Welcome Back!

Aaaaaannnnnndddddd we’re back, after a long period of no updates. Sorry about that. How about a quick recap from last season and early 2015. We finished out the 2014 season as well as the races prior to it and held on to a fifth place finish in the standings. That was something to be excited for and our best finish in the standings since 2011 when we finished fourth.

At the beginning of the year the CDCRA got invited to do some exhibition races during local Monster Jam events. I was chosen to run with them at Petco Park, the Padres baseball stadium, on January 31st. There were only six cars chosen and we were one of the lucky ones. We spent all day in the in pits with the Monster trucks in the middle of downtown San Diego. In the afternoon the pits were opened to the public for the Party in the Pits event. All of our cars were on display for the next several hours as hundreds of fans stopped by. Our cars were extremely popular among kids because of the size and the fact that we let them take pictures from behind the wheel. Later that evening we took to the track on the field of Petco Park four times for short entertainment races to warm the crowd up for Monster Jam. The track was a bit of safety hazard. It was small and narrow with dirt ramps and wrecked car chassis littering the arena but it was an amazing time. To get to drive a race car at any speed in the middle of a Major League stadium was a once in a life time experience.

That brings us to the season opening race at Barona Speedway. It’s been over four months since most everyone has been in a race car or truly raced. Things usually get pretty crazy opening night. It also seems like one of the first times in years where opening night hasn’t been rained out or had a threat of rain. This weekend was going to be one of the hottest we’ve had all year, with the peak temperatures landing where else but on Saturday. The car was essentially ready to go after the Monster Jam event so it was nice not to have to scramble to get things ready a week or two before the race. I also chose to forgo any practicing the track held before this weekend as I felt the Monster Jam event was more than enough to shake the car down.

We were one of the first cars to go through tech and as usual passed with out any issues or warnings. There was however a problem with I did my random pill pick for Heat Race starting positions. I pulled a 48 out of 50, so pretty much no matter what anyone else pulled I would be starting in the back, aside from any rookies in my Heat. Track position was going to be key for today’s racing because of how dry and slick the track would be. It’s a driver’s track but its also a one groove track so you have to be patient and pick your spots when passing.

Hot Lap practice was non eventful on my end but spoiled by a couple of cautions. The car didn’t fall apart and that’s all that mattered. It was time to go racing in the Heat race. I lined up seventh of nine in the Heat 2 for our Dwarf car class. The two cars behind me in position were both rookies so I wasn’t too concerned with them and focused solely on moving forward. The race went green and it was pretty good start but the 54 car near the front tried to cut in to the lower line, got clipped by the 56 and all the lines stacked up behind it. Halfway through turn two the 22 car directly in front of me got out of shape and I had to duck out of line to avoid hitting him. Everything was going good as I began to close down on the 56 who was backing up in the pack until the 3 car spun in turns three and four on the second lap. I jumped on the breaks to avoid hitting him and with all the front break dialed in to the car spun the car out and avoided hitting anyone already sideways on the track.

Under caution the field was lined up double file once more as we rolled to the green flag again. I got another good start, especially for the outside line, and pulled along side the 56 going in to turn one but I couldn’t get any grip on the outside line through the center of the corner to get passed him. On corner exit I fell in line behind him to catch him on a mistake. Sure enough he did and I got him as he went in too hard in turn three. After we crossed the start finish line the caution flew again, this time for the 34 car spinning. Now I had the preferred line on the restart and used that to my advantage. As the green came out I pulled in line close on the bumper of the leaders. I tried to make a run on the 54 who slipped up going through three and four but I didn’t have position on him on the outside and had to check up as he nearly ran me in to the wall. He was holding me up as the leaders drove away. I was much better than him through three and four so I knew if I could close the gap coming out of two I could set him up on the exit of four. It took a couple patient tries but it worked and I made the pass with a lap to go. With the first three too far ahead now I settled for a fourth place finish.

It was a solid run and I clearly had a better working car than most, even being in a Heat that would likely produce the winner of the Main Event. Last year I would have been satisfied with a fifth in that level of competition but this time I knew I could get more. Back in the pits everyone complained about their car, too loose on entry, too tight through the center, too free off. I was fine, and chose not to make any changes for the Main Event knowing the track would be nearly identical. With the Main Event lineup, I would start eight of eighteen cars, fourth row outside.

On the grid, I pulled up behind the 99 car with the 91 to my inside and the 54 behind me. The green flag came out and it was a decent start, not great but I stayed just off the right rear tire of the 91 as we came out of turn two. He then drove it too hard in to turn three and spun out right in front of me. I was able to narrowly avoid it as the caution came out for a complete restart. We lined up again and rolled to the green, this was a much better start as I was able to clear the 91 through one and two and fall in line on the bottom as fast as possible. Then the 22 went around at the front of the field, again I narrowly avoided a collision as I followed the 99’s evasive maneuvers. A couple other cars weren’t so lucky and were wrecked out of the race. Some how the 22 didn’t have too serious of damage but he did have a tire rub that was going to cut down his right rear tire. He failed to understand the hand signals from other near by drivers warning him of his situation and lined up in his original starting position for another complete restart.

I could see this was going to be an issue so I made sure to not follow any line that he would potentially take. With that caution taking out the 91, I moved to the inside in seventh position for the start. Two rows behind the 22. We went green and sure enough he had issues and stacked up the field as he couldn’t get going on the green. I slipped in to sixth position, after gaining two spots before even registering a lap. Now on the low line I set my sights on attacking the 99 who was having issues coming off the corner. A few times I was able to get close but eventually we ran up on the back of the 07 who was dropping through the field which made it that much harder to find a clean passing opportunity. After a couple more laps the caution came out for the 34 car hitting the wall. The next restart was decent but the 7 car cut my nose off going in to turn one from the outside line to force his way in between the 07 and myself. Over driving his car as usual he used is car to force his way in to a position he wasn’t fast enough for as he and the 07 began to make us lose touch with the leaders. I was all over his bumper until the caution came out once more for the 83 car.

This restart was good and I pulled far enough ahead of the 7 so he couldn’t try that trick again going in to one. It doesn’t stop him from trying to pin you down on the infield but I held strong on the inside for the next few laps until he could try another tight fit. Then as he was too slow coming out of two I gave him shot to let him know I was there then let him go. It was perfectly square and didn’t upset his car but true to himself over drove going in to three trying to catch the 99 and spun himself out for another caution. Now I was lined up along side the 99 and with a good start matched him wheel for wheel in turns one and two. He hit a rut and bobbled up the track and moved out of line in to the loose stuff to avoid him and dropped a spot to the 27 car. The 68 also tried to pass on the inside but I was stronger through three and four and held him off. The next lap I got under the 99 and made the clean pass as I followed the 27 forward. Just as we started to reel the leaders in again, the caution flew one more time.

A new rule this season is that within five laps to go all restarts will be single file. While I’m not a fan of that rule, at the moment it worked in my favor. I knew no one was going to pass me on the outside now so I could just focus forward. It was a good start as the 27 and I closed in on the 07 who was still maintaining position despite struggling with speed. After another lap the 07 ran the 27 in to the infield. I was able to pull along side the 27 but thought better of it as I shouldn’t leave the inside line open. For the next couple of laps the three of us ran in a tight pack, then the white flag flew. Coming out of two I was able to again get along side of the 27 but this time on the inside and I knew I could take that spot coming to the checkers but we went in to three and he just didn’t lift. I knew immediately what was about to happen so I gave just enough space to avoid the imminent spin out. It happened, it was another close call but I kept the throttle pinned and cleared them both to secure a third place finish.

That was one hard fought race on a difficult track with top notch competition. There was certainly some luck involved in avoiding some of those wrecks but there was also some really strong passes with a strong car. As a whole race, it ranks high on my list for best ever. This off season I worked on some obscure things to try to gain some sort of advantage that others might not have or be able to get. Maybe it paid off? I guess we wont know until the rest of the season plays out but a third place finish to start the season is definitely what we needed. The secret is out, we’re here to win this year.