Drake Wins at Ventura Raceway

Ventura Raceway opened its sixth season of stock-car racing before a chilly crowd of 1,012 on Friday. And the drivers were so eager to get started, they could hardly get an even green-flag start.

But once the opening-night jitters subsided, Jeff Drake of Santa Paula emerged from a crowded field to win the 20-lap Mini Stock oval main event.

Steve Rowe of Fillmore surged ahead on Lap 8 and opened a sizable lead, but he got jammed behind four lapped cars on the last go-round. Rowe had to hit the brakes and then maneuver to the outside while Drake made up ground to the low side of the pack to gain a half-car length victory.

It was Drake’s first main-event victory at Ventura.

Dave Hume of Ventura led wire to wire to win an equally sloppy 20-lap Street Stock main event. Bill Famularo of Simi Valley finished second, then had his car catch fire at the finish. Jim Firsich of Port Hueneme was third.

Drake equaled his win total of last season in Mini Stock heat races, going wire to wire in an eight-lap race. Doug Thornton of Ventura held off Marty Desbrow of Ventura, last season’s points champion, to win the other heat race by a car length.

Famularo led wire to wire in an eight-lap Street Stock heat race. Firsich won the other heat and Paul Moore of Oxnard won the four-lap Street Stock trophy dash.

Rowe won the Mini Stock trophy dash.