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September 19th, 2009
59th
Race of Champions – Another Tough Challenge
For the 2009 Race of Champions we decided our best
strategy to try and repeat the good fortunes of last
year was to only focus on our best equipment, the #5
SST Modified. We would arrive Thursday evening to set
up our camping area and get ready for a long Friday
that now combined the former practice day with a race
day.
Turns out we would have to work hard and use all of
the practice sessions trying to find a fast set-up. To
our frustration, the many changes failed to make any
big improvements. Puzzled, but with purpose, we tested
further in to the regular evening's event and began to
have a car that was finally a top 10, possibly top 5
contender.
An air pressure error caused a poor heat race
performance and Terry would have to run the last
chance consolation event. The good news, we would be
starting from the pole position. In a good effort,
Terry would finish second to Jeff Hammond with several
fast cars right behind us. We were now qualified for
the main event with 30 other teams, leaving 14 other
drivers done for the evening.
As we lined up near the back of the 31 car field we
noticed many fast cars around us including last year's
winner Tony Hanbury. It looked like there would be
lots of racing up to the front because we scanned the
field and noticed many mid-pack racers had qualified
ahead of us. That meant that as the race wore on,
several cars would slip towards the rear as faster
cars fought to get up front. That proved to be true as
on lap 20 there was a mid-pack multi car wreck
affecting about 8 cars including the #5.
Terry pitted the wounded car and the team worked
frantically to get the front tires aligned reasonably
close so he could continue. The front bumper was no
longer effective and we knew there were other bent
parts. Unfortunately, the sway bar was no longer
connected and we knew that the #5 would be a monster
for Terry to wrestle for 80 more green flag laps.
Terry wanted to race and we agreed to continue the
fight. With attrition mounting, Terry would gain
positions at the expense of other's misfortune. When
the checkered flag fell, Terry would role the remains
in to our pit area with a 14th place
finish, last car on the lead lap. A valiant effort had
fallen short. Later at the camp site, several team
members enjoyed "unwinding" from this long
and frustrating day.
For Saturday and Sunday our attention would be on
teammate, Kris Hillegeer and his gorgeous #18 Super
Stock. We helped Kris with both equipment and manpower
so that he could seek a better finish from his rookie
effort of two years ago in a friend's borrowed car.
Saturday's practice looked promising as his speed
increased throughout the day. However, we noticed that
the competition this year was very fast and several
had improved over prior years. In his heat race Kris
concentrated on a safe finish as the car in front of
him was all over the place and as everyone would
qualify for the main event on Sunday, there would be
no reward for bravery this day.
Sunday suffered a long rain delay and was a harbinger
of things to come. During the extra practice sessions,
some problems appeared related to the motor loosing
power. During the main event, this distributor related
problems would cause Kris multiple pit stops and an
early exit a few laps after a thunderous first lap
crash between many of the front running cars. The
carnage was extensive and several cars appeared to be
nothing more than scrap heaps. Kris would be the first
car out with out any body damage.
As the old "Mighty Casey" poem states,
"There was no joy in Mudville…," our team
had basically struck out for this year's event. But
that is not the same as saying "the game is
over". The #5 has been gone through and we may
have found the demon that has been frustrating us.
We will be at Dunn Tire Raceway Park (Lancaster
Speedway) for the US Open practice session this Friday
and the SST race on Saturday. Our hopes are high even
though we are going to the home track of 3 dominating
competitors. There's nothing like the smell of a
challenge. Come cheer us on and visit us in the
campgrounds. We promise to give it everything we've
got.
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