McGraw Claims Main at Ventura Raceway

When Ventura’s Randy McGraw won his first 15-lap Street Stock main event at Ventura Raceway on April 29, the two fastest cars in the race were not on the lead lap, as James Weston of Santa Barbara and Paul Moore of Oak View both had flat tires.

In Friday night’s 15-lap feature, McGraw, starting from the second position, grabbed the lead at the start and went virtually wire-to-wire for his second victory, fighting off strong efforts by Weston and Moore in the process.

The only lap that McGraw didn’t lead was the ninth, when he spun slightly between Turn 1 and Turn 2, allowing Bill Bartels of Marina del Rey to take the lead.

But the hard luck that has plagued Bartels in earlier races popped up again when his car slowed less than half a lap later when a tire came off of its rim. Officially, he never held the lead.

Weston, a three-time winner this year, had been running third when Bartels dropped out, while Moore, defending series champion and current points leader, was sixth.

Moore only needed one lap to get past both Jim Firisich of Port Hueneme and Al Adam of Westlake Village to slip into third place, and on Lap 11, Weston and Moore were neck-and-neck as they came past the finish line directly behind McGraw.

Weston pulled away from Moore and stayed on McGraw’s bumper through three of the final four laps, but McGraw was able to keep ahead of Weston through the turns, denying him a chance to pass on four different occasions.

As the racers came out of Turn 4 heading into the final lap, McGraw cut in front of Weston again and Weston spun into the infield and back onto the track.

Moore gave chase, but it was a case of too little, too late as the hometown favorite took the victory in front of a crowd that had been on its feet for the final five laps.

Weston was able to restart and finish fifth, behind Adail Gayhart of Malibu and Adam.

In the 15-lap Mini Stock main, Tim Gill of Somis passed Ventura’s Fred Woodward on the final lap to earn his first victory. Gary Hubert of Somis was second, Jim Tietz of Camarillo was third, and points leader Bruce Dunson of Santa Barbara was fourth.