Turkey Night Grand Prix; FANS GOBBLE UP NOVEMBER CLASSIC.(NEWS)

Byline: MARK VAUGHN

You could say that the racing off-season separates real fans from those just looking for an infield party. Anyone can be a fan during the regular season, but you find the true blues at off-beat off-season events such as the Chili Bowl, Daytona testing and, in Irwindale, Calif., the 68th running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix.

First run in 1934, the Turkey Night Grand Prix has been held every Thanks-giving except during the war years at Southern California's greatest ovals. Its list of winners is as good as any in American racing: Bill Vukovich, Johnny Parsons, Tony Bettenhausen, A. J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Gary Bettenhausen, Jason Leffler and Tony Stewart. Those who competed but never won are just as famous: Rodger Ward, Pancho Carter, Sleepy Tripp, P. J. Jones, J. J. Yeley and Kasey Kahne.

But it's more than a race, it's a tradition. Families park motor homes in the paddock the night before and roast huge turkeys with all the trimmings, which they serve on long plastic tables to racers, mechanics, girlfriends and various relations. Racing greats from other series who just can't get enough ovals in their regular seasons come here for the sheer love of the sport. And thousands of Southern California families alter the Norman Rockwell notion of the perfect Thanksgiving by throwing in some racing gasoline every year.

"It's our duty, it's our honor, to continue this tradition, said J. C. Agajanian Jr., whose family owns the rights to the event and whose father made SoCal circle-track racing famous. "This goes from grandfathers to sons to grandsons. This is a chance for great racing families to get together to honor this sport we love.

Two families who grew up racing togetherthe Joneses and the Pedregonswere on hand at Turkey Night. Parnelli Jones won the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1964. His son P.J. raced this year for Cruz Pedregon. Pedregon just won the NHRA Funny Car championship a few weeks before ("Back on Top, AW, Nov. 24). Both families have two generations of racing champions, with Turkey Night a big part of it all.

"I grew up in Southern California and attended a lot of Turkey Night races at Ascot in the dirt, said Pedregon. "It means a lot to me. If I could win this race as a car owner, it'd be huge in my career.