Herta Won’t See Hearn in Rear-View Mirror This Weekend

Richie Hearn and Bryan Herta, who live in neighboring communities, have crossed racing paths before.

Hearn lives in Canyon Country and Herta is from Valencia. They’ve often ventured into each other’s territory, on and off the track. Their most-recent professional meeting was at the Long Beach Grand Prix last month.

But they’ll be starting their engines almost 250 miles from each other Sunday.

Because of the internal war between drivers from the Championship Auto Racing Team (CART) and the Indy Racing League (IRL), Herta will be in Brooklyn, Mich., for the inaugural U.S. 500, with Hearn hunkered down in Indianapolis for the Indy 500.

Neither driver is happy about the rift between the racing bodies, but each is committed to his event.

“The decision to run in the U.S. 500 was made by my team owner, Bobby Rahal,” Herta said. “But my choice would have been the same.”

Hearn is among 17 rookies competing at Indy, the most-prestigious oval racing event of the year.

“The split isn’t my fault and I can’t fix it,” Hearn said. “When this is over, no matter how it ends up, there will be fans and critics on each side.”

Indy critics say it has become a watered-down affair, that the race is loaded with rookies unprepared to handle the speed, turbulence and traffic.

Hearn tends to agree--somewhat.

“There are about 10-15 cars in the field that wouldn’t have made it without reserved spots,” Hearn said. “I’m starting in the middle and sure, I’m worried about it.

“Some of these guys competing . . . I’ve never even heard of them and that’s rare,” Hearn said. “Usually you’ve heard of them because they’ve done something, somewhere.”

Meanwhile, Herta will be racing with the “big boys” in Michigan. He has qualified for a front-row position in the U.S. 500 and is comfortable with his choice.

“The testing and qualifying schedule for this race is nice,” Herta said. “Because of our extra free time we can test other things for later in the season when it gets busy.”

Herta is also taken by the allure of competing in a racing first.

“We’ve been close to winning a few times,” Herta said. “If I was able to get my first win in an inaugural event that would be extra-special for me.”

And as for Hearn, even though the Indy field is depleted, it is still the Indy 500.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do my whole life.”

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Three other drivers from the region qualified for the two major races.

Pole-sitter Jimmy Vasser, a Canoga Park native who has three CART victories this season, and rookie Jeff Krosnoff of La Canada are in the U.S. 500.

Mike Groff of Van Nuys is the other local entry in the Indy 500.

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Today has been designated “Ron Hornaday Jr. Day” in Tucson, Ariz., and the 37-year old SuperTruck driver is scheduled to receive the Copper Letter, the city’s highest honor.

“We are honored to have these drivers here,” Tucson Mayor George Miller said. The race “is another means of entertainment for our city and we welcome it and realize its importance to our city.”

Hornaday, of Palmdale, earned the first SuperTruck victory of his career at Tucson Raceway Park last year.

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Lack of incentive won’t be a problem for Granada Hills driver M.K. Kanke when he competes in the Southwest Tour’s 300-lap feature at Mesa Marin Sunday night.

Kanke has an opportunity to extend two winning streaks if he can take the checkered flag at Bakersfield.

He finished first in Las Vegas last weekend and also won the Southwest Tour’s last race at Mesa Marin on March 13.

The latter victory, however, was somewhat tainted by controversy.

Concerns about the legality of Kanke’s tires were raised and an unsuccessful protest was filed by another driver.

“I already believe I’ve removed all the doubt about my car,” Kanke said. “I did it in Las Vegas last weekend.

“I’m going up there to win and hopefully I can do the same thing I did last time we were in Bakersfield.”

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Motorcycle racer Eddie Castro had a big night on Victorville Speedway’s one-eighth-mile dirt track last weekend.

The Ojai resident took first in the motorcycle scratch main and finished second in the handicap main.

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Motorcycle drag racer Steve Johnson of Chatsworth turned in a career performance last weekend when he lost in the semifinals of the National Hot Rod Assn. event at Englishtown, N.J.

Johnson qualified fourth in a career-best of 7.507 seconds.