(1981)
Special thanks to Bruce Olsen and Margaret Branam for taking the color pictures and long time fan John Summers for keeping the Calendar for all these years and sharing it with us!

 

 

Several new items of interest take place this season including the re-opening of Altamont Raceway under the control of Duke Southard, and the construction of the current media relations box atop the snack bar at Stockton. Chuck Tatum of Stockton, an early and historic Stockton Roadster and Hardtop driver, and valuable contributor to this book, is on board as the track's Chief Stewart, and Bob Craven is in charge of the tech work. Long time announcer Ron Andaya is back on board along with seasoned Chief Scorer Dean Rich and his assistant Gerri Freitas.

Rules for motor use were opened up this season to allow for 301-307 cubic inch, 331 cubic inch, or 355 cubic inch choices, with car weights of 2,800--3,000--and 3,200 pounds applied to each.

Rick Meyers, Dan Reed, and Jim Reich shared in track speed records this season with the best going to Reich on August-first at 14.241 in his Ivan Baldwin built racer. Gene Newell lowered the Hobby standard to 15.340 on August 22nd.

Reich dominated the season stats with fourteen fast times, seven feature wins, and nineteen main top five finishes, and landed the season title ahead of Reed, and Rick Meyers. Belletto and Lyon are also once again at the top of the stat listings.

Gene Newell ravaged the Hobby division this season with fifteen fast times, a division all time best twelve dash wins, and thirteen main wins. Wayne Douma of Modesto tried his best to stop Newell's dominance by matching his twenty-one main top five finishes, but Newell was able to capture the season tile over other hard chargers such as Hank Gaalswyk, Bob Gilligan of Stockton, and Manteca's Mike Lane.

Glen Moriarty of Stockton was the Late Model semi main champ, with colorful 'Frog' Trent of Modesto grabbing the rookie honors. Kevin Johnson was named most improved, with Belletto getting the Sportsman of the year award.
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