WEEKEND REFLECTIONS: RACING

We are definitely in full swing with the race season and this weekend did not disappoint. You can link to the Evergreen story here .

Practice.
Last weekend the monster trucks and other Memorial Day weekend festivities were in town at Evergreen. WOW, the track was filthy, meaning, I was spin out loose getting into the corner and as soon as you left the groove down low there was not much bite. We went to work to tighten the car up, but the next practice the track was cleaner and the car was too tight. We went to work to loosen the car back up, but were out of practices...it was a little frustrating because I didn't know what to expect in qualifying.

Qualifying.
We ran a 17.7. The car was uncomfortably loose into the corner, tight in the center and loose off. We went to work for the heat race.

Heat Race.
I started 1st row outside and the car was good into the corner, a little tight in the center and loose off, but because the rubber was new we went pretty good and finished 2nd. Up next was the race.

Main Event.
It was a 12 car invert! In racing that is pretty tough, but it was cool because Scott and Fred were on the front row and they were stoked. The green flag flew and we were racing, but I was boxed in like a sardine. Not only that, but my car was a little loose off the corner; loose early is bad stuff. For about the first 10 laps I was pinned in with the 12 car in front, the 38 outside and the 39 behind. When we finally got some room to race Naima was making a run on the outside of me. I drove into turn one and we bumped tires, his left rear to my right front; we both went around. I was sent to the back for being involved in the caution. At that point I was pretty focused and needed to get up on the wheel; just then the carnage of the night would start. It felt like we were under caution forever as there was incident after incident. After one of the restarts there was a wreck in front of me on the back stretch that spread out pretty fast. One of the cars was coming right at me and I had to throw it to the left and into the grass, mash the gas and hope for the best. We missed it. After that restart we kept battling for position and got one more until another caution. After the next restart there was a huge wreck coming out of turn four in front of me. The leader and cars in 2nd-5th were involved. I barely missed it again moving to 4th place. I ended up fourth on the night.

My reflections.
1) WOW! Saturday night I think we drove as many laps under caution as we did under green, there were a bunch of wrecks.
2) After Naima and I touched wheels I was a bit frustrated. It was such close racing at that point. I watched it on video today. We just touched wheels, and for that we wear helmets.
3) My car wasn't 4th place good. I was the benefactor of some misfortune of other guys who wrecked pretty bad. I hope they fix their cars and get back out there.
4) Tom Hugh's get my Allstate Good Hands Driving Award for Saturday night. He was so loose on exit I could see "ALL" the tread on his left front tire.
5) Scott did good and lead a bunch of laps. Good for him!
6) When I got out of the car I looked for a full moon, it was a weird night of racing. A lot of carnage!
7) I talked with my guys today and the car will be better next week, so I can run up front some more.
8) I couldn't do this without the guys: Scott, Mike, Steve, Dano, Will, Clayton, John. Thanks guys for being so faithful. We will get one soon!