Don's California Racing Recollections: Best Of The Blog And Beyond
Available via print on demand at Lulu in Hard Cover or Paperback
I did it. This is my first published racing book since the last DCRR Racing News Magazine was released in 2003. As I looked at the final PDF that would be uploaded to Lulu for Print On Demand, tears came to my eyes. This was stressful, but I was obsessed with getting this done. You don't even want to know what I went through yesterday to get that PDF just right. It was beyond annoying, and I had doubts that this would get finished. It was that bad.
When I decided to do this book in December, it was with the thoughts of putting a book together with my favorite posts from The DCRR Blog. I've written some things here that I'm proud of, and I just thought they might make a nice book if anybody was interested. Then, I realized there might be two or three books worth of material, all at around 120 pages each.
Oh, it will be a snap, I told myself. Famous last words. It sort of blew up from there. I already had a mind to add the Antioch Speedway and Merced Speedway pieces I had written years ago. Aquatically, Gary Jacob wrote the Merced piece in the early 1990's and shared it with me. I updated it with new information about 12 years ago. I even found a few tidbits from the 1950's.
Along the way, two things happened. I decided that some season review stories I had written would be perfect for this book. Then, there were a few other things I had run in The DCRR that I thought belonged. Then, I decided to include the reporting I did on the Antioch Speedway bid of 1997. I found it relevant. These aren't part of The Blog, of course, which is why "And Beyond" is included in the title of the book.
The problem with me is I get like a kid in a candy store as I put this stuff together. I want to add this and that and the other. Before you know it, there's 200 more pages than planned, and there was other stuff I wanted to include. I had to stop somewhere.
The other thing was, as I was putting this together and adding the Merced and Antioch pieces, I asked myself a question. Where is Watsonville? Petaluma? Vallejo? Baylands? You get the point. I decided to write several articles on the subject. I wrote about 30,000 more words, but this was needed. It's a conflicting message, however.
This is NOT the racing history book I always envisioned writing. It does have a lot of history, but I am sitting on a lot of information. I can do MUCH better than this. There is history in this book. Some point standings are included, champions lists are included and that sort of thing, but it's only a snap shot of what I have. If anything, it is version .5 of that history book. It would take months for me to do that book, and I wanted something sooner.
Next for me is the auto biography of my time in racing. I need to edit the thing and put it up on Lulu next. It stands at around 120 pages at the moment, which is fine. I don't anticipate adding more, but I might. Then, I may consider attacking the history book, depending on what sort of insert there is in such a thing. I am sitting on points lists, win lists, stories and that sort of thing from several tracks, including Antioch, Watsonville, Merced and Chowchilla.
The other thing I was blessed with for this book was to have some talented photographers sending me pictures. L&J Photography and Green Flag Photography sent the magazine pictures through the years, so we have some of their amazing pictures in there. Stuff from Don O'Keefe Jr., Chuck Smith and my own personal photos are included as well. It's only a sampling, really, but there are some nice shots in there. I even got to use some vintage San Jose pictures that were sent to me about 15 years ago for the magazine. They date back to the 1930's. I could have included more from my archives, but that would have required hours of scanning.
This book is a snapshot of some of the things I witnessed or researched in racing at the tracks I loved, including Antioch Speedway, Merced Speedway, Watsonville Speedway, Chowchilla Speedway, Petaluma Speedway and Baylands Raceway Park. There are controversial subjects in here, such as when I put my butt on the line covering the 1997 Antioch Speedway bid and supported John Soares Jr.
The creation of Wingless Spec Sprints as well as a look back at the early years of the NCMA are included. My thoughts on some of the things happening in the sport are in there. Why I left. The NCMA point controversy of 1990 is in there. For the first time ever, I talk about the Dirt Modified point controversy of 1999 at Antioch and what went down from my point of view. There are some vintage Pit Stops columns. There's so much, I can't mention it all here other than to say I am very proud of this book. There's something for everybody within those 524 pages.
This is the First Edition, . That means nothing in particular unless I revise the PDF. The only books that will be printed are the ones that will be ordered from Lulu. There are some things I'd like to revise, but they may have to wait until the next big project. For instance, there are point listings I should have included with a few stories. I should have updated the Antioch Win List as I do have that information. The list I used was convenient. The Antioch and Merced stories could have been updated to the current date. There's still a lot of cool things covered in those stories.
This is why I say this is NOT the history book I always had in mind. However, there is a lot of racing history covered within those pages. It is with the satisfaction of knowing that I did my best here that I release this book to you. I hope you enjoy it. Putting the book together page by page brought me smiles as I recalled many of those times. There can be more where this came from if you are interested.
I have endeavored to offer this book at a reasonable price. Printing isn't cheap and my time is worth something, but the price tag isn't as big as some books of this type are. This is because I want people to read this and I want people to add this to their collection of racing memorabilia. I think it will be a worthy addition to anybody's collection. I hope you do too.
The book is available for Print On Demand at Lulu. I have done other books there and find that they do good work You can get it in Hard Cover or Paperback
I leave you now with the Table Of Contents for this book
Table Of Contents
Chapter Pages
Foreword 5-8
What's In A Name? DCRR 8-9
I Couldn't Have Done It Without Dad 10-11
Remembering Gary Jacob 12-13
Don’t Look Now, But Mel Maupin Is Fifth In Dirt Modified Points 13-16
Reid Holds Off Maupin For Victory 16-17
Pit Stops: Kimberly Myers 17-18
Gone But Not Forgotten 18-19
Some Sad News To Report 19-20
Looking Back At The Tim Williamson Classic 20-21
Looking Back At The Mike Cecil 100 22
Pelphrey Wins Mike Cecil 100 At Watsonville 22-23
Antonetti, Herrick Score Watsonville Victories 23-24
Looking Back At The Ted Stofle Classic 25
The Valley Sportsman Division Continues At Merced Speedway 25-29
The End Of The Sportsman Division At Antioch: A What If Scenario 29-32
Through All The Changes, Racing Has Continued To Endure 33-36
Looking Back At Antioch Speedway Through The Years 37-43
The 20 Most Influential Moments In Bay Area Racing During My Time In Racing 44-46
Looking Back: The Curl Racing Family 46-48
Back When The Stock Cars Came Back To Antioch In 1981 48-50
Twenty Years Ago This December: The Decision That Changed Antioch Speedway 50-52
CarQuest Late Model Feature Winners And Top Five In Points At A Glance 53-57
The Sky May Be The Limit For Limited Late Models 58-59
Looking Back: The Creation Of The Spec Sprint Division 59-64
The Tenth Anniversary Of Wingless Spec Sprints 64-69
1988: A Look Back At That First Season For The NCMA 70-71
Shirk Takes 1989 NCMA Championship Honors 71-73
Holloway Wins Controversial 1990 NCMA Championship 73-74
NCMA Survives 1991 Season, Shirk Dominates The Action 74-75
Better Car Counts For NCMA In 1992 As Shirk Wins Title 76
Why I Left The CMA After Just 1 Season 76-79
A Little Recognition Can Be A Good Thing 80-81
I'll Tell You What Bothers Me 81-82
Chowchilla Speedway Closed 82-84
Kennedy Wins Chowchilla Hobby Stock $500 84-85
Record Wingless Spec Sprint Count At Chowchilla 85-86
Ross Wins Feature, Munroe Champion 86-87
Byrd Opens Chowchilla Shoot Out With Victory 87-89
Stone Charges To Big Chowchilla Victory 89-90
Stanford Wins Timmy Post 99 At Merced 90-91
Perry Wins Shirk Memorial Race 91-92
Shirk Memorial Race Win Nets Berryhill Championship 92-93
Goodwill Caps Top Five Rookie Season With Shirk Memorial Win 93-94
Hanestad Charges To Shirk Memorial Win 94
Jim Perry Jr. Wins Shirk Memorial Race 95
Remember What It's All About? 95-98
Jumping Into The Fray For the 1997 Antioch Speedway Bid 98-116
The Editor’s Viewpoint 99
The Editor’s Viewpoint 100
The Editor’s Viewpoint 101-102
The Editor’s Viewpoint 103-105
The Bidding Begins For Antioch Speedway 106-107
West Coast Speedways Looking To Stay At Antioch Speedway 107-109
John Soares Jr. Ready For His Next Challenge 109
Soares Wins Bid For Antioch Speedway 110
New Era Means New Title Contenders 111-112
The Editor’s Viewpoint 113-114
New Antioch Management Meets With Drivers 113-114
Drivers Gather For Meeting In Antioch 114-115
Give Soares A Fair Chance 115-116
Lancaster, Babb Win Twin 50’s At Antioch 116-117
O’Keefe Impresses With Double Point Victory 118
Lady Luck Smiles On O’Keefe In Victory 119-120
O’Keefe Ends Long Draught With Victory 119
Baylands Raceway Was More Than A Sprint Car Track 120-127
My Visit To Vallejo Speedway 128-131
The Legend Of Vallejo Speedway Lives On 132-140
Walking The Fence 141
I Heard The News Today, Oh Boy 142-143
Ten Cool Facts About Merced Speedway in the Griffin Era 143-144
Ten Cool Facts About Tom Sagmiller & Chowchilla Speedway 145-146
Looking Back: "The Big Dog" Ramie Stone 146-147
Looking Back: What Might Have Been 147-151
It's A Shame NASCAR Doesn't Care About Our Local Short Tracks Anymore 151-153
After Further Reflection, Brynda Bockover's Reign Over Antioch Speedway Was A Success 153-155
Looking Back: Andy Archer 155-160
Jim Booth: A Big Reason For The NCMA’s Success 161-162
Cargo Wins NCMA Antioch Championship 163
Shirk Wraps Up Fifth NCMA Championship (1996) 163-164
Nobody Gave Them A Chance, But NCMA Heads For 10th Season 165-168
Quinn Wraps Up Second NCMA Championship (1999) 168-169
Contrary To Rumors, The NCMA Lives 169-170
Mike Conley, The Figure 8 And Antioch Speedway: What Went Wrong? 171-174
Four Generations Watch As Hogge Wins Pacific Cost Region 175-176
The Good Old Days: Bobby Hogge III is Antioch Champ 176-177
A Brief Look At The Old Champion Speedway In Brisbane, CA 178-180
Watsonville Speedway Hall Of Fame 180-181
From The Archives: Jim Bowman from 1991 182-185
Some Of The Best Dirt Track Racing In California Has Happened At Watsonville Speedway 186-198
Watsonville Pit Stops 199-202
Watsonville Pit Stops 203-206
Mini Stocks At Delta Speedway Truly Was A Show To See 206-210
Petaluma Speedway Has Made Its Mark On California Dirt Track Racing 211-218
Petaluma Pit Stops 219-223
Antioch Speedway Pit Stops 223-230
Drivers Honored At Awards Banquet 231-234
Antioch Speedway Pit Stops 234-237
1998 Antioch Speedway Season Recap 238-240
Banquet Ends Successful Antioch Speedway Season (1998) 241-243
Antioch Speedway Moments On Film (1999-2003) By Green Flag Photography 244-257
1999 Antioch Speedway Season Review 258-260
Banquet Concludes 39th Season At Antioch Speedway 261-262
Antioch Crowns Six Champions In 40th Season (2000) 263-266
Elworthy’s Time Finally Comes At Antioch 267-268
Wingless Spec Sprints Take Center Stage At Antioch Speedway 268-269
Coe Drives To Antioch Pure Stock Championship 269-270
Brown Prevails Again In Antioch Super Stock Championship 270-271
Dynamite David Brows Away The Competition 271-272
Eight Champions Crowned In All Pro’s Fifth Antioch Season 273-276
Antioch Speedway Pit Stops 277-281
Good things Happened At The Local Race Track, Where Was The Media Then? 282
Papenhausen, Carr Double Winners On Qualifying Night 283
Hubbard Wins $5000 In CarQuest 50 284-285
Hogge IV, McDaniel Star In Qualifying Night At Antioch 285-286
Scott Dominates Winter Chevrolet 100 For $6000 Victory 286-287
Pettit Unstoppable In Altamont Victory 288-290
Drivers Tune Up For Southwest Tour Race 290-291
McCoun Scores Altamont Win 291
Diaz Scores Surprise Win At Altamont 292
Altamont Pit Stops 292-294
Fighting For The Cause (We're Right Behind You) 295-298
Looking Back: Taking A Stand For Antioch Management Change 298-300
How To Kill A Division In Three Easy Moves 301-302
Does The Local Racing History Matter Anymore? 303-304
Photos By Jack Menges 305
San Jose Speedway: Can It Be Rebuilt Once More? 306-312
Del Quinn Memorial Race Breaks Car Count Record At Antioch 313-315
The 1990 NCMA Championship Controversy 315-317
Remembering The 1999 Antioch Dirt Modified Point Race 317-320
Looking Back: The Early Days Of The Street Stocks At Antioch 320-325
16 Years And Going Strong: A Salute To The Street Stocks 326-339
Hard Work Pays Off For Torres 340-341
Merced Speedway: Looking Back 342-351
Antioch Speedway: A Look Back 352-361
More From The Chuck Smith Collection 362-363
If Antioch Speedway Had A King, His Name Might Be J.D. Willis 364-365
In Memory of "Dr. Dirt" Jim Soares 366
The Antioch Speedway Winner’s List 367
Photos From The Don O’Keefe Jr. Collection 368-373
Thoughts On Chowchilla Speedway's 15th Anniversary 374
Pit Stops Visits Chowchilla 374-376
Greer Wins 363 Sprint Chowchilla Debut 377
More Notes From The Chowchilla Speedway Archives 378-380
Heaslet, Williams Win At Chowchilla 381
From The DCRR Archives - Chowchilla Speedway 2000 382
Chowchilla Speedway Ends Successful 2000 Season 382-384
They Had More Fun In 2001 At Chowchilla Speedway 385-389
Photos By L&J Photography 390-402
Hogge Charges To $1000 Chowchilla Victory 403
Ten Champions Crowned At Chowchilla Speedway 404-407
Six Champions Highlight Solid Season At Merced 408-411
Merced Fights Back For Respectful 2001 Season 411-415
Southwest Tour Star Pettit Wins 9-11 Memorial race At Merced 415
Thomas Impressive In His 9-11 Memorial Title Defense 416
If You Build It, They Will Come: The Search For Another Racing Field Of Dreams 417-420
A Word About Voting And A Trip Down Memory Lane 420-422
Pit Stops: A Look At Some Of The Families Of Racing At Antioch 422-427
What's The Point 428-430
Closed Tracks: Thinking About What Could Have Been 431-432
Sacramento Raceway's Oval Has Held Many Races Through The Years 432-436
Team Cobra Finally Gets A Feature Win 436
Cascade Hardtops Invade Sacramento Raceway 436-437
The BCRA Made Me Do It 437-438
The Green Flag Waves 439-440
Scott Storms To $5,000 Victory At Antioch Speedway 441-442
New Tracks, Big Races And Other Cool Stuff 442-445
The Concern Over Too Many Divisions 446-447
The DCRR Antioch Speedway Hall Of Fame 448
Hogge Beats Old Rival Busby For $3,500 Antioch Victory 448-449
Thoughts On Track Unity, Hyping Racing On The Internet And Other Things 450-451
82 Years Old? Are You Serious? 452
Larry Damitz Speaks 453-454
A Visit From A Friend And A Few Thoughts About Things At Antioch 454-457
You Really Need To Come Back, Don 458-459
What's Hurting Short Track Racing? 460-462
Standing Up For Change In Racing 462-467
The Editor’s Viewpoint 468
Looking Back: Joe & Bob And What Could Have Been 468-470
Accused Of Playing Favorites 470-473
The Final Straw: Why I Left Racing And Never Came Back 474-476
It Must Be Time For The RPM Workshop In Reno Once Again 476-477
The Road To 2003 Goes Through Reno 477-479
RPM Promoter's Workshop In Reno Turns 30 479-480
The Editor’s Viewpoint 480-482
The Editor’s Viewpoint 483-487
After Further Review, It Was A Draw 488-490
Remember The Good Times, Look Forward To More 490-494
Bonus Material
What About Pearsonville Speedway Or Ernie Purssell Speedway? 495-497
Antioch Speedway Needs To Generate More Excitement For Points Racing 498-500
Prentice May Hold The Key To A Better Spec Sprint Series 500-502
Sometimes The Smaller Tracks Can Do Big Things 503-505
Limited Late Models Part Of Today's Big Antioch Speedway Event 506-508
Garner May Be Someone To Watch In Limited Late Models At Antioch 508-509
Chadwick, Nelson and Damitz Open 2015 Season With Antioch Wins 509-510
Foulger, Hoff Win Big At Antioch Speedway 511-512
The Hobby Stocks Are Coming To Merced On January 3rd 512-514
Cleveland Collects $2500 IMCA Modified Prize At Merced Speedway 514-515
McDaniel Wraps Up West Coast Nationals With $2000 Chowchilla Victory 515-516
Random Thoughts 516-517
Antioch Speedway’s Top Finishers From 1980 At A Glance 518-519
Wingless Spec Sprints Have Arrived 520-522
Hodges Wins Dash For Cash 523
