FAIR GAME : Unfounded Allegations of Cheating Simply Drive Utts to Greater Speeds at Ventura

Cheaters, we are taught in kindergarten, never prosper.

So, that adage alone should be proof enough that the overwhelming success of stock car driver Charles Utts of Camarillo is legitimate.

But it is not--proof, that is. Utts, a 28-year-old, four-year racing veteran, has been the reluctant center of controversy this season at Ventura Raceway, forced to defend himself at every turn while consistently whipping the Street Stock division competition.

Competitors have publicly accused Utts of cheating--specifically, racing with illegal car parts, and modifying his car’s engine, suspension and body in violation of track rules. He also has been accused of deliberate reckless driving.

Yet Utts, who works as a sales representative for a printing company, steadfastly maintains that he does not cheat and has never been found in violation by track officials. And he is not about to let accusations spoil his fun.

“I put 20 bucks worth of gas in my race car, I go out there, I have a blast and I come out of my car with a grin from ear to ear,” Utts says, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s a family thing. My wife goes out there, my mother, my daughter, my father, my mother-in-law. My grandmother’s been out there. . . .

“It’s a kick in the butt.”

For Utts and, conversely, his opponents. Utts, quite figuratively, is kicking their butts.

With 2,095 points, he is speeding toward his first track championship, leading the nearest competitor by 770 points with 12 races remaining.

He has qualified for 19 consecutive trophy dashes, including 45 of the past 47 dating to last season. For nine consecutive weeks, Utts has posted the evening’s best one-lap qualifying time and three times this season he has lowered the track qualifying record.

He has won four main events--surprisingly, not a track-high--and has never finished lower than fourth this season.

And no one has come close to breaking Utts’ qualifying record of 16.37 seconds on the one-fifth-mile dirt oval.

Which is why no one, seemingly, believes the low mark was established fairly. Pete Marcus of Ventura, the most vociferous of Utts’ accusers, claims that Utts, quite simply, cheats to get ahead.

“He gets away with murder down there,” said Marcus, 35, who has been involved in several on-track scuffles with Utts. “His whole car is illegal as far as I’m concerned. Something’s gotta be different if everyone else is 1 1/2 seconds slower in qualifying every week. And I’m not the only one who thinks this.”

Utts’ engine has been “torn down” and “pumped” by track officials. Competitors have dubbed him “Cheatin’ Charlie.” He has even been threatened with bodily harm--a kick in the butt of sorts.

“After Pete had pushed the issue as far as he could,” Utts said, “he got out of his car one Saturday night and yelled across the pits that he was going to commit bodily harm to me. He said he was going to kick my. . . .”

But for the all the accusations, complaints and threats against Utts, he has emerged unscathed. He wins his races, as they say in kindergarten, fair and square--no ifs, ands or. . . . well, there seems to be no doubt in the minds of track officials.

“Charles just has the fastest machine out there,” track promoter Jim Naylor said. “He’s kind of dominating.”

Three times this season, Utts’ car has been inspected by track officials. Each time, no illegality was found.

“Charles is a very good driver and he seems to get the most out of his equipment,” track manager Cliff Morgan said. “Some of the other drivers feel he can’t be that quick and be legal. There are still a couple of drivers who tend to grumble about Charles. He kind of gets a kick out of that.”

To an extent. While he admits he is flattered by the attention, Utts also is offended.

“No, sir, I don’t cheat!” he says, shaking his head in earnest. “I just use the rules to my benefit. There are a couple of things a lot of guys haven’t realized by looking at the rules. There are little advantages that you can make.”

None upon which he chooses to elaborate. Seemingly overlooked by all, however, is the fact that if Utts was cheating, he wouldn’t be the one actually doing the cheating.

Chuck Lambeth, 49, of Camarillo, Utts’ crew chief, supervises the preparation each week of Utts’ 1976 Camaro. The team’s success, he says, is the result of old-fashioned hard work and automotive ingenuity--all within the framework of track regulations.

“The motor in that car is very legal,” Lambeth said. “It’s just put together right. We do a lot of homework. The other guys should go home and do their homework. Some of those cars out there are capable of going faster than ours, believe me.”

Utts’ success--and his troubles--can be traced to his bumpy racing history and reputation as a less-than-courteous driver. In previous years, Utts admittedly made unnecessary contact with other cars in the heat of a race and sometimes lost his temper in the pits.

This season, Utts not only has emerged as the top competitor in the class but a top competitor with class.

“I’ve had my share of pushing and shoving,” he said. “After four years, it’s finally sunk into my head that getting all (ticked) off at the officials every time a decision didn’t go my way. . . . It wasn’t always their fault.

“We’re entry-level racing, so the first thing that happens is, we don’t know how to contain our tempers. So, we end up getting a little hot-headed.”

Said Morgan: “Charles, over the past year, has matured a great deal. (In the past), he would go into turns faster than he should, maybe lean on some people or lose his temper. And I think, maybe, some drivers are still thinking of the way he was.”

Including Marcus, who is convinced that track officials show favoritism toward Utts--a crowd favorite--and are reluctant to penalize him.

“He runs into me all the time,” Marcus said. “I’ve gotten to the point where I just stay away. I don’t need the hassle.”

According to track rules, any driver may issue an official protest against another driver by submitting $100 to track officials immediately after a main event. Track officials then dismantle or “tear down” the engine of the driver in question in search of mechanical violations.

Should the driver in question be found in violation, he is stripped of all points earned that evening and the $100 is returned to the driver initiating the protest. If no violation is found, the driver in question pockets the $100.

That was the case in June when Marcus--with a little help from his friends--filed a protest after Utts won a Friday night main event.

“Everybody was giggling and chuckling and a bunch of guys got together and threw 10 bucks in a pile and said, ‘We have enough to tear him down, let’s see what he’s got,’ ” Utts said. “ ‘If anything, he won’t have enough time to put the car back together for tomorrow night’s race.’ ”

Utts was vindicated, collected the $100 and reassembled his engine in time to post the top qualifying mark the following evening and finish second in the main event.

Last month, Utts’ car was included in a random inspection by track officials who “pumped” all engines to test compression. Again Utts’ vehicle passed.

“I know that with the speeds I’m doing they’re going to keep coming over,” Utts said. “When I set the track record, they didn’t even let me get off the track. I pulled in and they said, ‘Over!’ They checked to make sure my rims were right, checked to make sure I had track tires all the way around, looked down my carburetor--just checked to make sure everything was on the up and up. And it was.

“I don’t need to cheat to get a motor with performance.”

Suspicion grew to such a height, Utts said, that Naylor once approached him and inquired, in confidence, if he was, in fact, cheating. “He said, ‘Between you and me. . . .,’ ” Utts said.

Naylor, however, does not recall the incident, saying he would not place himself or a driver in that position.

“I don’t know if it’s just a bunch of sour grapes on the part of the other drivers,” Naylor said, “but how would you like to be putting effort in every night and be getting dusted off?”

Utts indicates that he has won only four main events, for which he earned $60 each. Dave Hume of Ventura has won a division-high five mains.

“It blows me away why everyone is so worried while Charles Utts has won only four main events,” Utts said. “I’m just consistent. I’m having a good season, I’m getting a lot of great help from the people around me. It’s teamwork.”

And a kick in the butt for Utts.