Motor Racing : Insolo Set for Rare Homecoming Venture

Where have you gone, Jimmy Insolo? Or, more appropriately, where have you been?

Well, maybe that’s not important. What is important to the many Saugus Speedway fans who consider Insolo one of the track’s all-time greats is that on Saturday night, Insolo will be back where he belongs--racing at Saugus.

“He’s one of the few guys who ever came out of Saugus with finesse,” said Rick Crow, 26, a Saugus Street Stock driver who grew up idolizing Insolo. “He never beat the crud out of his equipment and he was a real nice guy in the pits with the kids.”

Insolo, 46, semi-retired from racing and a resident of Canyon Country, says that he considers Saugus his racing home.

“It was always fun to go back to,” he said. “It’s one of those places that make you feel like a star, I guess.”

Insolo claimed the spotlight at Saugus in the 1960s, winning a track championship in 1968. Two years later, he left the one-third-mile oval and embarked on one of the most successful careers in NASCAR Winston West Series history.

On Saturday night, Insolo will compete in the Miller 100, the second appearance at Saugus this season of the NASCAR All-American Challenge Series Southwest Tour.

“It’s the same old story,” Insolo said. “I just love to race.”

Interestingly, with the exception of occasional appearances, Insolo quit racing in 1982--just four years after he captured the Winston West title and three years after finishing third in the series.

After competing at Saugus from 1963 to 1970, Insolo hit the road for 10 years with the Winston West Series as both a regular and part-time competitor. In 1978, he enjoyed a fabulous season, winning nine of 22 events to claim the series title and earning $32,515.

All totaled, Insolo is fourth in Winston West history with 25 career victories. His career earnings total $143,225.

In 1982, Insolo returned to Saugus and finished fourth in the Modified division. After the season, however, Insolo, still at the height of his success, called it quits.

Pardon the inquiry, but where have you been, Jimmy?

“We decided that it was taking money out of our pockets to keep racing, so we weren’t going to do it no more,” Insolo said. “We would go to the races and win and then we would come home and sit down and figure it out and we were losing money.

“It’s a thing out here on the West Coast and I know everyone has told the same old story: You can’t race for a living.”

Which is why Insolo virtually does not race. And he likely will not return unless he lands “a sweet deal.” Competing regularly with the Winston West Series or Southwest Tour--both of which include races throughout California, Oregon and Nevada--requires financial backing. Ideally, it requires being employed by a racing team.

In 1981, Insolo was employed as a driver by Trick Enterprises, but the team disbanded after a less-than-lucrative season. That left Insolo, who drives a truck for a construction company, a privateer once again. And he has not exactly been flooded with offers.

“I would like to be more of a racer,” he said. “I’d like to be full time.”

That might be changing. Saturday night will mark the second time this season Insolo will be summoned for his driving services. Last month, he competed in a Saugus Sportsman program, driving the car of track regular Michael Ayers, a longtime family friend.

Insolo finished second in a heat race and climbed to fourth in the main event before being forced from the race because of an overheated engine.

In the Southwest Tour race, Insolo will drive the car of Rod Johnson of Canyon Country. According to Insolo, Johnson’s father, Don, sought Insolo because of his experience.

“There have been a lot of things done to the car that I wanted done,” Insolo said. “And I like that.”

And the fans undoubtedly will like Insolo.

“Now I’ll be able to watch somebody start in the back of the pack, pass everyone on the outside and win,” Crow said. “If I was a rich guy and I owned a bunch of cars, I’d want to hire him to drive.”

Crash and yearn: No, as a matter of fact, Dave Phipps does not own the whole damned road.

Phipps is, after all, fallible. Phipps has foibles. Phipps, phenomenal in the Saugus Speedway Sportsman division the past two seasons, might be finished.

Last Saturday, Phipps’ 1989 IROC Camaro smacked into the straightaway wall just two laps into the 40-lap main event, mangling the car’s front fenders and knocking the two-time defending track champion from the race.

Phipps, 41, who entered the evening atop the division points standings, fell to third place with the non-finish, 18 points behind new leader Keith Spangler of Northridge.

In each of the past two seasons, Phipps has dominated the division, speeding away with track titles by no less than 100 points. But this season, with only two main events remaining, Phipps’ bid to become the track’s first driver to win three consecutive Sportsman titles might be dead.

“I’d say that pretty much shot down my chances,” Phipps said. “Darn it! There is still a chance, but the other guys would have to have misfortune, too, and that’s not likely. They’re pretty strong.”

Misfortune is indeed the buzz word that has given Phipps the buzz saw. Despite a division-high six main-event wins, he has four non-finishes--three because of mechanical failure--for which he has earned zero points.

“I was on a roll,” he said. “Now, I’m just disappointed. I wanted to keep racing with the guys for the championship. But what can I say? I haven’t quit trying yet. I can’t give up.”

All aboard: Saugus’ program on Saturday night will include the final train race of the season as well as Mini Stock Racing Assn. and Saugus Speedway Mini Stocks.