Wilson, Flavin Wins Races as Saugus Opens 50th Season

Opening night at Saugus Speedway always features a few things not regularly scheduled throughout the remainder of the seven-month racing season.

Like a grand fireworks display to celebrate the track’s 50th season before a kickoff crowd of 5,312 on Saturday night--and a small brush fire that erupted when a flare from one of the colorful rockets landed on a nearby hillside.

A traditional opening-night event is the “Pretty Car” award, given to one car from each division after 97 freshly painted and polished entries filled the infield before the races began.

The pretty car itself is virtually a one-time sight for fans, as a few collisions over the course of the season tend to chip the paint, bend the fenders and generally dull the polish of most vehicles.

That was the case when the show finally hit the road for both the 25-lap Street Stock and 25-lap Hobby Stock oval main events.

Through smoke-filled traffic and collision-filled laps, Kenny Wilson (Street Stock) and Shannon Flavin (Hobby Stock), both of West Hills, managed to reach the checkered flags intact.

Flavin narrowly beat Scott Wade of Burbank by about three car lengths, while Brian Kelley of Arleta finished third and Lawrence Leis of Canyon Country took fourth.

Wilson, who also posted a heat-race victory, finished ahead of John Kirby of Ventura and Rick Winakur of Simi Valley.

Rick Crow of Canyon Country, who bagged the Pretty Car award with his polished pink Chevelle, emerged from the race with a dented front end and hood.

One routinely scheduled event, however, resulted in a predictable finish.

Dave Phipps of Simi Valley, the two-time defending Sportsman division champion, re-established himself early as Saugus’ King of the Road, as he grabbed the checkered flag of the division’s inaugural trophy dash and finished third after starting sixth in a heat race.

Phipps, who had hoped to debut his 1989 IROC Camaro but could not prepare it in time, relied on his 1980 Buick Regal, which he drove to the title last season.

“I just couldn’t finish it in time,” Phipps said of the new car. “Maybe next week, but realistically in two weeks.

“This car,” Phipps said of the “is a fine car. I intend to keep it and run it occasionally if need be. It’s like hopping into your Reeboks--it’s comfy.”

In the 15-lap Sportsman semi-main event, Larry Krieger of Reseda, last season’s Saturday night Hobby Stock champion, moved into the lead on Lap 12 and held on to win.

John Schwetz of Simi Valley cruised to the checkered flag of the 12-lap Street Stock semi-main event, and Charles Reed of Newhall won the 12-lap Hobby Stock semi-main event.

Six-lap oval heat race winners included Bob Vallejo of Pearblossom, Craig Rayburn of Simi Valley and Bobby Oliver of Granada Hills (Sportsman); Eric Foster of North Hollywood and Kenny Wilson of West Hills (Street Stock); and Jeff Drummen of Northridge and Lee Bowers of Los Angeles (Hobby Stock).

Trophy dash winners included Phipps, Rayburn (Street Stock oval), Steve Nickolai of Simi Valley (Street Stock figure 8), Doug Renno of Canoga Park (Hobby Stock oval) and Tom Siebuhr of Sylmar (Hobby Stock figure 8).