Lucky 7 Sportsman Race
New Smyrna Speedway
08-29-09 - VIDEO

This Saturday was "save the tata's" night! Man, we had a blast!

Last week I only made the first practice before my clutch gave out but this week everything worked as it should and I made a big jump towards winning a race.  In fact, I could have won this one had things gone a little bit differently. (more...)

You might remember me saying a few weeks ago that I decided I needed to find a charity to support. I looked around for a while and I decided to support the Save the tata's Foundation. Save the tata's is actually a t-shirt company but they are different because they donate a portion of the price of their t-shirts to support Breast Cancer research.

I recruited a few of my friends to wear the t-shirts and had them come out to the track for the autograph session. Well, they were a smash hit as was the Save the tata's t-shirts they wore. You wouldn't believe how many people came up to tell us their story of how they beat cancer. Everybody was really appreciative of what the Save the tata's Foundation is doing. I couldn't help but think of the people who weren't there because they lost their battle so we still have a lot to do.

The night started out sort of strange. After we paid for our pit passes we were getting back in the truck and my dad handed me a quarter. He said he found it heads up in the dirt just outside of the pit gate fence and thought maybe it would be good luck. I put it in my pocket and hoped he was right but for a moment I wondered how it got there in the dirt and why?

We jumped in the truck and went in the track to park and unload the car. We got the straps off the car and just before we started to unload it one of our crew members disengaged the clutch on the winch we use to slowly roll the car out of the trailer thinking he was engaging it. Well, about the time the car got to the edge of the ramp it started to roll away and it pinned me between the front bumper and the wall of the trailer. I let out a yell because it was twisting my knee and it really hurt. I must have been pretty loud because the EMTs were at the trailer in about 30 seconds. We got the car off my leg and I sat down for a while until my leg felt better.

A few minutes later they called us up for practice so I jumped in the car and headed out to shake it down. Everything felt pretty good although the car was loose and I couldn't tell if it was the car or that the sun was still shinning on the track which made it slippery. After the second and last practice we checked the schedule and realized we were the 3rd class out. That meant that the sun would set and the track would get a little bit more grip so I only made a minor change to the tire stagger and waited for us to be called up for the race.

This weeks line up put me on the outside pole. I like to start there. I like to hang back a little and try to get a jump on the pole sitter so I can beat him into the corner. He knew what I was doing so when we got to the start line he let me go so it looked like I jumped the start. They should have let the race go because the pole sitter didn't fire but instead they called us back to try again.

On the restart I did the same thing but I couldn't beat him into the corner so I dropped down behind him and settled for second. I hung in there for 5 or 6 laps but the car was still really loose and I was having a hard time getting off the corners. Finally, I slipped up in turn 2 and let the 3rd place car get under me and he passed me entering turn 3. I ran there for about another 6 or 7 laps until the 4th place car did the same thing.

A few laps later the second place car passed the leader but I guess the leader didn't like his passing technique and when they got to the next corner he bonzied him and they both spun up the track and into the outside wall in turn 4. There were 2 - 55 gallon barrels filled with water sitting right where they hit and they both fell over and spilled as they rolled down the track. The officials had to red flag the race to get one of the cars off the track and then they sort of tried to get the water dried up before restarting the race.

I restarted the race on the outside of the leader and we ran door to door all the way around the track until we got back to turn 4 where the water was. Up were I had to run the track was still wet and I almost wrecked coming off the corner. That let the leader pull ahead and I fell in place in second but, on the next time through turn 4, I drove the car in a little too deep and wound up right back in the water again. This time 2 more cars got by me and I fell back to 4th.

After two laps through the water, losing 3 positions, and almost wrecking each time, I realized that the high line through turn 4 was probably not the best choice so I started to roll the corner a little easier so I could get off turn 4 down where the track was dry. I think I might have found something there because I was still about as fast but it feels like I am letting the cars get away if I lift earlier on entry into the corners.

A few laps later one of the cars that got by me, who was now running in second, spun in turn 3 and that brought out the caution and another double file restart for the finish. With 6 laps to go I started in 3rd on the inside for the first time of the evening and I guess I'm not as good at timing things there as I am on the outside. I let them get the jump on me but I caught back up and I thought I might win the race as I watched the leaders bump each other around a bit but it was not to be my night. After about another lap the leader pulled away and we finished up the race just like that with me in 3rd.

When I got back to the trailer and jumped out of the car, all of a sudden my knee just went crazy with pain. I sat down and put some ice on it but it's funny how it didn't hurt at all until the race was over. I sat there and rested for a few minutes and then I got out of my driving suit and put my street clothes back on. I stuck my hand in my pocket and there was that quarter that my dad gave me before we entered the track. I thought we did have a pretty good night but I think it's just an average quarter so, as we drove out of the pit gate, I threw it back in the dirt for someone else to find.