BARFIELD BUYS ROBBINS' RIDE
Jack Barfield, the 2004 ORSCA Outlaw 10.5 champ, has purchased defending ORSCA 10.5 champion Terry Robbins' 2002 Camaro (shown). Barfield said he first learned of the car's availability on Saturday July 8, from Farrell Robbins, patriarch of the Robbins racing operation. By Sunday the decision was reached to add it to Barfield's stable and on July 14, the 2005 championship-winning ride changed hands as a turnkey piece.
"Terry's just burnt out on it," Farrell Robbins explained of the decision to sell halfway through the season. "He's 49 and I'm 72 and it just takes so much to keep a car like this going at this level."
Although the purchase price was not revealed, the Agent knows that at least $150,000 had been turned down in the past.
Barfield, who never previously drove the car, will make his debut with it at a 10-wide invitational this weekend at Hattiesburg, MS. After that, the Race Factory-built ride will be heading to the paint shop where Barfield's familiar yellow hue will be applied, most likely topped by a black roof and with black "hockey stick" stripes on its flanks. Barfield's current Dave Sheppard-built 1969 Camaro will temporarily be going into storage, with its Gene Fulton powerplant already sold to ORSCA Limited Street standout Darrin Hoyle. The '69 eventually will house a new Fulton 900-plus cubic incher and may even return to action before this year ends, Barfield said. (Ian Tocher photo) [7-19-2006]
BACA REAPING REWARDS OF KARMA?
Top Fuel racer David Baca and his sponsor, Mach 1 Air Services, have invited the entire population of a Seattle-area Muscular Dystrophy summer camp to this weekend's 19th annual Schuck's Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
"I attended the Chicago race and David had invited a young girl named Alex Dzimitowicz out as his guest," Mach 1 Air Services CEO Mike Entzminger said. "She had such a great time and became David's biggest fan and we were all so touched by this little girl's
enthusiasm for life and our race team that I wanted to do something more."
Entzminger and Baca quickly put the wheels in motion for another day at the races for some additional budding race fans affected by Muscular Dystrophy and the plans soon encompassed inviting a large group of "Jerry's Kids" attending a Seattle summer camp.
Already this summer, Baca has helped raise awareness for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Mark Hindy Charitable Foundation benefiting the children of the 9/11 disaster, Alex's Lemonade Stand for pediatric cancer research, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association - Chicago Chapter. Previously, Baca teamed with NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly and his Hunter's Hope Foundation.
"What's interesting is that ever since we started having our special guests out to each of these races, we've been going rounds and finding some success. Maybe there's some good karma coming our way. I do know how much my crew guys respond to the excitement a little kid that's been through some tough times brings when they come into our pits and get so excited about what we're doing. It lifts all of us to a higher level." [7-19-2006]
