Local law enforcement officers are racing to raise money for kids at the Ocean Speedway this Friday night.
Scotts Valley police and other law enforcement agencies throughout Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, will participate in raising money for Special Olympics Northern California through the Fifth Annual Police in Pursuit event from 6 to 10 p.m. at 2601 East Lake Avenue in Watsonville.
This year, there will be 15 cars on the track, driven by two officers from the Scotts Valley Police Department, along with officers from California State Parks, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Capitola, San Jose, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Watsonville police departments. There will be 10 returning drivers and five first-timers.
“When we first started, there was only seven of us, and now its grown and doubled in size,” said John Hohmann, part-time SVPD officer and retired lieutenant of 30 years. “We’ve doubled the amount of money we’ve raised, so each year gets bigger.”
Hohmann has organized the event for the last six years and was last year’s top cop, winning first place with the “01” car.
The Police in Pursuit event proved to be so popular with the public that the Ocean Speedway gave the officers four races a year.
“In order to race this Friday, each officer has to raise a minimum of $750; however, for this first race, your starting position is based on how much you raise,” Hohmann explained. “So, the object is to raise as much money as you can because you want to start the race at the front, rather than being in last place.”
Collectively, the law enforcement agencies have succeeded in raising nearly $15,000 for Special Olympics Northern California.
“That (money) goes to Special Olympics of Northern California and benefits our local athletes,” Hohmann said. “Santa Cruz County has roughly 120 local athletes that compete in a variety of different sports; from track and field to aquatics, basketball, tennis, and softball.”
“Every year, that money allows them and their families — at no charge to them — to attend the summer games that are held every year at UC Davis.”
Besides raising money for the entrance fee, the officers must find sponsors to help pay for the maintenance on the race cars as well.
“Racing is not cheap: To own a race car — it costs money,” Hohmann said. “Law enforcement doesn’t make a lot of money so we have to find sponsors for parts, repairs, and all sorts of stuff to get it race-ready.”
Hohmann said that he and half of the other officers participating in the race obtained their vehicles through Lifesaver Towing in Santa Cruz, having purchased his 1994 Plymouth Acclaim for $1.
“When we come onto the track we have everything from Toyota Corolla four-bangers, to V-6s, all the way up to V-8s,” he said.
Mike Birley, the second officer representing SVPD, is embarking upon his third year as a driver, having won sixth place over the four-race season last year racing the “02” car.
“Currently, I race a 1991 Toyota Corolla that we originally got from Lifesaver Towing,” Birley explained.
Right now, Birley says he is about $30 short of his $750 mark.
“We still have a bunch of guys that haven’t even hit their $750 mark yet, but a lot of money flows in at the very end,” he said.
All of the vehicles are smaller — no SUVs or pickups will be used in the 15-lap race — and the cars are painted to look like the representing agency’s patrol cars.
“The whole concept is to make it look like your agency’s patrol car,” Hohmann explained.
The Scotts Valley Police department focuses on local businesses and the community for donations for their race.
“We try to get any parts or whatever from the local businesses here,” Birley said, “we try to make it as community orientated in Scotts Valley as possible, which so far has worked out great.”
Duncan Auto is Birley’s main sponsor, with Winchester Auto, Batteries Plus, Skip’s Tires, A Sign ASAP, and the Santa Cruz Armory providing monetary donations and parts as well.
Canepa Design in Scotts Valley is sponsoring Hohmann’s car, with Winchester Auto, Batteries Plus, A Sign ASAP, Chapman Automotive, and My Scotts Valley web page helping out by supplying paint, decals/stickers, monetary donations, and other supplies.
“He bought this piece of junk for a dollar or something that he got, and then we had to at least fix it up so he could race it,” said Bruce Canepa, owner of Canepa Design in Scotts Valley.
After doing a zero-to-60 test, Canepa’s crews were able to take almost everything out of the car except the engine to increase the performance.
Canepa said that they removed 400 pounds of garbage from the car, including all the air conditioning, interior trim, and insulation. They then opened up the air-cleaner system to get more air into the engine.
“We put a roll bar in John’s car and a racing seat, and racing belts and a fire extinguisher,” Canepa explained.
Canepa decided to implement these safety measures after a car flipped on the track during a past Police in Pursuit race.
“I am trying to get (Hohmann) to convince every guy out there to do the same thing to their cars, it’s too dangerous,” Canepa said.
This will be the third year that Canepa is sponsoring Hohmann’s car — having been a monetary sponsor for the three years prior.
This is the only event of its type, being a fundraiser for the Special Olympics and a fun way for officers to compete against each other, Birley said.
“It used to be just Santa Cruz County that did it, so that was pretty localized and now we are pulling from San Jose and Santa Clara P.D.,” he explained. “It’s just going to get bigger and bigger I think.”
Last year, Police in Pursuit raised about $13,000 for Special Olympics Northern California.
“The great thing about the Police in Pursuit, is that not only does it provide a great family event for our local families and their kids to go out to, but it raises money for Special Olympics, which is a wonderful organization,” said Scotts Valley Police Chief John Weiss, “so we are supporting the athletes and doing something fun in our community.”
For additional information about Special Olympics Northern California or to make a donation or sponsor a car for Police in Pursuit, visit: www.sonc.org/events/our-fundraisers/police-pursuit-watsonville.
