MOTOR RACING / VINCE KOWALICK : Rowe Tries to Make (Two) Tracks to Title

Some of Steve Rowe’s most exciting races on Saturday nights are against the clock.

* 8:30 p.m.: Rowe, a resident of Fillmore and driver in the IMCA Modified division at Ventura Raceway, takes the green flag for the evening’s 15-lap main event.

* 9:00: Rowe takes the checkered flag, hops out of his race car and into his pickup truck.

* 9:05: Rowe picks up speed on the Ventura Freeway.

* 9:20: Rowe arrives at Santa Paula airport, where a pilot with a single-engine plane--propellers in motion--awaits.

* 9:40: Rowe glances nervously at his wristwatch high above Los Padres National Forest.

* 10:00: Rowe lands at Meadows Field in Bakersfield, where a friend awaits with his car’s engine running.

* 10:10: Rowe arrives at Bakersfield Speedway only minutes too late to make the green flag for the evening’s IMCA main event.

Rowe made his milk run again about three weeks later, but again came up a little late, but only because track officials at Bakersfield started the race an hour earlier than usual.

“The first time, the plane I got was too slow,” Rowe said. “I think the cars on the freeway were passing us. The second time, we made it in about 20 minutes. It was just under an hour from one track to the other.”

The distance from Santa Paula to Bakersfield--straight as the Rowe flies--is more than 70 miles. But the fly-by-night journey is well worth the effort for Rowe, who aspires to win a national IMCA Modified championship.

Rowe, 40, a 20-year racing veteran competing in his second season at Ventura, must compete in at least 30 IMCA main events to be eligible and compile enough points for a national championship.

Rowe, who is second in points at Ventura, is fourth in points nationally, 60 out of first place.

Ventura, one of 12 IMCA-sanctioned tracks in the association’s Western Region (California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington), schedules only about 10-12 Modified main events each season.

So, Rowe hits the road and takes to the skies.

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” he said.

Drivers and pilots are primed at every checkpoint. During the afternoon, Rowe’s father, Leonard, a part-time competitor at Ventura, trailers his own IMCA Modified and heads for Bakersfield. There, the car is qualified and prepared for Steve’s arrival.

This weekend, Rowe will drive to Bakersfield to compete in tonight’s program, then drive to Hanford, near Fresno, to compete in races Sunday.

But he said he will continue to try to make the Ventura-Bakersfield connection on evenings when both tracks schedule IMCA races.

“I’d like to run points at both tracks,” Rowe said. “I said, ‘Do I want to give up points at Ventura or do I want to give up points at Bakersfield?’ I don’t want to give up points at either.”

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Start your engines: Ventura launched a new class this season: Pony Stocks. Basically, the vehicles are Mini Stocks with few modifications allowed.

“Basically, just a Pinto with all the safety requirements,” track promoter Jim Naylor said.

Only eight entries are on the roster so far. Interestingly, six are women.

“It’s a lot of girlfriends of drivers, wives of drivers,” Naylor said. “They just all decided they wanted to race.

“They whole thing’s a gas. This is probably the best thing we’ve done in years.”

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Slow start: Dave Phipps winless?

It’s true--so far.

Phipps, a three-time Sportsman division champion, two-time defending Grand American Modified champion, and one of the most successful drivers in the 54-year history of Saugus Speedway, has yet to win a main event this season.

“I’ve never really kept track, but I’ve won almost every opening night I’ve raced,” said Phipps of Simi Valley. “I’m hating it.”

Last season, Phipps won a division-high five of 12 main events. He also picked up a victory at El Cajon Speedway near San Diego.

Phipps may not have a checkered flag to show for his efforts, but he is the division’s points leader with 98. John Watkinson of Canyon Country (93) is second and Dave Blankenship of Reseda (85) is third.

In four starts, Phipps has finished second twice, third and fifth.

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Benson returns: Joe Benson, evening disc jockey for KLOS (FM 95.5) radio in Los Angeles, will make his second appearance of the season tonight at Saugus.

Benson, who moonlights as a race-car driver, has made regular promotional appearances at Saugus the past two seasons. He also competes part time in the track’s Pro Four Modified division.

Benson ranks 10th in the division’s points standings.

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Motocross: Mike Kiedrowski of Acton dropped to second in the American Motocross Assn. Camel Supercross series points standings after finishing sixth among 20 riders last weekend at San Jose’s Spartan Stadium. Kiedrowski has two victories in 15 starts. The series concludes today in Las Vegas. . . . Damon Huffman of Canyon Country ranks third in points after seven events in the AMA 125cc Western Region Supercross Series standings. Last weekend at San Jose, Huffman posted his third victory of the series, which ends today in Las Vegas.