by Cliff Morgan
Nic Faas came back to Ventura Raceway Saturday night to collect the biggest purse of the year for VRA Sprint Cars as he took the win in the 2010 All Coast Challenge race number three. With 40 VRA 360 Sprint Cars signed into the pits the fans knew that the night was a special one. Visiting drivers Dave Darland, John Stanbrough and Ryan Bernal were there as were all the top VRA Drivers. The large car count saw five heat races run with wins going to John Stanbrough in the LRB heat one, Nic Faas in the Steve Watt Enterprises heat two, Brody Roa in the Kaeding Performance heat three, Chris Wakim in the Fast Undercar heat four an Greg Taylor in the Twister X heat five. Two Semi Mains were run with wins going to 2010 VRA Champion Troy Rutherford in the ITI Performance Semi One and Tom Hendricks in Semi two.
When the 24 cars were pushed out for the 30-lap feature everyone was wondering who would be at the point at the end of the event. The front row saw Brian Camarillo and Johnathon Henry lead the field to the green flag. Henry jumped out front early but Nic Faas was on the move from his fourth place starting position, Faas blasted around Ventura’s tight track lapping 15 cars before a yellow flag came out on lap 24. It was the only yellow of the race and the final 6 laps ran with Faas out front taking the win over Henry, Brian Camarillo, Greg Taylor and Steve Conrad. Twenty-one of the 24 starters were on the track at the end of the event with only John Standbrough, who went out on lap 24 when he lost a wheel while running 5th, Luis Espinoza and Greg Alexander not completing the race. The win for Faas was his first in VRA Sprint Car competition. He has been running USAC/SCRA and a few VRA events since he won the USAC Junior Focus Series two years ago. Faas won the race but another winner Saturday night was Josh Ford who took the three race 2010 All Coast Challenge Series Title and the $5,000 series champion check that goes with the title.
Also running Saturday night were our VRA Dwarf Cars. The two divisions run were very competitive with main event wins in the Pros going to Mile Lewis and in the Seniors to Rick Lapka. Pro heat race wins went to Ray Estrada and Angel Figueroa, Senior heat race wins went to Bill VanPraag and Kent Benson. With one race to go, the two divisions have wrapped up their series championship point battles with the title going to George Calvo in Seniors and Angel Figueroa in the Pros.
VRA Sport Compacts wrapped up their 2010 season with a new winner in victory circle. Ryan Changus pulled out a win over a field of eleven competitors. His was his first ever VRA win. Following him across the line were Cody Greiman, Brent Underwood, Trevor Fitzgibbon and Zachary Peterson. Heat race wins on the night went to Changus and Greiman.
VRA will wrap up its 2010 season next Saturday night October 30, with a final race featuring VRA Sprints, Senior Sprints, Dwarf Cars, USAC Young Guns and our kids classes. Following that race the final race in the 2010 season will occur on November 20 when the USAC National Midgets invade Ventura Raceway for a $10,000 to win event that is not to be missed.