BUZZ SODEMAN The Buzzman BUZZ SODEMAN / SPECIAL TO THE PVT Race cars blaze through the corners on the quarter-mile Pahrump Valley Speedway’Äôs dirt oval on a warm Saturday night. Advertisement

It was great to see my boss, Marie Wujek, and her husband at Saturday night's racing program the Pahrump Valley Speedway. Her understanding of exactly what I see every race event makes her appreciation of what I do more rewarding, not that I needed that type of validation.

She has received positive feedback from many sources, almost as many as I have received at the track. While I appreciate the recognition, I also know that it takes just one unfavorable article to go from "hero to zero."

Last weekend's program was the last for longtime safety worker, John Pietorazio Sr., who will leave this week for permanent residence in Pennsylvania. I'm sorry that I didn't get to know this individual before his departure to the land of snow shovels and Amish buggies.

A ho-hum evening of racing allowed me to take my observations and ruminate for awhile, as safety track workers dealt with a racing incident involving Milo Petaros and Golden Valley, Ariz., visitor Steve Robertson.

As wide as the turns have been expanded at the track, it never ceases to amaze how precious a small piece of real estate can become. I also witnessed the frustration and exasperation of starter Dave Hall, as he tried to realign 22 mini stock drivers. Seems that they can't remember what car they were behind at the time the yellow flag was waved.

I hate to beat a dead horse, so I'll just give the old nag just one more kick -- there are just too many classes and there are classes that really need some participants.

Perhaps the division that is in most need of a transfusion is the Pro-4's. Fourteen drivers are currently listed with points but only four of those drivers have appeared in more than 10 races. I understand that there is some controversy about four-cylinders having to compete against six-cylinders, but aren't controversy and racing synonymous?

Additionally, third place competitor Steve Slusher has decided to make the move to the super stock class. His brother, Eric, has transformed what once was the thirdplace car into a Mini Stock.

In all honesty, this class, along with the Nevada Cam Coupes comes closest to providing near equal competition. While I enjoy the Outlaw karts, their numbers shrank Saturday night to just three competitors out of 10.

Taylor Bonetti held off the hard-charging Austin Keifer to take the feature. Austin's stepbrother, Cole Hammack, who appears to be one of the youngest competitors in this class, was third.

The biggest story of the entire evening was "Flyin' Bryan" Wulfenstein, in only his third race, laying claim to his first ever main event victory, leading flag-to-flag. It wasn't a "cake walk" for the second-generation driver, who faced at least three restarts, two in the last six laps. Despite what is termed "agricultural racing" In the Midwest, veteran hot shot Rick VanBuytene was all over Bryan's rear bumper.

The well-schooled rookie was unflappable, running a smooth and consistent line, lap after lap. Rick's reluctance to get down and play "in the mud," forced track promoter Hall to water the track's high groove.

According to the youngster, the next race could be his last until the "Fall Classic," as he resumes his higher education at Dixie College in St. George, Utah.

Another driver who appeared to be on a string was Terri Little, the "Blonde Bombshell" who is patiently creeping up in the mini stock division. Terri emerged from deep in the pack to challenge Bubba Ray for the lead.

She consistently hit her marks, held her line, and had another competitor not jumped the last re-start, would have either claimed her second feature win or settled for second. A disappointed Little accepted the thirdplace trophy while Bubba posed for pictures in the victory circle.

Court Connell was the class of the Pro-4 field, claiming the feature by a large margin. Andy Faulst had second all but clinched when he spun between turns three and four, relegating him to third. Points leader Marty Mclaugh sped past Faulst for second. Sam Stringer claimed his second consecutive Nevada Cam Coupe main event. He was followed closely by Mike Gray, Brent Iverson and Bob Clark -- a blanket would have covered this quartet.

Ryan Cottrell made it look extremely easy in the Dwarf feature, which was red-flagged, when Jeff Connors rolled in turn four. While not the most violent roll witnessed at Pahrump Valley Speedway, the structural integrity and commitment to safety ensured that Connors may be a little sore and bruised on Sunday, but was able to safely walk away unscathed.

I want to stand corrected on a statement made in a previous article. The Southern Nevada Dwarf Car Association, although depleted by drivers moving up to other classes and retirement, is still alive and well, represented in national events.

Main event win No. 97 is proving to be as elusive as a greased pig for "Racin' Jason" Pike in the IMCA modifieds. He has been the bridesmaid at the last three races. This time he followed Levi Keifer to the checker.

The competitiveness of this division is as wicked as the torque inflicted on the chassis' entering and exiting the turns. Leland Hibdon rounded out the podium.

I firmly believe that first time IMCA pilot Fred Young has a car that's a wall magnet. A couple of races ago, Young suffered a neck injury after contacting the turn two wall. On this evening, his modified had an affinity for the turns three and four walls.

One of the luxuries of sitting amongst the spectators is the ability to catch their comments. It seems that the most common complaint is about the track announcer, or rather his inability to announce.

I personally took exception to his taking responsibility for "naming" young Bryan Wulfenstein and confronted him; "You must have read my racing article?"

His response was "No, why?"

I said that three weeks ago I tagged the youngster with the moniker "Flyin'."

To make a long story short, the announcer doesn't even read the PV Times and then went into a rather long diatribe of his racing accomplishments. That is, until I interjected that I knew all about his arrival on the Nevada racing scene; it was about that time that the conversation ended with him declaring that "he might be suffering from a little microphone burnout."

Is there a high school drama student who's looking for a high-profile microphone gig?

A driver that apparently does read the paper is Dustin Oliver, whom I recently described as a Harry Potter lookalike. Lo and behold, the young man shows up with A.K.A. Harry Potter painted on the side of his Mini Stock.

Unfortunately, Oliver could have used Potter's Firebolt Quidditch broom; he was unceremoniously pushed off the track by Pete Wallace's truck.