Beatrice Speedway, Beatrice, NE - 2 July 2005
We woke up to wet streets and gray skies on Saturday morning. During the rest of the morning we had light scattered showers but not enough to call the races off. The clouds burned off around noon and the temperatures climbed into the low 90's with gusty south winds.
On Friday evening I found a problem with the engine in the R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo. Still not sure what the problem is and without the time to change engines, I decided to run what I had and hope for the best. When I ran the engine for about 3 minutes in the shop, the oil smoke was so thick you could hardly see to the other end of the shop. When I shut the engine down it sounded like a mad cat spitting.
I did have the time to rebuild one of the master cylinders on the stock car and will have to do the other one before the end of the season. After completing all the normal maintenance checks on both cars, I was ready to go to the track.
The R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo factory stock was lined up on the inside of the second row in the first heat race. With the recent good runs, our point average is slowly getting better, meaning we have to start a bit farther back in the pack.
The track turned dry before the hot laps were over. It looked like this would be another night to try to run as close to the bottom of the track as possible.
We were to line up behind the m34 of Matt Spanjer, who is a first year driver. He has struggled getting his car to handle in the corners and he seems to be lacking in the engine department. The t54 of Tom Creek was starting on the outside pole.
I felt that I had to clear the m34 as quickly as possible so I did not get caught up in anything in the first corner. We pulled onto the track and got lined up. An extra lap to try to roll the top in a bit more, then back down the back chute and the light flashes, signaling that we would be green when we came out of turn 4. The front two cars set the pace before the green, and the m34 was going at a snail's pace. As we're in turn 3, cars behind me are stacking up and I'm getting tapped in the back bumper. As soon as the green is in the air, I drop to the bottom and pass the m34 before we pass the flagstand. Into turn 1 and out of turn 2 and I'm in the lead, although short-lived.
The 89 of Ronda Meves passes me on the bottom of turn 2 on the 2nd lap and the 5m of Neal Mittan also passes me. From there it's clear sailing as the R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo finishes the heat race in 4th place, making the invert in order to line up by points average in the A Feature.
Don't forget to go across the scales, then head for our pit area to cool the radiator. Check the tires as soon as possible to try to figure out if the chassis and tires are working correctly. The track is going to be dry slick in the A Feature, so we're sure to fill the fuel cell as full as possible to help with the weight.
When the lineups are posted for the A Feature, the R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo factory stock is lined up on the inside of the 2nd row.
The R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo stock car is to line up on the pole in the 2nd heat race. The top 5 cars of each heat make the invert, the remaining fall in at the back of the A Feature.
At the drop of the green, I'm on the gas as hard as I can go, but the cars behind me are pushing me into turn 1. I try to stay as close to the bottom as I can get and make the other cars go above me to pass. Out of turn 2 and I fall in behind the pack. The track is getting a lot rougher in the corners and unless I go in at the top. I can't find a smooth place in the corners. It could get to be a long night when A Feature time comes.
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There's a lot of dicing going on at the front, but not having the power to run with these guys, I just concentrate on finding the line that had the least ruts in it. I finish 7th, which will put me on the inside of the 7th row in the A Feature.
Back to the factory stock, we check the radiator to be sure it's full, tighten all the header bolts and check the oil. Be sure to check the tires and we should be ready to go.
Looking around the pits, we weren't the only ones wondering exactly what to do to get around the rough track. Track officials called in the road grader and during intermission, the track was bladed to try to take some of the ruts out of it.
It's time for the factory stock A Feature to be lined up. A last moment check of my belts as we pull onto the track and settle in line. The m64 of Matt Post is starting on the pole, with the 54m of Gary McGinty on the outside pole. The R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo #6 is on the inside of the 2nd row, with the 23 of Carey Ames on the outside of the 2nd row. The 94j of Jeremy Jensen was starting right behind me and the 03 of Aaron Roth was starting on the outside of row 3.
Once again, we get an extra lap to try to roll in the top of the track. We get the parade lap, waving to the fans in the grandstand as the flagman gives the field the one to go signal. Back down the back chute and the light is off. In the middle of turn 3 & 4, the m64 is on the gas and I try to get under him going into turn 1. He is slightly ahead of me and I back out of the gas, then get back in it before we're in the middle of the corner. Out of turn 2 and down the back chute and we're almost side by side, with the m64 having a half car length advantage. I get to the inside of him and pass him on the bottom coming out of turn 4. Back down the front straightaway and into turn 1 and we're in the lead! I'm trying to concentrate and run some good, consistent laps. Got to stay on the bottom in the corners, because for me, that seems to be the smoothest part of the track. I hope the engine will make it the full 20 laps.
Coming out of turn 2 onto the back chute, the yellow is out. Not sure what has happened, but I'm anxious to get going. The scoreboard shows the 94j in 2nd place and the 03 in 3rd. I know if the 03 gets to the top of the track, there's no way I'll be able to hold him off.
The track is cleared and the lights on the back chute are out. We're out of turn 4 and the green flag is out once again! Fly into turn 1, I missed my line a bit and the car wants to push a little. Back in the gas and the 94j is on my inside coming out of 2. I'm still ahead of him into 3 and out of 4. Two down and 18 to go.
The next time around, the 03 gets a run on the outside going into 3 and passes me high. I try to move up too, but he outpowers me down the front chute. The 6R of Roy Armstrong also passes me and takes the 15j of Jason Jensen with him.
One more lap and the 89 of Ronda Mewes gets under me going into 3. I'm right on her bumper coming out of 4 but am once again outpowered as we go down the front chute. Another couple of laps and there's another yellow. This time, somebody has blown an engine and the officials are putting oil dry down to keep from getting the oil all over the track.
The RSR 03 Monte Carlo of Aaron Roth is still in the lead, with the 6R of Roy Armstrong knocking at his back door. The green is waving and we're back to racing with 12 to go.
Another lap and the 35 of Mike Schwartz passes me on the high side in 1 and 2. I try to stay with him, but no luck. That's the difference in tracks as last week I was able to run him down and pass him.
The laps are winding down and I try to check my gauges at least once each lap. The water temp is slowly climbing. With about 7 to go, the 23 of Carey Ames passes me on the high side in 1 and 2. I try to move up, but the track is even rougher there than where I'm running at. Better to finish than to tear the car up going through the ruts. Two to go and I've backed out of the throttle a bit, hoping that the water temp will come down a bit. Into 1 and the 6B of Travis Burger comes up to my outside. At first I think it might be a lap car, but then realize I haven't lapped him. Back on the gas out of two and beat him down the back chute into 3, then pull him down the front chute as we take the white flag. One more to go and we've got a respectable 7th place. Don't make any mistakes now, just one more to go.
I don't see the 6B any more and take the checkers in 7th place. Back into the pits and get this thing cooled down and onto the trailer. The R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo factory stock has also picked up another spot in track points as we're now sitting in 8th place. We've never finished in the top 10 in points since we started racing.
We've just got a few minutes to make final checks and adjustments on the stock car. Then I'm strapping in and can spend a couple of minutes relaxing before firing the engine and pulling onto the track.
We're lined up 13th in a 14 car field, with the 89 of Sam Howard on my outside. We've raced each other all season long as it seems that our engines are about equal. I hope we can have a good clean run again.
The parade lap completed, we're down the back chute and the light is out. Out of turn 4 and we're racing!
In his second night in a new car, the 25 of Kevin Snyder is running in the top 3 or 4. Kevin has been building race cars for Beatrice area drivers for over 25 years and builds cars for Jet Racing.
With track conditions being what they were, I thought we may be able to pick up a position or two just because of cars dropping out. A rough track is so hard on the cars.
I follow the 89 for several laps but can't quite make the pass on him. There's a yellow for a couple of cars that spun to the bottom of turn 2. The M30 of Dave Murk has also pulled to the high side of the track and dropped out of the race. When we line back up to go green, the spun cars are behind me. They pass me in 1 and I follow the 29j of James Griffith to see what he's going to do with the 89. The 29j goes to the very bottom of the track coming out of 2 and motors around the 89.
I'm right on the back bumper of the 89 waiting to make a move. He washes up a little in turn 2 and I get a run off the bottom. We're side by side going into 3 and I beat him into the turn. Out of 4 and I've picked that spot up.
Another lap or two and there are two more cars spun out in the bottom of 2. Another car has slowed and stopped at the top of 4. It looks like the 10k of Corey Koca is done for the evening.
On the restart, the two cars that spun have to go to the back. When the green drops, they both pass me in 1 and 2. I haven't seen the 89 since I passed him, and I'm in 10th place right now.
About two more laps and somebody gets together with another car going into turn 1. The 25 is sideways, then lifting off the ground and rolling. I can see the bottom of the car before it comes to a rest on its wheels. The red flag is out immediately.
The 25 is done for the night as is the 11 of Robby Marsh, who has had the right front suspension on his car destroyed. The 3 of Josh Carpenter is in the pits changing flat tires.
Once we're lined up, I find myself in 7th. I know there are at least two cars behind me; the 89 and the 3. We're lined up and the green is out. With only a handfull of laps left, I just want to be sure to not make any mistakes. The 3 passes me on the front chute when the green flag comes out.
Three more laps and the white flag is out, then the checkers. The R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo stock car has an 8th place finish, our next best finish of the season!
I pulled up to the claim area and waited about a minute, then pulled up to the trailer. We'd had several discussions about claiming tonight, but there's always next week.
Hopefully there isn't much to do on the stock car this week. I'll be changing the fogger in the factory stock until I can find out what is the matter with it.
Next races Saturday July 9th at Beatrice Speedway.
Ernie
#6 Factory Stock
#6 Stock Car
Beatrice, NE Speedway
Secretary, Blue Knights Nebraska I
Factory Stock
Racing Results for 7-2-05
A Feature:
1 Roy Armstrong Beatrice
2 Aaron Roth Pleasant Dale
3 Jason Jensen Cortland
4 Ronda Mewes Blue Springs
5 Mike Schwartz Beatrice
6 Cary Ames Beatrice
7 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
8 Travis Burger Summerfield KS
9 Gary McGinty Fairbury
10 Gary Laflin Beatrice
11 Tom Creek Wymore
12 Mathew SPanjer Fairbury
13 Shawn Howard Fairbury
14 Peter Kruse Deshler
15 Jeremy Jensen Cortland
16 Neal Mittan Wymore
17 Matthew Post Beatrice
18 Jeff Shew Beatrice
19 Delmar Wells Hallam
Factory Stock
Points as of 7-2-05
1 399 Roy Armstrong Beatrice
2 390 Jason Jensen Cortland
3 389 Ronda Mewes Blue Springs
4 388 Neal Mittan Wymore
4 388 Mike Schwartz Beatrice
6 356 Jeremy Jensen Cortland
7 349 Aaron Roth Pleasant Dale
8 331 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
9 304 Matt Post Beatrice
10 302 Gary Laflin Beatrice
11 299 Jeff Watts Wymore
12 289 Derek Sand Hanover KS
13 285 Tom Creek Wymore
14 278 Travis Burger Summerfield KS
15 267 Shawn Howard Fairbury
15 267 Gary McGinty Fairbury
17 231 Delmar Wells Hallam
18 225 Carey Ames Beatrice
19 188 Darcey Dobrovolny Waterville KS
20 166 Matthew Spanjer Fairbury
21 135 Pat Welch Lincoln
22 127 Owen Spanjer Lexington
23 126 Ryan Young Blue Springs
24 95 Kasey Garvin Manhattan KS
25 27 Peter Kruse Deshler
26 26 Kurt Wilson Hanover KS
27 24 Jeff Stohs Hanover KS
28 22 Scott Jones Fairbury
IMCA Stock Car
Racing Results for 7-2-05
A Feature:
1 Eric Bartels Jansen
2 Eric Rempel Palmyra
3 Brandon Johnson DeWitt
4 Lance Borgman Beatrice
5 James Griffith Beatrice
6 Gary Laflin Beatrice
7 Josh Carpenter Fairbury
8 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
9 Samuel Howard Fairbury
10 Mike Sherwood Beatrice
11 Kevin Snyder Beatrice
12 Robby Marsh Hebron
13 Corey Koca Milligan
14 David Murk Blue Rapids KS
IMCA Stock
Points as of 7-2-05
1 394 Brandon Johnson DeWitt
2 384 James Griffith Beatrice
3 383 Josh Carpenter Fairbury
4 382 Robby Marsh Hebron
5 380 Todd Laflin Beatrice
5 380 Lance Borgman Beatrice
7 372 David Murk Blue Rapids KS
8 339 Eric Rempel Palmyra
9 327 Mike Sherwood Beatrice
9 327 Samuel Howard Faibury
11 308 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
12 228 Corey Koca Milligan
13 202 Eric Bartels Jansen
14 158 Darcey Dobrovolny Waterville KS
15 140 Derek Fralin Beatrice
16 126 Greg Deters Centralia KS
17 94 Leif Weyer Centralia KS
18 61 Kevin Snyder Beatrice
19 60 Francis Dobrovolny Waterville KS
20 59 Terry Franz Concordia KS
Photo by Nick Vrtiska
Front Page
Beatrice Spring Fling 2005
Opening Night April 2, 2005
Results from April 9, 2005
Results from April 16, 2005
Results from April 23, 2005
Results from April 30 & May 1, 2005
Results from May 7, 2005
Results from May 14, 2005
Results from May 21, 2005
Results from May 28, 2005
Results from June 18, 2005
Results from June 25, 2005
Results from July 2, 2005
Results from July 9, 2005
Results from July 16, 2005
Results from July 23, 2005 (Gage County Fair)
Results from July 30, 2005
Results from August 6, 2005 - Kids' Night
Results from August 20, 2005
Results from August 27, 2005
Results from September 3, 2005
Results from Eagle Raceway September 10, 2005
Email: blueknightne1@email.com
