Mohave Valley Febuary 20th

Opening night at Mohave valley Raceway!
The luck of the Pill draw had me starting third in the 2nd heat race. However, the pole position car dropped out so I started in the first position.
On the start the outside car was able to get to the first turn and into the lead before me and I settled in to second. The car was working great, I am really happy with the new shocks I put on the front a few weeks ago. I was able to run high or low and after a lap or two I was catching the leader. Just as I was setting up to make an inside run on him his car died and I cruised past into the lead. I heard pressure from behind me, but I was able to hang on for the win.
The redraw for the main found me lined up fourth for the start. At the drop of the green we roared into the first turn, but the leader pushed way high and I had to left off the gas, that allowed the three cars on the inside to slip past and dropped me to 5th. A corner or two later I passed the pole sitter and moved to fourth. The car was working great, I had made a few adjustments after the heat and the car responded well, I could go low, high or in the middle, however the fastest way around seemed to be the high groove, right on the cushion. The top four raced pretty close, but soon the leader slipped over the cushion and I raced by moving to third. The car was still fast and every restart I was able to challenge for the next spot. One car was able to drive into my Left side knocking me out of the way and dropping me back to fourth and another car spun in front of me and I was able to move back to 3rd. I was racing along when suddenly going into the 3rd turn BANG! the engine locked up and I slid into the turn, right in the groove. I was a sitting duck I grabbed the wheel waiting to get drilled by another car, but everyone took evasive action and made it by me without further damage. However I was done, blown up, exploded , after getting the car pushed into the pits we found multiple hole in the oil pan.
After tearing the engine down Monday we found pretty much everything junk or needing repair.

We are now getting our backup engine ready for racing and we will be at the Las vegas Motor Speedway on Friday Night feb 26th .

Parhump 1/30/2010

Because of my poor finish last race I was started up front in the heat race. On the start the second place car was able to get past but I held on for second. The car was working well, my new Interga dry slick front shocks from BRYKE racing seemed to be working great. I stayed with the leader and a few laps later he spun into the infield and I assumed the lead. However I was starting to get the dreaded brake fade so I was letting off the gas a little early to get into the corner with minimal use of the brakes. This allowed the second place car to work to the outside of me and after a lap of two of racing he took over the lead. I continued my pressure and coming through the first and second turns, the leader bobbled and I was able to drive past him and retake the lead. This time I knew time was short so I drove a little harder and maintained the lead and won the heat.

I started on the pole for the main and was sticking to the low line when suddenly BASH! I got drilled in the left side I was running as low as I thought you could go, but another car thought he could run a half a groove lower and pass through me I guess but alas after getting through the quarter panel the L/R shock stopped his progress but by then the damage was done and I headed to the pits with a flat (almost new)L/R tire.
Tim Helms got to work and with an assist from Dan Fitzgerald's crew guy Blake I was back on the track .

The bent shock didn't seem to have a big negative affect because I was able to work my way back through the field. I was working on the fourth place car who seemed to be struggling on the dry slick surface , and I managed to get under him but I guess he didn't see me up along side because he turned down bending up my Right door. I backed off and tried again a lap or two later and make it cleanly under him down the back straight and the 3rd and fourth corners. I raced down the front straight and into the turn when BWAM!! I get drove into. I look to my left and see the offending "drivers" r/f tire and hood trying to make it through my Left door and quarter. I guessed he didn't realize that we couldn't occupy the same space at the same time so I slowed up and was going to let him pass me so I could give him his own lesson in physics. However, he couldn't catch back up so I took off again after the straightaway ahead 3rd place car.

I inched my way closer each lap and finally was able to catch up to him. We raced side by side a lap or two, but I was able to get by him and move to third. We ran out of laps to make anymore advancement so I settled for a hard fought 3rd place.