Post by amazonice on Mar 12, 2011 14:30:26 GMT -5
Meet the Racer
Meeting Rafael (Raf) and Kim Quiroga of Santa Inez, California a year ago made drag racing one of my favorite activities! I had been to test and tune sessions in Northern California, but this was my first official drag race and I was very excited to visit Auto Club Famosa Raceway in Bakersfield, California. It was time for the American Nostalgia Racing Association, (ANRA) Spring Nationals, June 2010. My responsibilities on the pit crew for Daryl Jensen’s Lights Out racing team include assisting in tuning and managing the computer programs for tuning and weather information for his 1959 Jeffers Blown Corvette. And the pressure was on!
We arrived on Friday for the technical check on the car and driver’s safety equipment. Then we moved on to get settled into the pit area. We set up next to drag racer and engine builder Larry Ofria and his race team of Valley Head Service. It was an honor and a pleasure to meet the man I have heard so much about and his racing antics and see his 1957 Chevy up close! He made me feel like part of the family right away. Instantly all my nerves were settled and I knew I was in for a great experience.
I decided to familiarize myself with our surroundings and began to wander around the pit area. I came across a spot that really stood out with a huge motor coach that had several barbeques, tables and chairs set up. This was a very impressive layout. There was a beautiful bright yellow 1967 Camaro parked under the awning with a mobile workshop adjoining the motor coach. This made me wonder who the VIP(s) or celebrity drag racer was.
Later that afternoon, I came to realize I was the VIP, along with all of the Quiroga’s race friends and family. On race weekends they graciously prepare a incredible barbeque feast for their race family and friends. Raf says he loves to cook for lots of people, the more the better. There is usually Tri Tip, Chicken, and Pulled Pork along with all the usual barbeque sides. Everyone that shows up, quickly settles into the family tone of things and the fun begins. It becomes story time as everyone reminisces about past racing highlights and escapades.
Raf was born and grew up on the Chumash reservation in Santa Ynez, California. He only knew poverty at that time in his life. There was no running water or electricity at his family’s home. Recreation was limited to the imagination of the kids on the reservation. Raf’s passion for racing was manifested when he was in high school, as a street racer! He found out quickly that he had a dire need for speed behind the wheel of an automobile. He continued his street racing into adulthood on the reservation. But his life would take an unexpected turn!
His life changed in ways he could have never imagined. The Chumash tribe in Santa Inez was approved to open the Chumash Casino in Santa Inez. Around 160 tribal members would experience for the first time in their lives an abundance of financial good fortune. The U.S. government approved Native American Gaming would provide the revenue for community growth and the development of the reservation’s economy. The reservation would now become self sufficient even for many generations to come. The Chumash people are a native people to the Central Coast from Malibu to Paso Robles. There is evidence dating back thousands of years of the Chumash peoples’ habitation in the Channel Islands and Santa Monica Mountains.
In the year 2000 Raf started racing at several different race tracks to earn his racing license. His first car, a bright yellow 1967 Camero Super Sport, running in the B Gas class with National Hot Rod Association,(NHRA) and ANRA. Raf’s first win was at the ANRA season opener race in 2010. At the 2010 ANRA Spring Nationals, Raf was the ANRA point’s leader. He finished the 2010 season with the ANRA B/Gas Championship. Raf’s plans for 2011 will include his new race car, a 1957 Chevy Belair, motor built by the well known Pro Mod racer and nitrous expert, Pat Musi of Musi Performance in Carteret, New Jersey and the chassis by another well known drag racer, Jerry Bickle of Jerry Bickle Race Cars in Oklahoma! Raf’s plan is to run this car in the A/Gas class. Raf has made a few changes to the chassis and motor to qualify the car for racing in California.
To add to Raf’s good fortune he met his wife Kim at the Chumash Casino where she worked in the human resources department. She performed background checks on prospective employees. They have three children; Ryan, the oldest is 20 and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was deployed to Afghanistan in August 2010. Kim proudly states how hard this is on her and the family, but says Ryan loves what he is doing and is in a great frame of mind. Their middle child, Raffy, turned 18 in December 2010 and is into wrestling, sand biking and has a drag racing bike. He has expressed an interest in taking over his dads 1967 Camaro for the 2011 race season. David the youngest is 11 and plays basketball and helps on Larry Ofria’s pit crew. He is anxious to reach 16 so he can follow in his father’s footsteps. A favorite activity for the family is to enjoy their trips to Lake Nacimiento and taking their boat out.
Raf and Kim said they enjoy celebrating the blessings of drag racing by hosting the terrific barbeques, which has proved to be a way to “pass it forward” and give thanks. Raf is thankful to his friend of over 15 years, Art Foster of Foster’s Engines in Santa Maria, Ca. He went to every race with Raf when he was qualifying to earn his NHRA license. Foster, raced himself back in the day under F-Troop Racing, and held numerous records at Famosa Raceway in Bakersfield. He is now involved in teaching high school kids about racing. He has the kids do all the tuning on a NE-I dragster driven by his son A.J. Race friends and family include Larry Ofria and the TQ Racing Team, Mike Botelho of Engine Dynamics in San Jose, California, his engine builder and Bill and Aprile Hill his pit crew! For without these wonderful friends there would be no fun in racing!
By Heather Golden ©
Freelance Writer
Meeting Rafael (Raf) and Kim Quiroga of Santa Inez, California a year ago made drag racing one of my favorite activities! I had been to test and tune sessions in Northern California, but this was my first official drag race and I was very excited to visit Auto Club Famosa Raceway in Bakersfield, California. It was time for the American Nostalgia Racing Association, (ANRA) Spring Nationals, June 2010. My responsibilities on the pit crew for Daryl Jensen’s Lights Out racing team include assisting in tuning and managing the computer programs for tuning and weather information for his 1959 Jeffers Blown Corvette. And the pressure was on!
We arrived on Friday for the technical check on the car and driver’s safety equipment. Then we moved on to get settled into the pit area. We set up next to drag racer and engine builder Larry Ofria and his race team of Valley Head Service. It was an honor and a pleasure to meet the man I have heard so much about and his racing antics and see his 1957 Chevy up close! He made me feel like part of the family right away. Instantly all my nerves were settled and I knew I was in for a great experience.
I decided to familiarize myself with our surroundings and began to wander around the pit area. I came across a spot that really stood out with a huge motor coach that had several barbeques, tables and chairs set up. This was a very impressive layout. There was a beautiful bright yellow 1967 Camaro parked under the awning with a mobile workshop adjoining the motor coach. This made me wonder who the VIP(s) or celebrity drag racer was.
Later that afternoon, I came to realize I was the VIP, along with all of the Quiroga’s race friends and family. On race weekends they graciously prepare a incredible barbeque feast for their race family and friends. Raf says he loves to cook for lots of people, the more the better. There is usually Tri Tip, Chicken, and Pulled Pork along with all the usual barbeque sides. Everyone that shows up, quickly settles into the family tone of things and the fun begins. It becomes story time as everyone reminisces about past racing highlights and escapades.
Raf was born and grew up on the Chumash reservation in Santa Ynez, California. He only knew poverty at that time in his life. There was no running water or electricity at his family’s home. Recreation was limited to the imagination of the kids on the reservation. Raf’s passion for racing was manifested when he was in high school, as a street racer! He found out quickly that he had a dire need for speed behind the wheel of an automobile. He continued his street racing into adulthood on the reservation. But his life would take an unexpected turn!
His life changed in ways he could have never imagined. The Chumash tribe in Santa Inez was approved to open the Chumash Casino in Santa Inez. Around 160 tribal members would experience for the first time in their lives an abundance of financial good fortune. The U.S. government approved Native American Gaming would provide the revenue for community growth and the development of the reservation’s economy. The reservation would now become self sufficient even for many generations to come. The Chumash people are a native people to the Central Coast from Malibu to Paso Robles. There is evidence dating back thousands of years of the Chumash peoples’ habitation in the Channel Islands and Santa Monica Mountains.
In the year 2000 Raf started racing at several different race tracks to earn his racing license. His first car, a bright yellow 1967 Camero Super Sport, running in the B Gas class with National Hot Rod Association,(NHRA) and ANRA. Raf’s first win was at the ANRA season opener race in 2010. At the 2010 ANRA Spring Nationals, Raf was the ANRA point’s leader. He finished the 2010 season with the ANRA B/Gas Championship. Raf’s plans for 2011 will include his new race car, a 1957 Chevy Belair, motor built by the well known Pro Mod racer and nitrous expert, Pat Musi of Musi Performance in Carteret, New Jersey and the chassis by another well known drag racer, Jerry Bickle of Jerry Bickle Race Cars in Oklahoma! Raf’s plan is to run this car in the A/Gas class. Raf has made a few changes to the chassis and motor to qualify the car for racing in California.
To add to Raf’s good fortune he met his wife Kim at the Chumash Casino where she worked in the human resources department. She performed background checks on prospective employees. They have three children; Ryan, the oldest is 20 and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was deployed to Afghanistan in August 2010. Kim proudly states how hard this is on her and the family, but says Ryan loves what he is doing and is in a great frame of mind. Their middle child, Raffy, turned 18 in December 2010 and is into wrestling, sand biking and has a drag racing bike. He has expressed an interest in taking over his dads 1967 Camaro for the 2011 race season. David the youngest is 11 and plays basketball and helps on Larry Ofria’s pit crew. He is anxious to reach 16 so he can follow in his father’s footsteps. A favorite activity for the family is to enjoy their trips to Lake Nacimiento and taking their boat out.
Raf and Kim said they enjoy celebrating the blessings of drag racing by hosting the terrific barbeques, which has proved to be a way to “pass it forward” and give thanks. Raf is thankful to his friend of over 15 years, Art Foster of Foster’s Engines in Santa Maria, Ca. He went to every race with Raf when he was qualifying to earn his NHRA license. Foster, raced himself back in the day under F-Troop Racing, and held numerous records at Famosa Raceway in Bakersfield. He is now involved in teaching high school kids about racing. He has the kids do all the tuning on a NE-I dragster driven by his son A.J. Race friends and family include Larry Ofria and the TQ Racing Team, Mike Botelho of Engine Dynamics in San Jose, California, his engine builder and Bill and Aprile Hill his pit crew! For without these wonderful friends there would be no fun in racing!
By Heather Golden ©
Freelance Writer
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