The 2^nd Annual San Juan Grand Prix

C.R.L 90’s Series NASCAR Cal Cup Shootout

At the San Juan International Raceway, Waldorf MD

By Wendell “Yobear42” Jones

On Saturday August 16th, 2003, there were overcast skies and temperatures in the 90’s, twenty-three racers decended upon a quiet cul-de-sac in Waldorf Maryland.  Friends from as far north as New Jersey, as far west as Virginia Beach and as far south as Winston Salem NC, gathering to shake off the summer rust and dust.  Welcome to the 2nd running of the San Juan International Grand Prix, the brainstorm of the C.R.L’s Randy Ramat.  The Grand Prix is the culmination of twelve months of constant planning and coordination.

As the Tech Team prepares to open the pit lanes for Tech, some of the participants are getting that last bit of tweaking done before the track power in shut down and the cars impounded.  With all the tech work completed it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. 

Due to the amount of racers present the time trail run was cut from one minute to 30 seconds.  Jason Zawacky running a P3X came out swinging running a 3.9 and some change.  Scott West of GO West Racing running a J.L.M. Racing G3 tapped the 4.0 mark. But it was the ever-present Mike White who would put a cap on it all with his P3X.  He beat Jason by 3 tenths of a second.

With the grid set, it’s time to start the engines and get ready to rumble!  With 22 racers we had 6 mains, so the time per heat was reduced to 5 minuets.  After 3 heats it looked like the early favorites were Natee Martin and P.J. Mance. After the first full rotation, Mike White and Jason Zawacky were had emerged to lead all scores.  During the next two heats the racing started to get real good and tight.  Randy Ramat running a DEI  “Bud” Monte Carlo started trading Paint with Scott West’s Petty Hot Wheels Grand Prix.  Spinning Scott out twice.  Yobear42 driving the Petty 43 Cheerios Grand Prix put tire prints on Vernon Dew’s #9 Dodge Intrepid door 4 times.  Mike Briggs #45 Taurus was doing the “Electric Slide” and slid into 10 place.   All we needed was for Tony Stewart to nail Jeff Gordon and you would have thought you were watching NASCAR on CBS. 

Despite the fact that the heats were just 5 minutes, the overall lap score per heat were on the high side.  The official results are:

1st Mike White, P3X

2nd  Jason Zawacky, P3X

3rd Randy Ramat, G3

4th W. Yobear42 Jones, G3

5th Joe Hopkins, G3  

6th Natee Martin, G3

7th James Kennedy, P3X

8th P.J. Mance, G3             

9th J.C. Smith, P3X

10th Scott West, G3

11th Mike Briggs, P3X

12th Vernon Dew, G3      

13th Dorwell White, G3

14th Donnie U., G3

15th Josh Bowman, P3X

16th Hiram Durant, G3

17th Donnie Dunovant, G3

18th Patrick Showalter, G3

19th D. Brettschnieder, P3

20th Craig Gray, G3

21st D. Fernandez, G3

22nd Tom Bowman, P3X

23rd C. Washington, P3X

Last of all we extend a heartfelt Thank You to Randy and Bridget Ramat for their hospitality and generosity and friendship.

2002-03 CRL Point Championship Winners

2002-03 CRL Point Championship Winners