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Ventura Raceway opened its 2014 season with a full program of exciting short track racing action featuring eight adult classes battling on the 1/5 mile Ventura oval. Racing was exciting and fast paced with the racers returning to action looking forward to a new season.
Kyle Smith debuted a new shark nose painted car and started the new 2014 with an exciting win over Guy Woodward, Richard McCormick, Tom Hendricks and Don Gansen. in the shortened 20 lap feature for VRA Sprints Saturday night. Smith came from his 4th starting position to take the win. Following Smith and Woodward to the line were Richard McCormick, Tom Hendricks and Don Gansen. Heat race wins went to Guy Woodward and Hobie Conway.
VRA Senior Sprints opened their season with one heat race for the 9 cars in the pits. Mike Cook took the one heat race run. The twenty lap feature was all 2013 series champion Clif Warren as he led from lap 8 after passing Chris Meredith, who led the first 7 laps,. Ed Schwarz, finished second with Mike Cook was third, Wayne Heurung was fourth and Mark Stover finished fifth.
In IMCA Modified action, Joshua Vogt got back to winning at Ventura with a powerful win over a field of eleven modfieds. He started fifth in the race and by lap 8 he was able to get by 2013 series champ Robbie Witwer and then go on to take the win. Following Vogt to the line were Witwer, Brad Prows, Donald Houghton and Andrew Greiman.. Two heat races were run with wins going to Robbie Witwer and Joshua Vogt.
VRA Dwarf Cars were on the track in two divisions, Seniors and Pros. There were 30 cars in Pros and 10 cars in Seniors in attendance. In Seniors, the two 8 lap heat races went to Randy Gordon in heat one and Bill VanPraag in heat two.. Their 20 lap feature went to Randy Gordon followed by Mike Lewis, Bob Kaufman, Keith Vondersaar and Bill VanPraag. In Pros it was Jacob Ganzer, Randy Gordon, Kevin Calvo and Hannah Mayhew race wins. With 30 cars signed in a semi main was needed to set the main event lineup. Chad Mooers took the win over the other transfer drivers, Jessica Clark, D J Lebow and Todd Atkins. Alternate Devin McCree made the race as George Calvo scratched from the race. The Main Event went to Randy Gordon who set a track record by winning the Senior and Pro main on the same night. This race was in honor of Pete Estrada and paid an additional $200 to win. Following Gordon across the line were 2014 track champion Johnny Conley, Johnathan Henry, Thomas Velasquez and Jeremy Marsh..
VRA's Hobby Stock Class opened with ten cars in attendance. Curtis Dietzsch returned to Ventura Raceway after many years and took the first win of the new season over Gary Curtis. Ernie Malone took the win in their one heat race. The 20 lap main event was fast and exciting as Dietzsch put his number 25 out front on lap18 after early race leader Mile Stanford faltered in turn two and fell back. Following Dietzsch to the line in the main were Gary Curtis, Robert Lawler, Mike Stanford and David Heurung.
VRA Mod Lites began the new season with six cars in the pits. The night's 20 lap feature was all Johnathan Henry. He lapped the field on his way to his first win in this new class. Following him across the line were Dave Dotson, George Calvo, Jeffrey Fry and Mike Gilmore. They ran one heat race with the win going to Jeffrey Fry.
Zack Peterson began the new Sport Compact season where he left off with a feature win. The two time track champion passed Bruce Fink on lap 9 and then led Fink, Matt Peterson, Heath Morton and Mira Cook to the finish as he begins his quest for three championships in a row in this class. Mira cook took the 8 lap heat race win.
Racing resumes Saturday night March 22, with a full program of exciting racing featuring VRA Sprints, Senior Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, Sport Compacts, Mod Lites, Focus Midgets and our kids Divisions.
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