Week 6-4th

It's been a high and low couple of weeks in the team-seventy camp, from the loss of a car to the fastest lap I've ever turned on the 5/8's at Monroe. I am really proud of the effort the Total Velocity Race Team puts in week in and week out, but there was something special about the last couple weeks.

Practice.
We unloaded on Saturday after working right up until the very last second on the older car, the White Knight. We had spent the better part of every night for the previous two weeks meticulously going over every component, nut and bolt, even cut some stuff off with the plasma cutter and welded other stuff on (I could tell ya, but then I'd have to...you know the line).

First practice went off and I was breaking in the engine (rebuilt from the destroyed car), the brakes and making sure the car felt alright before coming up to speed. I hadn't even got the thing out of 3rd gear when I was on the radio, "This thing in darting to the left and right, it's not stable. Something is seriously wrong." After a few laps the practice was ended because another car wrecked and they had to clean up the track.

We got back to the pit and I was calmly freaking out. It was that feeling of not wanting to freak out, but being really nervous things were going to be really awful all day. After we'd worked so hard I wanted to push the limits and have a great night, but I wasn't comfortable in the car, not good.

Steve, my crew chief, came up to me and said, "I need you to get your head screwed on straight, tell me what the car needs and let's get it fixed." I did just that. The guys went to work. They tightened every moving component on the car. We run our tolerances real close so a little wiggle here or some play in that joint there and I can feel it. They went through the whole car with a fine tooth comb, checking everything. Good news, they found some stuff. That's the one bummer about not being able to test a newly prepared car. When you test you can double check stuff over and over, but because it was race day we only had 2 practices, then it was time to qualify.

Qualifying.
Let's just say Roger and I talked about how I was going to drive my car during qualifying. We went over it a couple times. He told me to trust the car, that it would stick. My first lap was a 23.2, which matched the fastest I'd ever went in the other car before it was wrecked. My next lap was a 23.066 which was the fastest lap I've ever turned on the 5/8's by 2 tenths! I was jacked! I believe that lap is the 4th quickest qualifying lap with a crate motor on that track. I already hold the 3rd and 4th quickest lap ever with a crate motor on the 3/8's (someone took the time to research those stats at mylaps.com).

Trophy Dash.
I qualified 2nd and made the trophy dash. We changed over to some practice tires, but didn't adjust the car for those tires. It wasn't very fast for the dash and I finished the dash in 4th.

Race.
I started in 4th position, 2nd row outside. I got a decent start and settled in 3rd place for a while. Joe Constance was just ahead of me with Travis Bennet out front. I made the pass on Joe coming off turn 4 early in the race and got to 2nd. Travis and I then checked out by about a straight away on the field. For a while I closed on him, but he was too good that night. We just maintained the separation, about 8 car lengths.

Part way through the race I developed a push in the center of the corner. Little did I know it would be the beginning of the end of my charge to the lead. The push in the center became a push into the corner, and eventually a push on exit also. I surrendered 2nd place after a restart to Naima cause the car wouldn't turn very good, and then late in the race Dan Moore got me getting into turn 3. I ended up 4th on the night, which was great.

We got back to the pits and looked the car over. I was amazed to find a separated tire. The right front rubber had actually peeled away like a banana peel revealing the cords of the tire. The tire was losing air as a result, and I finished with just about 10 lbs. instead of the 30lbs. target. At that point I was thankful for 4th place because a blown RF tire usually results in meeting the outside wall.

Overall.
The race day was a huge success. We had a good showing, some really high moments, especially qualifying. For my guys to build a car in two weeks, unload it from the trailer, qualify 2nd and go the fastest our team has been around that track with a crate motor is a testament to the many great people who make our race team work.

The last two weeks were trying, to the core. I wanted to throw in the towel on the season after the "weapon" was killed in the crash and fire. The loss of that car challenged me, and everyday working to get back to the track was, at times, labor some.

All in all many people made this weekend possible; my crew, the few friends who came up to me and gave me a present to help rebuild, my sister and Ryan (he is quite the decal remover), and the support of so many. I was reminded about Eric Liddel the runner whose story was told in the movie Chariots of Fire. When challenged Eric said this, "I know God has made me for a serious purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure."

I've felt that way these past weeks. My purpose is to build the local church and serve the Lord with everything I am. At the same time He made me fast, and when I race, I too, feel His pleasure." See ya next weekend.