I am posting this up for anyone near Bakersfield without plans tomorrow night. Oakiebowl Hardtops will be running at the Bakersfield Speedway tomorrow night October 26th, 2009 at 6 pm with 15 cars scheduled to run. Its always a good show and its also the last points race of the season for the other divisions so its gonna be a serious night of racing. I am posting this up for all the vintage Jalopy guys out there also. Heres a link to their site http://www.okiebowlhardtops.com/. I just got a call to run one myself also. Its my first time in a racecar since last year. Now I get to experience Jalopy racing first hand, wish it was 50 years ago though but this will do. Heres a link to the video of the last time they ran here in bako.-Weeks http://www.golivestream.tv/Player.aspx?VID=570
This is a tribute to your #34. It would be a honor to go back in time and see your car race against the figure-8 coupes of Ascot Park from 1962 thru 1969. You have a great car. Sincerely, Thomas Luce
Ok well for those of you who might have followed my thread. I placed second on Saturday night in the OAKIEBOWL HARDTOPS. My buddy Marc McCaslin Placed first ahead of me. I was leading early on and got passed by Marc's brother then Marc passed me up so I was in 3rd. Marc's Brother lost his driveshaft and we did not get a yellow as he lost it in the infield. We stayed green up until I hit a rutt and rode up the track in turn 2. I tapped my brakes locked the right front wheel and she pulled hard to the wall. I let off hit the gas and glanced off the wall and kept going. The flagman thought I was going to be broken as I hit the wall and threw the caution flag. I kept my forward momentum so they let me stay in second as I never lost the position anyway. I asked my crew through hand signals if I had broken anything and they gesture all good thumbs up. I swerved back and forth to make sure that I had full range in the steering still and had not knocked the toe out. All good as we took the green for the restart. I took it easy a lap or so to make sure the car was ok, we had a bad roll-over during the Legends trophy dash earlier in the night where Barney Montoya (72+ years old) rolled over as he took the checkered flag for the win. The car was totaled for the night but is rebuildable. Sorry no pics as of yet. Car caught fire and they put it out and Barney popped right out and did a very respectable winner's interview. Well back to the main event. So as I took it easy I got passed by the 3rd place fella. I saw I could get my spot back on the high side. I saw my chance as he ran low and lost momentum and took the 2nd position away from him on the high side. I saw Marc aways out in front of me and started to reel him in but did not have enough laps left to catch him. So Marc brought home another win and I got a 2nd my first time ever in a Hardtop. Was a hellava good time and I hope to do it again sometime soon. I will keep ya'll posted. If I find more pictures I will add them as I find them. Here is me after the main event in the pits with my plaque for second. I would like to thank all of my fellow competitors and the fans for coming out to watch us run.-Weeks
The car is not mine unfortunately. I borrowed if from my buddy Marc McCaslan. He has 12 cars in various states of build/race readiness. There is a northern california series also. The Oakiebowl Hardtops run at Bakersfield Speedway, Ventura Raceway, Santa Maria Speedway, Kings Speedway in Hanford, Chowchilla Speedway, Tulare Speedway, and a few other places they have run over the years. Check out the website for more info. Generally the hardtops run heat races a trophy dash and a 15-20 lap main event.
If they ran reglarly at Ventura (only seen them here once) I would probably build one. Looks like alot of fun to me!
I wish they ran more often also, but unfortunately there are no points, no purse, and the tracks generally let them run as a time filler for the night. Its unfortunate because the fan response is awesome to these old machines.
Video is finally up of the race I participated in on saturday night here ya'll go. http://golivestream.com/Player.aspx?VID=696 I also got a couple pictures from the racing action of the night. The first picture is right off the start of the race and the second picture is Barney Montoya aftermath of his winning and then rollover into turn 1. 72+ years old and he got out and did a very respectful interview for the fans. I am sure he is pretty sore still, but he checked out ok. Hope everyone has enjoyed my little blip of Jalopy racing, this is all until next time from me.-Weeks
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