Not long after the conclusion of Saturday night’s 200-lap Crash Nationals Enduro a rider on an ATV inquired of a Petaluma Speedway official, “Have you seen my door? It’s black and has the number 4 painted on it. I lost it with about 40 laps to go,” explained the rider, Greg Fuss, of Santa Rosa, who was leading the marathon race at the time he and his door parted ways in the nearly two-hour display of crashes, overheating, funny grinding noises, abandoned cars, and various forms of vehicle inflicted mayhem. Despite the loss of aerodynamics and numerous other obstacles, Fuss managed to finish third and win $250 for his effort in the Speedway’s annual season-closing event.

Fuss’ problems were nothing compared to the ones experienced by many of the race’s 40 brave drivers on a track strewn with dead and dying carcasses from the scrap heap competing for the $1000 top prize in an event that some called the Clash for Clunkers. But the winner of the race, and it is a race, wasn’t driving a car rescued from a car crushing machine, where the driver puts air in the tires, installs a seat belt and hopes for the best.

Of course, many of the competitors had no chance of winning, the drivers were here just to have fun, which is the real intent of Enduro racing, although one bottom-dweller who presumably took the time to prepare his car, was out of the race before completing a single lap, and another made just one circuit before his car quit on him.

Many of the cars evoked memories of better times, when cars were big, bulky, and comfortable. Among the entries were Lincolns, both Town Car and Continental, a Ford Thunderbird, Chevy Caprice, Buick Skylark, and a Pontiac LeMans. Also in the lineup was a Volvo, a Toyota Corolla, and two Ford Falcons from the early 1960s. But the majority of cars, especially the one driven by serious and experienced Enduro competitors, were Chevy Camaros and Monte Carlos.

Rich Denmen, who towed in from Coalinga, and learned Enduro racing back in the 1980s, brought his ’73 Chevy Monte Carlo, an Enduro car prepared to go the distance. He started 22nd, and patiently and cautiously worked his way to the front while a string of drivers rose, then dropped out of the lead.

In all, six different drivers owned the front spot with Frank Salvato of Santa Rosa, who started on the pole being the first although he held it for just three laps before veteran Enduro racer Jay Cookson of Windsor, who won this event here back in May, took charge in his ’73 Camaro. Cookson, who led for approximately 47 laps in two turns at the front of the pack, yielded to Fuss around Lap 19. Ken Moeller of Novato, with his son Dillon riding shotgun, then gunned his ’95 Chevy past Fuss and led for about 14 tours before surrendering the lead back to Cookson, then regained it for five more laps. Fuss led twice for about 67 laps, and Moeller three times for about 23 laps before Denman took charge for good with about 45 laps to go.

Denman finished with a five-lap margin over runner-up Cookson, who earned $750 for his performance, but it wasn’t easy for Denman, who rode on a flat tire to the checkered flag. Third-place finisher Fuss was less than one-second, and about 20-feet, behind Cookson at the finish. Timber Cookson, perhaps the top-rated female driver in the sport, and younger sister of Jay Cookson, drove her ‘88 Dodge Diplomat to a fourth place finish, 15-laps behind the winner, and a $100 payoff.

Nick King of Sebastopol completed 183 laps to finish fifth over Brian Compton of Sacramento, who also completed 183 laps. Rounding out the top-ten were Wess Brown Sr. of Chico, Petaluma Speedway employee Erick Veeninga, who was competing in his first Enduro, Moeller, and veteran Petaluma Speedway Late Model racer, Rod Arnold of Novato.

Results for October 10

200-lap Crash Nationals Enduro

Rich Denman (200 laps); Jay Cookson (195); Greg Fuss (195); Timber Cookson (185); Nick King (183); Brian Compton (183); Wess Brown Sr. (185); Erick Veeninga (172); Ken Moeller (170); Rod Arnold (152); John Moore (151); Scott Vernier (143); Frank Salvato (135); Gene Guinn (134); Bob Bennent (130); Ken Chivers (126); Ed Jones (126); Jason Weaver (114); Frank Rosa (109); Ken Winland (101); Michael Mulvihill (86); Gene Pollman (84); Becky Johnson (80); Jake Huls (78); Heidi DeCarlo (73); Billy Hammond (70: Wess Brown Jr. (55); Mike Campbell (55); Bradford Walker (46); Ramiro Corpus (43); Phil Indihar (41); Mike Kelly (39); Bill Gramling (25); Dan Bong (22); T. Mayor (21); Michael Levacque (14); Josh Roberts (8); Matt Clark (1); Roger Miller (0).

-30-