Beatrice, NE - April 28, 2007 It started raining early Tuesday morning and the temperature stayed around 50 all day. On Tuesday evening, the skies opened up and the area got a lot of rain. It tapered off on Wednesday and by Friday afternoon we saw sunshine again. Saturday's forecast currently calls for sunny skies with a high near 78.
After a long winter and an even longer wait for the beginning of the 2007 racing season, things finally got under way at the Beatrice Speedway. Beautiful weather greeted fans and racers alike as the day got underway at 1 PM with the Women for Racing car show. My day started even earlier as I took the R & R Racing/Blue Knights/Shew Towing/Homestead Auto Chevrolet to the Homestead Auto car lot before 10 AM. After having the car on display until 12:15, I loaded it up and headed for the Gage County Fairgrounds.
With the weather being almost 80 a lot of race starved fans showed up. We had a couple of photo sessions and parents brought their kids for pictures and autographs. It was a great afternoon!
Being the first race of the season, everybody had to draw for starting position when they came to the registration booth. There were a total of 400 numbers. Have I ever mentioned how I can’t draw numbers worth a darn? I guess I could have drawn a worse number- I drew 384. Oh, well, that would pretty much guarantee that I would not get run over right off the bat.
With the rain early and the middle of the week, and with the water added to the track this afternoon, it looked to turn into a great, fast track. The track crew did some extra work over the winter, and it looked like it was going to pay off. It took a little extra time to roll the track in, but it was well worth it.
Once the line-ups were posted, I found that I would be starting 7th in the 1st heat. The top 5 would make the invert and re-draw for starting position in the A Feature. In looking at the line-up, I felt I could make the invert, even though it would not be a walk in the park. There were three other classes racing ahead of us, so it would be a little wait before we were due on the track.
We’d had an abbreviated practice session 10 days earlier. On the 2nd set of hot laps, I lost oil pressure and dropped out, coasting to the trailer. I spent the next several days trying to figure out what happened, and I pinpointed the oil pump. After replacing it, the oil pressure returned to normal and stayed there several times while the engine ran in the shop for 15 minute intervals. For the short time I was on the track, the car seemed to handle well.
They’re FINALLY calling for our heat race to get lined up. It’s been a LONG wait! I’m strapped in and ready to go. Once on the track, we get a couple of extra laps to roll in the track as one of the drivers had just been in the cruiser heat race and he needed to get in his other car. I’ll have to pass 2 cars to make the invert.
Down the back chute and the lights are out, signaling that we’ll be green out of turn 4. The pack is bunched up and as we’re out of 4, the green waves and the entire pack is on the gas. We’re racing!!
The 5m, which is usually piloted by Neal Mittan, is right ahead of me. It’s being driven by late model ace Bruce Wasserman this evening, as Neal is nursing an infected hand which is the result of an altercation with a thorn bush. The 03 of Aaron Roth, which is a new car for him, is ahead of me, as well as the 6R of Roy Armstrong and the 99 of Darcy Dobrovolny. Into turn 1 and I’ve passed the 4 of Greg Crannell and the 32 of Joe Ryan. I’m on the back bumper of the 99 as the 6R takes the lead on the 1st lap.
I’m able to stay on the back bumper of the 99, and except for the 6R stepping out on us, the next 4 cars are almost bumper to bumper. I know I’m already in the Feature through the invert, it’s just a matter of what number I draw after the heat. The 99 is running the bottom, and I’m a couple of car widths above him. The car is handling well.
We’re across the line for the white flag, then into 1 and out of 2. Into 3, and suddenly I have water coming out from under the hood and back across the dash of the car. I go to the bottom of the track, and have enough momentum to cross the line in 5th to make the invert.
Back to the trailer and we find that the water pump gaskets have blown out. Another fluke, as that has never happened to us before. New water pump, too. The water temp was only 170, so it wasn’t from overheating. I walk back to the scale area, where I draw #4 for the A Feature. That puts us on the outside of the 2nd row for the A Feature.
Factory Stock 1st Heat
1) 6R Roy Armstong
2) 03 Aaron Roth
3) 99 Darcy Dobrovolny
4) 5m Bruce Wasserman
5) 6 Ernie Reiss
6) 4 Greg Crannell
7) 32 Joe Ryan
Factory Stock 2nd Heat
1) 6A Adam Armstrong
2) 4t Lisa Wagner
3) 66 Jeff Watts
4) 89 Ronda Mewes
5) 7 Jeff Shew
6) 9 Gary Laflin
With a pit stop contest for race fans at intermission, we had a little extra time to get the water pump gaskets changed. I usually have almost everything we need in case of emergencies, but for some reason, I don’t have any spare water pump gaskets on hand. Some checking around in the pits, and I locate a pair of gaskets. Terry Roth gives me a hand since Jeff and Tyler are working on Jeff’s car, making some changes. Terry and I get done, and I start putting water in the radiator - it’s running out as fast as I can put it in! A quick check finds that I put the right side gasket in upside down…. Jeff & Tyler are done with Jeff’s car now and give me a hand getting the gaskets in again. We have water back in the radiator and the car is running with time to spare.
It’s time to start getting lined up. I’m in the car getting strapped in. Tyler makes a couple of last minute checks on the car and we’re getting lined up. The 89 of Ronda Meves is starting on the pole, with the 6A of 16-yr old Adam Armstrong starting on the outside pole. The 4T of Lisa Wagner is starting alongside me. Both Adam and Lisa came out of the IMCA Hobby Stock class to race factory stocks this year, and had some good runs last year. I‘m looking forward to racing with them this season.
It’s finally time to pull back onto the track for the A Feature. This being the first race of the season, our car count is a bit short, but it will pick up as the season goes on. We have a total of 13 cars taking the green flag. I’ve decided to try to stay as close as I can to the 6A and see what shakes out. We’re on the parade lap, waving at the crowd in the grandstand. The flagman signals one to go, and I recheck my seat belts one last time. Down the back chute and the lights are out. A nice, steady pace through the corner, and as the front row gets to the cone just past turn 4, the green is out and we’re racing!
Jeff drew 6, and is starting behind me. I’m sure I’ll get some taps in the rear bumper from him, but going into 1, I seem to be clear of him. I have about a half car length lead on the 4T and go into 1 about two lanes higher than her. As we’re into 2, she drifts up a bit and I have to back out of the throttle to avoid contact. Down the back chute, and the 6A is in the lead, with 89 in 2nd, 4T in 3rd, and we’re in 4th. Into 3, and the 6R of Roy Armstrong goes by me on the inside as he’s trying to get to the front to make it a father-son race. We’re across the start/finish line in 5th place at the end of the 1st lap.
The car is handling well and the track is in excellent shape. I’m trying to keep an eye on the oil pressure and water temp. Still in 5th place, and there’s nobody making any attempt to pass me at this point. I’m able to stay fairly close to the 4T and at the same time try to find the best place to run. Tyler had said earlier that we should stay a couple of car widths off the bottom, especially in 3 & 4 as it was still a bit greasy down there. I’m trying to stay in about the middle in the chutes and 5 or 6 widths off the bottom in the corners. I did find a good spot to run lower in 1 & 2.
Another glance at the oil pressure gage shows it’s fluctuating a bit, but the oil light isn’t on and we’re holding about 40 lbs. With 10 to go, the 99 gets under me going into 3 and we’re back to 6th place. I’m hoping everything holds together for a good finish. In 2 I notice the oil light flickering a bit, and the needle on the oil pressure gauge is jumping back and forth. I look again, and the pressure is below 20 lbs. I’m not taking any chances and drop to the bottom of the track coming out of 4 and pull it into the pits. At the checkers, we’ve gotten a 12th place finish. Not exactly what I was hoping for on opening night.
I guess it's back to the drawing board for now. The engine will have to come out and apart so I can try to figure out what went wrong. We'll put one back in that should really be freshened, but we'll get by. At least Jeff finished and is still in one piece.
We hope to see everybody at the races soon.
Factory Stock A Feature
1) 6a Adam Armstrong
2) 6r Roy Armstrong
3) 89 Ronda Mewes
4) 03 Aaron Roth
5) 4t Lisa Wagner
6) 99 Darcy Dobrovolny
7) 5m Bruce Wasserman
8) 9 Gary Laflin
9) 7 Jeff Shew
10) 4 Greg Crannel
11) 32 Joe Ryan
12) 6 Ernie Reiss
13) 66 Jeff Watts
Points After 4-28-07
1) 6A Adam Armstrong 40
2) 6R Roy Armstrong 39
3) 89 Ronda Mewes 38
4) 03 Aaron Roth 37
5) 4T Lisa Wagner 36
6) 99 Darcy Dobrovolny 35
7) 5m Neal Mittan 34
8) 9 Gary Laflin 33
9) 7 Jeff Shew 32
10) 4 Greg Crannell 31
11) 32 Joe Ryan 30
12) 6 Ernie Reiss 29
13) 66 Jeff Watts 28
Results from May 12, 2007
Results from May 28, 2007
Results from June 2, 2007
Results from June 9, 2007
Results from June 16, 2007
Results from June 30, 2007
Results from July 7, 2007
Results from July 14, 2007
Results from July 22, 2007 (Gage County Fair)
Results from July 28, 2007
Results from August 4, 2007
