Oxnard’s Moore Wins Race but Misses the Prize

In nine previous weeks at Ventura Raceway, Gary Curtis of Camarillo had won six mini-stock oval track main events and three figure-8 mini-stock main events.

In fact, Curtis has been so formidable that promoter Jim Naylor put a bounty on Curtis’ head. Had any driver been able to defeat Curtis on Friday in the main event on the one-fifth-mile dirt oval track, he would have earned $100.

But the bounty will have to wait until next week. Curtis could not use his car for the main event because of mechanical difficulties sustained in the figure-8 main event.

Curtis did make it through a mini-stock heat race, in which he finished second to Paul Moore of Oxnard by two car lengths.

In a Curtis-less mini-stock 20-lap main event, Moore took first and Marty Desbrow of Ventura finished second.

Simi Valley’s Don Wright led from start to finish in the Street Stock 15-lap main event.

Sue Pittinato of West Hills took second.