1988 Miller 100 (March)

1988 Miller 100
Saugus
March 26, 1988
Fin	Driver
1	Roman Calczynski (RES)
2	Rick Carelli (RES)
3	Mike Chase (RES)
4	Chuck Pittenger (RES)
5	Troy Beebe (RES)
6	Ron Hornaday, Jr. (RES)

The 1988 Miller 100 was a Southwest Tour event held at Saugus Speedway March 26, 1988. It was the season opener. Eventual season champ Roman Calczynski got off to a running start, capturing the season opener by holding off Rick Carelli. Ron Esau, who was considered a favorite for the race, had to drop out after contracting a serious case of the chicken pox.

[edit] Race Review

Daily News of Los Angeles (CA) - March 27, 1988 Author/Byline: BOB SHAFER Daily News Staff Writer Edition: VALLEY Section: SPORTS Page: S17

For half of Saturday night's NASCAR Southwest Tour 100-lap race, it looked like your typical Saugus Speedway modified show.

Regulars like Chuck Pittenger of Northridge and Palmdale's Ron Hornaday Jr. taking their turns up front.

Then Roman Calczynski - an old Saugus champion himself - broke up the party.

The 36-year-old Van Nuys auto frame shop owner, who lives in Sepulveda, cut under Hornaday coming out of the fourth turn and took the lead.

He didn't surrender it, winning the $21,175 Miller event by more than half a lap over Rick Carelli of Denver before a crowd of 5,645.

Third was tour defending champion Mike Chase of Bakersfield, who was followed across the finish line by Pittenger, Troy Beebe of Modesto and Hornaday.

"It was a typical Saugus race," Calczynski said afterward with a huge smile. "You've got to use the front bumper a little bit."

Third place was quite a comeback for Chase, who had led the first 10 laps (seven of them under a caution flag) before going into turn 4 a little hot, spinning and resuming his race at the rear of the field.

Chase reported afterward that his throttle momentarily stuck and his feet got mixed up in the pedals." Once he got them sorted out again, he was fine, though he was losing the race.

Pittenger took over and stayed in front until the 41st time around when Beebe lost power for an instant in front of him. Hornaday and Calczynski whipped around the trapped Pittenger, the former staying in the lead for nine laps. Then Calczynski took over and that was the race.

"He (Hornaday) started to break in the corners," Calczynski said. "I didn't try to press him too much."

The program was delayed for 31 minutes because of a crash in an earlier street stock semi-main which hospitalized Bill McLean of Canoga Park.

McLean had to be cut out of his car by Fire Department personnel after it sheared off a corner of the pit exit wall. He was conscious but complained of pain in the lower back and stomach areas. He was transported to Henry Mayo Memorial Hospital in Valencia.

Two tour circuit stalwarts - Ron Esau and Roger Avants - did not appear for the opener.

Esau, the 1986 tour champion from Lakeside, was suffering from a case of chicken pox. That left Calczynski as the only driver with perfect attendance in the series, which extends over 30 races.

Avants, the Littleton, Colo. speedster who had won both Saugus races in 1986, did not have his new car finished in time for the program.