Page 9 - Sanger Herald 6-13-19 E-edition

SangerSports
SANGER HERALD * PAGE 1B * THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019
Mike Nemeth, editor
nemethfeatures@gmail.com
DNN Motorsports keeps up its winning ways
By Rob Krider
Herald correspondent
In 2018, Double Nickel Nine Motorsports, based right here in little Del Rey, Calif. won the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) Honda Challenge 4 road racing National Championship at the Circuit of the Americas race track in Austin, Texas.
Yes, that is quite a long title to spit out, so we just refer to ourselves as National Champions to keep things brief. After that feat, our team went on to win the SoCal Regional Honda Challenge 4 Championship after team driver Keith Kramer, in the No. 33 Acura Integra, took first place during the final race weekend of the season.
So, what is the team up to in 2019? Winning more races, of course.
We polished up our three team cars and headed to the first race of the season at our home track, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, down on Interstate 5 and Lerdo Highway. On April 20 during the Honda Challenge race, the story is brief: I took first place, while driving our No. 38 car, and broke a track record that had stood for seven years.
There is just not much story to tell here. We came, and we won. After
Herb Lopez photo
Keith Kramer charges through the night on his way to a second place finish for Del Rey's DNN Motorsports team during the night race at Buttonwillow Raceway Park.
bring quite an appetite. When the races are over, the team enjoys craft brew IPAs from Tactical Ops Brewing in Fresno, which has a beer named after our team, Double Nickel Nine IPA. The brewery is kind enough to supply the team with plenty of libations for celebrating after a solid weekend like the one we just had.
The part of the story I have failed to mention (because it’s embarrassing) is the part where I bent some sheet metal on the 38 car during that Sunday’s qualifying race. I “touched” another driver (that is racer talk for “I hit a car”) and was disqualified for my on track contact. The front of the 38 car has been redecorated with some new dents.
Luckily for me, but not lucky for the staff at Olson Auto Body, I know some awesome and talented people right here in Sanger who can fix the “bent” front end. Eventually, the folks at Olson Auto Body are going to tire of my shenanigans.
None of these racing adventures or championship trophies being brought back to the Central Valley would be possible without the help of many companies and people: the DNN Motorsports pit crew, J&B Farms, Olson Auto
Body, Sanger Tire, Tactical Ops Brewing, Kenclaire Electrical, Economy Stock Feed, Carbotech Brakes, Speed Factory Racing, Hasport Motor Mounts, TEM Machine Shop, Performance In-Frame Tuning, Bay Ex, Chandler Autosport, Eibach Springs, Motion Control Suspension, I/O Port Racing Supplies, Autopower, Racepak, ESS Fire Systems, "Cadet Blues" the novel, Insane Shafts, Hardrace, Unorthodox Racing, Smart Racing Products, Synchrotech Transmissions, Devsport, AEM Electronics, RS 683 Brake Fluid, Sampson Racing Communications, Phase 2 Motortrend and HA Motorsports.
DNN recently picked up a new sponsor, Kingpin Machine.
The team’s next event will be back at Buttonwillow Raceway on June 15-16 for more racing mayhem. The goal will be to win again, but not crash the car in the process. Note to self: Don’t crash the car!
To see more from the team, go to www.team559. com or follow KriderRacing on Instagram.
Rob Krider is the author of the novel, "Cadet Blues," and can be reached through www.robkrider.com.
the victory, to challenge ourselves, we signed up for the 3-hour enduro race on that Saturday night, running in the ST6 class. That required us to install headlights on our back-up Honda Challenge race car and get the pit crew ready for fuel stops, driver swaps and any repairs that may be needed.
Keith and I shared driving duties in the long race. And when the checkered flag waved, we picked up a second-place finish. Not too bad of a day at the race track, two races, a first and a second place. We can thank our pit crew: Stephen Young, Brandon Lindlahr, Dave Nees, Bryce
Lindlahr, Randy Krider, Robert Shadowens, Travis Kramer and Roy Lindlahr for that second place trophy because they were awesome (and fast) over the pit wall.
On that Sunday, Kieth brought home the final trophy for our team and earned a third place in the Honda Challenge race, giving the team an entire podium of awards for our trophy case back at the shop in Del Rey. Keith’s solid consistent driving is what brought the team the Regional Championship last year and is filling up our shop with trophies.
In the weeks prior to the racing weekend, we were
busy prepping the cars and getting everything ready for the competition. Winning our two separate championships last year provided us with a season’s worth of Toyo racing tires for free from Toyo Tires. This is a great benefit to our local team, but it makes for a lot of work for the staff at Sanger Tire, who tirelessly mounts and perfectly balances all of our racing tires. We couldn’t do it without their support.
At the track, the staff from J&B Farms comes out and barbecues and feeds the entire pit crew during the weekend. This is no easy task, the boys from DNN Motorsports
Harrell gets a call from Cleveland
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
Jake Harrell had gone to Fairmont Elementary’s eighth grade promotion to support family friend Chase Hammes on June 6.
Earlier that day, he had spoken to another reporter. He said giving interviews is getting easier.
Harrell may need the skill of talking with the press. His talents on the field have made him a rather hot commodity in the world of baseball. He committed to Fresno State and is scheduled to play for the Bulldogs in the upcoming season.
But the news that the Cleveland Indians picked him in the 39th round at No. 1,180 was definitely worth paying attention to. The Major League Baseball draft had 40 rounds.
“Anytime you get drafted, it’s a big deal,” Harrell said as the Fairmont ceremony wrapped up and students mingled with parents and friends on a pleasant evening on school grounds. “They called me yesterday morning. Offered $125,000.”
Harrell said he wasn’t surprised. “I just felt it was worth more to go to school first,” he said.
Kyle Cardoza, a sports journalist and former pitcher for Washington Union, said it’s a misconception that seeing any pitchers drafted out of the central San Joaquin Valley is uncommon. Sanger pitcher Luis Ortiz was selected with the 30th overall pick in round 1 in 2014 by the Texas Rangers. Ortiz, a right-hander, made his major league debut with the Baltimore Orioles on Sept. 7, 2018 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Jake Harrell, right, has to choose between Fresno State and Cleveland. He stands with his team in his final game.
of Harrell and fellow pitcher Alec Flores, also a senior. “This baseball team is not a fluke,” he said after that game against the Panthers.
“We are very proud of Jake,” Cuellar said via text. “He has an opportunity to do something special. His dream since he was a kid was to be a Bulldog and be drafted by an MLB team. He never lost sight of that goal. His hard work and commitment to doing things right on and off the field is paying off.”
Harrell said if he were to accept the Indians’ offer, he would likely be playing “rookie ball.”
“I don’t know what the very start is,” he said. And he said the offer is worth considering. “I mean it’s a lot of money obviously. But compared to what potentially could come up.”
Vern Summers, a member of the 1950 championship Apache team who was elected this year to the Sanger Athletic Hall of Fame, watched Harrell play in one of the final home games of the season. Summers, a pitcher, critiqued some aspects of his playing but said he’d like to see how Harrell turns out.
That potential could be big.
Harrell said he had a couple of weeks to decide. “I still have to talk with my family about what I should do,” he said. “But as of right now I’m leaning (to playing for the Bulldogs). It was just cool for my name to get called.”
Harrell graduated from Hallmark Charter School in Sanger on June 8. He’s 6 feet 4 inches and weighs 185 pounds. He turns 19 on July 5.
was optioned back to the Norfolk, Va. Tides in April, according to mlb.com.
“And from what I’ve heard, Harrell has earned the recognition,” Cardoza said via Messenger. “MLB scouts are limited on time. They can only visit so many towns, go to so many games. And if a pitcher has poise, control, off-speed stuff and potential, they deserve the honor of being drafted.
“As a southpaw, Harrell also has an advantage, since there are fewer left- handers than right-handers. He likely reminded scouts
of former Valley pitcher Dylan Lee (Dinuba), who pitched for College of the Sequoias and Fresno State and was also drafted in the past. He has size, length and a wipeout off-speed pitch. Most importantly, he has potential. And whether he takes the money and heads to the Minors or not, it’s a great accomplishment for a Valley pitcher.”
Harrell played in the championship game for the Apaches against arch rival San Joaquin Memorial on May 17. Sanger lost that game 3-2 at Pete Biden Field in the bottom of the
ninth inning. Memorial squeezed through a run in the seventh to put the game into extra innings. Harrell was replaced in the eighth
inning after reaching his pitch limit.
Apache head coach David Cuellar has said his 2019 team was so good because