Saugus Speedway Has a Record-Filled Start

To the surprise of no one, track records were shattered like glass hitting pavement before a season-opening crowd of 5,466 Saturday night at Saugus Speedway.

One-lap qualifying marks in the Sportsman, Grand American Modified and Pro Stock divisions were lowered by drivers who predicted as much after the 54-year-old track was repaved last month for the first time in 24 years.

In the 25-lap Grand Am main event, Greg Austin of Mission Hills started ninth, moved into the lead on Lap 12 and held off defending champion Dave Phipps of Simi Valley to record his first main-event win in his second season.

The 40-lap Sportsman main event, as well as the Pro Stock oval and figure-eight main events, were not completed when this edition went to press.

Phipps, who started 10th in the main event and climbed to second on Lap 16, shined in qualifying along with fellow track veteran Ray Hooper Jr. of Sylmar.

Both set new qualifying marks. Phipps, two-time defending Grand Am champion, drove a 16.24-second lap to easily break his own record of 16.53, set in September. “Same song, second verse,” Phipps said. “I’m having no problems. The car is running just like last year.”

Hooper, Sportsman champion in 1982 and making his return to Saugus after a four-year hiatus, clocked 16.27 to better the record of 16.36, set by Joe Heath of Northridge in August.

Most impressive, perhaps, was the performance of Pro Stock rookie Sean Monroe of Los Angeles, who drove a 17.75-second lap to shatter the record of 18.12 set by defending champion Ed Horst of Reseda in September.

Monroe competed in two races last season, but did did not finish near the front in either.

“I can’t say how the new track is because, to be honest, I don’t know what the old track was like,” Monroe said. “Last season, I didn’t know what was going on.”

In other races, Dennis Logue of Mission Hills won the 10-lap Sportsman semi-main event to lead four drivers who advanced to the main event.

Tim Huddleston of North Hills, Rod Johnson of Canyon Country and Steve Bock of Chatsworth also advanced.