Force Chases Record With Heavy Heart

By MARTIN HENDERSON

June 2, 2000 12 AM PT

Yorba Linda driver John Force should have been ecstatic after his 85th victory tied Bob Glidden’s NHRA drag-racing record for most career wins.

Force, a nine-time Funny Car champion, is coming off his third consecutive victory and can break the tie this weekend in Chicago at the Prestone Route 66 Nationals, an event he finished second at last year.

But it’s the recent losses that Force is thinking about these days.

“We’ve lost some people in the industry, and it’s really tough to jump up and down when you realize an individual doesn’t have a chance to chase his dreams,” Force said this week.

The deaths of Fuzzy Carter, the former crew chief for Top Fuel driver Eddie Hill, and NASCAR Busch driver Adam Petty have hit close to home.

Carter, 41, succumbed to cancer on May 17. Force, 51, promptly got a checkup after Carter’s short illness.

Petty, 19, died in a crash during a practice session last month at New Hampshire International Speedway. He is the son of NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and grandson of Richard Petty.

“This Adam Petty thing has put a mental thing on me,” Force said. “I can’t get over it.”

That’s because Force has always wanted one of his four daughters to follow in his footsteps, and Ashley, 17, has shown some inclination. She participated in the Frank Hawley School of Drag Racing at the Pomona Fairplex earlier this year, and she liked the introductory course that included driving an alcohol dragster.

“I love being around drag racing, so I think I’ll be involved in it in some way,” Ashley said. “It’s hard to figure out if you want to do it unless you actually try.”

Petty’s death was a slap of reality in Force’s face. Though his oldest daughter, Adria, 29, has no interest in the sport, Brittany, 13, and Courtney, 10, do.

“I kind of pushed it, and that’s what bothers me,” Force said. “I don’t have a fear of dying. I’ve lived my nine lives. If I go, I ain’t got no [complaint].

“One thing about the Pettys, Adam never said he was pushed by anyone in the family. If something happens, you would want to believe it’s their dream, not your own.”

When Force tied Glidden’s record at the Texas Motorplex with a pass of 313.26 mph against teammate Tony Pedregon, he couldn’t get excited.

“You try not to focus on [the record],” he said. “The bottom line is I’m sure glad it’s over with. Now, they’re trying to push for 100 wins to match [Champ Car owner Roger] Penske. All I’m interested in is winning a 10th championship.

“You put a value on things. You find yourself getting up every day and fighting the fight for 25 years of racing. . . . You wake up one day, you’ve set the records, and they’re nice to leave in the book, but what about life in general?

“I’ve been on a diet, losing weight, eating salads. I sat down on the curb [Wednesday] and ordered the biggest old cheeseburger I could find.”

INDY RACING LEAGUE

San Juan Capistrano driver Jeff Ward finished fourth in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. It was the third time in four years that he has finished fourth or better.

With 72 laps remaining in the 200-lap race, Ward was in second place with a chance to make a move on eventual winner Juan Montoya during a restart.

But Montoya, shifty beyond his 24 years, slowed as Ward prepared to make his run at the drop of the green flag. Ward, unable to pass before the green flag, lifted off the gas. Then Montoya bolted.

Ward was second last year and third in 1997.

“It’s not an easy race to win,” Ward said. “[Team owner] A.J. Foyt was in 36 of them [from 1958-93] and won it only four times. I just have to hang around the front long enough.”

One final note on Montoya, the defending champion in the rival CART series, from Ward: “I raced with Juan in 1994 in Barber Saab. He was talented then. He was blazingly fast, or he crashed. Now, he’s just fast.”

* Dana Point team owner Dick Simon fielded two cars, driven by Stephan Gregoire and, in a one-race arrangement, Lyn St. James.

Gregoire was outstanding, starting 20th, and finishing eighth. St. James crashed and finished 32nd out of 33 drivers.

Simon was especially proud of the first day of practice. Gregoire clocked 221.397 mph and St. James 219.974 mph, the fifth- and 13th-fastest times.

“To have both cars that quick out of the box made me feel very proud as a team owner, like we were doing our job,” Simon said. “We had one driver with a lot of track time, and one with none.”

NASCAR

Cal Wells III, owner of PPI Motorsports of Rancho Santa Margarita, said Scott Pruett will begin driving the team’s Busch Grand National Ford at races that coincide with Winston Cup events.

This will give Pruett more seat time and should expedite his growth in the Winston Cup series. Wells said Busch driver Anthony Lazzaro will drive the Milwaukee race on July 2.

“Unfortunately, we underestimated the amount of time we’d need to prepare [Lazzaro] for Winston Cup next year,” said Wells, who has begun evaluating drivers to join Pruett in Winston Cup next season.

OFF-ROAD

Johnny Campbell of San Clemente will be going for his third consecutive overall motorcycle victory at this weekend’s 32nd SCORE Tecate Baja 500 in Ensenada.

Almost 220 drivers and riders will compete in the event, the third in the 2000 SCORE Desert Series.

If you have an item or idea for the motor racing report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at martin.henderson@latimes.com

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

ON TRACK

Orange County Speedway

Through May 28

Speedway motorcycles

1. Charlie Venegas, San Bernardino: 160

2. Brad Oxley, San Juan Capistrano: 140

3. Shawn McConnell, Brea: 104

4. Randy DiFrancesco, Bakersfield: 96

5. Bobby Schwartz, Costa Mesa: 94

6. Gary Hicks, Riverside: 85

7. Eddie Castro, Ojai: 75

8. Dukie Ermolenko, Cypress: 74

9. Ryan Fisher, Norco: 64

10. Chris Manchester, Reno: 63

Schedule

Saturday--Harley Blowout (speedway, sidecars, Harley races); 10--Jack Milne Cup (speedway, sidecars); 17--Father’s Day (speedway, sidecars, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway); 24--Championship 25-lap Classic (speedway).

July 8--Fan Appreciation Night w/Razzo (speedway, sidecars, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway); 14--Friday (sidecar, quad, midget championship); 15--Fair Derby (speedway); 16--Youth Motorized Olympics (Jr. speedway series), Vintage Dirt Track races.

Aug. 5--Demolition Derby (speedway, sidecars); 12--Kids Night (speedway, sidecars, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway); 19--Harley-Davidson Night (speedway, sidecars, harley races and show); 26--Dan Nay Night (championship speedway, peewee 50s, Jr. speedway).

Irwindale Speedway

Through May 28

Super Late Model

1. Greg Voigt, Goleta: 372

2. Ben Walker, North Hills: 292

3. David Brandon, Palmdale: 274

4. Dan Holtz, Bakersfield: 256

5. Tim Woods, Chino: 246

6. A.J. DiMarzo, Saugus: 234

7. Tommy Fry, Simi Valley: 208

7. Shawn Brink, Lancaster: 208

9. Rod Johnson, Saugus: 198

10. James Bruncati, Glendora: 188

Super Stock

1. T.K. Karvasek, North Hills: 296

2. Jeff Green, Long Beach: 288

3. Greg Benner, Whittier: 228

4. Don Rogers, Simi Valley: 200

5. Mike Price, San Pedro: 196

6. Tom Siebuhr, Canyon Country: 192

7. Kevin Wood, Saugus: 190

8. Yagel Berkovitz, Burbank: 180

9. Steve Gilmore, Granada Hills: 178

10. Doug McComb, Thousand Oaks: 154

Late Model

1. James Weston, Goleta: 288

2. Tony Green, Oak Hills : 278

3. Todd Burns, Riverside: 264

4. David Hessing, Canyon Country: 250

5. Guy Goldstein, Cathedral City: 228

6. Richard Hooper, Palmdale: 226

8. Steve Nickolai, Simi Valley: 216

7. Deryk Ward, Palm Springs: 212

9. Mike Haney, Alta Loma: 160

9. Dan DiGiammarino, Highland: 160

Grand American

1. Dean Kuhn, Oceanside: 136

2. Rip Michels, Mission Hills: 134

3. Robert Rice, Hawthorne: 130

4. John Watkinson, Canyon Country: 114

5. Tom Topping, Los Angeles: 110

6. Steve Luecht, Chula Vista: 107

7. Henry Ford Jr., Alta Loma: 94

8. David Andrews, Frazier Park: 90

9. Jimmy White, Covina: 88

10. Roger Carufel Jr., Saugus: 86

Schedule

Saturday--3--NASCAR Late Models Twin 40s, Super Stock, Grand American Modifieds, Formula Mazda, Figure 8s; 10--NASCAR Super Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Spec Trucks, Legends Cars; 17--NASCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Speed Trucks, Mini Stocks, Figure 8s, American Race Trucks; 24--NASCAR Home Depot Winston West 250, Super Late Models.

July 1--NASCAR Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Super Stocks, Legends Cars, Figure 8s and Fireworks Show; 8--NASCAR Super Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Spec Trucks, T.Q. Midgets, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds; 15--NASCAR Late Models Twin 40s, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Legends Cars, Mini Stock cars, Figure 8s; 22--NASCAR Super Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Speed Trucks, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds; 29--NASCAR Home Depot Southwest Series, Late Models, Super Stocks.

August 5--NASCAR Super Late Models Twin 50s, Grand American Modifieds, American Race Trucks, Mini Stocks; 12--NASCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Spec Trucks, Legends Cars, Figure 8s; 19--NASCAR Home Depot Winston West 250, Late Models; 26--NASCAR Super Late Models, Super Stocks, Grand American Modifieds, T.Q. Midgets, American Race Trucks.

Sept. 2--NASCAR Super Late Models Twin 50s, Super Stocks, Speed Trucks, Mini Stocks; 9--NASCAR Super Late Models, Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Legends Cars; 16--NASCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, MSRA Pro 4 Modifieds, Mini Stock cars, Figure 8s, American Race Trucks; 23--USAC Midgets, Sprint Cars, CAM 360, T.Q. Midgets; 30--NASCAR Super Late Models 100, Grand American Modifieds, Mini Stocks, Legends Cars.

Perris Auto Speedway

Through May 28

SCRA Sprint Cars

1. Richard Griffin, Silver City, N.M.: 920

2. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda: 693

3. Ricky Gaunt, Torrance: 650

4. Tony Jones, Corona: 622

5. Mike English, Norwalk: 610

6. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix: 605

7. Steve Ostling, Corona: 576

8. Mike Kirby, Lomita: 567

9. Troy Rutherford, Ojai: 527