Travel, Tailgating Truckers, TV, And Trophies.....
First major Road Trip for Bad Dog Racing as it rolls out four Racecars for
"The Battle of the Imports". The event is held at Historic Famoso
Raceway in beautiful Bakersfield, California, USA. Leaving from the Race Shop
in Sacramento are Team Members Greg "Grand Dog" Urrutia, Rick "Desert
Dog" DeLeon, Gloria "Tigger Dog" DeLeon, Brian "Speed-Dog"
Gomez, Varik "DeLoreon Dog" Gough, and Simon "Mad Dog" Ramirez.
We head down 99 for the 5 hour drive. Along the way we get a first hand experience
of "Road Rage". A "Crazed Trucker" (VW Hater!) Ran up our
tail pipes, one-by-one as he Blasted down the highway. He cut-off Rick forcing
him to "Lock-em Up" at 60 mph while towing! Behind Rick is Brian,
also towing,
who had to take evasive action. A catastrophe was narrowly avoided. Riding "Shotgun"
with Rick, Gloria wrote down the Truckers identifying numbers. We hope the CHP
caught up with him.
Our information stated the track opens at 12noon on Friday for Tech, Vendor
move-in, and Practice. We head
straight to the track only to find a very deserted looking Famoso Raceway. Bad
Dog Racing is the first to arrive, and it's 4pm! We are directed to Frank Choi,
Director of the International Drag Racing Association, INC. Frank allowed us
to unload theRacecars, and set-up our Pit. As darkness falls, we head over to
our Hotel. On the drive over we passed many gas stations advertising regular
at $0.95 per gallon.
We check in to the Parkview Inn (Soon to be called The Red Lion Hotel), to find the rooms less than adequate. We assembled our list of concerns, and present it to the Hotel manager. We are quickly moved in to more comfortable rooms. We applaud the quick action of the Hotel Staff. After a quick dinner, we relax in Brian and Simon's room. They brought the PS2, we play (What Else?) Tony Hawk late into the evening.
Saturday, November 17
The Team rises early, anxious to get to the track. We find Simon Racing in the
parking lot also on an early start. We head back to the track to find a long
line starting to form. Most of the participants are driving Asian Marques. We
are happy to see an impressive turnout of VW's among all the Honda's, Toyota's,
Mazada's, etc. Some of the Biggest names in VW Drag Racing, Past and Present,
made the trek to Famoso. Scott Kelly, Mike Lawless, Hans Huber, Allen Weiss,
and Italy 1 were on hand to "Battle" with the Imports. NASA Pro-VW
regulars Tom Simon(2001 NASA Champ), Leo DeLaRosa, Michael Meyer, and Dan Ruble
represented the Northern California Racers.
Media Coverage was Huge! Kern County FM radio station "94.1 The Rhythm of the Valley" was there doing a live remote broadcast. Speedvision sent a crew to film the event, which will air the week of January 13, 2002. Ocean Street Video was also taping the event in addition to working on an exclusive project. Publications included Import Tuner, Sport Sub-Compact, and Turbo Magazine.
Conditions at Famoso were ever-changing. The day started cold and foggy. It did warm up, and the sun did appear for awhile. It soon got cloudy and cold again. This made it tough to set-up a car. Track conditions were changing by the minute. There were also a number of oil-downs. Add a little moisture, and you get a greasy surface. Practice runs on Saturday were less than satisfying. As the day came to a close we wrapped it up.
The Team was invited to a Dinner hosted by Tom Simon and Mike Lawless. It was
nice to rub elbows with some of the big names in VW Drag Racing. We also had
the opportunity to speak with Dan from Ocean Street Video. Dan shared
some of his great stories of VW Events he has taped over the years. He has the
largest Library of VW footage to
be found anywhere. Check it out at www.oceanstreetvideo.com
Sunday, November 18
Raceday is here! We get to the track to find a very long line of "Rice
Rockets" waiting to get in. We pull right up to the gate, and are allowed
in by the event staff before the gates officially open. The staging lanes quickly
fill with one lastpractice/qualifying session. The Sportsman Class is the largest
with over a 200 cars in the program. Brian and Rick will run Sportsman Eliminator
A, Greg Sportsman Eliminator B, and Varik will be in Sportsman Eliminator C.
The Drivers from Bad Dog Racing all win in the first round of eliminations.
The rumors of Famoso Raceway having a lot of "Bite" come true. This
is evident by the large number of racecars braking at the line. Most are drivetrain
failures. Unfortunately, a handful of VW Racers suffer failures. Scott Kelly
(Transmission), Leo DeLaRosa (Transmission), Allen Weiss (Transmission), Italy
1 (Clutch), Michael Meyer (Engine), and Tom Simon (Linkage).
Gladiator that he is, Leo DeLaRosa decides to continue to race his 10 second
Drag Bug, Minus Second Gear! Leo runs low 11 second runs as a three speed! Running
in a wounded Racecar, Leo will finish in the Semi-Finals of
SE/A. A very impressive day for Leo.
In other action Mike Lawless wins in the Super Street Class. His super clean
Street Ghia swept thru the field.
Four rounds later the Racers from BDR are still undefeated and charting impressive
time slips. As we
continually return to the staging lanes, the "Rice Rocket Racers"
are hesitant to line up against us. Some
actually pull out of line and go to the end when they realize they gotta race
a "Dawg".
The day gets long, and there are many delays with oil-downs. At 4:30p the sun
goes down and the track lights
come on. The cool evening air is heavy with moisture. Windshields and helmet
visors start to fog. Rick lines up for round 6 of eliminations. As he launches
the Drag Buggy pulls hard right, he corrects hard hoping not to cross the center
line. The over
correction now has Rick headed straight to the guard rail. He lifts, gets it
straightened out, but it is too late. Rick goes out in the Quarter Finals and
finishes in 5th place. Brian is next up. After watching Rick, he really heats
up the slicks with an impressive smokey burnout. Brian launches hard only to
see a redlight as he leaves the line. Brian finishes in the Quarter Finals,
6th place
SE/A. No regrets!
Still in it, Varik continues to run impressive numbers. He appears to be in
"The Zone" as he wins round after round. Varik's day comes to a climax
as he finds himself in the Final Round of SE/C. In the last race to decide the
winner, Varik is forced into a "Double Breakout". He breaksout by
a smaller amount, and is crowned the Champion. Quite an accomplishment for a
newcomer in his first year of VW Drag Racing. Earlier this year Varik wrapped
up Rookie of the Year Honors for the NASA
Series, but he was never won an event or a trophy. Winning this event is especially
meaningful to Varik. This is his First Event Win, First Trophy, and First Purse!
We know Varik will continue to tear up the track!
Also in the win column is Greg. He continued round after round systematically
putting the "Rice Rockets" away. SE/B was the largest of all classes.
All totalled, Greg went nine rounds of eliminations (Wow!) on his way to victory.
Once again Greg finds himself in the last race of the day. The crew celebrated
at the line as the win light went on.
Shortly thereafter, Greg and Varik cross the Winners Stage to accept the large
Trophies, and Paychecks for an
impressive day of racing. After a long day, BDR is once again the last team
to leave.
The Battle of the Imports was a big event with a large crowd and packed granstands.
There are some very impressive Pro Cars at these events. If you never been to
one of these Import Races, we strongly recommend you check one out. Bad Dog
Racing will make all three events planned for 2002 at Famoso. Our Goal is to
sweep SE/A, SE/B, and S/EC.
Earlier in the day we stopped to buy some sodas and energy drinks. We jokingly
bought a can of Hansen's "Whoop Ass". It seems fitting to say "We
Certainly Opened It!"
We rolled out of "The Battle of the Imports" leaving the "Rice
Racers" behind with just one question........
"WHO LET THE DOGS OUT!?!"
| For
Immediate Press Release: For the fourth time in Seven Years, A superb vehicle from the stables of Greg's VW/Bad Dog Racing has been accepted in "The Grand Daddy Of Them All", |
|
 |
The
Grand National Roadster Show.
Announced
today, |
|
Grand National Roadster Show held at the San Mateo Expo Center in January 2002. |
|
Season In Review
The title for the "NASA Pro-VW Drag Racing Champion for 2001", will not be "given away" at this year's Awards
Banquet. It has been earned, and is well deserved. The ones who came out on top were the ones who spent
plenty of time preparing for the competition. They are also the ones that understand the importance of being
prepared when the lights go green. The competition is tough, and the pressure is multiplied by the fanfare
surrounding the events, not to mention the scrutiny of an attentive audience. To succeed, the Racers must stay
focused, and ignore distractions. You have to pay attention and forget everything else.
The NASA Series has provided a proving ground, a contest that will challenge even the most experienced, and well-
prepared racer, to compete at the highest level of competition. Where else can you watch the best VW Drag
Racers go head to head in front of a live audience?
The team from Bad Dog Racing has demonstrated the ability to compete at this level. It started at the first race with the debut of three additional racecars. BDR's rookie line-up included, Lynn Urrutia, Brian Gomez, and Varik Gough. Another new addition was the announcement of new Crew Chief Simon Ramirez. Freshly painted for the year were Rick DeLeon's Buggy, and Lynn's Karmann Ghia.
Winning that first race was BDR's Josh Preston. In race 2 Greg Urrutia moved
into 2nd place in points, and Teamates Josh And Varik were tied in third place.
Race three the tie is broken, Josh is in third and Varik finds himself in fourth
place.
In race 4, Lynn wins her very first round of eliminations, and Greg takes over
first place in points.
Race 5 was a double points race. Greg finished second behind Tom Simon, but
managed to stay first in the
points race. Also of note at this point of the season, was the fact Varik Gough
wrapped up the "Rookie of the
Year" title. This is a real accomplishment, but the road to get here hasn't
been easy. As a first year racer, in a new car, Varik was able hone his skills,
and finish well enough at each race to set himself apart from the rest of the
rookie field. We can also cite his determination as a key factor to get him
to this point. Varik is sure the next year of competition won't be easy, but
will step-up to meet all challenges. He will proudly wear this prestigious title
when it is awarded to him at the NASA Banquet.
In race 6, Tom Simon wins again and will take over the points lead. While Greg
finishes third.
Race 7 was the Annual Track BBQ, with NASA Racers having the only points contest.
Not only does BDR's Brian Gomez
win his first round of elimination, he goes on to finish Runner-up to BDR's
Rick DeLeon. First Trophy for Brian in this Series.
In all a good season for Bad Dog Racing. Greg Urrutia finishes 2nd in points,
followed by Josh Preston in third, and "R.O.T.Y." Varik Gough in fourth.
BDR also faired well in both Bug-O-Rama Events. Gloria DeLeon finished Runner-up
in Trophy Class at BOR 47, while Lynn Urrutia finished Runner-up in Trophy at
BOR 48. Rick and Brian finished in the money for Pro-Eliminator at BOR 47 and
48. Greg and Josh had good finishes in the Sportsman Class at both events.
To close out the year we have to congratulate the "NASA Pro-VW Drag Racing
Champion for 2001", Tom Simon.
Tom has demonstrated the highest level of expertise and professionalism in his
quest for the Title. As the Race Director, he has always been available to help
out any fellow racer that may need a hand. His close knit family has been a
major factor in helping out with scoring, which has lead to a smooth running
program. They have helped a good organization (NASA), continue to project a
positive image. We at Bad Dog Racing view the Series Championship as the ultimate
reward. It is quite an
achievement when you consider the level of competition that has led to this
opportunity. We are very proud to be able to run with Tom, and hope we have
provided him with enough competition to bring out his best.
Congratulations Friend! A Championship Well Deserved!
Bad Dog Racing will go into the off season with an agenda of Racecar rebuilding. We are also looking for new Sponsorship and Crew Members. Next year promises even more excitement with the addition of THREE more racecars. Next year's season will be here before you know it, and Bad Dog Racing will be there to "Bring It!"
Nasa Finale
What may have seemed like a very long racing season with the addition of a seventh
race, now seems to have pasted
quickly as we head into the last race of the year. The drivers points has changed
hands four times in the first six races as an indication of the keen level of
competition in this Championship Series.
The sixth season of this Series has turned into a points battle between Tom
Simon (Brentwood Cyclery/Simon
Racing), and Greg Urrutia (GVW/Bad Dog Racing). Tom Simon goes into the last
round leading by 20 points, and
coming off "Back to Back Wins", in addition to a very strong performance
at Bug-O-Rama 48. Greg Urrutia has
yet to win in a NASA race this year but has finished well at each race to keep
him at the top. Greg also had
a good showing at Bug-O-Rama 48, and feels a win is in the cards for him.
The next three positions, held by Josh Preston (BDR), Varik Gough (BDR), and
Bob Moshier, are all within 60
points of each other. It all comes down to this final race, a lot is a stake,
a lot still to be decided.
Thursday, September 27, 2001
Greg, Brian, and Simon Ramirez make arrangements to take of Friday from work,
and head up to the Race House
Thursday evening. Our friend Bill Fialkosky, has provided Brian with custom
made vinyl decals as part of
a much needed make-over for his Racecar. Again, we play Tony Hawk on the PS2
for most of the night/morning. This
is getting to be a ritual for BDR. It's a howl! You can't seem to walk away
from it!
Friday morning the teamates are very busy working on Brian's Pro-Eliminator.
The Racecar is washed (for the
first time ever!), and then an amazing transformation begins. We strip off all
lettering, graphics, and decals
left-over by the previous owner. First to go was the evil looking blood-shot
(Moon?) eyes. Then the entire
car is buffed with a wheel, and hand polished. New permanent numbers are affixed
(PE 409), in honor of
Brian's Dad who was known as "King of the Road" in his 409 powered
Impala. New vinyl lettering promoting
Brian's new company, www.mvhomeimprovement.com is placed on the front spoiler.
A set of accurately detailed headlight decals are carefully placed in the headlight
buckets. Finally, Brian's own mascot "Speedy Gonzales" is added, riding
Shotgun on his Autometer Tach. We stand back and look at the Racecar in disbelief
of the results. It looks completely different, almost as if it was just painted.
We are blinded by the shine of the bright red paint in the sun light.
Later that day, Varik rolls in with his "VW DeLorean". He is later
found carefully placing new decals on his Racecar. In the evening hours Rick
and Gloria, and Josh and Kris arrive at the Race House. More Tony Hawk.
Saturday, September 29, 2001
Race Day is here. Unsure about the day's schedule, we arrive at what we thought
was an early hour, only to find our usual paved pit area, already spoken for.
All paved pit areas large enough to support our team, where all taken. We set
up next to the grandstands on the turf. We construct a beautiful red, white,
and blue pit area, with more than a dozen American Flags. Many in attendance
are taking pictures of our "Patriotic Pit". We get the "Thumbs
Up" from passers-by.
The Brentwood Cyclery/Simon Racing Team show up and are the envy of all, as
the crew sports new shirts. They look very professional, and very focused on
this last race.
Michael Meyer, family and crew show increased seriousness in their racing program,
as they show up with a
beautiful, brand new race trailer. His Blue Oval Racecar looks intimidating
perched atop it's new ride. This latest purchase will enable Mike to join Tom
Simon, Leo DeLaRosa, and Chris Brown, as part of the NASA contingent going to
next weeks Vegas race.
At the Drivers meeting, we find thirteen Racers will battle it out in the last
race of the year. It is announced that Series Sponsor Greg's VW Service has
brought large American Flag decals to be affixed on all Racecars. The Flags
are quickly claimed with some wanting more than just one. The Racers donate
what they can for the flags, and the proceeds will be given to disaster relief
funds in the name of NASA Pro-VW Drag Racers. It is quite a sight in the staging
lanes to see 13 VW's all flying the flag in the same location.
Race Director Tom Simon may have been slightly distracted by the intensity of
this last race as he forgot his all important NASA Briefcase. Not to worry Tom,
we all understand what's at stake in this race!
Because of the unusual schedule of the day, there is no fee for tech cards,
but practice runs will be limited.
The Drivers agree to create a "Jackpot" with the funds. Numbers are
drawn, and newcomer Bob Stockfield will get
the first bye run of the day.
First pair is Lynn Urrutia against Tom Simon. Husband Greg promises Lynn the
world if she can take out Simon
in the first round. As fate has it, Simon wins a good race and will advance
on.
"New Look" Brian Gomez has the task of having to run against the very
accomplished Gary Holcomb. Holcomb is
running consistent 11.70's in his very intimidating Drag Buggy. Brian is a little
unnerved as he hasn't won a single round of elimination all year, despite his
strong finishes in both Bug-O-Rama's. Brian is hoping to have finally rid his
racecar of the identity crisis it seem to be experiencing. Strong practice runs,
and a renewed focus seemed to be key as Brian's puts Holcomb away in round one.
The team is ecstatic in the pits as they help Brian celebrate his first win
in this Series.
Rick DeLeon battles with, and wins against BDR teamate Varik Gough in their
round one match up. Tough break for
Varik as it ends his day, and any chance to advance in the points race.
Bob Moshier is also eliminated, and has no chance to advance in the standings
in a loss against Michael Meyer.
Tough match-up and a loss for BDR's Josh Preston, as he can't run the number
against last year's champion Greg McNair.
Greg Urrutia sweats out a win against Dan (alias "The Docter", aka
"Magoo") Ruble, in a "Too Close For Comfort!" double break-out
race. Greg feels very lucky to win this one, and is grateful to be moving into
round 2.
The day ends in round 2 for Michael Meyer as he redlights against Rick DeLeon.
Tom Simon continues his quest for the Championship as he wins against "Rookie"
Bob Stockfield.
The Challenge for the points chase ends in round 2 for Greg Urrutia, as he loses
a very close race to Greg
McNair. This is the closet Bad Dog Racing has ever been to the Championship.
It is also the first year BDR has
been able to run a full schedule. Greg gave'em a run for the money....no regrets.
Brain Gomez continues his day of racing with a bye run in round 2.
Semi-final round find match ups between Rick DeLeon and Greg McNair, and Brian
Gomez vs Tom Simon.
All eyes are on the match up of Brian and Tom. Brian is feeling confident, and
his racecar is running consistent times. Many wish Good-Luck to Brian in the
pit, and staging areas. Tom has already wrapped up this years
Championship, but is still focused on todays race. A win today would make it
a "Hat Trick" for Tom, and what
better way to cap off a winning season. Brian rises to the occasion, and wins
a close race against the Newly Crowned Champion. The Team is ecstatic as they
celebrate at the starting line. High Fives all around for the crew of Bad Dog
Racing. Winning against Tom, is winning against "The Best!".
The second contest in the Semi-finals is not to be. As the Staging Lane Director
calls for the pair of Rick
DeLeon and Greg McNair, it is discovered that Greg McNair's Drag Buggy has a
flat, and is sitting on the
rim. The Lane Director sees the problem, and motions for Rick to run a single.
A very tough break for McNair who
has played the role of "Spoiler" along with Brian Gomez, as these
two put away the points leaders in earlier races.
The stage is set for a much over due "All Bad Dog Final Round". It's
teamates Rick DeLeon vs Brian Gomez. It is
always exciting to see these two run, for they are so evenly matched. When they
run together it's like synchronized shifting, as you hear them run the quarter
mile changing gears at the same time. Rick prevails as he cuts a better light
than Brian. Anyway you look at it, it's a Bad Dog "One, Two Punch!".
Back at the meeting area, the Drivers re-assemble for a Trophy Presentation.
In addition to today's winners, Trophies from the prior season are given out.
Rick and Brian will share the Jackpot money in addition the the regular prizes
for winning the event.
Greg's VW Service also supplies five bottles of Champagne to help celebrate
the last meeting of the year for the NASA Racers. Bottles of Bubbly are given
to new Champion Tom Simon, second place finisher Greg Urrutia, Third place finisher
Josh Preston, in addition, today's winners Rick DeLeon, and Brian Gomez also
get bottles.
Then it happens! As forecasted, the BIG Champagne Shower hits, and hits hard!
Along with the Champagne, Silly String Flurries are experienced!
When the group regains it's composure we head over to the Track BBQ and Awards
ceremony. Tri-Tip sandwiches,
corn-on-the-cob, salad, watermelon, and cold drinks were a fitting end to a
fun and exciting day. Talk of a similar "Picnic Type" awards ceremony
for the NASA Racers was the topic of conversation.
The Racers and Crew of Bad Dog Racing congratulate Tom Simon on his first Championship.
Tom has been chasing
this title for five years. Well deserved when you consider his position as Race
Director, keeps him very busy running the show. His job can keep him busy 24/7/365.
A great spokesman for our series, and a guy with the "Prettiest Set Of
Pearly Whites" you'll ever see, "Smil'in Tom Simon", will be
the "Poster Child" for The NASA Pro-VW Championship Drag Racing Series
for
the year 2001.
Back at the Race House the talk about Brian's great performance continued,
When asked about what he accredited his new found success to, he replied, "I
think it was the Speedy Gonzalez I affixed to my Tach!" With that a new
nickname is born. Other members of BDR are identified as, Rick "Desert
Dog" DeLeon, Jason "J-Dog" Lang, and Varik "DeLoreon Dog"
Gough, but we have been unable to come up with a good name for Brian. We tried
"Brain Dog", "Red Dog", and even "B-Dog", but
nothing seemed to fit. After this outing, it seemed obvious, his new monicker
will be Brian "Speed-Dog"
Gomez.
With that we wrap up another season of NASA VW Drag Racing. In closing we need
to thank a number of people.
Without their help, our success would never be realized.
Thank You:
Steve Weatherly-Weatherly Striping
Greg's VW Service
A Pet's Friend
Bridges Tire and Wheel
Eddy Tapia-Painter
Jeff Hurley-Artist
Liisa Fialkosky-Webmistress
Bill Fialkosky-Vinyl Man
www.mvhomeimprovement.com
Wolfsburg Pacific VW Club
Blitzkrieg VW's
And many, many others too numerous to name on this update. All of us at Bad
Dog Racing appreciate your
support!
NASA Pro-VW Drag Racing Series Race 6
August 18th finds a smaller than usual group of Racers gather for the sixth
race in the NASA Pro VW Drag Racing Series.
Absent in the Bad Dog Racing line-up are Brian Gomez who made a valiant effort
to get to the Racetrack this weekend. Unfortunately, he ran into mechanical
difficulties with his tow rig. The water pump decided it was time to fail while
he was in route to the Race House. After hours of racing against the clock to
make the needed repairs, it was apparent he would not make it in time to participate.
It has been a tough year for Brian, but these set-backs has only made him more
determined to finish well.
Crew members notably missing in the BDR camp are Simon Ramirez, Jason Lang,
Kris Clynne, Colby Preston, and Ricky DeLeon. Due to other commitments, these
team members were unable to attend. This left all Pit Crew tasks to Gloria DeLeon.
After a crash course (No Pun Intended!) in operating a pit bike, we hung a 2-way
radio on Gloria, and put her to work looking after 5 drivers. She rose to the
occasion, and took care of all the drivers needs.
First round of practice identified problems with Rick's Drag Buggy (Fuel Line),
Josh's Drag Sedan (Carburetors), and Chris Brown is still plagued with problems
on the Supercharged Notchback. We replace the main fuel line on Rick's Buggy
and hopefor the best. Josh continues to address worsening carburetor ailments.
Chris Brown is busy in his pit pulling the blower off his engine, and replacing
it with Dual Carburetors.
The Drivers meeting awards Bob Moshier with a first round "Bye" run.
Bad Dogs to pair-up are Rick and Varik. Although a little rough at top-end,
Rick gets the win. Tom Simon runs against Tony DeAnda in the second pair. A
double break-out is registered, Tom Simon gets the win with a smaller foul margin.
Completing repairs in the nick of time, Chris Brown answers the call as he lines
up with Lynn. Chris gets the win as Lynn breaks out. Greg advances to the second
round as Dave Colta red-
lights. Last race in the first round find Mike Meyer in the win column, as Josh's
Sedan fails to come up to power.
In round 2 Bob Moshier defeats Rick. The Buggy repeats a loss of power at top
end. Greg wins a close one against Mike Meyer, and Tom Simon will get the "Bye"
into the final round as Chris Brown red-lights.
Semi-final round pairs Bob Moshier against Greg. Moshier runs a 17.12 on a 17.10
dial-in to win. It's Simon vs. Moshier in the final round. Back-to-Back wins
for Simon who makes it look easy. We later find out Moshier missed second gear.
With this win Simon moves into first place. Third place points on the day will
put Greg in 2nd place. Third through fifth place remain unchanged with Preston,
Gough, and Moshier respectively.
With twenty points being the margin between first and second place, it will
all come down to the last race. Bad Dog Racing will have one last "Tune-up"
race at Bug-O-Rama. We plan to race the entire weekend including the Friday
night Test-N-Tune.
We will have all Racecars dialed-in for the NASA season finale on September
29th.
Our Next Race: Bug-O-Rama 48
Aug 31-Sept 2, 01
Sacramento Raceway
Bug-O-Rama 48
August 24, 01
Anticipation is high as Bad Dog Racing plans for the up-coming Bug-O-Rama 48.
Schedules are co-ordinated so team
members can take off work the Friday before the weekend event at Sacramento.
Friday night is Test-N-Tune at the
Raceway. Our plan was to get some practice runs in on Rick's Drag Buggy.
August 30, 01
Greg and daughter Amber are the first to arrive at the Race House Thursday evening at 9:30p. Shortly after Jason rolls in with the Weatherly Striping Ford F-550 Big Rig "Brutus", with his Racebus in tow. Later in the evening/morning Rick and Gloria arrive with the Baja Racer around 1:45a.
August 31, 01
After a great breakfast, the team members are out in the Race Shop making minor
adjustments to the Racecars. Rick's Buggy gets an oil change, and valve adjustment.
He also adds a support bar to his roll cage. Support vehicles are loaded up
and we head out to the track for T-N-T. We find our favorite pit area and quickly
lay out an area to support seven racecars.
Greg will run Rick's Drag Buggy to get a feel for what may need to be changed.
Right off the trailer the car runs a 13.00 without being pushed hard. Back in
the pits a new set of spark plug wires are installed, and a pressure change
to the rear slicks is made. Second test run produces a 12.70, this is the number
we are looking for. One last run is made with Rick driving the car. He runs
a strong 12.6
Satisfied with the results we pack up and head back to Bad Dog Ranch. Brian
and Simon meet us at the Race Shop
where we roll out the rest of the racecars to prep, and load onto the trailers.
That night we greet Varik who actually drove his Street/Race Sunroof Beetle
to the Ranch from the Bay Area.
Missing from our team is Crew member Ricky DeLeon Jr., who is stranded in Pacifica.
He had to work until 10pm before he was available to go. His tough schedule
prevented him from catching a ride up to the Ranch. In true "Team Player"
fashion, team members Tracy Urrutia, and Tina Martinez volunteer to drive back
to the Bay Area to pick up Ricky. They arrive safely around 2am just in time
to join in on the Play Station 2 marathon. I believe it was Tony Hawk, and Gran
Tourismo 3 until the wee hours of the morning.
September 1, 01
Saturday morning the team gets to sleep in late for the track does not open
until 2pm. We hear Jason tip-toe
down the street in his Racebus to go to the nearest Starbuck's for his morning
coffee drink (more on this later). After another fabulous breakfast, thanks
to Lynn and Gloria, we start to load up "Brutus". Air Compressor,
Generator, Tool Boxes, Swap meet stuff, Carts, Creepers, Jacks, Pit Bikes, Banners,
Gas Cans, Stove, ETC., etc.....enough equipment to support seven
cars, and we still have half of the truck empty! Our Sponsor Weatherly Striping
are the Greatest for making this vehicle available for us. Loaded and ready,
we head over to the track.
Once inside we unload and organize one of the most impressive pits to be found.
Our professional appearance always invites other racers in-need, as well as
the fans, friends, and well wishers. Tech inspection is never a problem, as
we are well prepared. After the first round of practice, slight adjustments
are made to Rick's Buggy, and Lynn's Ghia.
Again Jason's Racebus is a crowd favorite. It is often the topic of conversation,
and many pictures are snapped. The rest of saturday is very satisfying with
strong performances from each racecar.
We wrap it up, and head back to the Ranch. Most of us jump into the Racebus,
which now doubles as the Shuttle to and from the track. Tonight we feast on
BBQ Chicken, while Jason gets busy making fresh Strawberry Daquiri's. Can it
get any better than this? Well...Yes!, a spur of the moment celebration occurs
as the group sings "Happy Birthday" to Jason. We party in his honor!
For the evenings entertainment, the trampoline is moved next to the pool. Brian
and Varik provide the laughs as they bounce, spin, flip, and flop into the pool.
Later, Gloria helps everyone relax as she performs "Rakie" (a combination
of massage and houlistic therapy) on the team members. All will sleep well tonight!
September 2,01
6am Varik, Brian, Simon, and Ricky, join Jason for the morning Starbuck's run.
When they return we head out to
the track to prep for the day's events. Again we all jump into the Racebus/Shuttle.
Jason has it all! The Racebus is fun to drive, it goes fast, can haul all the
extra stuff, shuttle the crew back and forth to the track, run for the morning
coffee, and it's the crowd's favorite race vehicle. Even the Announcer "Dyno"
Don loves to comment about the BUS.
Once at the track the drivers suit-up and head over to the staging lanes for
the last round of practice. Crew Chief Simon looks after everyones needs. Tools,
a cold drink, or help in the lanes, he is right there for you.
Brian hears a young voice calling to him while he sits in the lanes...."Brian....Hey
Brian!" As he looks in the direction of the voice he spots a young lad
calling his name. As he makes eye contact with the young fan, he waves back,
"Why Hi There Young Man, How Are You?". The young admirer than asks,
"Is that Van's Racecar you're Driving?" Needless to say Brian is a
little tired of his Racecar being identified as being previously owned by Van
Day. I think Brian's response was something like, "BEAT IT YOU LITTLE !@#$%^&!".
Once the eliminations start, we find over 50 racecars in the Sportsman Catagory.
There is an odd number of cars so someone will get a bye run in the first round.
Wouldn't you know it.....the officials hand pick Jason's Racebus for the bye.
He is without a doubt, the favorite.Varik will win four rounds before he is
eliminated. Greg and Jason will make it to the final five before heartbreak
occurs. As Jason shifts to third gear, his shift coupler breaks. All are sad
as "Our Hero" is towed of the track.
Greg makes it another round and is in the semi-finals with three cars left.
A coin is tossed to see who gets
the bye run. As luck has it, NASA Racer Chris Brown wins the toss. Greg will
have to run once more to make it into the finals. But it is not to be. A third
place finish is all he can produce as he loses a close one to a tough competitor.
Chris Brown will win in the final round. Congratulations goes out to Chris Brown,
who is crowned Sportsman Champion. It is always good to see a fellow NASA member
win in these events. Good Job Chris!
In Pro-Eliminator, Rick and Brian find themselves facing some intimidating opponents. Brian suffers a first round loss as he goes too fast! He Breaks out. He runs a 12.989 on a 12.99 Dial-in. Almost perfect....almost!. Rick runs well and makes it into the quarter-finals before he is eliminated. Pro-E is one tough class with lots of heavy hitters. There are many Racers with large bank accounts in this class. With his fifth place finish, Rick is in the winner's cirlcle. For his efforts he takes home a check for $75.00. Both Bad Dog Cars ran strong, no regrets!
Now, onto the Trophy Class. Gloria is focused to defend her Runner-up finish
in BOR 47. Lynn is feeling confident with her car running best times ever. Both
win in preliminary rounds. As the field is reduced down to three cars, another
coin toss is called. Luck is with Lynn as she wins the call. She will have a
bye run into the final round. What ever happens, she will go home
with a trophy. Hoping for an all Bad Dog Final Round, it's not to be as Gloria
loses in the semi-final and goes home with third place. In the Finale Lynn breaks
out by .05 and goes home with the Runner-Up Trophy. This
is Lynn's first Trophy and one that will be cherished forever. Congratulations
Lynn, You have made all us "Dawgs" very proud!
In other action, NASA Racer Tom Simon wins Runner-Up in the very competitive PRA 11.90 Class. Congratulations Tom on a very Successful Season. We wish you all the Best at Las Vegas, and at the NASA Finale.
In all it was a good event for Bad Dog Racing. Our Cars performed well, and
all members had a great time. Win,
Lose, or Draw....having fun with your friends and family is really what its
all about.
In Closing, I can't say enough about our Sponsor Weatherly Striping. Steve
Weatherly and Staff have made a major impact in helping our team support seven
Racecars. By suppling us with first rate, top of the line equipment, the logistical
nightmare of moving Racecars and equipment has become routine. Many Thanks from
all of us at Bad Dog Racing, we are Forever
Grateful.
Next Race: September 29, 01
| Photos Coming Soon! |
VW's By The Bay
August 12, '01
Members from Bad Dog Racing/Greg's VW Service, meet at the Shop in Redwood
City to caravan up to the KD Motorsports event in Vallejo. A total of 9 assorted
VW's turnout for the event.
Heading up the group is Greg driving the Car-Carrier loaded up with the engine
blow equipment. Next in line is Amber driving the '62 Ragtop, followed by Eddy
and Mario in Eddy's '56 Right-Hand Drive Oval
Ragtop. New members include Robert and son in his '65 Sedan (Eva). This years
NASA Rookie of the Year, Varik,
acoompanied by his "Side-kick" Colby, are cruising in the '67 Street/Race
Sunroof Beetle. The Bad Dog Buses along for the trip include Jason's Racebus
with Josh riding shotgun, Simon and Son in his '70 Transporter, and Brian, Suzanne,
and the rest of the whole Gomez family in the '67 Camper. Kris and her brother
Greg ride in style in Kris's Sweet 2001 Wolfsburg Turbo Jetta. Eddy spooks all
the other cars on the road as he donned his Wrestling Mask. As he passes Brian
and family in the bus, Brian says, "Don't look out the window kids".
Well....they look, and start to cry, "Make him take it off!".
One of the highlights of the cruise is to experience the sound of open stingers
inside the Treasure Island Tunnel. What a sound as the exhaust note reverberates
off the walls. I think they call it "Fweem".
We arrive in Vallejo unload and set-up for the engine blow, then head over to
the swap-meet in search of those hard to find items.
Next up is the Highly Competitive Hot Wheels Drag Race put on by the Old Volks
Club. This is the first time BDR has had a driver enter in the competition.
Megan Gomez (3 years old!) proved she can take on all comers, young and old,
as she dominated the event winning all her races.
Megan was sponsored by Kris Clynne who provided her with a "Herbie"
Hot Wheels Racecar in top race-ready condition. Megan swept through the competition.
For her flawless performance she received the Winners Trophy and
bragging rights. Bad Dog Racing is very proud of our newest, and youngest driver.
Watch for Megan in her winning ways as she continues to develop her driving
skills.
Other events included the "Push Drags", where a team of three compete by pushing a VW Bug to victory. Back to defend their title is the BDR team of Brian and Calvin Gomez, with Simon Ramirez. Against a very tough and intimidating field of teams, Calvin precisely navigated as Brian and Simon dug in. With an ET of 5.38, the team from Bad Dog Racing set the mark to beat. After all the dust settled, BDR celebrated as the team triumphantly defended their title. Our "Push Drag" team has "Back-to-Back" wins in this event. The winners receive $150.00 Cash (WOW!), and Trophys for their performance.
Lunchtime found the Team enjoying "Eddy Tacos" as he busted-out with
an "exceptional tasty batch" with all the fixins.
After lunch the group re-arranged for the engine blow. This time we nicknamed
our engine "Hurl". The Safety Crew suited up, Fire extinguishers where
readied, and the immediate area was cleared for the demonstration. After the
safety check list is gone over one last time, the cage is set in place, Greg
tosses souvenir T-shirts to the crowd, and the engine is fired up. The engine
screamed for more than 9 minutes before it started to growl, lost RPM and finally
seized. The crowd checked out the end result. After the engined cooled we loaded
up and re-grouped for the ride home.We learn the Gomez family doesn't have far
to go as they head over to the local Hotel where they will spend the evening,
and celebrate a birthday for Josh Gomez at
Marine World. BDR wishes Josh a Very Happy Birthday!
The Cruise home was beautiful, the day turned out to be sunny and warm. Even the delay at the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza was pleasant. Most of us got separated by the time we got to the pay gate. We all knew when Jason paid his toll as you could hear him accelerate away. His well tuned 1835 sounded so sweet as went through the gears to get back up to speed.
We would like to Thank KD Motorsports, Old Volks Club, and all the others that together put on a fun event in Vallejo.
 |
July 20, 01
Bad Dog Racing has made a couple of attempts to practice at Sears Point Raceway,
only to find last minute cancellations due to conflicting events, and race track
renovation.
Anxious to test recent changes to Rick's Drag Buggy, and to get Lynn more seat
time, we signed up both racecars for the Famous Fox Hunt/Night of Nitro Fire/Fremont
Reunion weekend at Sacramento Raceway. Lynn and Rick were allowed two practice
runs before eliminations. Both cars ran strong. Although Rick lost in the first
round of eliminations, the whole idea was to test out the car, so he went easy
on the new hardware. On the other hand Lynn won her first round against a very
strong running V8. She was concentrating on reaction time and celebrates her
second win. In the second round she goes out with a breakout run. With a handful
of test runs completed. we wrap-up and head back to the Race Shop. Minor adjustments
will be made before NASA Race 5.
July 26
Team members are slow to arrive at the Race House Friday evening. The roadways
between the Bay and Sacramento Areas were slow with many trouble spots along
the way. The usual 90 minute drive turned into 3 hour plus marathons. The team
arrives throughout the night. Many turn in early in hopes of getting a good
nights rest, while other "Dogs" unwind from the grueling drive by
playing Play Station 2 (Thanks to Simon!) late into the night....Driving games
of course!
July 28
Saturday morning finds the team dusting off the racecars that haven't been out
since the last race. Fuel tanks are filled, tire pressures checked, batteries
are charged, and the cars are loaded up. We get to the track early, and set-up
our pit.
Fifteen Racecars show up for the "Big Double Points Race". Chris Brown,
fresh off a runner-up finish from
the last race, withdraws after the first round of practice with mechanical problems
on the Supercharged Notch. Tough break for Chris, but we know he will be back!
For the first time ever, our six racecars do not have to race another team member
in the first round of eliminations.Three Bad Dogs advance as Greg wins against
new comer(?) Ken Porter. Ken won the PRA Super Gas Class at Bug-O-Rama 47, and
is featured in HotVW's Sept 01 issue. A nice picture of his win at BOR is on
page 66. Josh wins versus Leo DeLaRosa. Leo returned to defend his first win
from NASA race 4. Varik wins against Mike Meyer.
The day ends early for Lynn as she breaksout against Tom Simon, Rick loses a
close race to Greg McNair, and Brian goes out against Bob Moshier.
In round two Greg wins against Gary Holcomb, Josh beats Bob Moshier, and Varik
gets the "Bye" run.
Semi-finals finds the only "Dog vs. Dog" race where Greg edges out
Josh to advance to the final round. Josh will go home with third place, a $50.00
gift certificate from Performance Technology, and 170 points to keep him in
third place overall.
Varik cannot match the number against Tom Simon and will go home with 150 fourth
place points.
The final round matches Greg Urrutia against Tom Simon. Simon has been running
strong all day. He appears to be "In The Zone". Tom continues the
"Shut Out" and takes the Win. .A very impressive day for Simon. He
is untouchable running a 11.97 on a 11.90 dial-in. For the win Simon takes home
the winners trophy, $50.00 cash from Greg's VW Service, Gift certificates, and
a whopping 230 points. This will put him into second place overall.
Greg will leave with the runner-up trophy, a $100.00 gift certificate from Jay
Cee Enterprises, and 190 points to retain the lead.
This double points race has moved the top 4 points leaders farther out from
the rest of the pack. Bad Dog Racing has three racers in the top five. Greg
leads with 446, Tom Simon is a close second with 436, Josh Preston holds third
with 386. Varik Gough may have wrapped up the "Rookie of the Year"
contest with this race, he retains a strong fourth place with 356 points. Bob
Moshier made the best move in this 2X points race by jumping from tenth place
to fifth with 246 points.
We are rapidly going through our racing season, but there is still a lot of
terrific action to come! With
two races to go, Bad Dog Racing is gearing up for a strong finish.
Next Race Aug. 18
NASA PRO-VW DRAG RACING SERIES
Race 4
In true racer fashion, Rick rises at the crack of dawn, the day following Bug-O-Rama to swap the motors out of his Drag Buggie and the Baja Bug. Serious about staying competitive in the NASA points chase, Rick wants to run his engine and slicks on the Baja. The Team is curious to see what this combination will run.
In less than a week's time Bad Dog Racing is back at Sacramento Raceway. Brian
and Josh are feeling confident following their great outing at the Bug-O. Lynn
wants her first win. Greg and Varik are hoping to gain in the points.The team
gets two rounds of practice, and prepares for eliminations. A perfect field
of 16 Racers gather for the drivers meeting. In a welcome twist, we are happy
to find no one has broken in practice. The field of 16 will will allow us to
run a full program with no "bye" runs.
In round one Lynn will run against Josh. Both cars are sponsored by Lynn's business,
A Pet's Friend. It's always tough to have to run against one of your own. In
a close race, LYNN WINS!!!! Josh is humbled as Lynn celebrates her first. Brian
will go on to NASA race 5 still looking for his first win as he loses to Chris
Brown. In all too familiar of a situation, Rick grenades the
transaxle in the Baja. Cars 2, Rick 0! Varik, rookie points leader, will advance
as he beats points leader Tony DeAnda. Greg wins against the always tough Tom
Simon.
In round two Varik loses to Leo DeLaRosa (Leo will go on to win this event).
Lynn breaks out against the 11 second Buggie of Gary Holcomb. Finishing at this
level gives Lynn a fifth place finish, and 66 points for her efforts. Tonite
we will celebrate Lynn's first win. Greg wins against Michael Meyer, and will
advance on to the semi-finals.
A Red-light against Chris Brown will end the day for Greg. He will finish the
day in third place, and receive a certificate for $50.00 from Air Cooled Engineering
for cutting the best light (.516 reaction time). The third place points from
this event will put Greg in first place.
The last race of the day finds Leo DeLaRosa besting Chris Brown. This is the
first time either of these
Racers have finished in the Winners Circle. For their efforts they each receive
Trophys, Gift Certificates,
and other rewards. Bad Dog Racing congratulates both Leo and Chris for their
days performance.
The NASA Pro-VW Drag Racing Series is now at the half-way point for 2001. Bad
Dog Racing has 4 Racers in the
top ten standings. Greg leads the series with Josh in third place, followed
by Varik in fourth, and Rick in
eighth place. Lynn is second in Rookie points and twelfth overall. With the
next race scheduled for July 28 (Double
Points!), the Team has a chance to work on Racecars. Rick's Buggie will be race-ready
with a new full-race
transaxle. Watch for a major improvement in his Racecars performance..
Against some of the toughest Racers to be found anywhere, Bad Dog Racing welcomes
the challenges the second half of the season will bring.
It is with great sadness, and heavy hearts that Bad Dog Racing learns of the passing of Larry Gomez. Father of our own Brian Gomez. Our sympathies, thoughts and prayers are with Brian and his family. We wish you peace and god speed. The passing of Larry Gomez has brought renewed focus to the team. We dedicate this year's efforts and achievements to his memory. Commemerative decals have been affixed to all team racecars in his honor.
With Bug-O-Rama in focus as the next challenge, the team preps for the next race at Sacramento. Lynn and Brian are still looking for their first win. Gloria is excited to announce she is going to race the Baja Bug. Chuck Riley (super-charged 57 oval), will also join us for this outing. Jason (famous for his Racebus), decides he wants to build an 1835cc engine for Bug-O-Rama. He decides this with just ten days to go! The team gears up for the challenge, and is found installing the go-fast motor Thursday night before the big weekend. The motor is started, and run just enough to burnish the cam. Oil is changed, valves readjusted, and the bus is loaded onto the trailer.
It is learned that Weatherly Striping, (longtime Sponsor of BDR), has supplied
us with a 2001 Ford F-550 Stake-bed with a Lift-gate for this event. The use
of this truck has made a major impact for the team as we grow in numbers. Our
pit equipment and supplies all fit on this monster, with plenty of room to spare!
A Very Special Thank-You to Mr. Weatherly for his Support.
The team arrives at the Raceshop Friday evening, and anticipates Saturday's
activities. We will load up and head over to the track in hopes of obtaining
a great pit location. First task at hand, repair the wounded engine on Brian's
Drag Bug. We replace the pushrods and rocker assemblies. The valves are adjusted,
and a pushrod tube replaced. The engine is fired-up before a group of curious
onlookers. All are impressed as the motor comes to life. A timing check is made,
and the Racecar is ready to run.The Team practices Saturday evening. All racers
perform well. We wrap it up and head back to the Raceshop.
Sunday morning the Team re-groups at our pit. Brian is there bright and early
to take some practice runs in his racecar. He is relieved to find no ill effects
to his Racecars performance. First round of eliminations find Brian Gomez achieve
his first win. This first win for Brian makes the day a success for him, (but
more is yet to come). Gloria DeLeon (first time racer), also experiences her
first win. The Team is Proud! Greg, Josh, and Jason also advance into round
2. A broken transaxle ends the day for Rick, as he breaks at the light. Lynn
will look for her first win at the next NASA race as she goes out in round 1.Emotions
are running high! Bad Dog Racing is off to a very good start!
Round 2 finds all BDR racers in the win column again. Jason's Racebus is again,
the crowd favorite as he roars down the track with new power. Gloria is also
highly visible as she continues to win in the Baja. Exposure is above expectations,
as the track announcer continually comments on the teams progress. Round 3 ends
the day for Greg and Jason as each lose very close races. Their losses are decided
by reaction time. In all, a great day for both of them.
Brian, Rick, and Gloria advance on to round 4. In round 4, Gloria wins yet again
and goes into the final round. She will meet Bob Moshier in the finale. Gloria
is guaranteed a trophy for her days efforts. Brian and Josh finish their day
in the semi-finals. Last race of the Trophy class produces a Runner-up finish
for Gloria. In a very close race, she is edged out by a very experienced Moshier.
Bad Dog Racing is very proud of our newest driver as she celebrates a second
place finish in Trophy Class. Her first time ever in a racecar!
The day's performance produce a paycheck for Brian and Josh. They each go home
with third place money. For their semi-final appearance, Brian goes home with
$125.00, and Josh will take $100.00 Gloria receives a plaque as a reward for
her outstanding performance. All things considered, this event a Success for
Bad Dog Racing. We had drivers finish well in 3 out of 5 classes. We go into
our next race, NASA race 4 just 5 days away, on a high note.
NASA PRO-VW DRAG RACING
SERIES
Race 2
Race meet number 2 of the 2001 NASA VW Championship Series took place at Sacramento Raceway with a solid field of cars on hand to vie for Points prizes and glory. After a fairly uneventful qualification session, a full 12 car field was primed and ready to go into battle.
Round number one pitted Tony De Anda against Tom Simon the two men that have done battle as well as seen the series grow from 2-3 cars showing up to the at Sears Point Races 3-4 years ago to the fast growing and respected Series of today. Simon in the Brentwood Cyclery sponsored sedan, was dialed at 11.53 and ran an outstanding 11.55 only to fall afoul of the over aggressive leave, a 488 on a pro tree would be OK, Tom but this is a .500 tree! So give it to Tony. Next match up were two members of the Bad Dog Racing Team, with Lynn Urrutia driving her A Pets Friend Ghia trounce the more experienced Rick Deleon with a . 541 light to Rick's . 863 but was unable to run her dial in and fell to the more consistent performance of the Bridges Tire & Wheel/Greg's VW Drag Buggy with a 17.99 on her 17.10 to Deleon's 12.85 on a 12.70 D/I and Lynn is outta here! Third pairing had Varik( rymes with cough), Gough up against recent winner Josh Preston. Unfortunately, Josh's luck did not hold as Varik advanced to the round. Greg Urrutia of Greg's VW Service in Redwood City, was able to parlay a quicker reaction time into a first round victory over Michael Meyers. Next up saw Chris Brown out again this time with a new (untried), Rootes/Holley combination against Dan Ruble, AKA Magoo in his '66 sedan. Ruble had been fighting electrical gremlins for the last few meets and again found the car off pace in qualifying so dialed a below par 17.02 and was barely able to squeak out a win with a 17.31 when Brown's blown notch was not quite up to the task. The final pair in round one was a short story when Rick Mead was lasered by the evil RED EYE, and Bob Mosier advanced to the quarterfinals.
Round number two matched Tony Deanda in his slime green '65 sedan against Deleon in the Bridges/GVW Buggy. Near identical reaction times meant this one would go down to the wire and it did but the buggy ran a bit to quick and the 12.709 on a 12.75 put Rick on the trailer. Next round had Greg of Greg's lined up to do battle with Varik Gough. A very good 14.47 on a 14.40 dial let Greg advance to the semis. Well, it appears that Magoo had the electrics fixed with the assistance of his second round opponent, Bob Mosier, who helped switch out a battery and cobble up a new tie down. In the match, Mosier appeared to have it in the bag, but broke out and landed Magoo in the semis for the first time in a while. In Round 3 Ruble continued to have problems, this time he blamed shifting troubles and ran a 16.12 on a 14.01 dial in. And, that would be that, but misfortune also befell the Bad Dog Racing Machine of Greg Urrutia, as he was only able to muster a 16.61 against his 14.40 dial. Tony "Mr. Lucky "DeAnda gained entry to the final via a single. The Trophy run saw Magoo miss a shift(again),but this time 14.84 on a 14.01 dial was no match for Tony and "Slimer" as DeAnda drove the car to a 16.29 on the 16.20 dial in.
It looks like the everyone again had a great time and the entire NASA VW ET
bunch would like to thank the many people
who support and make the series possible. Greg at Greg's VW Service, who pledeged
to pay out over $1000.00 CASH to this years top finishers. Folks like Fred Simpson
of Performance Technology whose heads have been seen on a number of past and
current record holders in VW Racing as well as great cylinder head work for
your street or strip machine. Fred has been supporting this series for the last
few years, Thanks Fred! Jay Cee Enterprises, who manufacture a number of "must
have" items for the VW racer, awarded a 100.00 certificate to Magoo for
his runner up performance, and we KNOW he going to be drooling through the new
JayCee catalogue now! Rancho Performance Transmissions, and Art Thraen of ACE,
Weber and Dellorto specialists who ponied up 50.00 certificates for the best
reaction time in competition. Looks like "The ACE of The Race" this
time goes to Tony Deanda with a .525 in round one. Tony, you can use the certificate
for parts and labor on those Webers you have planned for the new motor! You
can contact Art at ACE @aol.com. Well, that's a wrap for round 2 of the NASA
Series.
Dan Ruble
Season Opener
March 2001
The BIG news from Bad Dog Racing is the addition of three new Racecars. Lynn
has decided to try her luck at the track. She went out to a Test-N-Tune and
practiced in her Nu Beetle. She had such a good time, she decided to race a
70 Ghia in this years series. Long time Bad Dog Member and Crew Chief Brian
Gomez will "bust out" with his new Racecar. He has been busy putting
the finishing touches on his 12second Dragbug.Watch for Brain to show up with
a New Racecar, New Enclosed Trailer, and all the New Accessories to round off
the package. Varik Gough has also joined in on the action with his 1967 Sunroof
Beetle. Working many long and late evenings with his sidekick, Colby Preston,
they managed to finish-up the 1641cc Street Car in time for the first race.
Other Exciting News is the welcome addition of Simon Ramirez Jr. to the Bad Dog Racing Team. Simon has stepped up to become the Team's New Crew Chief. In a lead role he will be well received as he helps the team in the pits, the staging area, and at the starting line. He brings with him additional strength, organization, and motivation. Simon will help us continue to run a smooth operation. Bad Dog Racing is grateful to have him!.
.The crew from Bad Dog Racing have been busy with race car prep over the winter. Rick's Buggy got a fresh paint job by Eddy. The engine was pulled and gone through, new lifters, clutch, and bearings.The drivers seat was lowered and moved back. A crossbar was mounted to the front part of the roll cage. Josh's car was brought down from the Race shop for an oil change and valve adjustment. Rick aligned all four wheels. The brake hoses in the front were replaced. New pit equipment was purchased to support the six car team.
Saturday, March 11, 01
After some initial prep of Racecars, the Team heads over to the track for some
shake-down runs.First run off the trailer for Brain produces a 12.74et(WOW!).
A great start for a new car and driver. With the "Butterflies" out,
Brian unwinds. The car is straight and fast.
Practice for Lynn goes well. She gets in tune with the Ghia. Harness operation,
Shifting characteristcs....She masters all the basics. Rick takes two runs in
the Drag Buggy. Everything seems to be working well. In true racer fashion,
Rick takes a side trip on the way back to the shop, and shows up with an AutoMeter
Tach w/Shift Light. Josh installs it that evening.
Afterwards an impromtu surprise birthday party is held for Josh. Happy Birthday....DOG!!
Sunday March 11, 01
The Team gets an early start, and is at the Track by 10:30a. The Pits are already
getting full with plenty of anxious Racers. We find the last avaliable paved
area, with room enough for SIX Racecars. We quickly lay-out a comfortable Pit.
All cars clear Tech without question. Lynn's Business "A Pet's Friend"
will sponsor Josh's 70 Drag Sedan, as well as her own 70 Drag Ghia. The hood
of Rick's Drag Buggy sports the classic version of the "Original Bad Dog
Racing" logo. A very Special thanks goes out to our Artist Jeff Hurley
for another beautiful hand-painted work of art! Brian's new 1915cc powered 1964
Sunroof Racecar, is in the works for Graphics featuring Greg's VW as the main
Sponsor.
In between rounds of practice, Gloria DeLeon (Rick's wife), treats the Team to a Subway lunch. Can it get any better than this? Thank You Gloria, We Love You! Rumor has it Gloria might be running a car soon! Stay Tuned!
The Team heads over to the Drivers Meeting before eliminations. A total of 15 Racecars are registered for the day's event. It is announced 2 cars broke in practice, 13 will run with 4 Rookies in the field. Drivers are paired up, with Dave Holleran getting the "Bye". Wouldn't you know it? Greg and Lynn pair up right off the bat! Brian and Varik also race against each other in the first round. Josh beats Dan Ruble, and Rick will win against Michael Meyers. Two Dogs go out in the first round. Brain can't catch Varick(7 second handicap), and Greg feels really bad about beating his wife Lynn. It's a Dog Eat Dog World out there! In the second round Josh gets the "Bye". Greg wins over Dave Holleran, but Varik goes out against Tony DeAnda, and Rick redlights.. Semi-final round action finds Josh winning against the very accomplished Tom Simon. Greg beats himself as he redlights against Tony DeAnda. The Final Round find Bad Dog Josh Preston vs. Tony DeAnda. Josh feels the pressure as the rest of the Bad Dog Racing Team are hoping he can keep the winning streak alive. A roar is heard in the crowd as Josh wins for the second time in a major event. His win rounds off a perfect birthday weekend. Josh recieves a Check for $50.00 from Greg's VW Service, $50.00 gift certificate from Air Cooled Engineering, 5 gallons of Race Gas from West-Pac Trailers, Winner's Trophy from Sacramento Raceway, and 115 points to lead the Series.Congratulations Josh for winning the series first race of 2001. We are "Dog Gone" Proud of You!
Next Race April 28
January 6, 2001
If you haven't already heard, the awards portion of this years banquet went much faster than ever imagined, literally. It seems the truck carrying the trophies was involved in a minor traffic accident, that (unknown to the driver) pushed the exhaust against the floor of the truck. Sometime down the road, the driver noticed smoke, appearently from the hot muffler catching the wood bed of the truck on fire. The truck carrying the trophies burned to the ground. Thankfully, the driver wasn't injured, but the truck and the awards, were toast!
Fortunately, being a resourceful group of drag racers, we had a backup plan. Greg Urrutia (Bad Dog Racing and Greg's VW Service) had purchased and brought with him, "make-up" trophies for the folks that missed out, at a few races (Sacramento Raceway was short, several times) and Greg had a couple of extras. I added the season champion and runner-up winner's name's (with a felt pen) and handed them out along with their envelopes ($$$) and really nice 8' long banners. We were the envy of the banquet! Greg even brought out a boom-box and played the "Who let the dogs out?" theme song, whenever I called up one of the Bad Dog racers for an award. There was no doubt who "was in the house"!!! Latter, we loaned the trophies to others, for picture taking purposes (what-the-heck, you can't see the name plaque from a photograph). I wish everyone could have made it, it was a real good time.
In addition to the usual recognition of Top finishers, special awards where also annouced. Ben Pada for Fastest Run of the Year, Josh Preston for Rookie of the Year, Greg McNair for Save of the Year, Dan Ruble for his Outstanding Work on the VW Drags, and Tom Simon....Heartbreak of the Year.
Tom Simon
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