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Stock car racer takes seven races in a row |
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Written by JASON PETERS, Citizen staff
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Tuesday, 05 August 2008 |
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WILLIAMS LAKE
Klugh, a 30-year-old mini stock driver, ripped to seven consecutive wins, including three main-event victories.
"I've worked my way up from the bottom and I've paid my dues," said Klugh, who pilots a 1992 Ford Escort. "I'm finally hitting my stride and it's all coming around. I'm really thankful and I feel very blessed."
For Klugh, the streak of success started last Friday night when he crossed the finish line first in the dash, heat and main races at PGARA Speedway Park. The next night at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Williams Lake, he duplicated those results. On Sunday, also in Williams Lake, Klugh won the dash for seven victories in seven starts. He and another driver were black-flagged in the heat race after they made contact and Klugh put his tires into the dirt on the lower edge of the track. But, in the main event, Klugh was back on the track and was once again untouchable.
The Friday-through-Sunday stretch of racing was a career highlight for Klugh. And remember, his heart beats on stock car oil. He's the son of PGARA legend Bill Klugh, who passed away in 2000.
"My father raced," Elliot Klugh said. "I was born in Quesnel because we were on our way to Williams Lake (for a race), and my mom went into labour. So my dad dropped us off (at the Quesnel hospital) and he came back on Sunday, and my mom says, 'We had a boy.' And my dad said, 'I won the main.' So I've been racing my whole life, but I just started driving this year."
Up until this season, Klugh has been a crew member for other drivers, including his dad and current PGARA president Chris Arronge.
Now that Klugh is the guy behind the wheel, he's showing he has learned a thing or two about how to win. In the Friday 20-lap main at PGARA, he held off Cole Jefferson and Brad Wallin for the win. In Williams Lake, Justin Nazaruk was Klugh's chief rival both days in the main event.
"(On Saturday) he ran on the inside (of me) and the outside and every time we drove by the start/finish line there were people standing up screaming because this kid was all over me," Klugh said. "And he never touched me one time. It was really clean, awesome racing.
"Then on Sunday, he got up on the outside of me after 10 laps. We ran for four laps side-by-side, and that was just amazing racing. Unluckily for him, he got a caution (flag) but it was very lucky for me. He poked his nose down on the inside and had a look (on the last lap) but I held him off."
Klugh's crew chief is Bill Holloway. Other crew members are Shaun Ward, Shaun McLeod, Tyler Schofield, John Pederson, Kalem Taylor and Carl 'The Freak,' who provides shop space. Klugh takes his hat off to Taylor for helping to make the remarkable weekend possible.
"I had a miss (in the engine) on Thursday night and I couldn't figure it out," Klugh said. "Kalem, he came down and he worked on my car for six straight hours. He went through every single thing you could possibly go through and he eventually found that miss (was because of a clogged injector port). That's what led to this whole weekend. We ended up having just an amazing, amazing weekend."
Klugh, whose major sponsors are Dispatch Express, Visa Truck Rentals and P.G. Entertainment Group, will be back in action at PGARA on Sept. 7. He's also hoping to attend a couple more races (Aug. 16 and Sept. 20) at Thunder Mountain in Williams Lake.
"I've been invited back to Williams Lake, and the president gave me an extra $100 to (make the trip)," Klugh said. "They love me down there so much. I really had a great time there."
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 05 August 2008 )
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Elliot’s version of racing almost caused 2 pile ups before the first lap was even half way finished resulting in 2 restarts and then finally a single file restart. Elliot’s brake checking on the corners almost resulted in him being rear-ended several times and the only way for him to hold onto the 1st place position was to push anyone who challenged him into the wall or the dirt resulting in even more spin outs and restarts.
As I sat watching the races in disgust I realized I wasn't the only one in the crowd who disapproved of Elliot’s tactics, several boos roared from the crowd as he came around to collect one of his trophies which resulted in Elliot giving this "family event" crowd the finger as he drove by.
When i enquired to some of PGARA's officials why there wasn't anything done about how Elliot was racing I was told that, as Officials, they aren't allowed to say anything about how people are racing. So then my next question was then why have officials?? Are they not supposed to make sure people are following the rules?? To make sure that the races are safe for the drivers?? As someone who has spent a lot of time out at PGARA and has really gotten into racing over the past season I have noticed that it seems there are several different sets of rules and depending on who you are or who you know dictates what rules you are supposed to follow.
So yes, Elliot's feat of seven wins in a row probably is a first, but it is an ill gotten achievement in my opinion.