04/08/2024
2024 Nor Cal Rock Racing Wild West Shoot Out Race weekend #1 recap:
Approximately 3 weeks ago Zach Williams convinced me to go race the can am against 2 of our mutual friends, and in the upcoming 2024 NorCal series. We picked up a used set of short shocks, some Facebook marketplace tires and then built a guard to catch mud before it clogged the factory radiator. A few last minute items, and we were loading up to go!
Friday morning, Jason Armstrong came over bright and early and grabbed the enclosed trailer and we headed to the track. The gloomy skies and prior nights rain had killed any optimism I had going for a positive outcome, being as I had a vulnerable front mounted radiator racing amongst a group of competitors with far better, rear mounted setups. Anyway, We get our pit set up and get the car and safety equipment thru the tech inspection and wait for the announcement for qualifying. About the time We go to last minute blast the car with decals, another wave of showers rolls thru and puts the idea of qualifying later that day to bed. The track had mud that was too deep to grade off but should permeate overnight with clear weather on the forecast. We hang out in the cold until dark and then I head home for a good nights sleep.
Race day:
Get to the track to learn that I am sitting dead last in a split class heat with 15 cars in front of me due to computer generated starting draw. Bummed, but”I can only move up from here,” I tell myself.
We go out for a sloppy 10 minute practice and at the last lap, the car gets hot and goes down to 1/2 power. I limp it in and Zach, Gavin, and Jason amongst others including my dad, wife, and kid, all jump in to wash, prep, check, and get it ready to go out for heat 1.
We take off of the line in heat 1 and I’m being the dodgy back of the pack guy looking for an opening as well as trying to dip away from the barrage of mud being blasted at me from the car ahead. 1/2 lap in and we dip into a watery mud hole and my vision goes brown. I go to pull a tear off and I miss it , full well knowing that there is a bottle neck of cars just beyond the pit. I pulled my visor up and took what I had coming to me which was not pretty, but fortunately I had sunglasses on and although, they were now caked, I could look down the bridge of my nose out the top of them and squint just enough to overcome the mud continuously being flung at me. It thru me off of my game for a couple laps as I just fell in behind a driver and followed until the last lap, when I guess I decided I wanted to race again. The engine was on the brink of overheating again, but didn’t and we were able to finish mid pack for the first heat. The crew and I went to work, getting the car clean and checked and we got ready for heat 2.
As we went to take off for heat 2, p3 driver crashes into the back of p1 driver causing me to crash into p3 driver and then p9 driver crashes into the back of me.
Needless to say I’ve got a little bit of road rage rolling now and the track is feeling just right so after loosing probably 10-15 seconds getting untangled, I’m off and on a mission. I was pushing pretty hard and came around at the top of the hill and a caution had drivers ahead braking and I kept my momentum and was able to make a pass on the jump just ahead of the caution. It was the final lap we made it across the finish. I came in and the crew came back and said I was sitting in second going into the main.
We did the rinse and repeat on the car and we were planning our “MDK” for the main. I roll in to stage to find that they moved me to the back of everyone that finished heat 2 for a passing under caution penalty. Ok, new plan! New “MDK”!
I’m sitting p7 as we head off and I hear Jeremy’s voice saying “trust the car”, and from then on, the car is on rails! The people I’m passing are “players” at this point and I feel like I know what I got to do. I got the pass in for p3 right before the white flag and I was pushing to try to get it. I could tell I was gaining on p2 driver but there was not enough track left!
We watched the other races while waiting for our race results to post and when they did, I was left with yet another shock. They had me sitting p4. I kindly walked up and asked the official about it, and she asked if I lost my transponder in heat 2. Oh man! $350 transponder, out in the track somewhere, as well as no tracking on my car. The official was aware of it and was watching the race as close as possible to score correctly. She made the adjustment on the results and I was on my way to look for a transponder.
Jason, Matt Matt, all of came down to help look. Mathew Bacsi got his truck and we drove the track looking for it without luck. We headed back up and we started getting loaded up and I got a call that Matt Matt found it!! Amazing, needle in a haystack! Thank you my brother!!! Another victory when the odds were against us!!! Awesome team and awesome race family!!! Dennis Richardson rolled up in the dark and helped load up canopies and tie the car down so we could get on our way!
Thank you to Kurt Mitchell for the help with the radios as well as Dalton Carter and Matt Hall for the pit support.
Thank you as always to our amazing sponsors!
RuffStuff Specialties
Scott's Designs in Placerville CA
Method Race Wheels
Gower Construction Racing