Welfle makes racing debut at PAS with Figure 8, Demo Cross heats

Although Ryan Welfle's first racing night ended with a blown motor during the Demo Cross heat race April 25 at Perris Auto Speedway, the Fallbrook driver also completed the Figure 8 heat race earlier that night.

"It was fun," Welfle said of his racing debut.

Welfle competed in demolition derbies when he was in high school in The Dalles, Oregon, but had not raced until the April 25 Night of Destruction at Perris Auto Speedway. He moved from The Dalles to Fallbrook in 2004 due to his Marine Corps activity at Camp Pendleton, and although he returned to Oregon for two years in 2008 he came back to Fallbrook in 2010. Welfle has not participated in any demolition derbies since he moved to California.

This year's Perris Auto Speedway schedule includes five Night of Destruction competitions. Demo Cross is similar to a demolition derby in that drivers are allowed to take each other out. It differs in that it is run on an oval track and ends when the remaining drivers complete a specified number of laps rather than when only one car is running.

Demo Cross drivers are not allowed to drive in reverse. Another difference is that track personnel place obstacles such as tires, boats, and water barrels on the track. Debris from cars and inoperable cars themselves add to the original obstacles and, while a red flag may be thrown to stop the race for safety purposes, there are no yellow flag cautions to remove debris or inoperable cars.

Two races are run on the Figure 8 course: a regular Figure 8 race and a Trailer Figure 8 competition whose rules require the trailer to remain connected to the driver's car.

Welfle was in the stands for the March 28 Night of

Destruction. "Decided I think I want to do this," he said.

Welfle found a 1974 Cadillac Coupe De Ville on Craigslist and purchased the vehicle for conversion into a racecar. "I had to do a lot to it," he said.

In addition to gutting the street version of the car and building the racecar components, Welfle also obtained two sponsors during the four weeks between the first Night of Destruction and the April 25 races. Sonny's Muffler provided some of the conversion work, and Temecula Valley Paint donated the paint. Welfle also obtained three crew members: Garrett McCourt, Joe Cochrane, and Daniel Hopkins.

The Figure 8 course which utilizes part of the infield has an intersection known as the "x", but that intersection has no traffic lights or stop signs and drivers entering from opposite directions are at the mercy of each other. "Crossing the intersection was definitely interesting, something I'm going to have to get used to," Welfle said.

Welfle began the six-lap Figure 8 heat race on the inside of the second row. He was fifth after the first lap of the heat race and finished sixth. "I was pretty happy," he said. "I can't complain. It was more trying to get a feel for the track and seeing what I need to do."

The Demo Cross heat race was also six laps. Welfle started on the inside of the fourth row. He was fourth after the first lap. "I was doing really good," he said.

The Coupe De Ville was spun during the second lap. It ceased its forward motion near the end of the third lap. "Right after I got spun out was when the motor blew," Welfle said.

Welfle has his choice of two motors he can obtain and install to replace the failed one. He expects the car to be ready for the June 6 Night of Destruction races.

"Hopefully I'll have a lot

better performance on June 6," he said.