BUZZ SODEMAN The Buzzman SPECIAL TO THE PVT Vintage race cars were plentiful at the Pahrump Valley Speedway last weekend, including a couple of midgets lined up ready to compete, and a sprint car (below), just moved down the hauler. Advertisement

Newly crowned track champion Leland Hibdon told me in a phone interview that if the Pahrump Valley Speedway went to "dry slick," his Larry Shaw-prepared IMCA modified would be a force to be reckoned with.

During his heat race, Hibdon found the track "heavy," a lot of bite, which greatly affected the car's handling capabilities.

As if his prayers were answered, a short-lived wind started blowing just before intermission, which quickly turned what started out as a quagmire into exactly what Hibdon had hoped for -- dry slick.

I have to amend what I called Hibdon last Friday; he's not "road rage on steroids," he's "Rambo on steroids!"

Hibdon's left front wheel barely touched the track throughout the IMCA feature as he held off the challenges of Jon Jensen, Jeff Sheppard (a two-time Mohave Valley Speedway track champion) and a host of some of the Southwest's finest pilots.

The champ emerged from his chariot looking like a "knight in shining armor" in his new all-white-with-orange-accented driving suit.

The feature was the equivalent of dangling a "fattened hog over a cage of starved hyenas." After the dust had settled, Hibdon outlasted Randy Thornell and Robert Smotherman, who completed the podium.

Over half of the field had limped to the pits, led by Jim Bonetti (who hit the backstretch wall) and Levi Kiefer. Kiefer found himself airborne after being involved in an altercation with Smotherman and Todd Nunnally with just four laps left in the contest.

Kiefer left via "Petey's Hook." The incident occurred when Hibdon had a hiccup exiting turn three, causing those behind him to check up and gather each other up. Sheppard and Jensen had tangled previously, forcing "smooth operator" Jensen to the pits to make repairs.

Beau Gott competed for the first time this season but tossed a left front wheel and joined the "Gott family reunion" in the pits. In all, five cars received the checker, Nunally and Smotherman, minus entire side panels on their rides the reality of "having your doors blown off."

Hibdon and Thornell had cosmetic damage, while rookie Kelly Buesig finished fifth, relatively unscathed. Heat winners were Sheppard and Jensen. Fred "Mr. Excitement" White provided additional backstretch lighting when he experienced what appeared to be an oil fire in heat one and was done for the evening.

Dan Fitzgerald fans, and there are many of you out there, were obviously disappointed by his not appearing after having the Fall Festival on his schedule.

Checking his Web site, it has become apparent that after 28,787 miles and championships at Winnemuca Regional Raceway, Battle Mountain Raceway and Summit Raceway, that the Fitzgerald entourage suffered a season-ending "meltdown." He offered his apologies.

The 1908 Cadillac of Hollis Harris led the Fall Festival parade, but a group of visiting "nursing home escapees" created their own parade of vintage midgets and sprints.

These "young bucks with Viagra coursing through their veins" are members of the Western Racing Association, where most of the drivers "are probably older than their equipment." The youngest driver is Dave Lubin at 52, while Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee, Walt James and Bill Gerard, both at 83 years young, share the oldest!

Gerard, from Santa Ana, Calif., runs a sprint that sports wire wheels, the spokes of which "flex" in the turns.

The Association's fact sheet boasts that "only a small percentage (of the members) were actually professional drivers in decades past. The rest probably always 'wanted to be' or were former car owners and some are just guys who always had a love of the sport but could only now be in a financial position to be involved."

One ex-driver, 55-years young Tony Simon from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., is a past winner of the Turkey Night at Ascot Speedway. In 1974, Simon lost his right arm in a racing accident at that same track.

If Offenhauser-powered engines are your cup of tea, the vintage midget heat was a tea party.

The heat was won by 69-year old Jim Eiland (former Santa Maria Speedway champion), who was followed to the checkered flag by 60-year old Jack Kersell and Bob Munier (age unavailable).

A blanket would have covered the top three in the feature. Eiland made it a sweep, followed closely by 72-year old Shelby York and 77-year old Les Stark. York and Stark both pilot Offy-powered cars.

The sprints were led by 74-year old Kenny Van Blargen, who hails from Paso Robles, Calif. He has beaten Indy 500 winner and legend Parnelli Jones and is a three-time Santa Maria track champion.

The feature winner was John Steves out of Newhall, Calif., who held off the spirited challenge of Norm Joyal from Oklahoma and a potent Chevy V-8 of Steve Waugh. The average age on the podium was 63-years young.

Waugh captured the heat, trading the lead with Van Blargen several times.

If this didn't provide enough adrenaline rush, there were still six classes that rounded out the evening's festivities.

Donovan "Mini Monster" Williams won the outlaw karts feature, chased to the checker by Cole Hammack and Shane Nunnally. Hammack rebounded from a DNF in the heat, which was claimed by Nunnally. Noticeable by her absence was points leader Taylor Bonetti.

Several super stock drivers were obviously resting their weary steeds in anticipation of the Super Stock Shoot Out Nov. 10-11.

Other drivers took advantage and further honed their skills on Hall's magic mud. The first visit of the season by Doug Humphries proved fruitful when he held off the always hard-charging Frank Bridwell in the feature.

Daniel Katzer survived the attrition plague to garner a third place finish. Heat winners were Peanut Gott and Bridwell. It is anticipated that the Shoot Out will showcase a host of out-of-state challengers in what has continued to be the backbone of dirt track racing throughout the United States.

Points leader Rick VanBuytene encountered mechanical problems and withdrew from the competition. VanBuytene kept his chances for becoming the first ever driver to claim track championships in two divisions in one season alive in the Mini Stock main.

Rapid Rick was close on the heels of the feature winner, Frankie England. Terri Little, although a little off the pace, was able to grab third over a fast-closing Tony Martin.

Heat winners were John Burch Sr., who smoked the field in his preliminary, Bubba Ray and Bill Delahunte, after early leader Keith Young suffered mechanical difficulties.

Eventual Pro-4 track champion Marty Mclaugh was a no-show, opening the door for some spirited racing in a division that may be included on the endangered species list.

Court Connell, who sports the best points-per-feature race average in the class, has been a man on a mission as of late.

Had Connell competed in all the races this season, he would be a contender for the championship instead in the middle of the pack. Connell regained the lead in the feature, after being passed by Terri Little's black and pink flamed car with just two laps left in the race.

Connell caught Little when she bobbled coming out of turn four with the white flag in sight. Eric Sheinberg almost caught Little when she made the same bobble in the same place with the checker waving over Connell. Little, in only her third time in her new ride, was the victor in the heat race.

The "tuna boats" that make up the visiting Bomber division, stocked with Las Vegas Bull Ring participants, came out to help celebrate the Fall Festival and provided the wall-banging and fender rubbing that they are known for.

Phil Goodwin in his 1984 Olds 88 swept the heat and the feature. Past feature winner Wade Pearson, in a 1976 Monte Carlo, held on for second with Anthony Finley, in a 1976 Ford, nailing down third place.

Pahrump driver Bill Delahunte made his debut in his immaculate Ford LTD and was rewarded with a second in the heat.

Micro sprints, described by announcer Ray Elam, as "what happens when a lawn mower meets up with a go kart," were in the staging lanes awaiting what artist Andy Warhol called their "15 minutes of fame."

Clearly the class of the field was Eddie Sharron, who found the track to his liking. Trailing in second was Pahrump's Bob Clark and Eric Sharron, who rounded out the top three. As if two Sharrons weren't enough, there was also Errol, Erin, and Anthony "It was a family affair!"

Saturday night's racing action and recap will appear in Friday's edition.