Auto Racer Krieger Dies From Rare Brain Infection

Larry Krieger of Thousand Oaks, who won the 1999 NASCAR Grand American Modified track championship at Irwindale Speedway, succumbed to a rare brain infection Saturday.

Krieger, who had battled the disease for five months, had four main event victories and 16 top-five finishes during his championship season.

He is survived by his wife, Donna, and 2-week-old son Dean Jarrett.

Services are scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Red Brick Chapel at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in Burbank.

Donna Krieger has requested that all attendees come to Forest Lawn as if they were going to a race at Irwindale on a Saturday night. Many drivers will don their racing uniforms and Krieger’s race car will lead the funeral procession.

A trust fund has been set up through California Oaks State Bank, 50 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91360. Checks should be made out to the Dean Jarrett Krieger Trust Fund, and envelopes should be marked: Attn. Sandra.

The flags at Irwindale Speedway will remain at half staff--for both Krieger and the late Dale Earnhardt--until Friday afternoon.

SOCCER

* Adolfo Perez, a highly successful club coach and former Mission College men’s coach, has accepted the position as Pierce College women’s coach.

Pierce is introducing the sport in the fall. Student-athletes from Mission and Valley are eligible to play at Pierce. Interested women can contact Pierce.

“I’m excited. It’s going to be an opportunity that has never been here in the Valley before,” said Perez, a Birmingham High and Cal State Northridge graduate. “It’s an incredible opportunity for girls to play college soccer.”

FOOTBALL

* Linebacker Mike Bonelli of St. Bonaventure has signed with Idaho. Bonelli helped the Seraphs to a 28-0 record in his two years of varsity football. He was selected the Division XI defensive player of the year.

* Scott Faer, the co-coach at Kilpatrick last season, has been named the head coach.

Faer shared head coaching duties with Sid Ware last year, but Ware stepped down from that position because he was tired of driving from his job at a juvenile hall facility near Dodger Stadium to Kilpatrick for practices.

Faer was an assistant under Ware from 1997-99.

BASEBALL

* Jon Schaeffer, a former Harvard-Westlake and Stanford catcher who played several years in the minor leagues for the Oakland Athletics, has retired.

* Barry Matthews, a senior pitcher at Gonzaga from Crespi, was selected West Coast Conference pitcher of the week after starting his season with a four-hitter against Portland. He struck out 10 and hit a home run in a 1-0 victory.

* Birmingham will hold its alumni game at 11 a.m. Saturday. Information: (818) 881-1580.

BASKETBALL

* The Master’s College women’s basketball team moved up three places to No. 4 in the NAIA rankings. The Mustangs won two games last week to extend their winning streak to 22 games.

FENCING

* Derek Snyder from Chaminade won two medals at the Junior Olympics in Salt Lake City. He took a silver medal in the junior epee.

FYI

* A one-day seminar on “Sports Public Relations” will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at UCLA. The seminar is conducted by long-time public relations professionals Irv Kaze and Bob Steiner.

Among the scheduled guest speakers are Sports Editor Bill Dwyre of The Times, columnist T.J. Simers and former Dodger public relations director Steve Brener.

Registration can be made by calling (310) 825-9971 or (818) 784-7006.