Page 9 - Sanger Herald 5-31-18 E-edition

SangerSports
SANGER HERALD * PAGE 1B * THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2018
Double Nickel Nine Motorsports wins again
By Rob Krider
Sanger Herald correspondent
Our little racing team in Del Rey did big things at Buttonwillow Raceway by winning Round 4 of the National Auto Sport Association Honda Challenge series April 22, 2018.
Double Nickel Nine Motorsports, based right here near Sanger, entered two cars in the event and when the checkered flag fell both of the DNN Motorsports cars earned trophies. It was a double victory for Double Nickel Nine.
Our team has been busy during the off-season building a new car, our No. 33 car, which unfortunately wasn’t done in time for the race weekend. I could give you a bunch of excuses why we didn’t finish the car, but I assure you it had nothing to do with drinking too much Double Nickel Nine IPA from Tactical Ops Brewing in Fresno, who named their IPA after our race team.
The real reason the car wasn’t done is because we
Herb Lopez photo
Team DNN Motorsports drivers Rob Krider, center, and Keith Kramer, right, stand on the podium with their trophies after besting the largest Honda Challenge field of the season.
all of the team’s cars, but that doesn’t mean he wants to paint them after every race.
During the last two seasons of Honda Challenge our team has won the NASA Western States Championship which means lots of other teams are looking at us as the team to beat.
At Buttonwillow the largest field of Honda Challenge racers in the country arrived to try to challenge our team, but luckily we had our cars prepared in such a way that we were able to stay out in front and continue our domination of the series.
This year we will travel to Austin, Texas, to race in the National Championship at the Circuit of the Americas, known as COTA. We have never raced there before so we need to bring our “A” game to the event to ensure we bring that national championship trophy home to Del Rey.
One of the things that really separates our team from other racers is our pit crew.
At Buttonwillow Brandon
Lindlahr, James Byrum, Roy Lindlahr, Jim Krider and Travis Kramer really stepped up to help get the cars battle ready. This is important to a driver who needs to know that as he is risking his life out on the track to try and win that the car is ready.
When a driver trusts his crew the car is ready, then he can push the edge of the envelope and run hard. Thanks to our crew Keith and I were able to run really hard and we now have the trophies to prove it. So it’s back to the laboratory (our shop in Del Rey) to finish the new car, and get ready for the next round of Honda Challenge at Buttonwillow on June 23-24.
Then we will be off to Texas for the Nationals in September.
Wish us luck!
Rob Krider is the author of the novel, Cadet Blues, and can be reached through www.robkrider.com. To follow the race team go to www.team559.com or follow KriderRacing on Instagram.
are perfectionists who want the car perfect before it hits the track. The delay meant we had to run our two older, and already proven cars, the No. 38 car, and the No. 88 car.
Keith Kramer, my partner at DNN Motorsports, piloted the 88 car, sponsored by J&B Farms and Economy Stock Feed, and drove an outstanding race keeping the fans on their feet as he fought his way through the field and made a last lap,
tire smoking, deep braking pass to earn third place in the race. His lap times were very quick, as close as two tenths of a second from the fastest lap in the race.
I drove the No. 38 car in a pretty uneventful race. I started on the front row, got a great start and drove all by myself until the checkered flag flew signaling that we won the race. Yes, it wasn’t very exciting for the fans, but it was good for our team, earning another victory in
the Honda Challenge series and some much needed contingency money from Toyo Tires.
This means the guys at Sanger Tire will be busy mounting brand new Toyo race tires on our wheels before the next event. What was also nice is that we won the race and don’t have to send the car to Olson’s Auto Body in Sanger for body damage repair. Randy Olson, who owns Olson Auto Body, appreciates that. He did a great job painting
Sanger wraps up another big season
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
A year ago, Abigail Hillan’s team lost to the visiting Sanger Apaches softball team in the semi- finals 5-1.
Hillan, then a sophomore, pitched the game for Visalia’s Redwood Rangers. “I really choked,” she said. “I felt like I lost the game for them.”
Fast forward to this year on May 23. Same place. Hillan a year older. The power trio of her rival Apaches — Vanessa Hernandez, Stephanie Herring and Ashley Mata — remained intact, still playing for the team. Herring had blasted a home run in 2017 and had said, “I knew it was going deep.”
Hillan this year looked more confident. Heck, she appeared unstoppable. She pitched and her outfield made the plays, halting what had been a potent Apache offense. The Rangers lined up to bat in the third inning, with the scored tied at 1-1, and began sending home one runner after another in every subsequent appearance behind the plate. Final score 8-1 Rangers.
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Stephanie Herring slams a single at Redwood in Visalia in the semi-finals. The year before she hit a home run.
But it’s not my last game ever. College is next for me. And I’m excited about that. I think I left a good legacy.”
And Sanger pitcher Valerie Ruiz, who was brought in to in the bottom of the third when the Rangers began making their plays and unleashing their bats, likewise wasn’t overly affected. “No matter the loss, we still came out and played with heart,” she said.
Ruiz will continue pitching. Hernandez is headed to Fresno State, and Ruiz said she will be playing for Adams State University in Alamosa, Colo.
And there’s always next year.
Redwood went on to beat Edison for the championship 5-3.
The Apache baseball team likewise didn’t move past the semi-final stage, losing to El Diamonte of Visalia 1-0 in the seventh May 22. El Diamonte lost to San Joaquin Memorial in the championship May 25 by a score of 8-2.
The reporter can be contacted by email at sangerheraldsports@gmail. com or by phone at the Herald at (559) 875-2511.
“This year, my team really backed me up with their gloves and their bats,” Hillan said. “Once we started making plays, I knew we got this.”
Redwood, which had a 20-7 overall record, played Edison on May 26, getting
the chance to appear in the California Interscholastic Federation Central Section Division II championship at Margie Wright Diamond on Fresno State. The honor was Sanger’s last year, and the Apaches had been itching to make a return
appearance.
Yet Sanger coach Erica
Pennington had nothing but praise for her Apaches, who amassed a 14-11 overall record. “After losing so many of our team last year (to graduation), this team surpassed every
expectation,” she said as she and her players walked off the Rangers’ field. “They just amaze me every day. This is a great team.”
Hernandez put it in perspective. “It was fun,” she said. “I mean it (stinks) because it’s our last game.
The Apaches tennis team beats the odds and the opponents to bring home a championship.
Brian Penner photo
Herald staff
The Sanger boys varsity tennis team defeated Central Valley Christian in Visalia 5-1 earlier this month to win the California Interscholastic Federation Central Section Division II championship.
The team had to go through Garces and Bakersfield for the shot.
The team includes the six top players, all juniors, starting with the first: Jeremiah Yang, Jakob Ontiveros, Greg Gonzalez, Dylan Reimer, Adrian Mendoza and James Weber.
Even former football head coach Chuck Shidan offered his congratulations on the Sanger Herald Facebook page with an "Amazing."
Apaches win big with CIF Central Section crown