Newsome, #8 Sparky Howard, #8L Jason Lund, #7 Jimmy
Sills. 

Semi (4 transferred): #38 Eric Rossi, #14P Kevin Pylant, #14D Monte
Faccinto, #31 ?? (sorry didn't catch the name).

Main event (30 laps): 
 Friday's main was marred by a number of cautions and red flags, notably
for the #31 (whose name I failed to get), who after falling off the
track's rim several times, seemed to miss Turn 3 and went straight into
the tires and catch fence at full speed.  I did not hear if he was
seriously hurt, but he was removed on a backboard as a precautionary
measure.

#44M Rick Martin, a former San Jose track champ and current SJ regular,
started on the outside pole, and ran and hid from the rest of the field
during the early laps.  But the many cautions and red flags allowed
Brent Kaeding's #69 crew to adjust the car (even going so far as to swap
rear gears!) and catch Martin late in the going, even passing Martin
before the last yellow flag of the night restored Martin to the lead.

When the final green flag flew with 3 laps to go, "BK" was right on
Martin's tail and pushing him HARD!  The two evenly matched racers
fought for the lead, while the crowd hollered for their favorites.  On
lap 29 Kaeding finally got past Martin in turns 3 and 4, but at the
other end of the speedway Martin put a masterful slide job on Kaeding,
and held him off through the final turns for the popular victory.  #83
Greg DeCaires finished 3rd.


Saturday 6/15
-------------

It was even hotter Saturday, and the temperatures took their toll on the
track (not to mention us spectators), as it was dry slick after time
trials and got very dusty during the late races.  Steve Kent's 13.916 in
the #11 Selma Shell car was the first lap of time trials, and no one
else would cut a 13 as the track rapidly lost grip.  The high groove was
the only groove through the first 3 heats, until some brave souls in the
4th heat started finding traction in the low groove.  By the main event
the low groove was the fast way around.

34 of the 410s took times this night.

Fast time: #11 Steve Kent

Heat 1: #44M Rick Martin, #7J Mike Faria, #88 Bobby McMahan, #3 Paul
McMahan.

Heat 2: #83 Greg DeCaires, #8L Jason Lund, #38 Eric Rossi, #14 Tim
Green.

Heat 3: #33T Jimmy Trulli, #2 Bobby Michnowicz, #14D Monte Faccinto, #8
Sparky Howard.

Heat 4: #69 Brent Kaeding, #21 Mark Monico, #7 Jimmy Sills, #14P Kevin
Pylant.  The only real race among tonight's heats, this race proved to
be an omen of the main event to come.

Semi: #24KT Chuck Miller, #11 Kent, #6C Steve Coelho, #24 Troy Newsome.

Main event (30 laps): #69 Kaeding started 5th but quickly found traction
down low, and made some deft moves in early traffic to take the lead
about 1/3rd of the way through the feature.  Soon #21 Mark Monico took
up the challenge, and dogged Kaeding the rest of the way, often right on
Kaeding's back bumper!  However "BK" showed his usual mastery of traffic
and kept slower cars in young Monico's way.  Mark was not deterred,
though, and even a late-race wheel-banging collision with a slower car
(resulting in a bent radius rod and drag link!) barely slowed him down.
But Monico's best was not quite enough this night.  Kaeding took home
the win, with Monico a very popular second, while #14P Kevin Pylant
snuck up to 3rd from his 13th starting place.

Next race for NARC is this Saturday, July 22nd, at Petaluma Fairgrounds
Speedway.

And don't forget to check out my Sprint Car Page, at:
 http://www.chucko.com/racing/sprint-cars.html

 -- Chuck "hot, sweaty 'n' dusty" Fry
-- 
Chuck Fry  chucko@best.com  chucko@rahul.net  chucko@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov
The Communications Decency Act, promoting Internet censorship, passed the
US Senate.  DON'T LET IT PASS IN THE HOUSE!  Call your Congresscritter.
         See http://www.cdt.org/cda.html for more information.