May 28th, Kalamazoo Speedway
Results
Kalamazoo Speedway, Kalamazoo, MI (3/8 mile paved)
Qualified: 14th, 12.906 sec
Heat: Started-2nd, Finished-4th
Feature: Started-11th, Finished-17th
This week-end was a pretty eventful ending to a hectic week of getting the new car on the track. We
were successful though, and were able to race both days. We're pretty happy with the car's performance
considering we had NO practice time or anything before Saturday. Anyway, on to the racing action.
We really pulled into the track not knowing what to expect. We knew the car would run, but had no
idea on the handling. During the first hot laps, we found out we guessed pretty close. The car would
drive ok, with only minor slips in the turns. Also, I was getting used to the new power plant under
the hood. We weren't able to get a second hot laps in because the track gave us the option of 2 hot
lap sessions, or 1 hot laps and qualifying. The series chose the latter, so we prepared for qualifying.
We made a slight shock adjustment which made the car much better than what it was, and we came in 14th
on the time sheets. We had a pretty big field of cars for the first night out which meant we had to
run 3 heat races. Our time put us on the outside pole of the first heat. We came down for the green
pretty even, but I was able to get the lead going into turn 1. I think I held the lead for the first
two laps before Chris Hettinger came up and made the pass coming off of two. A lap or so later, Phil
Rutledge was able to get under me going into 3, since I was having some problems keeping the car down
in the center of the turns. That was mostly because I was still trying to figure out the car itself.
After Phil passed, I kinda felt a bump from behind, but didn't think anything of it. I found out the
next lap that it was Gary Harrell, as he made the pass were Phil did. I guess he drove it in a little
too deep and hit the bumper the previous lap. That was pretty much how we finished though. For the
feature, we moved up starting positions since 3 guys ahead of us changed tires, and had to go the rear.
The start was pretty clean, and I was able to get past the next car ahead of us, Haley Barnett. Then,
I just fell in line and tried to stay with the next car of Kent McCloskey and the leaders. As the laps
ticked away, the car began to skate a little more, and I had to move up the track in the middle of the
turns. Plus, I know I was getting tired. With five to go, I entered the first turn like usual, and
when I went to pick-up the throttle, I didn't have any. The pedal just didn't do anything, so I took
the car to the infield, and watched the final five laps. When we got back to the pits, we found that
one of the bolts in the throttle linkage had vibrated loose, disconnecting the pedal. So, we ended up
being scored 17th for the night.
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