Division 3

Fifth SoCal Race March 10, 2007

Buena Park, CA

Steube and Sterrett share the laurels.

Mike over Paul in Retro Nascar, Paul edges Mike in Retro Can-Am

Report by "Gene Husting", photos by "Al Hall" AKA Steve and Sandra Walker

The fifth Division 3 race for 2007 had its two usual classes, both the Retro NASCAR and Retro Can-Am races being run on Buena Park's Hillclimb track. Two usual entrants were missing: last week, young Kyle Matthes had a terrible sled accident and suffered massive injuries in his face and upper body. Kyle is loved by everyone at Buena park Raceway and it was a real shock to all. His father Doug of course had to attend to his son. A collection was taken that raised $700.00 and an anonymous donor matched this amount to help the family. Mike Steube donated both his race cars to be auctioned and benefit the family, faced with very high medical bills. Others made "Get well" stickers that were quickly picked up.

Fortunately at time of writing, it appears that Kyle will pull out from this awful set of circumstances without too much damage. We pray that this will indeed be the case.

There were also several regulars who could not make it because of other obligations, so the field was reduced to 18 entrants for this one.

Retro NASCAR

Mike Steube made little work of winning the race with his new NASCAR chassis and set a pace that even Paul Sterrett could not match. With a fast lap of 5.652", Mike was nearly 3/10th faster than anyone else. He gained 4 laps over Paul and that was it.Terry de los Santos was Best of the Rest another 10 laps down, while Jeff Easterly, Keith Tanaka and Jeff Bell were just having fun.

Retro NASCAR  RACE RESULTS

*  Fastest lap

Retro Can-Am

The Can-Am entries. They were nicely turned out. The pink and white car at the back is that of Lee Hines, who used his "King" car on the Hillclimb. Must have been a handful!

Before qualifying, the heroes rest. Rick Salvino is trying to figure out who is the father of Anna-Nicole's baby while Mike Boemker prepares for hand-to-hand bush combat. Forrest Watchers simply refuses to play with slower cars and is an innocent by-stander here. Some are suggesting that it is because he could not handle the pressure.

Mike Aguirre brought the next generation of D3 racers in his luggage. Kool T-shirt too!

Practice with frustration already shown by Ryan Miller (center) who had a tough time adapting to this new scene. He will get better. Young Gibson Coutley got a military haircut. Mike Boemker is checking on aero while Bryan Warmack keeps cool under pressure. Adam Kirchhoffer is watching his car going through the banking vastly too slowly for his taste. Winner Paul Sterrett is hiding his game, but not for long.

Retro Can-Am Qualifying

Concours was won by the beautiful Lola painted by Bryan Warmack. Paul Sterrett was third,

In a mere 3 months, retired pro-racer Bryan Warmack has brought his genius and talent to the forefront of D3 racing. His always immaculate machinery does not follow but innovate, with Bryan's own ideas in chassis design, aerodynamics and general engineering. Bryan's last race prior to his return to competition was in...1970!

Mike Steube and Lee Hines checking Lee's car.

Retro Can-Am "B" Race

All these people look way too serious for a D3 race. I mean, Jeff Easterly looks like his cat died! SMILE people, it is mandatory!

Terry de los Santos started on black and put two laps between himself and Rick Salvino.

Adam Kirchhoffer easily led the first three heats but ran into trouble in the fourth, leaving the lead to Terry de los Santos, already two laps over Rick Salvino. During the rotation, Rick led over Jeff Easterly and Adam, coming back charging. Rick had now a ten-lap lead over Adam, with Gibson Coutley now in third, his best effort so far. In the next heat, Adam was on stand-by and Gibson moved to second place. But as Terry came back on red, it was clear who was going to win this one. Salvino was closest a mere two laps down, with Jeff Easterly completing the podium.

*  Fastest lap

Retro Can-Am "A" Race (no move up)

There we go again...

Ready to race...

Mike Steube took an immediate lead on the main event over the Usual Suspects, a charging and ever-improving Bryan Warmack his new Checkpoint teammate Paul Sterrett. The battle became a Mike VS Paul affair when Bryan was unable to stay with this pair, Mike and Paul only one lap apart during the whole race. Paul evened it up in the fifth heat but Mike regained the lead in the sixth, putting another three laps on Paul, Bryan another five down and only one over Mike Boemker. Mike over-did the comm drops and lost most of his advantage in the seventh heat, only one over Paul, while Bryan cleared himself from Boemker. Steve Walker was only two from a possible fourth placing, with Keith Tanaka solidly in fifth. In the last heat, Paul simply cruised past Mike now in trouble with a fouled commutator and won by a lap, Bryan in third.

*  Fastest lap

"Pops" Kilroy was here...

Some final positions were difficult to decide...

Group picture of the entrants. Today, the race was dedicated to Kyle Matthes's prompt recovery. Let's pray that it will happen.

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