BUZZ SODEMAN The Buzzman SPECIAL TO THE PVT A IMCA modified streaks into a corner at the Pahrump Valley Speedway. Advertisement

Returning to the racing scene as a reporter for the Pahrump Valley Times created a mixed bag of emotions; after all, it has been several years since the byline "Buzzman" has passed through anyone's printing presses. Did I still have it?

It, being the gift to report exactly what I see transpire in an unbiased manner.

Could I still entertain an ever-enlarging group of new, younger race enthusiasts?

Could I still write with the same flair and creativity within the word count that I was restricted to? I guess that's up to you and the powers at the Times to decide. I can already see the list of critics lining up with their opinions.

I want to present different facets of racing that normally go unseen or unrecognized within the local racing scene. Racing results will be a separate column devoted to observations on the previous Saturday night action. This week I want to devote some time to the subject of heat and the effects that it has on the drivers who are subjected to this exhaustive drain on their bodies while at the helm of their race cars.

It was 5:20 p.m. when I left my house headed for the Pahrump Valley Speedway, and it was 109.4 degrees in the shade. Most of Southern Nevada was under an extreme heat advisory.

Quite honestly, at 59 years of age and still recovering from major surgery just five weeks prior, I was worried about the heat at the track and the effect it would have on me, where shade is at a premium.

My first assignment was to find a recognizable face and get the answers to the "burning" question, "what is it like and just how much heat is the driver of an IMCA modified subjected to?"

The racing community has changed a lot since I last stepped into the pits of the speedway. The new faces far outweighed the few that I recognized and most of those didn't readily recognize me. Alas, I saw someone I knew, Levi Kiefer, and fortunate for me, he's parked next to Leland Hibdon, another racer that I have followed since his senior year at Pahrump Valley high school.

"How hot does your engine get during a race?" I was using NASCAR data of about 230-260 degrees, engine temp, as a baseline. Both Levi and Leland agreed that because the IMCA runs a tad cooler, because of the burning of alcohol, the engine temperatures hover right around 200 to 240 degrees.

When the ambient air temperature is factored with the wearing of fire retardant underwear and the Nomex driving suit and the full-face race helmet, the temperatures that most IMCA pilots experience range from 130 to 150 degrees.

Wandering down the line of custom race haulers, I spotted another familiar face, that of local hero, Racin' Jason Pike. After exchanging pleasantries, I posed the same questions to him. Jason felt that the cockpit temperatures could easily exceed the 150-degree mark, quite possibly as high as 175 degrees.

To put this in perspective, NASCAR drivers utilize "Kool suits" and supplemental body cooling apparatus to keep their body temperatures manageable and within safe ranges.

If you would like to experience the effects of this heat without depleting your bank account you can try this exercise.

Run down to ACE Hardware and purchase a metal trash can, slip on a pair of "long johns," and a snowmobile suit. Next drill a couple of eye holes in the side of the trash can, scrunch your fanny into the can. Have a friend tape the lid on and then have him place it in front of a blast furnace. Voila!

You now know what your local heroes are subjecting their bodies to, as they provide an evening of enjoyment for spectators.

I also asked the question, "Do you do anything special to prepare yourself for that night's racing program, knowing that a heat advisory had been issued?"

All of those interviewed are entrepreneurs, each owning a business related to the construction industry.

They actually don't do anything special that they don't do on a daily basis. Levi said that he consumes energy drinks like Gatorade, as well as plenty of water. Leland and Jason were in agreement ... nothing special.

Unfortunately, I didn't plan this topic far enough in advance. If I had, I would have had these drivers record their weight before they left home and then re-weigh once they got back home. Jason was the only one of the three to get a podium finish and he looked particularly spent as he exited his IMCA. So there you have it, your first lesson in Racing 101.

I was impressed with the racing surface, it's wider and looks like it is prepared with TLC. The food smelled great and dollar for dollar this form of entertainment is probably your best bet, especially for seniors.

The last time I knew seniors paid $5 to get through the gate. The last race ended right around midnight, meaning that for one max bet pull on a penny "one-armed bandit" you can get five hours of door-to-door, side-by-side racing action. And this is Pahrump!

Where else can you go on a Saturday night and see a pet pig who arrives at the track via a motorcycle, several canines and an employee who dances naked and tends bar at The Kingdom?

On the negative side and I brought these to the attention of Dave Hall, was the absence of a top-notch announcer. Dave assured me that Ray Elam was filling in for the previous "color commentator" who had quit after the last race.

I also pointed out there are just too many racing classes for the normal rear-end to sit through. Personally, I would develop a class that could absorb the Cam Coupes and Pro 4's and Dwarf cars, leaving just the Super Stocks, Outlaw Karts, Mini Stocks and the IMCA's.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'll be good for an opinion in each article.

In future weeks, I hope to cover such exciting topics such as the unseen heroes who work unceasingly to enhance your racing experience.

I want to interview some of the wives of the drivers. You know the cliché by now, "that behind every good man, is a better woman." I'm also planning a piece on just what is required to stage a one night show on the "fastest quarter-mile race track in the Southwest."

I plan on introducing a "Remember When" column and maybe a "Whatever Happened To" piece every once in awhile. If you have an area that you want me to explore, don't hesitate to let the folks at the Times know or when you see me at the track.