Krob invited to compete in
USAC’s Southwest series

The Hawaii Motor Speedway will be looking to crown a few new champions tonight, but two of its most-seasoned veterans may steal the show.

Dean Freitas of Makakilo is the only driver with the luxury of winning a title just by showing up. In five of the other seven classes, fewer than 550 points separate first place from second, putting each championship on the line. Freitas leads by more than 1,000.

But the best racing and loudest cheers may be found in a class that doesn't give out a trophy.

Former funny-car champion Dennis Krob will be running against five other drivers in the nonchampionship class of nonwinged sprint cars.

Krob won the second of an All-Star event against drivers of the Southwest USAC series and has been invited to join them on their home track at Tucson, Ariz., over New Year's Eve and again in May, when Hawaii Motor Speedway general manager Jerry Apana will send 10 local cars and drivers to the mainland. The USAC has sent teams to Apana's track in each of the past two years. Qualifying for the 10 spots hasn't begun, and Krob is the only driver with a guarantee of being in the field.

Krob, 46, is originally from the Southwest and has a daughter attending Arizona State, but he hasn't raced on the tracks where he got his start in more than 18 years. He will be using championship night to fine-tune skills needed to overcome the home-track advantage USAC guys are expected to enjoy.

As if the rumble of cars spraying dirt from an oval track isn't enough to get the attention of the community surrounding Campbell Industrial Park, the drag racing side of the operation will hold its championship at the same time next door at Hawaii Raceway Park.

The Auto Value Parts Stores' South Pacific Championships will showcase drivers such as Michael Sittman, Leonard Barboza, Darryl Fukumoto and Scott Kaichi.

Drag racing begins at 6 p.m. and the stock cars hit the track at 7 p.m.