Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 3B
Down The Stretch
Junior Varsity Baseball
Pondering memories of ‘The Big O'
A s the NASCAR guys
worked to wrap up the
rain-delayed races out at
the California Speedway this past
weekend, it was hard not to reflect
on what might have been.
The first race at the Fontana, Calif.
track was held on June 22, 1997.
Less than two miles away from the
gleaming new speed plant was the
dusty remnants of what could have
been one of the finest racing facilities
in the country.
The Ontario Motor Speedway,
located 40 miles east of Los Angeles,
was built in 1970 at a reported cost
of about $25.5 million. The track was
intended to be an all-purpose facility.
The most recognizable section
of the track was its 2.5-mile oval
course. The track was modeled after
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,
but featured a wider racing surface,
as well as slightly banked short-
chutes between the first and second,
and third and fourth turns. This
made lap times at the track faster
than its eastern cousin.
A 20-turn road course was built
into the infield of the facility. The
wide pit road was also used as a drag
strip, and hosted the first ever 250
mile and hour run by “Big Daddy”
Don Garlits in 1975.
The icing on the cake was the
circle of bricks from the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway that made up
Ontario’s victory lane, in the shape
of a big “O.”
The first event at the magnificent
new track was held on Labor Day of
1970. It was a 500-mile USAC Indy
car race, won by Jim McElreath in a
Ford powered Coyote.
The next
year, Ontario
brought
in the big
NASCAR
stock cars,
but there was
still an Indy
connection
in the event.
A.J. Foyt
won the first
NASCAR
Cup event
at the track,
and would win the event again in
1972. A.J. would also find success at
the track in his Indy car, winning in
March of 1975.
After leaving the track in 1973,
NASCAR would return in 1974, and
would hold its season finale at the
Southern California track for the
next seven years. Drivers such as
Bobby Allison, Buddy Baker, David
Pearson, Neil Bonnett, and Benny
Parsons would all find victory lane.
The racing was phenomenal, with
cars often stacking three and four
wide down the long straightaways.
For the Indy Cars, the list of win
ners read like an Indy 500 champions
who’s who. Bobby Unser was a
four-time winner, while his brother
A1 Unser would twice visit vic
tory lane. Other winners included
USAC Camp Joe Leonard, Roger
McCluskey and Wally Dallenbach,
Sr. There was a lot of history written
there. Cale Yarborough was crowned
Cup champion three times there.
Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip
fought over the 1979 championship
on the Ontario oval, with Petty taking
his seventh title by a mere 11 points.
And one year later, a kid named Dale
Earnhardt would win the first of his
seven titles at the track.
But despite the quality racing,
Ontario was in trouble. Financial
plans had been made based on hope
lessly over-ambitious attendance
numbers. After a huge turnout for
the track’s inaugural events, atten
dance numbers began dropping. The
writing was on the wall.
The final Indy car event at the track
was held in August of 1980, won by
Bobby Unser. The final Cup event
was held in November, with Benny
Parsons winning.
The track went bankrupt, and the
Ontario Motor Speedway deemed
a failure. The city sold the track to
Chevron Land Management for $10
million. In 1981, it was demolished,
wiped off the face of the earth at a
cost of $3 million.
Nothing remains of the track today.
In the mid 1980s, a hotel was built
on the fourth turn of the old track.
Developments run down its front
stretch. A hockey arena is currently
being built on the site of the third
turn.
If the track could have survived
a few more years and entered into
the television era of racing, it’s very
possible it would still be there, and
be one of the biggest show places in
motor sports.
Instead, we’re left to wonder what
might have been.
Brandon Reed is a reporter for
MainStreet Newspapers. E-mail
comments about this column to bran-
don@mainstreetnews.com.
brandon
reed
BCHS JV squad opens season against Elbert
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County High School
junior varsity baseball team ushered
in its new season Monday against
Elbert County.
In the first official game played at
the new BCHS baseball complex,
the JV Leopards dropped a 10-0
decision. Still working the early-
season bugs out, the BCHS team
allowed seven runs in the second
inning which proved to be too big of
a punch to recover from.
“I thought we were very nervous
for our first game,” said coach Brent
Howell. “We only had three players
with much JV experience. Several
of the players were in the starting
lineup for the first time.”
Despite the loss, Howell said the
score does not indicate the positive
things the team accomplished in the
2008 opener.
“I saw several good things but the
score got away from us,” the coach
said. “It is tough to come back when
you get down seven or more runs
early. We made a few mental mis
takes that we will learn from and I
am proud we played hard and didn’t
roll over.”
Offensively, Kris Hellmeister was
1-for-2. Jason Sexton and Eli Autry
also contributed at the plate.
Hellmeister and Brian Mathis got
experience on the pitcher’s mound
Monday.
“I thought they threw well for their
first outing,” Howell said. “We gave
up six unearned runs. It is hard to
win when you give the other team
that many runs.”
Area Wrestling ... continued from page 1B
“The area we would be in if we
were in AAA only has six schools,”
the coach said. “We already compete
against most of the them. It makes
no sense to have just four areas in
AA and have us packed in there with
all the Atlanta schools.”
At this past weekend’s tradition
al state tournament, area members
Wesleyan and Lovett were sec
ond and third respectively. Fannin
County, Morgan County and North
Oconee also joined BCHS in the
top 13.
“There’s no doubt we are com
peting in the toughest area in AA,”
Hanley said. “With the number of
teams now wrestling in our clas-
sificiaton, there is no reason why
we can’t have more areas in the
future.”
Baseball... continued from page 1B
The BCHS coaches use the system
of bringing the players along at a
slow but steady pace. The players
take part in numerous batting, field
ing and base running drills which
don’t require a great deal of throw
ing.
The pitchers usually start in the
bullpens and gradually work to live
batters.
“Pitchers can also long toss and
work on flat ground techniques to
improve stamina and mechanics,”
Lord said. “It’s also very important
for them to run after throwing to
increae blood flow to the arm and
minimize lactic acid build up.”
The Diamond Leopards have also
taken advantage of having two fields
to practice on this preseason.
“This has allowed us to have more
work at the plate as well as more
defensive work,” the coach said.
Several players appear set for a
standout spring on the diamond.
Alex Gailey looks ready for a solid
season on the pitcher’s mound and
Zach Dale should be on the team’s
top performers at the plate.
Tyler Husley and Jeff Smith have
stepped up their leadership, Lord
said, and are setting good examples
for the younger players. Kyle Smith
and Chris Porter have stood out and
will be valuable defensive players
because of their versatility.
“We can’t wait to get out there
and get some games under our belt,”
Lord said.
The Banks County News
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