2008 TUCSON RACEWAY PARK “BUD SHOOT OUT”

Source: Tucson Raceway Park Media Relations
Date: 11/24/2008

With 40 MPH winds blowing through the old Pueblo all week long canceling the last race of 2008 was sure a possibility but when Saturday morning came along our prayers were answered and mid seventy degree weather with just a slight breeze blessed the large crowd eager to see the eighteenth annual Bud Shoot Out 150 followed by the Bud Light 75.

By the time hot lapping had concluded it was apparent our poor economy was again putting a dent in the car count. None the less, those that did come, came to Win!

After qualifying was completed a familiar TRP name was on top of the charts. Stormin Ron Norman driving Scott Rueschenberg’s Elite Care Chevrolet crate engine powered Superlate had blistered the clocks at 15.870 followed by Rueschenberg in the Elite Care Project Blue Oval Ford Fusion powered by the Ford ASA 347 crate engine, at 15.838 and Sierra Vista’s Joe Paladenic tripping the clocks at 16.010.

The Factory Stocks would also get a chance to time in tonight and Jeremy Smith would set a new track record at 18.529 followed by Ken Hunt and young and beautiful Mercedes Harris, towing in from Las Cruces New Mexico.

The Bud Ultra Dash would start off the evenings racing and Jeremy Hopkins all the way from Lakeport California would set the pace after winning the Bud Ultra Door Draw. By the end of the first lap it was apparent that Ron Norman had done his homework as he took a commanding lead over Joe Paladenic and Scott Rueschenberg as Hopkins had faded to the rear with a overly tight car. When the Tony Helm checkers flew at lap ten, Rueschenberg had gotten by Paladenic for second but Norman had secured the win and the pole for the Shoot Out 150.

The Bud Select heat would set the field for the remaining spots in the feature and Dustin Jones would take the lead from the outside of row one and lead flag to flag over Rick “The Butler” Butler and sprint car rookie of the year, Cody Cambensy racing for the first time in a full bodied car on pavement. The first Factory Stock heat race would be all Smith over Harris and “Big” Joel Johnson while Heat two would be “Cowboy” Ken Hunt over his nephew, Duane Hunt Jr., and Ray Johnson.

With the heats complete and the fields set, it was time to get on with the SHOOT OUT! The 2006 Bud Shoot Out winner, Mike Egurola, would pace the field in a bright silver, Jim Click Dodge Challenger Pace Car with Melissa Campbell riding shotgun. Norman would jump out to an early lead followed closely by Paladenic and Rueschenberg. Rueschenberg would seize the lead on lap 29 from Norman and set a torrid pace out front while Norman had his hands full of Hopkins as Paladenic had dropped to fourth. As the laps wound down in the first 75 lap segment, it became obvious that Rueschenberg’s Blue Oval Ford was in a class of its own and at the mandatory 10 minute break for fuel and service, Rueschenberg had put everyone, yes everyone, one lap down. During the break teams were allowed two tires, fuel and chassis tuning to load their guns for the final 75 lap Shoot Out!

Rueschenberg would again set the pace but Hopkins looked to have something for him the first ten or so laps. It quickly became apparent that Rueschenberg was just waiting for his tires to come in before standing on the gas. At the end of 100 laps, Rueschenberg was still out front with Hopkins and Norman having their own battle for second. Disaster would strike on lap 109 as Rueschenberg would have a right front tire blow in turn two sending him to within inches of the crashwall. The fans thought they were watching a typical Saturday night Cup race with blown right fronts changing the completion of the race in a heartbeat, but the big difference was we had no debris caution and Rueschenberg’s crew could not change a tire in 14 seconds. Rueschenberg would limp to the pits and go down six laps while his crew frantically changed the blown tire. We now had a new race as Norman had overtaken Hopkins and Rueschenberg was again setting a blistering pace but, of course, six laps down. Norman would sail onto victory with Paladenic second followed by “The Butler” while a dejected Rueschenberg would finish sixth. As is often the case in long distance races, the fastest car doesn’t always win! Congratulations Ron Norman, 2008 Bud Shoot Out winner.

The Bud Light 75 was next up and with the night cooling down the action was just heating up. On the drop of the green, Bob Erdman would slam into the turn one wall, a victim of a hung throttle which would cause a red flag as TRP rescue responded and Towmater towed the uninjured Erdman to the pits, done for the night. On the restart, Jeremy Smith would pace the field and lead lap one over Ken Hunt but Hunt would take the lead by lap two and lead until lap eight when Duane Hunt Jr. would set the pace. The three would set a very quick pace with Mercedes Harris in tow. Smith would follow Hunt Jr. with just inches to spare until lap sixty when they would both split a lapper and Smith would come out on top. Once Smith had cleared Hunt Jr. it was obvious that Hunt Jr. was no match for the new track record holder as Smith would go onto win the biggest race of his career with Hunt Jr. limping home with a souring engine in second followed by Ken Hunt in third.

The waving of Tony Helm’s checkers and yours truly congratulating Smith at the Start/Finish line would bring to conclusion a great night of racing and close a trying season at the track made famous by Winter Heat and known by the slogan “We’ll sell you the whole seat but you’ll only need the Edge.”

Good night and God Bless

Dan Ruth

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