New Times Music Awards concerts begin tonight! [31] A U G U S T
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Shredder
Save Annie! [23]
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r e l l i M . E ] e 2 1 v [ e t y S a r w e d h e p e a p r S g a o i t r o a h P M : a s t e n c a a S r t e a s l l i r h t e h t A day at th captures County judges conceal what’s behind police searches [10] FILM Expendables: Budding young book reviewers step up to the call [26] Travel to Ireland in Orcutt; there’s a great new pub [47] Bloody [39]
Dirt-track daredevils Teenagers to grandparents floor it at the Santa Maria Speedway every summer weekend SAFETY FIRST: Fireman Cliff Houston (who’s a professional paramedic in Santa Maria), keeps control of the left side of the track as a mini stock car drifts around the curve.
YOUNG GUN: Fourteen-year-old Austin Ruskauff of Santa Maria (car 88) climbs into his mini stock racer as his father watches.
STICKY MESS: Mud gets flung everywhere and sticks like glue.
LET ‘EM RIP!: Flagman Tom Peterson starts the race. Goggles shield his eyes from the flying mud; something the photographer should have known.
LET THE DRIFT BEGIN: Sprint cars take practice laps with style.
GATHER ‘ROUND: Drivers and crewmembers assemble for a discussion of race rules, times, and activities.
PHOTOS BY STEVE E. MILLER
THERE THEY GO: Jim Pluhar, who’s been the announcer more than 15 years and creates the weekly race program, sits in the booth with scoring officials (R-L) Debbie Jeffers, Stacia Martinez, and Katy Munoz.
SMILES ALL AROUND: Crystal, a regular track girl, managed to get everyone to smile.
CLAY SCULPTER: Tom Breshears, track maintenance guru, takes a breather while the mini stock cars flatten his track.
DIRT RACK continued
PHOTOS BY STEVE E. MILLER
RAINBOW COLORS: Sprint cars converge for qualifying laps.
PUSHY: The loudest, most powerful vehicle on track is the 4x4 push truck driven by Dennis Patton. A QUIET MOMENT: Dustin Ensign relaxes against his father’s car before the big mini-stock race.
LISTEN: Chris Kearns, track and race promoter, rides his cruiser around the outside pit area informing the drivers of the upcoming meeting.
THE END: David Casteneda, event services and media rep, enters the race results into the computer, which will eventually be posted on the track website.
GIVING BACK: The sprint car drivers scoured the stands for the Make A Wish Foundation. They collected more than $1800 for the child beneficiary.
MORE PREP: An unknown volunteer wets down the go-kart track for the races the next day and the stands are eerily quiet.