Strange is getting to be normal for Worsham
By Bob Wilber
Photos by Ron Lewis
Popular Checker, Schuck's, Kragen driver Del Worsham enters the Auto Club Finals in Pomona with a clear assignment sitting in front of him. He simply must win rounds, two of them to be exact, if he wants to attend the NHRA POWERade Awards Ceremony in Palm Springs on Monday, Nov. 13. Worsham, you see, is currently sitting 11th in the POWERade standings, and only the top ten drivers are invited to end-of-year banquet. Working in Worsham's favor is the current disposition of Whit Bazemore, who is idle and earning no points, but Worsham still enters the weekend a full 62 markers behind, meaning he must advance to the semi-final to earn the final spot on the stage. It won't be easy, but if yet another dose of that strange Pomona magic should visit the Worsham camp, it just might be done.
Throughout the last few years, Worsham has come to this season-ending event with specific goals in mind, and more times than not he has managed to accomplish those goals. In doing so, he has also been a part of some of the strangest wins of his career. Call it "home field advantage" for the Chino Hills resident, or call it simple good fortune, but Worsham has always accepted his Pomona fate and wouldn't think twice about it
should the oddball happenings fall his way again.Back in 2001, Worsham entered Pomona in fourth place on the points sheet, but he had Ron Capps firmly in his sight for the third position. Taking matters into his own hands, Worsham defeated Capps in round one, but then had to advance all the way to the final round to secure the No. 3 spot for the first time in his career. As history shows, he did just that, and as he lined up to face Bazemore in that final, Worsham was looking to add a little icing to the cake he had just secured. Seconds later, when Worsham smoked the tires at the hit of the throttle, it appeared he had won the battle for third place only to lose the race, but the win light was, strangely, already on in his lane. Bazemore had fouled at the start, handing the win to the tire-smoking Worsham.
In 2003, the result was the same but the finish even more bizarre. Facing teammate Cory Lee in the final round, Worsham knew he had finished yet another successful season, while he also knew his friend and teammate was desperately looking for his first career win. It was the first time, and to this point remains the only time, two Worsham cars have ever lined up in the final, and what happened is still the subject of conversations which begin with "Do you remember when...?" Worsham inexplicably jumped the gun at the tree, lighting the red bulb to hand Lee his first-ever win. But Lee, unaware of Worsham's transgression, fought to keep his car going straight and refused to lift off the throttle as he neared the center line. When he crossed that painted barrier, he handed the win back to Worsham to complete a "believe it or not" sequence of mistakes.