Kelley Coasts to Win as Flags Fly at Saugus

Dented fenders and chipped paint took center stage in a rough-and-tumble racing program Friday night at Saugus Speedway.

Hobby Stocks, Foreign Stocks and Jalopies invaded the track before an uncrowded crowd of about 250, which cheered as the beat-up machines slammed their way around the one-third mile paved oval.

The fans saw six yellow flags, three red flags, one flying hood (courtesy of Mike Stuart of Sylmar), an exploding radiator (Stuart, seven laps later) and repeated instances of discourteous driving.

The only missing ingredients were a couple of New York City cabs.

Brian Kelley of Arleta appeared to be the only Hobby Stocker not hobbling as he coasted to an easy victory in the 20-lap oval main event, finishing seven seconds ahead of Todd Conrad of Arcadia for his seventh main-event win of the season.

“I had a blown oil seal the whole night,” Kelley said. “I plugged it up with . . . some duct tape. It sure sucked up the oil.”

Kelley started on the pole, and, after a restart to clear Stuart’s hood from the track, quickly opened up a quarter-lap lead on Jeff Drummen of Northridge.

Kelley again was delayed by a red flag after a crash on Lap 9 and a yellow flag during which track crews mopped up Stuart’s radiator coolant.

“Seemed like every time I got up there was a yellow or a red,” Kelley said.

Conrad passed Lee Bowers of Los Angeles and Drummen on Laps 10 and 11 but never got a good look at Kelley’s bumper.

Susan Pittinato of West Hills finished third after passing Drummen on Lap 18. Drummen finished fourth.

In the 15-lap figure 8 race won by Larry Krieger of Reseda, Jay Slaughter of Northridge and Steve Byrd of Canyon Country collided head-on with the wall at identical places. Drummen’s car also hit a wall and had to be towed from the track. Krieger, who was penalized during a yellow flag and relegated to last place, rallied to win.

In the semi-main event oval, Steve Katz of Granada Hills passed Raymond Duff of Canoga Park on Lap 19 and held on to win.

Eight-lap, heat-race winners in the oval events included Katz, Tom Byrd of Canyon Country, Kelley and Conrad of Arcadia.

Slaughter won the eight-lap Hobby Stock figure 8 heat race.

Pittinato won the four-lap Hobby Stock oval Trophy Dash. Krieger won the Hobby Stock figure 8 Trophy Dash.