dare2team.com

Have You Noticed

(07/14) I got called out by Isaiah for not updating the site, and rightly so. It doesn't justify the actions, but with the fortunes we've been dealt this season, I can't really say I'm too excited to post our results. And, once again, we came up on the short end of the stick with our motor. More about that later.

THURSDAY, JULY 1(Junction Motor Speedway): Okay, so maybe we've had "some" fortune this year. Jr. started on the front row and SMOKED 'em in the heat race. I mean, he was four-tenths faster than any car in any heat. We didn't settle prior to the feature, but we sure felt good.

Isaiah drew four for the "A" and, after some quick work to remedy an oil leak and prepare the car, Jr. quickly dropped a spot on the first lap. Nevertheless, he stayed composed and moved back into fourth. He seemed to maintain the spot for the next five laps, but then began to creep up on the leaders. A few ill-placed yellows bunched the field up allowing Ryan Roberts (18) and Brian Brown (21) to begin dicing it out with the AS Inc/Rasmussen Auto Supply #2. Several times Jr. had to think quickly to avoid some poor attempts at slide jobs. Roberts eventually got by, but Jr. drove a masterful race, held Brown off and wound up in the show position.

FRIDAY, JULY 2 (I-80 Speedway): Once again, Jr. was fast in the heat race and came home in second. We decided to try a few new things to the car even though we were starting near the front. In hindsight, it was a BAD idea.

From the moment the green was dropped, Jr. struggled. I really thought the car would come around for him like the last time we ran at I-80, but it was incredibly tight the entire race. Any time he tried to take the car in a little higher to get it to turn, he got swallowed up by another and eventually dropped all the way back to 9th spot (and that was AFTER he passed two cars on the final lap!).

So the question is, did you notice? Could you tell we were down on horsepower... again?!? The motor didn't turn much more than 7600 rpm (we try to keep it close to 8500) and then, at the shop, we learned that seven of the eight cylinders leaked down at 50%. Everything we've done up to the this point has NOT worked.

Now, I don't point this out to excuse our finishes, but real is real. We haven't had a 100% motor -yet- and considering this is called "motor racing" it becomes clearer and clearer that something needs to be done. So, the powerplant had been removed and will be taken to Lee Nelson at Ostrich Racing Engines. Although we struggled at last year's 360 Nationals, we're hoping Lee can fix the problem and we can get back to work- at the front!

Then, undoubtedly, you'll notice!

Jason Orth Shows Off
Average Performance- with Reason?
Check out the "Trophy Girl"
Lows that were HIGHS
ASCS at I-80 Speedway
Friends Combine Forces
Another DROUD Victory
Thanksgiving Feast
End of the Line
Photos Galore
Drouds' Mixed Results
Humble Pie at the 360 Nationals
Family Affair- in Photos
A New Look- Again

7/31: Knoxville Raceway