WATKINSON REMAINS THAT BIG KID AT HEART RACER LOVES SPORT AS MUCH NOW AS BEFORE.Byline: Arash Markazi Arash Markazi (born March 4, 1980) is an American sports journalist currently writing for Sports Illustrated. Markazi, who is of Persian decent, was born in Oklahoma City and raised in Los Angeles, graduating from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks in 1999. Staff Writer John Watkinson's hands are covered in grease grease, mixture of lubricant and thickener. It is used to reduce friction between surfaces from which oils would leak away or cause damage by dripping, or where lubrication must be assured for extended periods. Many greases are mixtures of mineral oil and soap. . His pants are stained with oil and his hair is pointing every which way from hours spent underneath a car. Watkinson's friends will say that is a typical description of the 45-year old racer racer, name for several related swift, slender snakes, especially those of the genus Coluber. All of the racers are nonpoisonous, nonconstricting, day-active snakes. The black racer, C. today, but paint that picture for his father and he doesn't see an adult - he pictures his little boy. ``He has always loved cars,'' said his father, John Watkinson John Taylor Watkinson (25 January 1941 – 21 September 2004) was a British Labour Party politician, barrister and teacher. Watkinson was elected Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire West in the October 1974 general election, but lost the seat in 1979 to the Jr. ``Even when he was 10 years old, he would go across the street and work on our neighbor's car for hours and come back home covered in grease. He just enjoyed being around cars.'' Despite growing older and raising a family of his own, not much has changed for Watkinson since those hot summer nights working under his neighbor's race car in Saugus. ``From the moment I saw my first race as a child, I knew I had a passion for it,'' said Watkinson, who grew up watching races and later competing at the old Saugus Speedway Speedway, town (1990 pop. 13,092), Marion co., central Ind., just W of Indianapolis; inc. 1926. The Indianapolis Speedway, site of the annual Indianapolis 500 car race, is located there. There is also light manufacturing. . ``It seems like it has always been a part of my life.'' After 25 years of competitive racing and nearing the end of his career, Watkinson now appears on the verge On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) is a play written by Eric Overmyer. It makes extensive use of esoteric language and pop culture references from the late nineteenth century to 1955. of winning his first championship. Although he has consistently finished near the top of the Grand American For sports car racing association formed in 1999, see . Grand American was a NASCAR sanctioned series of pony car stock cars. The series ran from 1968 until 1971. The series was sometimes called the Baby Grand series. Modified Division at Irwindale Speedway Irwindale Speedway is a motorsports facility located in Irwindale, California. It features banked, paved 1/2 and 1/3 mile oval tracks. It is mainly used for USAC sprint car and regional NASCAR races. , his first championship would come under unique circumstances. Going into last Saturday's race, Watkinson was 68 points behind Roger Carufel and all but conceded con·cede v. con·ced·ed, con·ced·ing, con·cedes v.tr. 1. To acknowledge, often reluctantly, as being true, just, or proper; admit. See Synonyms at acknowledge. 2. the championship to the 25-year-old upstart. But following the race, Robert Rice, who finished in sixth place, put a claim on Carufel's engine. Carufel won his third consecutive main event. Series rules state that a fellow competitor can claim the engine of a driver who finishes ahead of him for $750. The rule is in place so that drivers are hesitant hes·i·tant adj. Inclined or tending to hesitate. hes  i·tant·ly adv. to buy an expensive engine to make their car
go faster.
Carufel refused to give up his engine, consequently forfeited for·feit n. 1. Something surrendered or subject to surrender as punishment for a crime, an offense, an error, or a breach of contract. 2. Games a. all of his points and was suspended for the remainder of the season. In a matter of hours, Watkinson went from distant second to first place for the first time with three races to go. ``This would mean so much to me if I could finally win this,'' said Watkinson, who is the oldest racer at Irwindale Speedway. ``It would be like a big cloud lifted off my shoulder. It's kind of like winning a Super Bowl after so many years of trying and coming up short.'' Unlike many of his younger competitors who pour more money into their engines and often push their cars and themselves to the limit in hopes of winning every main event, Watkinson has stuck by his own simple game plan since he started. ``My goal is to bring the car home in one piece,'' said Watkinson, who works on his No. 98 Outlaw Oldsmobile by himself all week before taking it to the track on Saturday. ``In the process, I try to run a clean race and finish in the top five.'' Watkinson's strategy took a turn for the worse last year when he was involved in a major crash during the second race of the season which knocked him and his car out of action for close to two months. While he was sidelined, he was also hit with the news that his 87-year-old grandmother, Irene Ross, who Watkinson referred to as his ``good-luck grandma,'' had died. ``It was a real difficult time for me,'' Watkinson said. ``It kind of put racing in perspective.'' After returning to the track around midseason, Watkinson found himself in 21st place and basically decided he would turn the rest of the season into one big practice session. ``I basically threw last year away to find out what the car wanted,'' said Watkinson, who finished in seventh place despite missing nearly half of the races. ``I didn't have to worry about jeopardizing any championship points, so we basically tested the car every time out to find out what the car wanted this year.'' Watkinson's trial-and-error approach to last year has paid off this season as he has consistently finished in the top six and has been in the top three in the points standings all season. ``It would certainly be nice to win following the season we had a year ago,'' crew chief Todd Kessler said. ``No one is more deserving de·serv·ing adj. Worthy, as of reward, praise, or aid. n. Merit; worthiness. de·serv ing·ly adv. than John. He's a clean-cut driver who's going to
drive you hard, but he's also going to drive you fair.''
As Watkinson nears his first championship, he hesitates to say whether or not he would retire following the season. ``I would like to come back and defend my title if I win,'' Watkinson said. ``It would be a perfect ending, though. From the agony agony, n severe pain or extreme suffering. agony 1. death struggle. 2. extreme suffering. of defeat to the thrill of victory.'' While he ponders a possible retirement from the sport he has participated in for nearly three decades, his father can't believe that the little boy who would come home all covered in grease is now a husband and father who comes home all covered in grease. ``What is he, 45? You would think he would have other interests by now,'' said Watkinson Jr., who drives to every race with his wife from their San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. home. ``But he seems to make time for everything and has done a wonderful job.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Canyon Country resident John Watkinson is on the verge of his first-ever racing championship. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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