As the Schedule Turns
While it’s not unusual for a series to encounter minor schedule adjustments over the course of the season, what the Total Seal SWDRA has experienced trumps them all. After an off-season filled with schedule changes and scrambling to acquire more dates, the news that Tucson Raceway Park was reverting to dirt after nearly 20-years as an asphalt facility and adding five SWDRA events was welcomed news. That excitement has been tempered just a bit.
News this past week that the track would not be ready for its schedule August 7th opening has knocked at least one event off the scheduled five. The promoter’s inabilities to gather either the proper permits or final approval from the Pima County Fairboard are the main reasons cited for the delay. What was an ambitious timetable for completing the conversion has been further compressed if the facility hopes to have work competed for the scheduled August 21st Total Seal SWDRA event.
My opinion on the matter is I don’t think they will have the track ready for August 21st and I have some doubts that there will be any dirt racing at TRP in 2010. Making this type of transformation in six weeks makes it difficult to develop a first class racing surface, and putting dirt on top of asphalt (which is the only way I see them getting it done in their advertised time frame) has more challenges than I think they realize. I don’t see this scenario having any type of long-term success as the surface such as this can be difficult to prepare which would leave a sour taste in the mouths of both drivers and fans. Yes, several other tracks – most notably Bristol Motor Speedway – have had success with short-term dirt over asphalt projects, however, not many are able to sustain a quality surface long-term in that situation.
If and or when work can begin, it would be best for the staff at TRP to take their time over a several month period to complete the overhaul. Remove the asphalt, put down the proper base, the new racing surface, work it in over the course of several weeks, have some test sessions and make sure it’s right before having competition.
Point Race Shake-up
Lonnie Parker, Jr continues to close in on point leader Ricky Thronton, Jr. After the win on Saturday, Parker has closed to within 26-markers unofficially of Thornton. The two leaders have distanced themselves from third place Cory Hemphill who is 132 back of Thornton and 106 back of Parker. Despite a 14th place finish Brad Williams maintained in fourth with Brad Williams rounding out the top five. Tommy Hussek III moved up two-spots to sixth, Art Lacy dropped to seventh, John Romero up four to eighth, Mike Tahtinen down two to ninth and Jerry Fincher up three to round out the top ten.
Notable by their Absence
Several drivers in the top 10 in points were absent from Canyon Speedway Park on Saturday. Karl Tipton took his show on the road to Bakersfield, CA where he finished 12th in the main event. Art Lacy, who suffered a mechanical issue before the main event on night two in Show Low, was also on the missing persons list presumably because of that issue. The final AWOL competitor was Bruce Duckett – and that’s all I have to say about that.
Welcome Back
Anthony Madrid returned to action at the wheel of Mike Tahtinen’s #24 and challenged for the win before a right front break began to stick allowing Lonnie Parker to regain the lead. While driving an unfamiliar racecar was certainly a bit strange, it was nothing compared to the post-race autograph request by a young fan. A group of pre-teen girls approached asking Madrid for signatures when one exclaimed “sign my forehead.” It caused him to wonder aloud what the girl’s mother would think, fulfilling the request none the less. Madrid hopes to be back behind the wheel of his traditional 5m machine when the next series race takes place either at TRP August 21st or the Canyon Speedway Park Labor Day Weekend double-header.
Brad Williams, who coincidently piloted Tahtinen’s ride on night two in Show Low, was back in his #23 Rocket after making repairs to damage suffered when he collided with Thunder Raceway’s pit exit abutment. Contact with Art Lacy sent Williams’ drivers side first into the “protective” Yuk tires bending the chassis in several place. The solid sixth place run keeps Williams in the hunt for another top-five point finish in 2010. And while I’ve seen a lot of racing shirts in my day, Brad’s choice to go with the Gusty Christenberry was a blast from the past. For those of you who don’t know, Christenberry had a brief stint on the national scene (in the now defunct Hava-Tampa/UDTRA series) in the late 1990’s and early part of the past decade when his family trucking business based in east Tennessee teamed with Freddy Smith after “The Southern Gentlemen” left the GVS team. Over the past several years it appears that Christenberry has been making hit and miss appearances in various late model divisions across east Tennessee. He currently holds the “overall” late model track record at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, TN which he set on June 10, 2003. The lap of 11.743-seconds at 122.630 mph around the 4/10ths mile was set running with giant sideboards.
Is that New?
Normally this time of year it’s commonplace to have sheet metal showing the wear and tear of short track races past. For most recent winner Cory Hemphill, he’s been sporting a hodge-podge of pieces since incidents on Memorial Weekend until Saturday night. Unfortunately the new look didn’t pay dividends as contact will John Romero forced early retirement in his heat race when a damaged nose piece prevented the car from steering properly. Another incident in the main event, this time with Brad Whitfield, caused more damage to the nose. However, Hemphill was able to solider on and complete the 30-lap distance with an eighth place finish after starting 15th on the field.
John Romero was also displaying new right side sheet metal after receiving plenty of damage from incidents at Thunder Raceway. Romero credited his crew and several others for getting his car back on track in time for the race at Canyon. When asked about his stellar heat race performance Romero quipped “We didn’t have time to scale it so we just left the Show Low set-up in it.”
Also making his first appearance of the season was Mark Harrison at the wheel of the brightly colored T-Mac Pipe Constructors entry. That same group has fielded car most recently for RC Whitwell, Brad Whitfield and Charles Davis, Jr. After winning his heat race, he was struck with an unfortunate draw and had to start the main event in eighth. Harrison would run as high as seventh before fading to an 11th place finish.
The Green Light
Ricky Thornton, Jr. gave me the ok to talk bad about him so here goes! You know, these kids today think they have all the answers. I mean just because you’re 19-years old, have two fast racecars, the point lead, & a girlfriend you can just drive it in on the side high like your invincible and conquer the world! Sure, that may have won you half the races this season, but lets be realistic here for a second, you’re no Lonnie Parker, Jr.! You should take a page out of his book if you ever want to be a champion. Patience is a virtue, not a curse. All this free-wheeling high wide and hansom stuff my fly with the ladies (and Kenny Wallace) but it ain’t the path to the promised land! Nay nay, slow and steady will win this race, just ask Jeep VanWormer. Sure, it was thrilling watching him trying to knock down the wall at Eldora for 100 laps, but if he keeps the spoiler (and a lot of other stuff) on that thing he’s got a Globe trophy. But noooo, he’s up there on the high side just like you making a fool of himself! Sheesh, when are you ever going to learn?
Ahhhh….that was fun!
All kidding asdie, while discussing several topics including his attempts to gain ground on the high side during the races early portions Thornton joked “I looked like an idiot up there.” Everyone who was gathered around agreed in unison and after realizing the high side was fruitless; Thornton moved to the bottom for the second half of the event. After bouncing between third and sixth he settled for a fourth place finish.
More Misery
Just when Joey Moriarty thinks he seen just about everything, something new jumps up the bits the driver whose having the worst luck of anyone not named Anthony Madrid. After his hotlap session on Saturday, a trail of oil greeted the Total Seal headman in the pit area, and the team discovered the camshaft plug in the rear of the engine had somehow worked itself loose. That normally sealed, unthreaded plug was allowing oil to drain from the engine when under pressure. Since it’s basically impossible to fix with the engine in the car, Moriarty was forced to scratch from the evenings events.
Righty-Tighty
Another peculiar set of engines woes set-in for Brad Whitfield during the main event when the bolts securing the water pump came loose forcing him to retire during a lap 14 caution period. When Whitfield notice the oil temperature rising, he alertly headed for his crew to assess the situation and discovered the water pump issue. He was regulated to a 14th place finish as one of only two drivers not running at the finish. Whitfield’s bigger issue on the night however may have been the faulty zipper on his fire suit which led to plenty of innuendo and several interesting repair options, one of which included Whitfield continuing to wear the suit during the repair process.
Sending out an SOS
I’m going to put the call out there, someone please help Jimmy Jelvik! In the interest of fair reporting I have not talked with Jimmy and am unfamiliar with his racing history, but what I do know just by watching is he is struggling mightily behind the wheel of a late model. It often times appears that he neither has control of the car or any idea where it’s going to go. It’s sometimes frightening to watch from the stands, not to mention he is endangering himself and the other drivers who happen to be around him. The most recent harrowing situation came Saturday when he uncontrollably re-entered the backstretch forcing the leaders and several other cars to dodge him. I think he would welcome any set-up or driving advice which could be sent his way.
Like I said, I’m not familiar with his driving history, but I have to say I’m not sure the SWDRA is the place for him at this particular time. It doesn’t appear to me that he has the experience necessary to safely wheel one of these cars in competition. I appreciate the fact that Jimmy wants to race a late model and the investment he has made trying to do so, but it might benefit him to consider other options. He might thrive from moving down to a lower class, gaining some more experience, learning about set-ups and driving styles, and making a return sometime in the future.
Yes, there are people who jump in these cars without much racing experience and excel. There are plenty of drivers who move up to this class, have their growing pains and enjoy a lot of future success. The difficult part of this from the SWDRA standpoint is they need car count, bottom line. Beggars as they say can’t be choosers, and their history has been to except all comers regardless of experience, driving ability, engine combination etc in the name of car count. I have said before when writing about this just because you can, it doesn’t mean you necessarily should. However, this is America, land of the free and I’d hate to see someone not be able to race especially if they have a passion for it. I’d just like them to see them hone their craft before jumping into the deep end.
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