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The first round of the American Iron West series kicked off at California Speedway on March 12-13, 2005. Racers in attendance included Andy Bowman, Ryan Walton, Gary Umphenour, Bill Daffron, Mike Armstrong, Vageli Karas, and Bryan MacMillan along with newcomers Paul McKee is his ex-Bondurant Cobra and Bonneville record holder Dave Royce in the Maximum Motorsports “shop car” entry. Saturday morning qualifying saw lap times that were well within striking distance of erasing the previous lap records for AI with Dave Royce well under the AI record and Vageli Karas only a few tenths off. The race started with Royce and Karas heading to the front with Walton and Umphenour just behind. Bill Daffron started in the back of the pack due to some problems in qualifying and blasted to the front with a quick trip down to the apron at the green. The battle between Karas and Royce was shaping up to be an epic duel until a recurring transmission gremlin surfaced to put Karas out of the running. Royce, however, kept up the pace and set a new lap record of 1:50.465 as he sailed away for the win. Ryan Walton took second and Gary Umphenour brought his Saleen SSC home in third. Bill Daffron put in a commendable performance as the lone cowboy in AIX and also hit the reset button on the AIX lap record with a time of 1:49.108. Bryan MacMillan retired early with engine trouble and could not make the call for Sunday’s runs. Paul McKee also was battling fueling issues, but still managed to make the grid for Sunday morning. In Sunday qualifying, it again looked as if the lap records would fall again with Karas on the AI pole breaking into the 1:49’s and Daffron well into the 1:47 range. As Sunday’s race started, Karas again took off with Daffron also running away from the pack. It was evident that Dave Royce was in trouble early on as he began to fall back in the field nearly as soon as the green flew. Unfortunately, this was a sign of things to come as he was forced to retire when the 115,000-mile shortblock in the car began to lose oil pressure and power around the third lap. Andy Bowman came in shortly after Royce with an ominous sound in the motor that was later traced to a 3-inch hole in the front of the timing cover. Paul McKee also retired as the fueling problem had made him into a moving chicane with little power available from the helm. The retirements and a remarkable display of driving left Karas way out in front for AI, but a fierce mano-a-mano slugfest for second began to develop between Walton and Umphenour with the two Fox pilots passing each other multiple times on each lap. Walton finally slipped up and spun, but Umphenour spun as well at the same point trying to avoid Walton. Walton was unable to refire but Umphenour was able to get back on the course and take the checker. As the race ended, Karas took the AI win with a new lap record of 1:49.064 that shattered the old mark of 1:51.449 set by Guy Cunningham. Umphenour took the second spot with Walton completing the podium in third. Bill Daffron drove an excellent race to blow away the previous 1:49.986 lap record set by his team with a smoking fast 1:47.270 mark. Daffron actually went fast enough to catch and pass many of the Super Unlimited class entries. He also did it cleanly enough to win the Piloti Hot Shoe Award, which went to the highest finishing driver in each combined race group that had the most error-free run during the race. Congratulations to all the winners and if this race is any indication, some of the past record holders are going to need to strap their spurs back on if they want to keep their names on the tote board! The next race will take place at Infineon Raceway on April 9-10, 2005, so head on out if you want to see the fastest ponycars in town carve some corners at one of the most beautiful tracks in the country. Submit Article |
