IMI Motorsports Complex
Erie, Colorado

August 30, 1997 - IMI Motorsports Complex
From: Jennifer Susich, fainche@earthlink.net

Ron Grace did an awesome job tonight! He was our only Division 2 rider so we bumped him to Division 1 for the night and he held his own. He rode smooth and competitively. Great job Ron! The consy race in which he rode was run twice. The first time "Do or Die" Gruetzmacher got the gate, followed by "Batman" Foster, Bouncin' Bobby Richards and Grace. Unfortunately Richards high-sided it in turn 3 and hurt his already injured leg. So there was a re-start. The second time Gruetzmacher got the gate again, followed by Grace then Foster. Foster passed on the inside in turn three but couldn't hang on and went down, and Grace followed suit going down half a lap before the line. But he still came in second as he ran his bike across the finish. The Cracker Boys Racing Team awarded him scores of 9.2, 9.5 and 8.2.

Jammin' Cam Brooks got the gate in the second Division 1 consi, followed by "Thumbs Up" Chuck Johansen, Calvinator Harrington, Kamikaze Kid Kern and the X-Man Williams. Williams slipped inside turn 3 to pass Kern and Brooks held the lead to finish first by a wheel.

Corky Blair raced out here for the first time this season and handled himself extremely well. He's probably the first rider who hasn't eaten dirt the first time on the track. Bucky Blair got the gate in the main but was overcome by Cowboy Pieper shortly. Blair went inside on turn two to take first and Dancin' Machine Petz went inside passing Corky Blair. Bucky went down in turn three, allowing Pieper to have first, Petz second and his little brother, Corky, have third.

Division 1 Main
1st (3) David "Colorado Cowboy" Pieper
2nd (57) Gene "The Dancin' Machine" Petz
3rd (88) Corky Blair
DNF (39) Bucky "Time to Take a Nap" Blair

Division 1 Consi
1st (14) Jay "Do or Die" Gruetzmacher
2nd (67) Ron Grace
3rd (5) Don "Batman" Foster

Division 1 Consi
1st (10) Jammin' Cam Brooks
2nd (45) Thumbs Up Chuck Johansen
3rd (4) Calvin "The Calvinator" Harrington
4th (X) Allen "X-Man" Williams
5th (74) Tom "Kamikaze Kid" Kern

Handicap

We ran two Handicaps tonight and a Handicap main. The first had Kern, Foster and Corky Blair on the 30, Brooks on the 40 and Pieper on the 50. Brooks quickly took first, followed by Kern, Blair and Pieper. But Kern wasn't going to give up and swapped with Brooks, only for Brooks to take over again. Pieper slipped inside to pass both Blair and Kern, but couldn't handle the pain from his hand injured by a mechanical bull any longer and had to leave the track. The second Handi had Grace on the 0, Harrington and Williams on the 30, Johansen on the 40 and Bucky Blair on the 50. Blair passed inside, Johansen left the track and Grace went down in turn three but quickly recovered. The riders spread out and there wasn't much competition after that.

All finishing riders went to the Handi Main. Coming out of the first corner was Grace, Kern, Williams, Brooks, Bucky Blair and Corky Blair. Kern took over first and Pieper and Bucky sped by everyone for spots two and three. These two went back and forth for the whole race but couldn't touch Kern.

1st (74) Tom "Kamikaze Kid" Kern
2nd (39) Bucky "Time to Take a Nap" Blair
3rd (3) David "Colorado Cowboy" Pieper
4th (X) Allen "X-Man" Williams
5th (10) Jammin' Cam Brooks
6th (67) Ron Grace
7th (88) Corky Blair

I'm headed out for the race in Costa Mesa this coming weekend with my soon to be brother-in-law Kenny Pieper. I've never seen a race of that caliber, so I am really excited.