This week was Champions Night at Perris Auto Speedway. The final points race for the season and a double points race at that. There were six classes: Dwarf Cars, Sport Compacts, Factory Stocks, Street Stocks, Super Stocks and Modifieds. The car count was lower than normal with only 16 Street Stocks (the lowest I have seen it in 5 years)
This Saturday was the 22nd race on the Dietzsch Racing schedule. I am getting a little burned out on maintaining the car but it is the price I have to pay it I want to drive. I didn’t finish changing the rear gear and doing the rest of the maintenance until about 2:00 (normally, I don’t cut it that close).
There are no heat races on Champions Night, just Main events. The fields are lined up by points with the top eight inverted. I have missed several Perris races this year. Because of that it was the first time since racing at Perris five years ago that I didn’t have at least an outside chance at the points championship. It felt a little weird.
Because I missed a few races and fell back in the standing I was fortunate enough to start on the pole. I would have preferred the outside pole but beggars can’t be choosers. The 16 car of Steven Davies was starting outside of me. He is fast and because he was starting on the preferred line (outside) I didn’t expect to keep the number one position.
We both got a good start. I had a fenders lead going down the front stretch. I really threw it in going into one. The car stuck and I was on the throttle right away. I drifted up a little but left enough room for the 16 on the outside. I expected to see him along side me as we went down the back stretch but when I looked back I saw that I had cleared him. I moved to outside line going into three. The car felt good and the track was tacky (a little too tacky for my taste). After I set the car it was full throttle. The engine bogged until I was out of the corner. I had almost finished the second lap when the yellow came out.
The Street Stocks at Perris re-start double file (ala nascar). The leader gets to choose which lane to start from. It was a tough choice for me. The outside line is faster but I had kept the lead starting on the inside. I settled on the outside line and hoped for the best. We were neck and neck going down the front stretch on the re-start. I threw it in hard again and got on the throttle immediately. The 16 was right along side through the turns and down the back stretch. I gained a little in turns 3 and 4 but we were still side by side as we passed the flag stand. I gained a little more on the next lap in 1 and 2 and then finally got in front of Davies coming out of 4. I ran in the lead for a few laps. Then, I entered a little late going into turn 3 and got mired in the marbles up high. It wasn’t too bad but it was enough to allow the 16 to get along side down the front stretch. We both threw it into turn one. He started to slide up the track and crowded me a little. I hit the edge of the marble coming out of two and he had the lead. I thought I would be able to keep up with him and battle for the lead but it wasn’t meant to be. If I had a good lap I could keep pace with him but if I had even a small miscue the gap widened.
When he had some difficulties getting through some lapped traffic 2/3 through the race I thought maybe I had a chance but I got held up a little too. By the end of the race he had more than ½ a straight away lead. He earned the win and I got what I deserved, 2nd. It was a good clean race with only one yellow.
Henry Wesolowski finished 5th and clinched his second Street Stock Title. He ran strong this season, especially in his Monte Carlo.
The finishing order was:
16
25
28
12
22
After the race we had a couple of beers, a bbq and shot the shinola. Someone even asked for an autograph. It is a good time.
Next week is the Turkey Classic at Victorville. The promoter raised the entry fee and lowered the purse so I am not as excited about going but it is a good time to I will probably end of going if I can get the car ready.
