Notebook / Gary Klein : Kendall Picks Up the Pace to Earn Big Payday

Tom Kendall is on a hot streak.

Kendall, a 22-year old La Canada resident, won the Sports Car Club of America’s Chevrolet Corvette Challenge on Sunday at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.

The victory, which earned Kendall $11,000, followed consecutive second-place finishes in racing events the previous two weekends.

“It’s been a good three weeks,” Kendall said. “It feels like I’m kind of starting to get on a roll.”

Kendall qualified first over the 1.2-mile, six-turn street course at the Meadowlands, but was forced to start sixth because of series rules that invert the leading qualifiers. Kendall gained the lead on lap 34 of the 66-lap race and held on to win.

“To have your first win of the year come in that fashion, where you’re the guy to beat all weekend--well, it gets your confidence level up,” Kendall said.

Kendall is in second place in the SCCA TransAm season standings with 74 points. Two weeks ago, he finished second in a race at Des Moines, Iowa. Kendall trails series leader Dorsey Schroeder by six points and will compete in the seventh race of the 14-race TransAm series this weekend in Minnesota.

Gimme a brake: While Kendall experienced nothing but good luck last weekend at the Meadowlands, fellow La Canada resident David Kudrave was not as fortunate.

Kudrave, 23, finished 14th Saturday in an American Racing Series event for March Wildcat cars powered by V-6 engines.

Kudrave had qualified fifth but was able to complete only 46 laps of the 63-lap event because of brake problems.

“They (the brakes) were there but they wouldn’t do the job correctly,” Kudrave said. “I think they got overheated a little bit and finally just gave out.”

Kudrave will race this weekend in an ARS event in Toronto.

“I’ve been kind of in a slump the last three weeks,” Kudrave said. “Hopefully we’ll get it turned around this time.”

Triumphant return: A Babe Ruth all-star team from the La Canada-Flintridge area compiled a 5-2-1 record during a recently completed tour of Finland and the Soviet Union.

Twenty-three players between the ages of 16 and 18 participated in the tour, which featured competition in the three-team Baltic Cup tournament in Finland and a three-game series against Soviet team.

In the Baltic Cup tournament, La Canada-Flintridge split two games with the Swedish national team, earned another split against the Finnish national team and played an Orange County all-star team to a tie.

La Canada-Flintridge swept all three games against the Soviets.

Net work: Glendale College is sponsoring two volleyball camps for boys and girls grades nine through 12.

The camps will be run by Dianne Spangler, coach of the Vaquero women’s volleyball team.

The first session will be held Aug. 7-10 at the Glendale College gym and will cover all aspects of volleyball. The second session, Aug. 12, will be devoted to setters.

Information: 818-240-1000.

Tennis anyone?: The Southern California Tennis Assn. is conducting clinics for boys and girls ages eight-18 through Aug. 25.

The clinics are being held at 98 different sites throughout the Southland, including the Eagle Rock Recreation Center.

Information: 213-208-3838.

More tennis: Glendale Parks, Recreation and Community Services is currently conducting tennis classes for adults and children at Glorietta, Nibley, Pacific, Dunsmore and Fremont parks.

The 50-minute classes are for players of all ability levels and include instruction in singles and doubles. Information: 818-956-2000.