Jonnie Varga
4 Time Champion



6/28 Orlando Speedworld was rained out on Friday and Saturday night was almost rained out. Jonnie skillfully maneuvered his #2 on the damp track for the heat race and was able to pull off the win. Later in the evening the track was good and the blue deuce was able to do it again putting the #2, 2 for 2 last night at Auburndale. The incredible year continues with 28 wins to date!

6/20 Saturday Team Valvoline was back at Auburndale Speedway for our regular points night. Jonnie was leading the heat race and on the last lap was spun out in turn three by another car. That other car was eventually black flagged and put to the last finishing spot for the heat race. For the feature race Jonnie was anxious to get to the front. The green flag flew and the cars were three wide in turn one and that didn't work out too good. They restarted the race again and another crowd of cars piled into turn one. The next attempt would be a single file restart and the race was underway! Jonnie wasted no time getting to the front and would go on to win the feature race.

6/19 Friday night Orlando Speedworld hosted a Bandolero Regional event. Jonnie started third in the 25 lap feature race and was able to get to second in the first lap. The 89 car out of South Carolina was
very fast and Jonnie drove hard to catch him. The 2 stayed within a car lenght of the 89 but would not catch him that night. Jonnie took home the second place trophy for the regional race.

6/15 Jonnie is in the top ten for national points! When all of Jonnie's races are posted he will be well into the top ten in the country. There are currently 125 bandolero drivers around the nation and you can view the standings at www.600racing.com Go to points, click on bandoleros, and then you can click on the drivers name to see race results. Jonnie shows in 17th place only because he waiting for four more wins to be posted!

6/28 Jonnie's Rookie bandolero season is going great. Here are the 2009 statistics so far.

Wins - 28        Second Place - 10        Third Place - 2

6/13 "Pass in the grass" gives Jonnie another Auburndale win! There was a good crowd on hand for the Saturday night racing at Auburndale Speedway. The bandolero feature event was off to a good start and the blue deuce was running in the second position. The laps were going by fast and Jonnie still had a couple car lengths to make it to the leader. The race was down to three laps remaining and the #2 was needing a caution flag real bad. Finally the #99 car spun out in turn 1 to bring out the much needed caution. The restart would give Jonnie the chance he needed to win the race with only three laps to go. Jonnie got tight on the leader and waited for the green. The green flag dropped and Jonnie floored it looking to the inside of the leader. The lead car made the mistake of leaving just enough room for the blue 2 to get under him. The two cars roughed each other up and Jonnie came out of turn two in the lead and went on to win this heated race. The compitition showed their frustration by making an outlandish comment that the #2 was in the grass to make the pass. The grass is about four feet from the inside of the track, there are 3" rumble strips between the track and the grass, there is about a 3" drop off from the track to the rumble strips, and our front left ride height to the frame is about 1 1/4". So whatever the excuse is the fact is that the second car made the move he knew he had to make to win the race.

6/12 Team Valvoline headed to Orlando Speedworld friday night to pick up some nation points. Jonnie started the race in the fourth position and within one lap was leading the race. The six car field could only see the back bumper as Jonnie cruised to a 1/4 track lead to win the feature event. There must be a minimum of five cars in order to get 100 points for a win. The 100 points is for the INEX national points standings. Jonnie's complete points should be posted this week. We will post the link.

6/6 Jonnie wins at Desoto Super Speedway. Just a short two and a half hour drive to the south is Desoto Super Speedway in Bradenton, Florida. It was well worth the trip to see the #2 Valvoline car get by a few spin outs and accidents to beat the entire seven car field of young guns and bandits! The feature was just as exciting until a lapped car almost ruined our day by being too slow in the fast lane. Jonnie held on to finish first, winning his fourth straight Florida Touring Series race.

5/30 Saturday night's short track race at Auburndale full of excitement. The night's excitement started with Jonnie finishing first in the bandolero heat race. After installing a plug in a hole in the right rear tire we headed to the track for the feature race. Jonnie was smooth, the plug held air, and the blue deuce cruised to an easy victory. Later on one of the stock car races ended with a fist fight in the infield, a driver/boxer being taised by a Sheriff's Deputy, a female wrestling match in the grandstands, and the Orlando Magic making it to the NBA Championship finals! www.auburndaleracing.com  

5/25 This past weekend's races were canceled due to all of the rain. This Friday we will try it again by racing at Orlando Speedworld and Saturday at Auburndale. Jonnie will try his best to finish first and add some valuable points to his current national point standings. Jonnie is still waiting for his other race results to be posted at which time we expect him to be in the top ten in the nation. Not bad for this bandolero rookie driver!

5/16 Jonnie wins the heat and the feature at Auburndale. A couple of bandolero race teams have disappeared from Auburndale's Saturday night racing. It's too bad because Auburndale is a great track, with a nice crowd of spectators at every race. I hope these teams can find a win at another track and then maybe they will come back and try again at Auburndale. Team Valvoline will be heading out to Orlando Speedworld on Friday nights because we like to race will a larger field of cars because the competition is good learning for everyone! We are already committed to racing the full season at Auburndale so we will just keep racing and hope the field gets larger in time.

5/9 It was a 93 degree day at Auburndale Speedway on Saturday. Things would only get hotter on the track as Jonnie tried to make his way around another car on the outside coming down the backstretch. Unfortunately the inside car drifted up to the wall not knowing the blue deuce was there and both cars took on some heavy damage. The #2 was taken off the track by the wrecker and the Valvoline crew started the repairs. With only minutes to spare Jonnie was back in his repaired car and ready for the feature event. The 15 lap feature went good as Jonnie won yet another race at Auburndale and the 9am spring football game the same day!

5/8 Last December Jonnie drove in his first ever bandolero race at Orlando Speedworld and finished second. This past Friday Jonnie showed up again looking for a win. There were seven cars in the race and Jonnie's pill draw put him on the last row. The #2 car made it's way through the cars towards the front. Finally the end of the race was near and Jonnie had just one car to beat for the win. The leader seemed to go low after coming out of turns two and four almost like a blocking type move. The #2 was clearly faster so on the last lap Jonnie stayed on the outside in turns three and four and made a remarkable pass on the outside at a flat track for the win by about four feet!

5/3 Jonnie wins at Citrus County Speedway! The quarter mile high banked track in Inverness, Florida was no match for the blue deuce. Jonnie was able to get on the track with a few other cars the night before the race so that we could gather some good information for our race day set up. With the set up changes complete Jonnie rolled onto the track Saturday night ready to give the large crowd a good show. There was a lot of passing by all of the drivers and when the checkered flag flew it was the #2 Valvoline car in the lead for the win. This gives Jonnie three wins in a row for the Florida Touring Series and he continues to lead the points race.

4/26 Saturday was another good day at Auburndale Speedway. We had some real nice weather and a good crowd on hand for the races. Jonnie placed second in the heat race and later that evening won the feature! Jonnie was able to set his personal best time during that race as he continues to get faster every weekend. Wish us luck as we head to Citrus County Speedway next Saturday for the Florida Touring Series.

4/18 Jonnie wins the feature at Auburndale! The day typically starts with a couple practice sessions before the heat races. Jonnie went out for the second practice and ran his fastest lap ever at Auburndale. Feeling everything was ready for the race we fueled up and made our final checks before the heats. The heat race was full of action and with a last lap pass on the outside Jonnie was able to take second. The feature race was also full of action. Jonnie started in the fourth position because of the two Young Guns starting in the front. Even with a spin out in turn two and going to the back, Jonnie raced hard to make it to the front and win another feature race at Auburndale. Jonnie is currently leading the points at Auburndale Speedway and the Floirda Touring Series.

4/15 The crew chief continues to get in shape at Golds Gym of St. Cloud. It has taken a little over over three months to shed 22 pounds! The extra energy comes in handy with the late night racing and 2am trips back home. Jonnie is staying in shape with his new spring football program. He is taking a break from the gym while he practices a couple times a week. Thanks Golds Gym!

4/12 Mistakes cost Jonnie the feature win. Jonnie's streak ended with a second place finish in the heat race. Jonnie was close but just didn't have enough laps left to catch the other car. We weren't too concerned because with only one Young Gun racing that night that would Jonnie in the third starting position. But that good starting spot would go out the window as two drivers acted as if it was there first race and did not get to their designated spots. Then the anxious flagman made a stupid mistake and through the green flag with the drivers in the wrong starting positions. Jonnie was able to make it to the front and with two laps remaining had a good position to pass the leader in 3 and 4 when then the race leader drifted down in 3 and 4 making contact with Jonnie slowing his advance. Oh well, we will take the second place finish and not be so polite next time out.

4/12 The Harmony Community School has once again put out the list of students for the "Short Horn Roundup".
The roundup is for all of the students with A-B grades throughout the school and Jonnie has once again come through with his grades! Good job Jonnie.

4/11 Team Valvoline adds Atlanta dates to the 2009 schedule. It looks like we can make the July 2nd race and the Bandolero Nationals on July 24th and 25th. See the schedule page for all of the 2009 race dates.

4/5 The Florida Touring Series took to the road this weekend and we found ourselves at a new track. That track would be Desoto Super Speedway near Bradenton Florida. At first sight the inner track for the bandoleros didn't look like much. It was a D shape similar to the shape of Daytona but it was of course much smaller, flat, rough, and even dirty! With only a few practice seasons we were not sure what we had for a race car but we were going to find out soon. The crew chief started off the day with some good luck by drawing a #2 for his driver and that would put Jonnie on the pole for the heat race. Jonnie was able to lead the pack for almost the entire race when with two laps to go the 39 car came in real low under Jonnie in 3 and just couldn't hold it down. The 39 came up the track and hit the 2 car lifting it into the air  and they both went off the track in a pile. After several tense minutes we could finally see Jonnie being pushed back onto the track minus a couple body parts. The 39 would not be so lucky, he would be done for now. The officials waved Jonnie to the front and the race would restart with two laps to go. Jonnie managed to keep the #2 Valvoline in the front for the last two laps but we had to take care of some damage before the feature. With some blue tape, a couple quick fix mechanical repairs, and some more good luck we were ready for the feature. The other drivers could smell blood as the blue Dodge bandolero limped out for the line up. Jonnie has won every feature race this year and this could be the chance they have been waiting for. The race began and for the feature the older Young Gun bandolero drivers were added to the mix to gaurantee a great show. Jonnie was angry and you could see that in his driving style. Jonnie not only held off the other bandolero bandits but he also managed to pass two other Young Gun drivers and win his 11th straight race! Jonnie is leading the Florida Touring Series points with back to back wins!

3/29 Jonnie Varga posts his 9th straight win! The Saturday night audience had a couple special quests this weekend. Grandma and Papa came down from Smyrna, Georgia to show their support for Team Valvoline. Jonnie wanted to give them their moneys worth so he raced from the last row to win the heat race. Later he would lead the entire 15 lap Bandit race and finish first again and to win his ninth bandolero race in a row at Auburndale. Next week we are off to Desoto Speedway for the second race of the Florida Touring Series.

3/22 Last lap pass makes it 7 in a row at Alburndale. Jonnie started on the last row for the heat race and drove to the front to win the heat race. After many long feature races it was about 11pm when the Bandit race hit the track. Jonnie would start on the pole but would not be in the front for long. On lap two a half awake driver hit Jonnie's rear bumper between turns one and two sending Jonnie spinning towards the wall. Fortunately the #2 Valvoline car stopped just short of an impact. Jonnie fired up the car and kept driving since the yellow flag was not brought out! As Jonnie raced to catch the pack a car spun bringing out the caution for a restart. That would be just what Jonnie needed to have a chance to get back to the front. When the green flag flew Jonnie started towards the front. Each lap he would pick off and car but laps were running out. The 38 car had a couple car length lead and the white flag came out. It looked like we would be finishing second tonight when a couple cars in the back got together and wrecked. The caution came out again and it was going to be a green/white finish. The field was lined up and the green and white flags were flying. Jonnie drove his blue Dodge Charger Bandolero deep into one and the 38 car made the mistake of leaving a little room at the bottom of turn two. Jonnie saw the space and floored it! He had just enough room to get even with the other car and raced him up the backstretch. The #2 would win the drag race, keep it fast through turns 3 and 4, and shoot out to the finish line with the other car not too far behind.

3/20 Team Valvoline has been taking advantage of Gold's Gym in St. Cloud. Jonnie is working hard in the Kids Fit program and will be ready to take up his position as an offensive and defensive end for the spring football season. Meanwhile the crew chief has been working out a few times a week and has been able to shed almost 15 pounds! Being in shape is the best way to make it through a long 12 hour race day at the track.