December 20th, A Salute to Bill Williams-Columbus

Results

1st Session, Stock Lite, 24 entries:
Heat 1, 8 karts: Started-7th, Finished-7th
Heat 2, 8 karts: Started-2nd, Finished-DNF
B Main: DNS

This week-end we raced our second indoor show in Columbus. We learned a lot from our first time down there, so we were ready with our changes to see what we could do. Before the first racing session, they had an open practice session. We should have known from how the other drivers were behaving what the day was going to bring. We were able to tune the kart during that time despite being hit from behind about 40 times entering the 1st turn, and getting the body work beat up, cracked, busted, and otherwise broke.

In the first heat, we started 7th which isn't all that bad because it was the inside line. After 2 attempts at a start, the front row was forced to go to the second row because they were starting too fast. On the start, I had to fall in-line, but was able to get back to 7th coming off the 2nd turn. By the 2nd lap, I was able to get up to the 5th and 6th place karts, and passed the 6th place kart off of the 4th turn, and the 5th place kart off of the 2nd. The race was only 8 laps long, so I focused on running down the first four karts, and keeping the kart on the ground. We were doing well until about 2 laps to go. The kart was really starting to get a lot of side-bite in the center of the turn and off. Coming off the 2nd turn, I bicycled the kart badly. I'd say the left-side was about a foot off the ground. This let the two karts behind me gain a lot. The next time going into the first turn one kart had a nose under me, so I gave him room on entry. However, the higher line entering turn 1 was very slick. The kart got loose and the 2nd kart was able to get by. I fell back in-line in 7th. I tried hard, probably too hard, to get them back, but wasn't able to.

The 2nd heat, we started on the outside pole. Now, although this is the 2nd starting position, it's definitely not an advantage. The start wasn't too bad, but the two karts inside of me were able to get past. I tried to move down in-line, but felt a rub there, so I held my line. I believe we came out of the 2nd turn in 5th. I fell in-line, and started to close on the karts ahead. I entered the first turn ready to pass the next karts, just as I had ALL day, when all of a sudden I felt a huge impact from behind and pressure on my shoulders and back. I believe I said to myself, "W.T.F. is he doing on top of me! What the hell is he thinking?!?!" I started to drive away, and I just felt the rear of the kart hopping. I thought great, the damn axle's bent! I drove the kart into the pits, and the closer I got the more pissed I became. By the time I made it out of the kart, I decided we were done racing for the day. The axle was bent a good 2 inches, and the header from the motor, which usually points behind my seat, was bent all the way over onto the right rear tire, and almost sheared off. I had had enough, and spent way too much money already. I was tired of being the track with complete morons that can't even judge speeds or know if their kart is going to fit someplace or not! Looking in retrospect, I should have stayed on the track, and given that other driver a taste of his own medicine which probably would've ended our day as well because they would have kicked us out. Anyway, feeling we were taken out purposely, we asked the promoter what he was going to do about it. He said that he saw nothing wrong. This really pissed us off, and we'll probably never return Columbus to race indoors. In fact, we're not even sure if we're gonna go to Ft Wayne or not considering it's the same promoter. We did put a new axle in the kart, but loaded everything up. Also, numerous other people came to us saying the guy did just take us out which made us feel a little better.

Well, that's about it for the racing action. Again, we're still not sure on going to Ft Wayne this week-end. I'll send out an email during the week saying for sure. Let me just remind everyone that the last time we said the driver's were being morons, and we weren't going to go back until things cleaned up (Toledo '01), that a WEEK later a driver was paralyzed. Let me tell ya, things got better really quick after that. It's just too bad things like that have to happen for people to realize there's a problem.

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