Sorry this got pretty long…

Had all but torn the whole car down for inspection and repair after the flip at Beaver Dam.  Due to my efforts to also make sure I stayed on top of the spare parts situation, my anal preparation efforts, problems with the trailer wires, and then the hauler batteries, etc., the final assembly went down to the wire - like usual.  It was a “controlled” thrash (I actually hate to even use that word, but an outsider might consider the hasty loading and rush to leave somewhat hectic) though, and we ended up getting there before the qualification pick even started!  The luck of the draw placed us down the order and in the second hot lap session.

The track was still pretty greasy and there was not much of a groove anywhere.  I struggled, but we really did not think anyone else was setting the world on fire either.  The only feedback I could offer, was that the RR just did not feel like it was out far enough (even though we had it spaced out as far as we could) and then it would get tight in the corner…at least the way I was taking it through.  We ended up just making some small changes to the car, but put a different (although mostly wore out) RR on.

The qualification times were despicable.  I was no where close to “flat-footing” (struggling with all the “advice” I get about throwing it in too hard…failing to separate time trial thoughts from later in the night when the track is usually worse).  Quick time was 14.9, and all I could manage was a 16.2.  Somehow though, we were not the slowest car there!  Either way, I had enough and went and bought a new RR tire (at $150+).

My slow time slated us to start from the front row, but due to issues with the mounting of the tire, etc, we did not make it to the line in time.  That sent me to the back, but the way the night had gone, I had no business being up there anyway.  We lined up behind Davey Ray and I avoided the temptation to think I would be able to follow him back to the front, instead trying to concentrate on just getting a rhythm of my own going.  We got off to a decent start, but really only passed fellow stateline resident David Budress.  In the end, I just could not get “comfortable” (I know, I know, a racer is not supposed to use that word) with the car up top (it just does not feel like the RR is under me when I try to go into the corner on the high side and the car seems unstable) and then, while fighting it and trying too hard, I did get wore out towards the end (I know, I know that also, no “race car driver” is supposed to admit that…but I guess the hour and half a day I average of physical fitness is not enough…at least when I fight the car anyway).  With the heat race meaning nothing at that point (all but the top four cars had no chance of getting out of running the B-main anyway) I even thought about just pulling off and saving the car for the feature races, that I could have maybe done something in.  Not being able to let myself do that, I at least ran around coasting through the corners and somehow avoided getting lapped.

After a very small temper tantrum and much reflection, the “crew” (In order of arrival at shop today: Felisha, Tom, Andy Jones of JJ Precision Grinding, and Mr. Dull – we were absent “tireman” Dwight “suitcase” Steffan) stuck with me and we decided to just continue down the road of small changes.  The track was in perfect condition, and (after the Beaver Dam flip and my failure to have a good run on the cushion lately…since Lincoln , really) I have been evaluating my mutli-year experiment with a lot of LR weight.  Ended up just taking a little bit off the RR torsion bar (spring), snugging up the LR adjustment, and putting a turn of weight into the RF.

I really did not do anything special in the “pointless” B-main (we all were to transfer to the feature, and my slow time meant I was slated to start in the back no matter what), but the set-up on the car felt pretty good.  I hope I looked like somewhat of a legitimate driver for most of the race, anyway.  As I stated, the track was now perfect and at the starts (two attempts), I actually did go up in the moist stuff above the cushion and tried to get a run on the group in front.  I think my first attempt was better than the actual start, but either way, the car felt ok up there.  This time, I was hoping to follow occasional front runner Jake Slotten (who I started behind, on the outside of the fifth row) around.  I did notice that the car seemed to have a little bounce in the RR again (just like it did for most of the B-main in DuQuoin) when I did try to run the top again.  There was even an actual corner when I thought I took it in the correctly!  The RR just seemed too bouncy…nothing like I have experienced before, other than at DuQuoin.  I went back to the bottom, as the cars in front of me, including Budress, Jim Fuerst, etc. were more towards the high line.  I ended up getting stuck behind Kurt Mayhew, who pretty much had my line, but kept leaving me a little lane on the way bottom.  The car had never really felt that good down low (think there was still moisture in the track) and it was about the first time I actually gained ground on the pack while going through the center of the corner and coming off the turn!  Considering all of this, I decided to keep to the lower groove again and was making some ground before a mid-race caution slowed my run.  Toward the end of the race it felt like maybe I, the car, and even the lower groove was giving up some.  With much more effort than the end of the heat race though, I did just bring the car home for the main event…the only one that really mattered.

Again, we kept the changes low, but took the special adjustable RR gas shock off and replaced it with a conventional one.  I was thinking that with the delay between the B-main and A-main, the colder temps, and “fresh” track, the moisture would come back, and the track would be ok.  We did drop the RR air pressure down, as there still was not much of a cushion to bite me or anything…actually when we went out, the track crew had even flattened the whole thing even more.  With a racetrack almost all the way up to the wall, we took the green on the inside of row nine, behind Jim Fuerst.  I was hoping to get around Jim and told myself I could follow veteran smooth track specialists Chad DeSelle and Aaron Fiscus to the front (they did not even make it into the top ten though).  I only had Tracy Hines starting alongside me (after the National Midget Driver of the Year/USAC SC & Sprint car champ had trouble earlier in the night), but I did not think (although was hoping) there was much of a real chance I could ride his coat-tails to the front.  With fellow IRS drivers Kurt Mayhew and Budress also in my view, I told myself to just think of this event as one of those races, and try to pass these drivers with the same ease.  As soon as the green did come out, all of that was forgotten, while battle ensued.  I failed to get around Fuerst, but at one point, I actually got underneath Tracy going into turn one!  With the pack of all of the above mentioned and also Slotten, Walters, Mayhew, Budress, etc. running no less than two wide in front of me - after an early race flirtation with the top behind Hines going into three - I ended up back to the low groove I used in the B-main.  The car still seemed hooked up down there and I had the same sensation from the B (actually gaining ground in the center and coming off the corners…usually my weak point).  After another battle (seems to be our theme), we got under Budress and actually passed Slotten at one point (he may have gotten me back, but DNFd).  Mayhew and I engaged in another of our classic battles, similar to the IRS races last summer.  He was running more of the lower to middle of the track again, somewhat slowing me down, but kept leaving a door open for me coming out of four.  We got to racing so hard, I did not even see the blue & gold flag for the front runners coming by!  Leader Davey Ray went by on the outside of me, but I believe Kurt was way up in the top groove, so I think we were three wide going down the frontstraight!  I had gotten around Kurt, and was hoping to keep my low/low line (out of the way of everyone else) and take advantage of the blue and gold flag to get around Fuerst and Walters.  Fortunately/Unfortunately, the yellow came out just after Kurt and I got lapped (for the stalled #87 of Slotten), so we were able to go back around to the tail instead of having to re-start in the way of the leaders, but Kurt got the spot we were battling for back!  I actually did get a good restart and kept my rhythm going (something I really have not done well since my stock car days).  Finally made it around Kurt and closed back in on heat winner Walters (who bought the better car from Butch Dahlke’s estate last spring and announced engine updates over the winter) and BMARA 10^th place point runner Fuerst (doing what I should be able to).  I was unable to get around those two (that I should have) though.  I looked at the score board with three to go, and being far enough behind Brian, I again just worried about bringing it home.  On the last lap, I heard another car coming.  Fearing that I was going to give up the spots I gained, and eventually seeing that it was a white and red car going to the outside of me (thinking it was Budress), I gassed it to the start finish line.  It was actually new leader Jerry Coons, who I believe we did beat to the line, so we avoided getting lapped the whole night!

We also did not have any mechanical failures, any engine problems, any loose parts, etc.  No one passed me back in feature either, not to mention no wrecks or spins (the worst thing to really happen was Felisha cut her hand after slipping in the wet/muddy grass and we had to make a trip to the Emergency room back in Rockford for a couple stitches).  I also managed to make it the whole night apparently without “spinning the tires”, keeping the RPM below the ideal 8300, actually right between 8000 and 8200 every-time (another 2009 thought was to go back to less gear like we used years ago…this may take some getting used to though, as I think it – and most likely that new RR – helped me control the throttle off the corners, but maybe it is picking up speed going into the turn and attributing to some of that “dumping” feeling I have going in).  So in the end, even though I almost quit during/after the heat again, for some reason the crew stuck with me AGAIN and we maybe did just good enough to hopefully go back next week…unless it is raining at Sun Prairie Sunday, then I will want to race with the IRS at Grundy!  If the field stays similar at Sun Prairie, I still do feel that if I can get some momentum going, we should be able to challenge for one of those top four heat race finishes, at least having a chance to get into the "qualifying race".  If I can stay on top of the maintenance too, there should be more attrition later in the year, and we should be able to improve upon the 15th place feature finish.