California Roadster Association
Encyclopedia
The California Racing Association (CRA) was a racing governing body which set rules and hosted Sprint car racing
events in Southern California
.
The association was formed in the garage of Babe Ouse in 1945. Originally it was called the California Roadster Association. Ouse, a dry lake
s record holder in a Marmon, was tired of racing against the clock and, with the help of Bill Dehler and Emmett Malloy, built a race track blocks away from the dirt lot that would become Ascot Park racway. That first track was known as Carrell Speedway and Judge Carrell & Christopher J.C. Agajanian were the driving forces behind both tracks and the CRA itself.
Sprint cars were introduced in 1953 and the name was changed in 1957 to the California Racing Association, or CRA.
In 1978, Gary Sokola became president and instituted several new safety measures, including the national 410 limit, the tire rule and padded roll cages. Sokola left the CRA to join the USAC and Frank Lewis took over. He would be the last president, as things declined for the sport shortly thereafter. Ascot raceway closed in 1990 and the CRA was left without a home track. Lewis tried expanding the sport across the state and various parts of the country, increasing the purse and spending thousands on advertising out of his pocket to keep the show going.
In 1993, a scheduled race was cancelled at the Ventura Raceway
. A majority of members formed the SCRA and honored the date. The CRA was suspended indefinitely in 1994 after just four races, with Bobby Michnowicz leading the point standings by one point over Leland McSpadden. No Champion was crowned.
, Rick Goudy, Buster Venard, Dean Thompson, Bubby Jones
, Brad Noffsinger, Eddie Wirth, Rip Williams, John Redican, Ron Shuman
, Lealand McSpadden
, Richard Griffin, Billly Boat, Mike Kirby, Mike Sweeney, Stan McElrath and many more. The CRA became a natural stepping stone to more sophisticated racing, including the Indy 500, as 19 winners of the Indy 500 got their starts from track roadster racing.
Racing
A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...
events in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
.
The association was formed in the garage of Babe Ouse in 1945. Originally it was called the California Roadster Association. Ouse, a dry lake
Dry lake
Dry lakes are ephemeral lakebeds, or a remnant of an endorheic lake. Such flats consist of fine-grained sediments infused with alkali salts. Dry lakes are also referred to as alkali flats, sabkhas, playas or mud flats...
s record holder in a Marmon, was tired of racing against the clock and, with the help of Bill Dehler and Emmett Malloy, built a race track blocks away from the dirt lot that would become Ascot Park racway. That first track was known as Carrell Speedway and Judge Carrell & Christopher J.C. Agajanian were the driving forces behind both tracks and the CRA itself.
Sprint cars were introduced in 1953 and the name was changed in 1957 to the California Racing Association, or CRA.
In 1978, Gary Sokola became president and instituted several new safety measures, including the national 410 limit, the tire rule and padded roll cages. Sokola left the CRA to join the USAC and Frank Lewis took over. He would be the last president, as things declined for the sport shortly thereafter. Ascot raceway closed in 1990 and the CRA was left without a home track. Lewis tried expanding the sport across the state and various parts of the country, increasing the purse and spending thousands on advertising out of his pocket to keep the show going.
In 1993, a scheduled race was cancelled at the Ventura Raceway
Ventura Raceway
Ventura Raceway is located at Seaside Park in Ventura, California. The 1/5 mile, high banked clay oval is owned and operated by Jim Naylor, who is also the track announcer...
. A majority of members formed the SCRA and honored the date. The CRA was suspended indefinitely in 1994 after just four races, with Bobby Michnowicz leading the point standings by one point over Leland McSpadden. No Champion was crowned.
Legends
Many sprint car legends have come from the ranks of CRA. Stars include Bob Hogle, Billy Wilkerson, Jimmy Oskie, Bobby OliveroBobby Olivero
Bobby Olivero , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1976-1978 seasons, with 17 career starts, including the 1977 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 5th position in 1977 at Ontario.In 1979, Olivero was the USAC Silver...
, Rick Goudy, Buster Venard, Dean Thompson, Bubby Jones
Bubby Jones
Norman "Bubby" Jones , is a former driver in the USAC Sprint Car series, with 22 victories, and a member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, inducted in 1998. He also raced in the USAC Championship Car series, in the 1977-1978 seasons, with 2 career starts, including the 1977 Indianapolis 500...
, Brad Noffsinger, Eddie Wirth, Rip Williams, John Redican, Ron Shuman
Ron Shuman
Ron Shuman is an American racecar driver from Tempe, Arizona. A champion sprint car racer Shuman won the Turkey Night Grand Prix sprint car race four consecutive times from 1979 to 1982 and eight times in total and the Knoxville Nationals in 1979...
, Lealand McSpadden
Lealand McSpadden
Lealand McSpadden is a former dirt track racing driver who competed mostly in sprint and midget cars. He was nicknamed "The Tempe Tornado"....
, Richard Griffin, Billly Boat, Mike Kirby, Mike Sweeney, Stan McElrath and many more. The CRA became a natural stepping stone to more sophisticated racing, including the Indy 500, as 19 winners of the Indy 500 got their starts from track roadster racing.
Presidents
| Year | President |
|---|---|
| 1945 | Johnny Walker |
| — | Babe Ouse |
| — | Tom Sloan |
| 1950–1970 | Walt James |
| 1971 | Ed Hudson |
| 1972–1977 | Don Peabody |
| 1977–1978 | Joe Hunt |
| 1978 | David Voden |
| 1978 | Gary Sokola |
| — 1992 | Frank Lewis |
CRA Champion drivers
| Year | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1946 | Jack McGrath |
| 1947 | Troy Ruttman |
| 1948 | Troy Ruttman |
| 1949 | George Seeger |
| 1950 | Bob Denny |
| 1951 | Bob Denny |
| 1952 | Harry Stockman |
| 1953 | Nick Valenta |
| 1954 | Jack Gardner |
| 1955 | Nick Valenta |
| 1956 | Art Bisch |
| 1957 | Nick Valenta |
| 1958 | Roy Prosser |
| 1959 | Chuck Hulse |
| 1960 | Don Davis |
| 1961 | Jack Brunner |
| 1962 | Colby Scroggins |
| 1963 | Bob Hogle |
| 1964 | Hal Minyard |
| 1965 | Hal Minyard |
| 1966 | Don Thomas |
| 1967 | Billy Wilkerson |
| 1968 | Bob Hogle |
| 1969 | Jimmy Oskie |
| 1970 | Billy Wilkerson |
| 1971 | Dick Zimmerman |
| 1972 | Stan McElrath |
| 1973 | Don Hamilton |
| 1974 | Jimmy Oskie |
| 1975 | Bobby Olivero |
| 1976 | Jimmy Oskie |
| 1977 | Jimmy Oskie |
| 1978 | Rick Goudy |
| 1979 | Jimmy Oskie |
| 1980 | Dean Thompson |
| 1981 | Dean Thompson |
| 1982 | Dean Thompson |
| 1983 | Bubby Jones |
| 1984 | Bubby Jones |
| 1985 | Eddie Wirth |
| 1986 | Brad Noffsinger |
| 1987 | Brad Noffsinger |
| 1988 | Ron Shuman |
| 1989 | Ron Shuman |
| 1990 | Ron Shuman |
| 1991 | Ron Shuman |
| 1992 | Lealand McSpadden |
| 1993 | Mike Kirby |
| 1994 | Bobby Michnowicz |
External links
- http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/19667-california-roadster-association-15th-annual.html