Bartels Doesn’t Stall in Return to Races

Stock car racing returned to Ventura Raceway Friday night after a three-week layoff because of rain, a rock concert and a motorcycle race.

The break paid off for Bill Bartels. The Los Angeles resident grabbed his first Street Stock main event victory of the season in the 20-lap feature race.

In his last outing, Bartels led the first 11 laps before his car stalled in the second turn, flames shooting out from under his fenders.

This time around, Bartels had better luck. He grabbed the lead on the fifth lap and cruised to an easy victory over defending series champion Paul Moore.

Adail Gayhart of Malibu took the torch from Bartels, forcing a caution flag on the 11th lap while the track crew attempted to snuff out an under-hood fire that became noticeable three laps earlier.

Bartels had a quarter-lap lead over Moore before the caution came on, allowing Oak View resident Moore to close the gap and give Bartels a run for his money after the restart.

The two were bumper-to-bumper until the 16th lap, when Moore lost traction and slid off the track in the second turn, slowing just enough to allow Bartels to open a five-length lead.

It was a war of attrition--only seven cars were running at the finish.

James Weston of Santa Barbara, a previous winner, was eliminated on the second lap after locking bumpers with Adam of Westlake in front of the grandstand.

Weston, Adam and Bob Carpenter, the eventual third-place finisher, were running three abreast when Camarillo’s Joel Remmenga brushed the wall in front of Carpenter, who was able to avoid the ensuing three-car crash.

The street stock feature was less spectacular than the 15-lap Mini Stock Main. The race was restarted four times before the first lap was officially run because of two crashes, a false start, and a crash involving a false start.

Harried officials finally had the racers line up single-file to start the event, which was won by Gary Swenson of Ventura, who barely edged out Tim Gill of Somis.

In the 15-Lap Pony Stock Main, Mira Cook of Camarillo won by a half lap over Scott Boucher of Oakview. Cook and Boucher were the winners in the seven-lap heat races.

Ryan Cole of Santa Maria won his second 15-lap IMCA Modified main event and Ventura’s Gary Howard captured the 10-lap IMCA Sprint feature.