Bobby Davis Leads Outlaw Challengers in Ascot Races

Bobby Davis of Memphis, Tenn., hopes to hold center stage again as the winged sprint cars of the World of Outlaws take a 1989 curtain call on Ascot Park’s legendary half-mile oval next Friday and Saturday nights.

Threatening to become sprint car racing’s third millionaire and to break the reign of Steve Kinser as “King of the Outlaws,” Davis likes the scenery when his group makes its second visit of the year to the 182nd and Vermont Ave. oval.

It was at Ascot in the Outlaws first visit of 1989 that Davis became one of the 19 winners in 54 events held across the country. Davis, like many, will hate to see Ascot close when its lease expires in 1990.

However, it may not be as easy for Davis and cohorts Andy Hillenburg of Broken Arrow, Okla.; Jac Haudenschild of Millersburg, Ohio; Jeff Swindell also of Memphis, Cris Esch of Woodbine, Md. and Keith Kauffman of Mifflintown, Pa., to win in the West. Californians Brent Kaeding of Campbell, Chuck Miller of Morgan Hill and Jimmy Sills of Placerville have all beaten the invaders this year.

Tim Green of San Jose, a fourth California product, is really more of an outlaw this year that a home stater. He’s traveled the Texas-based circuit this year, scoring one victory and recently set a track record at Santa Maria.

At stake in the two-day shootout is $52,000 with $8,000 going to Saturday night’s main event. Friday’s main event, from which the first four starters for Saturday are determined, pays $3,000 to win.

Although the local California Racing Assn./Parnelli Jones series is for non-winged cars, several of the leading drivers are planning to put wings on their cars for the weekend. They include the Tempe, Ariz., pair of Lealand McSpadden and Ron Shuman. Both are no strangers to winged races. McSpadden has already competed in one outlaw race at Bakersfield while Shuman, the defending CRA champion, finished third in points in both 1985-86 as a regular on the Outlaw circuit.

Also set to challenge are Northern California’s Chuck Gurney of Livermore and another Arizonan, Billy Boat of Phoenix. Both will driver local cars that are powered with Ford engines instead of the more popular Chevrolet-style engines. Current point leader Davis is the only one of the Outlaw regulars using Ford power.