Since I will be moving southside after the first of the year and taking my bride with me, I will be looking for a few good guys in the south bay area to race with. We've found a place in Carson near the college off of Artesia, by the golf course and Del Amo Mall. We should be moved in by mid January at the latest, and in my spare time...if I have any...I'm planning a mid-sized 4-6 lane oval on a 12'X4' layout. We will be running by Pete's CSRA rules, which will be on his website (soon to be released). That means 440X2 pan cars, no traction magnets and his late model bodies, which I have ordered the first lot of 20 of for myself. Hey, it's nice to have an inside contact even if I have to help make them.

What we have talked about is having a once a month race, more than likely at my location, using the late model he's building and have a sort of Prelude to a Dream type charity event. It will be an invitational proxy, sort of what we're going to do Monday night at Sequoia. The cars will be built, all the driver has to do is show up if they're racing in person, or pledge a certain amount if they will proxy race the car. It's going to depend on how well the race goes Monday as to how we will do subsequent events. Some of the money pledged will be used to buy contingency prizes, which may include complete AMG prepared cars. You all have seen the pictures, the cars are phenomenal in real life as the photographs just don't do them justice. And they handle great. I suggested the winner, proxy or otherwise, be given at least the car they drove or sponsored.

The cars will be done up in NASCAR style paint schemes either by Pete or myself, and will include Elliott, Johnson, both Busch boys, Kenseth, Gordon, Harvick, Hamlin, Labonte, Edwards, Kahne and a few others, using Patto's decals. I'm putting a maximum of whatever 4 times the number of lanes my track will be as the total number of cars to be entered. This will allow 4 heats to be run in 3 rounds, drawing the top half of the cars for the mains. It's pretty much a World of Outlaws style program and one the old man's group have been doing longer than I've been around.

The first month's race would be in March, and would be held at Sequoia Speedway. I'm not sure if it will be here in SoCal or in Fresno, but wherever the track is, that will be the first event. That would mean 16 total cars would/could be entered. The cars would be locked up after the first event and used for subsequent events, with only minimum maintenance done, but the bodies would be removed and randomly put on a different chassis before the next event, just as we did for the World Grand Prix. No car would be set up any different that any other and the drivers would have limits as to what they could do to the cars on race day.

Stay tuned, as as always comments and suggestions will be welcome.

Website is: http://sequoiaspeedway.googlepages.com/home

I'll be getting a domain sometime after New Years and it'll be easier to find then.

I just got the address from the kids, they will be living about a mile and a half from where the Home Depot is that was built over the old Ascot Speedway. My suggestion is for a 4 lane long oval with Ascot as it's theme.

I just got the address from the kids, they will be living about a mile and a half from where the Home Depot is that was built over the old Ascot Speedway. My suggestion is for a 4 lane long oval with Ascot as it's theme.

Wow, that would be great i remember as a kid going to Ascot Speedway watching the sprints race, my dad use to push the sprint cars, miss that track untill i heard it was an old landfill years ago, in Gardena. i want to congrat. Yoshi on everything he has acheived, and for his new job, ect. Pete i also wanted to thank you for all your help on the vaccum forming ideahs, you guys have a merry Christmas, and a happy new year, Shon Bates, Lake Elsinore, CA.:wave::thumbsup:

I pitched it to Yoshi, he says that since Toyota actually is the corporate sponsor of Irwindale (like Mazda is for Laguna Seca) it will be more like that, or like a small version of Phoenix. I never got to see any action at Ascot other than some old movies and of course the short clip from the original Gone in 60 Seconds.

Sounds like a South and North Series might be in the works for later into 2009? Yoshi handling the South and Pete the North....pretty cool stuff guys!

I still wish I was around there or you guys were around here.....no HO racing or tracks in South Texas - just 1/24 and 1/32.

Have fun drawing up the final layout and design Yoshi! You have watched the master, Pete, so you know exactly how to get it done!

PD2:thumbsup:

Yeah Paul, I tempted fate and considered moving back to SA not too long ago, but then there were those "normal" spring rains and flooding. I can deal with the occasional shaking but I can't swim against that kind of current.

Yeah Paul, I tempted fate and considered moving back to SA not too long ago, but then there were those "normal" spring rains and flooding. I can deal with the occasional shaking but I can't swim against that kind of current.

Yeah, SA gets slammed - all the Hill Country for that matter. My parents just moved out to Brenham and so far so good. They were tucked away and safe from the hurricane and did not get the down pours like they did in Austin and SA. Plus, they get a little of the rolling hills and of course you are close to Blue Bell - YUM!

You know you will never get Texas off your mind. HA!

PD2:thumbsup:

Paul where I grew up don't exist anymore. I used to be able to ride my Yamaha 80 all over from Windcrest to almost Converse on the dirt roads, horse trails and animal trails. We used to jump the train tracks for fun, but we never had the guts to tempt the train. The original San Antonio Dragway was on the land adjacent to my dad's property and we used to walk to the races. Now it's all houses and strip malls. We had a dry creek that would flash flood during even the smallest downpours and we'd run to the banks and watch for it. Man I can go on on how it was but this is my home now.

Even in the 26 years I've been in the Fresno area I've seen the same sort of urban sprawl. This could be the last year for Madera Speedway as new houses are going up around their fairgrounds, and noise complaints keep forcing rules changes in the racing. Same with Hanford, the dirt track 45 minutes south. it used to be the few places that the WoO would come to but I think they're not even scheduled for 2009. There has been a 20 year on-again off-again battle to build either a NASCAR or IndyCar capable track in this area, but land prices are killing it before it can even find investors. I can remember the last race at Pan American Speedway in San Antonio, the track I hung out at, raced at and I see what it looks like now on Google Earth. That track had both NASCAR and USAC races on it in the 1960's. Now it's a smudge surrounded by cookie cutter houses on a satellite photo. Breaks my heart sometimes.

I'm sort of jealous of Yoshi, working for Toyota he will be able to get VIP's for Irwindale anytime he wants. And that's good racing. And then there's the races at Fontana that I now have a forward base for, and I can still get into the Ford hospitality encampments with my credentials. So...maybe we can do some trading...

I just got the address from the kids, they will be living about a mile and a half from where the Home Depot is that was built over the old Ascot Speedway. My suggestion is for a 4 lane long oval with Ascot as it's theme.

Since I was 10, I have recieved National Speed Sport News. I can STILL remember when The 20 second barier was broken at Ascot in a sprinter. I used to read about the ascot sceene and wished to see it one day. At the time, getting from Michigan to California was out of the question. I'm glad that the memories of these places are still alive in some folks.

Just for grins:
Who broke the barier? No cheating and looking it up. Extra credit for the sponser on the side of the car.

I know what you mean. For me, I lived in South Houston around the NASA area and just South of there was a NICE drag strip right around League City. We could hear them light up from my house! And sometimes on a good clear night, you could get up on the roof top and with binoculars see them run! But, just as you pointed out, urban sprawl and the growth of the Clear Lake/NASA area pushed the track right out and I think today, when you go by the place it's a strip center with businesses and a used car dealer's lot.

It's funny, because in addition to Houston Intl., we now have a motorsports complex up on the North East side and a nice road course down South. Plus we just got another dirt oval on the North side that runs sprinters, outlaws, and modifieds. The tracks come and they go, but it seems to still have places where racers and gearheads can go and have fun. Even in terms of RC it seems that we have a variety of places, but we have had a lot of them go rather than come.

I'd be a little jealous too of Yoshi. For his age and this time, I'd LOVED to have been in an opportunity like he is getting! He is going to have the time of his life I'm sure! And what better place to work for than Toyota! They used to be one of my customers and they were always great to work with - would have loved to work with them too.

PD2:thumbsup:

afx, was it PJ? I'm thinking either PJ or one of the Unsers. I'm not sure of the sponsor but if it was PJ I'm thinking his Indy sponsor of that year.

Anyway....back on to where we were going with all this...

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z262/FresnoPete/Train-Derail-3.jpg

...just kidding.

We took the top 16 in the final standings in NASCAR to do the series cars. In addition to all of these guys each driver will be allowed their personal car to be entered. If the 8 guys that have obligated themselves to this series we could have 24 cars.

First race will be on March 8th. James Hicks' birthday was March 10th, Pete's is the 12th and this will be a Memorial Race. Any left over entry fee or pledged money will go to pay for gas and accomodations for Little James (aka Jim III) to come down and race.

Sorry about that Yoshi. :D
PD2:thumbsup:

afx, was it PJ?






Not even close. This guy was "visiting" from Ohio:wave:

Man....Ohio. If it was Pennsylvania I would have said Mario or Aldo.

Going back to the final standings for 2008 the cars have been selected for the Memorial race yet to be officially named.

1. Lowes #48
2. Office Depot #99
3. 3M (possibly) #16
4. Pennzoil #29
5. Jack Daniels #07
6. CAT #22
7. Dupont #24
8. FedEx #11
9. Old Spice #14
10. M&M's #18
11. DeWalt #17
12. AMP'd #88
13. AAA #6
14. Budweiser #9
15. Bass Pro Shops #1
16. Irwin (possibly) #26

Some of the cars had more than one sponsor in 2008, the decal set will be chosen based on popularity.

Personal cars that will be entered as well;

John King - Coors #9C (1984 car)
Pete McKay - LaFayette Ford (2008 CoT version) #28
Jim Hicks - GM Goodwrench #3 (Hicks Memorial only)
Drive One (Ford) #38
Yoshi Nagura - #44 but sponsor undetermined but will be a Toyota.
Sarah M/Nagura - #47, either the Ambrose Little Debbie car or the Talladega Nights Old Spice car.

Makes 21 cars that will be built sometime between now and the end of February.

21 cars for the field! Wow! Now that is going to be a big race! I hope you get others to turn out for the run - at least you have plenty of time to promote and advertise between now and then.

Speakin of Little Debbie....I was just in Chattanooga, TN. (Collegedale to be more specific) and was on Little Debbie Lane where one of their huge factories or distribution was! Almost swerved off the road into the parking lot to get some fresh cakes! HAHAHA!!! Of course, I've heard that Ambrose likes to take them back home and spread a little veggimite on them too. HAHAHA!!

Good luck with the build ups!
PD2:thumbsup:

Plans to move to LA have changed. I have taken a different job with Toyota located here in Fresno for the time being. If by late spring the program still has an opening in LA then I'll transfer down there and bring Sarah down after the baby is born in May.

We will be getting back to racing the Lifelike cars here in 2 classes based on body style. The ASA cars will be the older Pontiac, Monte Carlos of both styles and Thunderbirds. The Cup Class will be the same T-Chassis but with the new CoT bodies. The Cup Class will be the focus of the new Kids series developing for this spring. Exactly who will race beyond myself, Pete, Jim and a few of the guys from Bakersfield has yet to be determined. But Sequoia Speedway will be the focus with the kids race being held on a different 2-lane track with a double crossover (hence the name Double Cross Speedway).

OK - sounds like a family affair until late Spring for you and Sarah! Cool deal bro! Glad you got that squared away!

Heard the news on the kids series race - going to try to help out with that as much as possible. If I can get the FLY Racing car sold I'll have some cash to help out.

Good luck on the job and series!
PD2:thumbsup:

Paul, thanks. This version of the kids race will be better because of the track. It's a larger area, 4X8, but the track itself if extremely simple. The straights will be 3X 15" straights with a 9" cross-over either at the ends or at the beginnings, and wide 18" corners. We're testing it now to see where the best place for the cross-overs will be since they have to be taken at a slower speed. My thinking is immediately after the corners since these kids won't use much brakes anyway.

The T-Chassis cars work great on 12 volts but we will more than likely run just 9 volts since the track will have no lane advantage. The 6 cars we have will be used for kids as will any other factory paint scheme, the adults will need to repaint and re-decal their cars. Jim has already drawn the #3 Goodwrench car, Pete has drawn the #28 and will do his #28 LaFayette Ford heritage car raced by Travis Knapil (http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2008/scup/28lafayette-rside.jpg) and possibly a Davey Allison Tribute car, and I have drawn the #71 and will do my own heritage version of the K&K Insurance Dodge. John Mears has said he would race at the adult races and has drawn the #43 for his heritage series cars, and John King has drawn the #21 Woods Brothers entry. Once individual CoT bodies come available I can see each driver having a few schemes of each number in his box.

Awesome Yoshi! It's shaping up very nicely! Any word on little John Hamilton? Would definitely love to hear that he is back and walking the straight and narrow.

And you are running a Dodge? Why not a Toyota? :p

PD2:thumbsup:

I talked to John's brother not too long ago, he may be gone until the end of the summer. Unfortunately he was the one caught with the most incriminating evidence.

And Paul....a K&K Insurance TOYOTA? Shame on you. Yosh's NASCAR hero was Dave Marcus who raced the #71 for a long time. The most famous #71 was of course the red K&K Insurance Daytona. The adults are following my lead and redoing their cars in heritage schemes, I can't wait to see what it looks like.

I talked to John's brother not too long ago, he may be gone until the end of the summer. Unfortunately he was the one caught with the most incriminating evidence.

And Paul....a K&K Insurance TOYOTA? Shame on you. Yosh's NASCAR hero was Dave Marcus who raced the #71 for a long time. The most famous #71 was of course the red K&K Insurance Daytona. The adults are following my lead and redoing their cars in heritage schemes, I can't wait to see what it looks like.

What a shame about John....hope he does come back at the end of Summer and stays out of trouble and at the track instead!

HEHEHEHEHE!! I know it wasn't the heritage car - just thinking he ought to get use to the Toyota "T". LOL! Actually, a heritage line up will be cool! Can you find the old body styles from back then? I've seen a few, aside from the ones you guys ran recently. Just wondering how available the rest are.

PD2:thumbsup:

We're going to just put the heritage schemes on the CoT cars. I've seen a Dale Sr. scheme on one, and the #28 did have the Fred Lorenzen scheme on it last year for one race. When I first met Yoshi I did him a vacuformed Dodge Charger in K&K paint...

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z262/FresnoPete/MVC-149S.jpg

...he never got it unfortunately and it's lost somewhere. So I'm going to do his CoT in the same scheme.

AH! OK - so it will be a heritage paint scheme and not the actual cars. Gotcha! Still ought to be a good line up and race, regardless.

Nice draw on the body - too bad you can't find it! HA! I'm glad to see you are getting back into doing the vacuforming stuff Pete.

PD2:thumbsup:

Since I was 10, I have recieved National Speed Sport News. I can STILL remember when The 20 second barier was broken at Ascot in a sprinter. I used to read about the ascot sceene and wished to see it one day. At the time, getting from Michigan to California was out of the question. I'm glad that the memories of these places are still alive in some folks.

Just for grins:
Who broke the barier? No cheating and looking it up. Extra credit for the sponser on the side of the car.
Rick Ferkel....?
Kear's Speed Shop....?