February 2001 - Inside Line Column - by Floyd Busby

Its the "lull before the storm" as the new season approaches and car owners and drivers ready themselves for the opener at Stockton "99" Speedway on April 1.

Several scheduling dates have been revised since the last column. In the midget division the "Tentative" May 11 race at the Watsonville Speedway has been "firmed". The midget lite schedule has exchanged two of its Antioch dates for Petaluma, therefore the lites will compete at Petaluma on June 2 and August 25 instead of at Antioch.

The major change that has reached out ears in the midget division is the unlinking of the Pete Baraldi/Sterling Pratz team. Sterling had driven the Baraldi machine successfully for several years on the pavement. For the 2001 season young Chuck Gurney Jr. will pilot the Baraldi Brayton Ford/Stewart. On the dirt, Gurney will drive the Arata Brothers Pontiac/Stewart in which he won three features last season. The Arata Brothers, Jeff and Anthony, will maintain the Baraldi machine at their Napa race shop. If a conflict should occur where Gurney was driving the Baraldi pavement car at a USAC race on the date of a BCRA race, the Arata Pontiac would be put into service with a guest driver, possible Anthony.

News on the new midget Division-2 front is encouraging. We receive requests for information weekly from interested drivers and owners. We have received inquires from as far away as Washington and Idaho. I hesitate being too optimistic for fear of embarrassment, but the division’s presence at the April 1 opener looks very good.

Joe Lindsey, brother of veteran campaigner Bill Lindsey, has purchased the Floyd Alvis VW/Diego for Division-2. Those who follow BCRA know that this machine is one of the most competitive VW’s in California. Brother Bill also is VW powered and has competed in the regular division (Division-1) over the past years. He will be moving into Division-2 where his car will be more competitive.

Several of the promoters who present trophies to the main event winners are encouraged enough with the new division that they are also going to provide trophies for the "first-in-class", top finishing Division-2 car in the main event.

If you are interested in Division-2, contact me at (925) 825-1043 or buzco@buzco.com.

BCRA will provide full color posters to those promoters who want them this season.