Jefferson State Jalopies Are A Part Of The Roster
At Siskiyou Golden Speedway
Yreka,
CA...What better way to honor the proposed 51st State of Jefferson than
to create a new division of race car and name it after the state. This
is exactly what JJ Smith and Karl Bernstein did. Both guys are a part of
the racing community at Siskiyou Golden Speedway, and Karl raced Stock
Cars there in the past. The duo looked around at the roster and decided
the track needed something else.
This is where
the Jefferson State Jalopies come in. The duo aren't working with a huge
budget, and it takes a bit of time to build one of these cars right.
They take old truck frames and build cages for them. What they have come
up with is sort of a throwback division. They've been compared to the
old Modifieds of the past. They kind of remind me of a bigger version of
a Dwarf Car. One thing is for sure, they are a unique class.
The bare bones of a Jefferson State Jalopy.
The
idea behind these cars is to create something that won't break the
bank. In the old days, people were building cars from the chassis up in
their garage. We've shifted these days to people getting their chassis
and cars built and delivered to them, but there are still people who
remember the craft of building a race car. Since Smith and Bernstein are
starting the class themselves, they wanted to do something that
wouldn't be too expensive. Within reasonable budget, a racer can build
one of these four cylinder cars and join the fun in Yreka.
So
far, it's Smith and Bernstein guiding the class, and it's been a
process that began several years back. They've been numbering them as
they build them, so the very first car was #1XX. It received a yellow
paint job with the seal of The Great State of Jefferson on it. This car
has been driven mainly by three-time Yreka Mini Stock champion Marilyn
Yawnick. Marilyn has taken a liking to these cars and enjoys those
nights when she can race both a Mini Stock and a Jalopy.
The #3 Jalopy of Karl Bernstein.
The
second car got the #2 and a blue paint job. JJ Smith has taken the
driving duties of this car. The red #3 was the next to be built, and
frequently Karl Bernstein has been the one driving it. The #4 car came
next. It's being piloted by various different drivers throughout the
season, but Smith and Bernstein haven't stopped there. They've been
constructing a fifth car, which recently had the body mounted on it. It
should see the race track soon. We haven't heard, but it wouldn't be a
surprise if Smith and Bernstein already have their next truck frame to
begin building the sixth car.
Beginning in
2018, it was decided that these four cars needed to see the track. Two
of the cars were put on display at the Sportsman Expo at the Fairgrounds
in March of that year, and they managed to have a couple of exhibition
races later that year. When Kevin Barba came in as the Promoter, he
decided to not only run these cars, but he also decided to run them for
championship points. As with the other divisions, these drivers are
competing for trophies and points, but occasionally money as well.
It's
not really about racing for points with this class, but the importance
of points isn't insignificant. What it's doing is establishing that the
Jefferson State Jalopies have a place on the roster at Siskiyou Golden
Speedway. Even with four cars, the idea is to give the fans more of a
show than they would have gotten without the involvement of the
Jalopies. Smith and Bernstein take care to make sure that every one of
these cars is ready to go on race night. The emergence of the fifth car
means that they will have more work to do.
This
can also present a problem as occasionally Smith will discover an issue
with a car a day before the next scheduled race. These guys are all
about trying to deliver the best Jalopy show possible, so they haven't
let a mechanical issue prevent them from bringing four cars to the track
yet. The other thing about the Jefferson State Jalopies is they honor
the past. They honor the great history of Siskiyou Golden Speedway.
The #1xx Jalopy pays tribute to Yreka races who are no longer with us.
The
number #1XX Jefferson State Jalopy was painted by another past racer
from the track, Jeff Skalisky Painting. If you look at the back, you're
going to see the names of people who competed at the track and their car
numbers. They have all passed away, but they are not forgotten. This
includes such noteworthy competitors as John Arnberg #38, Chuck Beasley
#44, Bo Hittson #12, Cliff McGilvary #41 and Ben Foster #71. Smith and
Bernstein are not only proud to be living in the proposed 51st State of
Jefferson, they are also proud of the race track in what would be the
State's capital in Yreka.
Marilyn Yawnick
proudly staked her claim on the 2019 Jalopy championship. The track
managed to have a point battle during the pandemic of last year. Smith
ended up beating Yawnick by just four points and Bernstein by eight.
Smith won three of those races, and Karl Bernstein managed to get his
first win at one of the post season races. Yawnick has won a few races
along the way as well.
The good news is the
Jefferson State Jalopies will continue to be at Siskiyou Golden
Speedway. Smith won the season opener and seems to have hit his stride.
More good news is that we might even be seeing the fifth car at the next
race, which is currently booked for June 19th. There's nothing like a
bit of good old fashioned Jefferson State Jalopy fun at Siskiyou Golden
Speedway. To keep up with what's happening at the track, go to www.siskiyougoldenspeedway.com.
