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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 26, 2005 Glover vows to race in Lon Skinner event By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Tom Glover, the most dominant race car driver at the Southern Oregon Speedway when the track opened in 1996, is coming out of retirement — at least temporarily. Glover, 48, will get back behind the wheel of a Ron Martin-owned modified car for the Lon Skinner Memorial race Sept. 2-3 at the White City oval. "It’s been a long time since I’ve had much seat time, but I’m really looking forward to this race," Glover says. "The Lon Skinner race is always a good one to go out and have some fun with the boys." Glover finished seventh at a race in Chowchilla, Calif., last September, but that’s the only time he’s competed since 2001. Advertisement The Medford chrome plating business owner has a glowing resume from the past, however. He dominated the modified class in 1996 when he won 15 main events — including the first five races in White City — en route to the points title. He claimed another points title in 1998. "The competition is a lot tougher now," Glover says. "There were maybe four or five guys who could realistically win back then. Now there’s eight or 10. "But I’m going to give it my best shot." Glover will operate a Pro Chassis car that is owned by Martin. The car is equipped with a monoleaf suspension system that Glover used to rule races in the 1990s. Most of the modified cars have gone to what’s known as a swing arm suspension system. "The new suspensions create more forward drive," Martin says. "They work great on a smooth, slick track but not so well on a rough track that has a lot of moisture and traction. Under those conditions, the old leaf suspensions are still superior. "Needless to say, Tom will be hoping for a rough, tacky track." Glover, who paired with Martin in the late 1990s to form the most successful racing team in Southern Oregon, retired following the death of his father-in-law, Clancy Johnson, in 2001. Johnson had owned Medford Plating prior to his death. "I got a lot busier at work," Glover says. "Plus, my kids were playing sports, and I didn’t want to miss any of their games." But with only one child still in school and the business on firm footing, Glover has more time to pursue an old hobby. "Racing never gets out of your blood," Glover says. "I’m not 25 anymore and this isn’t Charlotte Motor Speedway, but I might still have a couple of good races in me. "And when Ron Martin puts a car in front of you, it’s hard to say no." Will the Lon Skinner Memorial kick-start a Tom Glover revival? "We’re going to run this race and see what happens from there," Glover says. MARTIN’S OTHER driver, Jon DeBenedetti, will be one of the favorites at the Lon Skinner race. DeBenedetti has two major victories to his credit this summer — the Northwest Modified Nationals at Elma, Wash., on June 18 and the Oregon Modified Nationals in Cottage Grove on July 16. DeBenedetti also performed credibly at the Alltel 100 in Batesville, Ark., earlier this month. He endured a mid-race crash to finish 16th in the $100,000-to-win race that is billed as the world’s richest modified event. "He came from 31st place to 16th over the final 18 laps," Martin says. "Considering who he was up against, that was impressive." The race featured NASCAR standouts Bill Elliott and Kasey Kahne. BRUCE RAYBURN endured one of the summer’s most spectacular crashes during last Saturday’s modified main event. The Eagle Point race car builder slammed into the front straightaway wall after touching wheels with Yreka, Calif.’s, Travis Peery. "I’d been running on the outside of the track all night and had a good head of steam coming out of (turns) three and four," Rayburn says. "He (Peery) moved up about a foot, our front tires collided and my car went straight up." Rayburn hit the wall on the driver’s side but he suffered only minor injuries — a sprained wrist and bruised left ankle. "It showed that my cars are built tough, but I’d just as soon not be the guinea pig," said Rayburn, a 29-year racing veteran. Rayburn’s last serious wreck came eight years ago at Lebanon, when he hit the end of a concrete barrier. "That one left my face black and blue," he says. Saturday’s accident destroyed the front end of Rayburn’s car and about $1,000 worth of other parts, but he plans to have it repaired in time for the Lon Skinner Memorial Sept. 2-3 at the speedway. WITH THE WAY Frank Word III is racing these days in the pro stock division, it almost takes a perfect performance to knock him out of the winner’s circle. Jared Morrill ran that perfect race last Saturday, holding off repeated passing attempts by Word to post his first feature win of the summer. "I knew he was back there just waiting for me to make a mistake, but I kept a calm head," Morrill, 19, said. "I definitely earned it." Morrill also defeated Word in a hotly contested trophy dash. Word had posted four straight wins prior to Saturday. In his last seven starts, the pro stock points leader has five victories and two seconds. SHADY COVE chiropractor Scott Lenz notched his third modified main event win of the summer last Saturday at the Yreka (Calif.) Speedway. Lenz just missed a clean sweep, taking second in his heat before winning the trophy dash. The Yreka track will host a $3,000-to-win modified race — the Mountain Challenge — on Sept. 23-24. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail Glover vows to race in Lon Skinner event ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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