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July 2005 CalClub California Speedway race

July 30th & 31st: J.B. had been #1 in points for four months heading into the weekend's big CalClub SCCA doubleheader road race on the high speed California Speedway track. Facing some seriously over-horsepowered competition, Jim Sleeper had spent days preparing Uncle Joe's Nissan 300ZX. A fender-destroying slap to the wall didn't help Saturday's qualifying effort or the 300ZX's beauty quotient, but after Jim and crew guy Casey's intense thrash (and a few miles of red "racer's" tape on the nose), the car was declared ready to go. Starting 23rd in the 77 car field with an ambient air temperature of 98 degrees, Unc just launched! By the end of the first lap, he was running 6th! For the next 35 minutes, with Sleeper, Casey and Jan Benson spotting on the radio for him, Joe eventually passed all but three cars on the track (some more than once) to finish 2nd in class and 4th overall — then completely ran out of gas as he crossed the finish line! Amidst spraying water and Gatorade, Jenna and Jeremy Benson joined their Dad on the podium next to old friend and former crew guy Dan Pedersen who had won the event.

Sunday morning brought other challenges. Four laps into qualifying, the Z's old motor blew up in a huge cloud of smoke, oil and broken parts. Less than 20 minutes before the race, as the engine's autopsy took a grim turn, Bob "Fireball" Spencer offered his legendary Nissan 240SX to his old friend. Somehow the boys squeezed Unc into Bob's seat (the first time Joe had ever been in the car) and got him out to his 6th place starting spot before the green flag flew. Discovering why Fireball's 240SX holds so many track records, Joe adapted his driving technique, passed virtually every car except three before running out of gas three laps from the end. Still finished 2nd in class — this time behind a 10-cylinder Dodge Viper! Even with 98+ degree temperatures and 77 sports cars thrashing on a 21-turn road course, Joe kept his points lead making this a most auspicious weekend!


(Photos by Jan & Joe Benson)


Casey preps the Z

Early Saturday morning, Casey preps the Z for the first race of the weekend.

Jim preps the Z

Jim makes the final adjustments.

05calSpd2Podium

Later Saturday morning, the Benson kids join their Dad and
ITE division race winner Dan Pedersen on the podium.


Casey, Jim & Joe with the Z after the race.

Casey, Sleeper and Unc with the Z car
after an extremely hot and hard fought day.


Fireball's 240SX

The crew uses a car cover to demonstrate how well
Uncle Joe fit into Bob "Fireball" Spencer's
legendary Nissan 240SX for Sunday's race.


The two July Trophies.

Still #1 in points!




Blown engine #1.
Blown engine #2.
Blown engine #3.

It blowed up!



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Uncle Joe's
Nissan 600ZX


Uncle Joe's
Super Gas
Corvette


On The Road
Schedule

'12 Grand National Roadster Show

'11 Home Depot - Monrovia

'11 O.C. Fair
Kansas/B.O.C.

'11 O.C. Fair
Pat Benatar

'11 Blood
Drive

'11 O.C. Fair
Paul Rodgers

'11 O.C. Fair
Steve Miller &
Duff Goldman

'11 O.C. Barrett-Jackson

'11 Ridemakerz

Alex Xydias Center

'11 Jethro Tull

Home Depot - Orange

Performance Bicycle

BBQ @Shannon's

Home Depot - Marina Del Rey

'11 Long Beach
Grand Prix

'11 NASCAR
Auto Club 400

Pep Boys
Speed Shop

'11 NHRA
Winternationals

Monster Trucks!

Larry's Pick-Up Truck

'11 Grand National
Roadster Show

Ozzy Osbourne

'10 NHRA Finals

Kragen
in Torrance

'10 NASCAR
Pepsi 400

La Mirada
Home Depot

'10 L.A. Fair
Bad Company

John Bonham
Tribute

Steve Miller
Kids Rock Free

'10 L.A. Fair
Monster Trucks
& C.C.R.

Axes & Axles
Hot Rod Show

BBQ @Kevin's

REDSTER Reveal

'10 O.C. Fair
Styx/ZZ Top

'10 Blood Drive

Kragen
in Walnut

Steve Miller/
Greek Theatre

Dodgers
5th of July

Rush's Star

Ridemakerz/
Fathers Day

'10 Long Beach
Grand Prix

'10 NASCAR
Auto Club 500

'10 NHRA
Winternationals

'10 Grand National
Roadster Show

Ridemakerz/
Xmas

'09 NHRA Finals

Steve Miller/
USC

'09 NASCAR
Pepsi 500

'09 L.A. Fair
Lynyrd Skynyrd

Abbey Road

'09 Blood Drive

'09 Kentucky Derby

'09 Long Beach
Grand Prix

'09 NASCAR
Auto Club 500

'09 NHRA
Winternationals

'09 Grand National
Roadster Show

'08 NHRA Finals

'08 NASCAR
Pepsi 500

Carl Edwards

'08 Jethro Tull

'08 NASCAR
All-Star Party

'08 Long Beach
Grand Prix

'08 Super Chevy

'08 Goodguys
Costa Mesa

'08 NASCAR
Auto Club 500

'08 NHRA
Winternationals

'08 Grand Nat.
Roadster Show


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