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5TH ANNUAL SOKOLA CLASSIC SPONSORS
OVAL NATIONALS FAST TIME AWARDS! |
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(SEPTEMBER 26, 2004, PERRIS, CA) Valerie Sokola and Sammy Bahr have
announced that the 5th Annual Sokola Classic will present $100.00 to the fast
qualifier on the two qualifying nights for the 9th Annual Budweiser Oval
Nationals, presented by Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply, at Perris Auto
Speedway on October 28th, 29th and 30th. The award will honor the late Gary Sokola and his late son Mark. Gary, a native of Livonia, Michigan, moved to the West Coast in 1960 after a two-year hitch in the Navy. In the mid-1970s Gary became well known as a car owner with CRA. His cars won four lifetime CRA mains with noted driver Lee Robison behind the wheel. Two of the wins came in 1974 and two came in 1975. They were all at Gardena’s Ascot Park and included a 50-lapper on August 31, 1974. In 1978, Gary became President of CRA and he held that post for ten years. Safety was his main concern. He demanded that cars meet strict requirements or they were loaded back on the trailer and sent home. His reputation as a tough - but always fair - racing official grew and USAC Competition Director Roger McCluskey hired Gary on December 1, 1987 to become USAC’s Assistant Competition Director and Sprint Car Division Supervisor. Gary stayed with USAC until 1997 when he was hired to oversee the construction of the brand new Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City, Kansas. The nationally known race official passed away at 59-years of age due to complications from gall bladder problems on November 13, 2000. Like Gary, Mark had a love for open wheel racing. He began his career in 1982 in Three-Quarter Midgets and quickly made the transition into sprint cars with CRA. He placed in the top 15 in CRA points three times with a career best finish of eighth in 1986. In addition to his fine eighth place finish, he was named CRA’s Most Improved Driver that year. Mark passed away in his sleep at the age of 40 in April of 2003. The 5th Annual Sokola Classic will feature the Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint Cars at the legendary Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Arizona on March 18th & 19th, 2005. Ventura’s Cory Kruseman won the fourth Annual Sokola Classic at Manzanita last March. The Budweiser Oval Nationals is one of the richest sprint car events in the world with a purse of more than $100,000.00. The winner of the 50-lap finale on October 30th will take home $30,000.00. Complete shows featuring qualifying, heats and mains will take place on the 28th and 29th. Like the 2004 Sokola Classic, Kruseman won the 2003 Oval Nationals. The Budweiser Oval Nationals will be the next to last race in the 2004 USAC National Sprint Car Series. The race will pay points in the USAC National Series as well as the USAC/CRA Series. Early entries for the 2004 Oval Nationals include open wheel standouts Kruseman, Jay Drake, Mike Kirby, Troy Rutherford, Mat Neely, Jason York, John Scott, Rodney Argo, Bobby Cody, Rip Williams, Bud Kaeding, John Stanbrough, Mike English, Rickie Gaunt and a host of others. For more information on the Budweiser Oval Nationals or tickets, please call (909) 940-0134. |
