How You Doing? 2009

[justfreaky]

Congratulations Jim!
Consistency is a good thing!!!

Jeff,

Congratulations again!


Steve

[bback58]

Yeah, it kind of creeps you out seeing one of your best friends car sailing 15 feet in the air and you know it is going to be bad and then have to just sit there for 10 minutes or so with just your thoughts.  Then next thing you know you are out there getting after it, wheel to wheel again.   We sure are a smart breed  

[justfreaky]

The first race that my 2nd wife attended (when I was running my modified), 1st and 2nd place got together...
Launching the 2nd place car into the air and going end over end down the backstretch at Stateline, Idaho.
The driver walked away a bit bruised and sore. Built another car, and was back racing within 2 months.

My wife never went to another one of my races after that. She encouraged me to sell my car at the end of the season.
I traded my race car for a race boat. Needless to say, I was shortly looking for wife #3.
God I miss that car! 

Steve

[VMS Motorsports]

Crap, rained out tonight 

[MegaMang]

finally managed to finish a race night with a whole functioning car.  A few things to check out after running into my brother though.  Had a push in the middle and loose out.  After putting the car back together, I had no idea where it all was, only had time to check toe.

Finished 7th in the feature, but that's really a mark of endurance more the distinction.  It was a race of attrition.  Lot's of tangles that sent cars off the track for the night.

So far I've lost a motor, had electrical problems, been rained out, and ruined my front left corner and I've only been to 3 races.  I'm hoping my bad mojo is all used up now!

 

Mike

[justfreaky]

Mike,

Congratulations on getting yourself home in one piece! I hope your brother is OK also!
I had a long night at work... But a very enjoyable late night. 

Keep On Keepin' On!!!

Steve


Jim,

Raining and pretty cold here the past 2 days. Left for work with a bit of snow yesterday. Still raining and cold outside. 

Relax and Enjoy!

Steve

[MegaMang]

Thanks Steve,

My brother is fine, his car had been loose, and the impact tightened it up just fine.

It cost me two radius rods, a steering arm, and a ball joint.  Not too bad for expenses.  I also had to weld the fender bracket back together and weld the steering spline back on the steering shaft.  The wheel was chucking from side to side so much that it finally cracked the steering shaft right below the spline.  Ended up one pit short of my pit almost running into my neighbors trailer when the wheel came off in my hand!

With help from a bunch of the other drivers, I was back out for the feature race.  Re welded all the broken steel today.  Should be fine for another year.  Now to send in an order for some new replacement parts...

Mike

[justfreaky]

Sounds like a wild night at Lorain County Speedway! Dave sent me this this morning:

"Hello, Well I raced last night at a very fast track, Lorain County. The car was loose in the 1st hot laps, then it rained for a hour.  After the track was dried we went back out for another hot lap session. After putting a 1/2 turn in the right front to tighten it up,  the was very good.  Got 4th in the heat. Then in the main, on the first lap, a car spun and it was a mess.  I stopped with the help of the rear bumper of another car; Then BAM!!!, a car goes flying over my right side.  I saw the underside.  The driver hit my tires and went for a ride.  I was able to contine with a bent up ft bumper and right rear fender that now needs aalot of work.  Check out the in car video of the car that hit me.  I am the black car just infront on the camera.."

http://legend85.blogspot.com/

The car flying through the air is our own Craig Schmidt ( legend85 ). Here is his account of things:

Crash Ends Our Night Early
 
What's worse than finishing dead last? Finishing dead last and not even completing the first lap. That's the way our Feature went Saturday night at Lorain County Speedway.

After finishing fifth in our heat with a much better handling car, we lined up in the 9th position for the Feature. Coming off turn 4 at the end of the first lap, a car spun at the front of the pack and set off a chain reaction that sent our car through the air after striking Dave Spotton's and Mike MacDonald's cars. The car sailed through the air and landed hard.

Check out the video  for a in-car account of the first lap. The bright lights seen at one point are the track lights, so I did get some air in this crash. Even after carefully padding the inside of the car, I managed to find un-padded places to strike with my arm and ankle. I bet I'm going to be sore tomorrow.


I told you... Post your results, or I will! Good, Bad, or in this case... OUCH!!!... Ugly!
I hope you are doing alright Craig!

Steve

[justfreaky]

More carnage at Dacotah Speedway. This from Brian (bback58):

June 12th - Dacotah Speedway -  I started the first heat in 4th place.  Shortly after the start I ended up in 6th place.  I chased the #77 of Dave Aberle and the #8 of Bill Hultberg and got by Bill on the last lap giving me a start up near the front of the feature.  I started the 18 car feature outside the 2nd row.  At the green flag I got a good start, but the red flag flew when #13 Troy Speten got tangled up with the #75 of Spencer Wilson and rolled his car several times in the first turn.  Spencer had some damage to his car but was able to re-join the action.  The restart wasn't as good for me and I slowly dropped back.  After a couple more caution flags, I ended up finishing the race in 8th place so I was pretty happy with that.  I might have said it before, but I think the old motor is getting tired after 123 nights of racing.  This winter I will have to look into a re-build or a new power plant.  I really had a lot of fun tonight and my car seemed to handle decent.  I had a lot of fun racing with the #77 of Dave Aberle as we spent several laps racing wheel to wheel and never got into each other.  With Troy Speten's rollover at the start of the feature, it made for another "bad night" as far as car damage goes, but otherwise it was a pretty clean race.  I sure hope this wrecking doesn't keep up.  Congratulations to Donavin Weist on winning tonight's feature.   Way to go Donavin!!! 

[VMS Motorsports]

Up an down night for me last night.

Started 3rd in the heat, took the lead for about 4 laps (more laps than I've ever led COMBINED over my 2 years), then got passed by Joey (joeracer22) and finally passed by another car and finished 3rd. Was probably the best racing I have done to date.

Then the A main...

Started on the pole,  pulled out to the lead, hit a rut and spun myself in front of the other 19 oncoming cars on lap 2...thankfully nobody touched me. Restarted 20th, slowly worked my way up to about 14th and spun myself again. The car would NOT handle. Was very frustrating to go from my best driving experience to my worst in the span of 2 hours. Just drove around to finish the race 17th (I think).

Upon loading the trailer, found that I sheared off a bolt in the left front spindle for the steeing arm, left front was just flopping side to side, but was still attached...must have broke off on the 1st lap. Glad I found something wrong, was very upset at myself before the discovery.

Oh yeah...Jeff won...blah blah blah!   

[justfreaky]

Jim,

Sounds like a rough night. Glad you got home in one piece!

Jeff was online earlier and didn't post another win? What's up with that???
Congratulations Jeff!

Steve

[VMS Motorsports]

I think he's bored with winning...needs a challenge...hmmmmmm.
How about this...he has to run 20 psi on all 4 tires next week. We'll change up the Jeff specific rules every week for a new challenge!
I think "helmet on backwards day" will be a big hit! 

[justfreaky]

I think "helmet on backwards day" will be a big hit! 

ROFLMAO!!!
That should be an interesting day. Take video!!!
 
Can't wait to see "No Steering Wheel Day"! 

[bback58]

Can't wait to see "No Steering Wheel Day"! 

Yeah -  just give him a vice grip.  We've got a couple of guys I would like to give them this rule.   

[CJ5]

I think Jeff should have to steer with some ropes like a soap box derby car.
I've seen him race at Charter and I think he could probably still pull it off.
CJ 5