MOTOR RACING / VINCE KOWALICK : Dragster Places Segal in Jet Set
Blink and you might miss Jerry Segal.
Last weekend at Los Angeles County Raceway in Palmdale, Segal set a track record for jet-powered dragsters by zooming across the quarter-mile drag strip in 4.91 seconds, a speed of more than 292 m.p.h.
Small wonder. The engine in Segal’s vehicle is a General Electric J-85-13, more commonly placed in aircraft.
“Basically, it’s a modified version of the engine out of a Lear jet,” Segal said.
Believe it or not, Segal, a 35-year-old, 15-year drag-racing veteran from Littlerock, has gone faster. And paid the price.
Segal once crashed because of parachute failure after exceeding 312 m.p.h. The car was destroyed, but Segal walked away with only cuts and bruises. He was back at the track the next morning.
“I love drag racing,” Segal said. “I love the speed. The best description of it is when you’re on a really big roller coaster and when it goes down a big hill and pulls up at the bottom. It’s that feeling, times 10.”
Segal, along with partner George Hebedeck, makes a living building dragsters. The vehicles they build for themselves are tested and tuned at the L. A. County Raceway, then raced on drag strips across the world, including Japan, South Africa, England and Mexico.
Yet for all the time Segal spends traveling to faraway tracks, he spends only a few seconds on the track. And he always is perilously close to disaster.
“That’s drag racing,” Segal said. “Some people like to sky dive. But you could never get me to jump out of an airplane.”
Where would he be then if his parachute failed?
Gears from yesteryear: Ever seen a 1915 Flying Merkel? Or heard of one?
For those wondering, the Merkel is a motorcycle, and one of 65 vintage bikes that will highlight this weekend’s San Buenaventura Antique and Classic Motorcycle Show and Exchange at Ventura Raceway.
Tonight, for the first time since the event began five years ago, the affair will include short track races involving vintage bikes dating from models built in 1969 to the Merkel.
The program begins with practice and qualifying at 5 and progresses toward main events in six classes, broken down by eras. Riders will compete for trophies and small contingency awards.
“It’s more for fun than anything,” said Pat Gaffney, the show’s promoter. “It’s designed for the collector to come out and ride. We have it set up so that if they don’t want to race their bikes, they can just come out and run hot laps.”
All owners of vintage bikes are eligible to enter today at the raceway, Gaffney said. The two-day program will include a flea market of vendors selling parts geared toward collectors and used motorcycles.
Also scheduled are daily performances by the Victor McLaglen Motorcycle Drill Team, performing stunts.
Information: 805-656-1122.
Costly crash: Doug Renno of Canoga Park and Pat Mintey Jr. of Quartz Hill went nose to nose in the pits at Saugus Speedway last Saturday night, moments after the fiery conclusion of the 40-lap Sportsman division main event.
For a moment, it appeared the drivers would come to blows.
Mintey recorded his first main-event win of the season, but only after Renno, who led from the opening lap, spun out on the final lap, seconds after taking the white flag.
Renno, who entered the race as the division’s points leader and was bidding for his second consecutive victory, argued that Mintey caused him to spin by bumping him in the rear entering the first turn.
“One more lap!” Renno said, raising an index finger before Mintey’s face.
Said Mintey: “He’s a little upset, but I was on the inside of him all the way.”
On Monday, Renno had calmed.
“I was hot when it happened, but that’s racing,” he said. “You can’t worry about what happened last week. It was kind of my own fault for letting him get that close to me. What’s meant to be is meant to be.”
Add Renno: Renno is listed 15th among competitors in the NASCAR Sunbelt Region points standings.
The Sunbelt Region--which includes Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Texas, Missouri and Nevada--is one of eight national regions in which NASCAR drivers compete for a national championship and $25,750 based on their performance at their home track.
Renno, with 1,363 points, trails leader John Borneman of Ramona, Calif., by 215 points. No driver from Saugus has finished among the Sunbelt Region Top 10.
“We don’t follow the Sunbelt too closely,” Renno said. “We do because it’s prestigious, but we’re more concerned with what happens day-to-day at Saugus.”
Motocross: Jason Pridmore of Ventura finished first among the 750cc class in the American Motorcycle Assn. National Supersport Series final last weekend in Brainerd, Minn. . . .
Willie Surratt of Lancaster finished seventh in the AMA’s 250cc class main event last weekend in Sacramento. Mike Kiedrowski of Acton finished 14th. Kiedrowski is currently fourth in the 250cc points standings after four of six events. Surratt is 13th. . . .
Jeff Emig of Highland finished second in the 125cc main event and is currently sixth in the points standings. The series resumes July 5 in Buchanan, Mich.
