Kenny
Guest
PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY SET TO REVOLUTIONIZE DIRT TRACK RACING!
(Perris, CA, April 1, 2013) Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian has come up with an idea that will revolutionize the sport of dirt track racing. Starting with this Saturday's Sprint Car race on the famous Riverside County half-mile clay oval, all races will be run in a clockwise direction instead of counter clockwise as they have been doing since the beginning of the sport.
The main reason for doing this is cost cutting and the idea partially came from Speedway Motorcycle racing. Putting the right clay on the track is costly and when cars fire the clay up in the grandstands, it has to be replaced. Over the past few years in Speedway Motorcycle racing on the other side of the Atlantic, a dirt deflector has been mounted a few inches from the ground behind the rear tire. Dirt kicked up from the rear tire hits the deflector and drops back onto the track rather than being thrown into the stands.
"One night I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling and thinking how I could make the track better," Kazarian said with a smile. "That is when it hit me that I had to keep the dirt on the track to cut that cost and pour that money into other parts of the facility. I was so excited I elbowed my wife to wake her up and tell her of the plan."
When asked what his wife thought of the idea, Kazarian said. "She told me I was dreaming and to go back to sleep. But, the next morning when she got up, I explained it to her and she thought I was a genius. Well, at least she did for an hour or so."
Kazarian contacted Armenian Medal Engineering of Yerevan, Armenia to build a fender that would fit over a sprint car tire and wheel.
"It took several trips to the homeland and we toyed with several ideas," he said. "All of them were good about keeping the dirt on the track, but the fenders were destined to be torn off the cars with the slightest bit of contact. So, I started thinking again and it came to me. If they run in the opposite direction, all of the dirt will be thrown to the inside of the track and the
infield rather than into the stands. We can just rake it back onto the track surface like they do at Speedway."
The change of direction will be for all classes at the track, but will start out with the Sprint Cars first. When queried as to why he is not starting with classes like the street and factory stocks, Kazarian quipped, "I did not want to see those guys tear up their equipment."
Tony Jones, the 2007 USAC/CRA champion, who is now a crew chief in the competitive series, thinks it is a great idea.
"I think Donnie Kazarian is brilliant," Jones yelled when he was informed of the news. "Do you know what this means? It means all of the crew chiefs will be on equal footing with Mike Spencer's crew chief Bruce Bromme Jr. when it comes to setting up a car for the first race or until the first red flag comes out in this Saturday's main event. Man, I have not been this pumped up for years."
When asked if the change will provide any extra difficulties in setting up a car, Jones had to think about that one.
"I am not sure," he responded while scratching his head. "Let me think about this to get it straight. Does this mean the right rear is now the left rear or the left rear is now the right rear? Aw heck, I don't care. With less dirt flying towards the stands, my kid's shirt will be cleaner when he gets home from the races."
Jones question regarding what would be the right or left rear, brought up an interesting question for Kazarian. Would the right rear tire be placed on the left side of the car now?
"Absolutely not," he said. "Until we get this all figured out, the cars will have to be run the same way they are now."
When advised that the cars would become very tippy, the veteran promoter said, "I am well aware of that. We raised and strengthened the catch fence in what is now turn one (the old turn four) and we strengthened the billboards and put up a giant net in what is now turn three (used to be turn two). If any cars gets up into that net, the red lights will come on like when a goal is scored in hockey."
"I have talked to a few fans about this," Kazarian said. "Some are confused, many are mad and one thinks it is a good idea."
One of the confused fans is Denny Logano. He has been going to the races for decades and he is concerned.
"I have been going to the races since before the days of roll cages and I have always sat in turn four," Logano sighed. "So, let me get this straight. Now to sit in turn four, I really have to sit in turn one, right? Man, I am all mixed up on this."
One of the popular things about dirt track racing for fans is the taste of dirt in their beer and sodas. Kazarian thought of that and has it covered as well.
"At all of the concession and beer stands, we will have two-ounce packages of clay particles from the racing surface that they can add to their drinks," he said with a smile. "It will make their race night beverages taste the same as always. We want to keep all of the fans happy so we will have that for sale for $8.00 per package."
Kazarian is excited about this innovation and hopes a lot of fans are on hand for Saturday's dawn of a new era in dirt track racing.
"We hope everyone comes out this Saturday to see this history making night." Then, he
added with a wink and a smile, "Tell everyone to have a very Happy April Fool's Day, too."
(Perris, CA, April 1, 2013) Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian has come up with an idea that will revolutionize the sport of dirt track racing. Starting with this Saturday's Sprint Car race on the famous Riverside County half-mile clay oval, all races will be run in a clockwise direction instead of counter clockwise as they have been doing since the beginning of the sport.
The main reason for doing this is cost cutting and the idea partially came from Speedway Motorcycle racing. Putting the right clay on the track is costly and when cars fire the clay up in the grandstands, it has to be replaced. Over the past few years in Speedway Motorcycle racing on the other side of the Atlantic, a dirt deflector has been mounted a few inches from the ground behind the rear tire. Dirt kicked up from the rear tire hits the deflector and drops back onto the track rather than being thrown into the stands.
"One night I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling and thinking how I could make the track better," Kazarian said with a smile. "That is when it hit me that I had to keep the dirt on the track to cut that cost and pour that money into other parts of the facility. I was so excited I elbowed my wife to wake her up and tell her of the plan."
When asked what his wife thought of the idea, Kazarian said. "She told me I was dreaming and to go back to sleep. But, the next morning when she got up, I explained it to her and she thought I was a genius. Well, at least she did for an hour or so."
Kazarian contacted Armenian Medal Engineering of Yerevan, Armenia to build a fender that would fit over a sprint car tire and wheel.
"It took several trips to the homeland and we toyed with several ideas," he said. "All of them were good about keeping the dirt on the track, but the fenders were destined to be torn off the cars with the slightest bit of contact. So, I started thinking again and it came to me. If they run in the opposite direction, all of the dirt will be thrown to the inside of the track and the
infield rather than into the stands. We can just rake it back onto the track surface like they do at Speedway."
The change of direction will be for all classes at the track, but will start out with the Sprint Cars first. When queried as to why he is not starting with classes like the street and factory stocks, Kazarian quipped, "I did not want to see those guys tear up their equipment."
Tony Jones, the 2007 USAC/CRA champion, who is now a crew chief in the competitive series, thinks it is a great idea.
"I think Donnie Kazarian is brilliant," Jones yelled when he was informed of the news. "Do you know what this means? It means all of the crew chiefs will be on equal footing with Mike Spencer's crew chief Bruce Bromme Jr. when it comes to setting up a car for the first race or until the first red flag comes out in this Saturday's main event. Man, I have not been this pumped up for years."
When asked if the change will provide any extra difficulties in setting up a car, Jones had to think about that one.
"I am not sure," he responded while scratching his head. "Let me think about this to get it straight. Does this mean the right rear is now the left rear or the left rear is now the right rear? Aw heck, I don't care. With less dirt flying towards the stands, my kid's shirt will be cleaner when he gets home from the races."
Jones question regarding what would be the right or left rear, brought up an interesting question for Kazarian. Would the right rear tire be placed on the left side of the car now?
"Absolutely not," he said. "Until we get this all figured out, the cars will have to be run the same way they are now."
When advised that the cars would become very tippy, the veteran promoter said, "I am well aware of that. We raised and strengthened the catch fence in what is now turn one (the old turn four) and we strengthened the billboards and put up a giant net in what is now turn three (used to be turn two). If any cars gets up into that net, the red lights will come on like when a goal is scored in hockey."
"I have talked to a few fans about this," Kazarian said. "Some are confused, many are mad and one thinks it is a good idea."
One of the confused fans is Denny Logano. He has been going to the races for decades and he is concerned.
"I have been going to the races since before the days of roll cages and I have always sat in turn four," Logano sighed. "So, let me get this straight. Now to sit in turn four, I really have to sit in turn one, right? Man, I am all mixed up on this."
One of the popular things about dirt track racing for fans is the taste of dirt in their beer and sodas. Kazarian thought of that and has it covered as well.
"At all of the concession and beer stands, we will have two-ounce packages of clay particles from the racing surface that they can add to their drinks," he said with a smile. "It will make their race night beverages taste the same as always. We want to keep all of the fans happy so we will have that for sale for $8.00 per package."
Kazarian is excited about this innovation and hopes a lot of fans are on hand for Saturday's dawn of a new era in dirt track racing.
"We hope everyone comes out this Saturday to see this history making night." Then, he
added with a wink and a smile, "Tell everyone to have a very Happy April Fool's Day, too."
