Saturday afternoon found us running late getting to the track, Connelly's younger sister had a soccer game that we had to attend, by the time we got out of town we were an hour late. By the time we got to the track, got registered and teched we only had a little over a half hour of practice left. It wouldn't have been too bad, but the car that was handling so well last race went to junk on us. It just wouldn't roll through the center of the turns and was sliding the front end up the track. The track temp was 94o and we should have been loose. I made a slight adjustment which helped some, but we were still tight, made another adjustment, still tight, then practice ended. The track finally got the transponders in so we were able to qualify on time. Connelly laid down a pretty fair lap, 13.20 for a fourth starting spot out of 11 cars. As usual we had a very good field of cars. The very fast #53 of Jeremy Lundy, Both of the 44's the blue driven by Joseph McArdle, with Billy Elmore, Jr. in the silver car. In addition Joey Padget in his very quick #83, the always fast #7 of Hunter Lewis, of cource the #32 with Connelly Dubuisson doing the driving. The much improved #4 of Tucker Yance, along with the #39 of Daniel Thompson, the #55r of Ronnie Osmer, the #59 of Terry Myers, and Andrew Johnson driving the #66. A very strong field again this weekend. Connelly's fourth qualifying spot gave him the outside front row in his heat race, alongside of #83 of Joey Padgett. At the start Connelly was able to get to the bottom in a half a lap, then coming out of turn four got under the #83 they touched and Connelly got dead sideways (you could read his number from up the track) he was able to maintain 2nd position for a couple of laps then coming out of turn two spun, which put him last, since there were only three laps to go there was no "choose", in three laps he was able to work his way up to 3rd. Which gave him outsde of third row (6th) starting position in the feature race.
Eleven cars answered the call for the feature, after the start it took Connelly a full lap to get to the bottom of the track where he could race, by then he was 8th, he then worked his way back up to 5 th when he got into a long slide down the back stretch and lost 3 positions, worked his way back up to about 6th when the 55r and 66 got together and as a result of a case of mistaken identity by the race director, Connelly got sent to the back for causing the accident?? oh well, all this and the car is handling worse (the track is cooling off and getting tighter)--just what we didn't need. We get back to racing Connelly just completes a pass on the 39 for 5th and Joey Padget blows an oil line off his engine and oils the track down causing the silver #44 to spin right in front of Connelly leaving just a narrow lane between the car and the wall on the back straightaway, Connelly managed to squeeze through and not hit anything or anybody. Joey was finished for the night. After a lengthy cleanup delay we got back underway with a "green, white, checker" Connelly wound up finishing 6th. It could have been a lot worse, we put ourselves in position to get run over by the #4 on two occasions, Tucker skifully avoided us, and that squeeze between the silver #44 and the wall was too close for comfort. Considering we were dealing with an ill handling race car and several near misses, I was overjoyed to just be able to push the #32 back on the trailer in one piece. Oh well, we'll give it another try next race on the 31st. Come on out to Sunny South Raceway and treat yourself to some very exciting and action filled racing.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
OPENING NIGHT 3-3-2012
This past Saturday night was opening night at Sunny South Raceway for the 2012 season. Everyone was really looking forward to the opening especially Connelly. He has worked hard getting his grades in order as well as working very hard getting the car ready. There have been a couple of private test sessions and one open test date and everyone was all tested and practiced out and ready to go RACING. There have been a couple of new entries in the Legends class in the Young Lions division. Ronnie Osmer has moved up from Bandoleros with his #55r and Daniel Thompson has also moved up from Bandoleros with his #39. We raced Bandoleros with them and they are both good competitors and great friends. We welcome them to the Legends class and look forward to racing with them both.
The field of 12 Legends that presented Saturday was a very strong one. In addition to Ronnie #55r, and #39, Jeremy Lundy #53 with his wicked fast '34 coupe, Joseph McArdle blue #44, (2011 Young Lions track champion), his dad Brian McArdle three time track champion in the Pro division in his silver 44jr coupe. Terry Myers with his '37 sedan #59 was sporting a new paint scheme, looks like gloss black that has been in the rain also he has a new engine, Obviously Connelly with his '37 sedan, new engine and all, Also competing was the #4 of Tucker Yance, the #7 of Hunter Lewis, who has a new motor and is super strong. The #66 is also a new driver here for his first race, the #04 whose name I do not have at this time (but I'll get it) and finally another Louisiana driver from Harahan, LA driving his #8 again I do not have his name.
HEAT RACE
We were not able to qualify this Saturday as the transponders did not arrive in time, hopefully they will be in for the next race. I drew the chip for starting position and drew a high number so we would start 5th out of 6 for our heat. The #39 who was scheduled to start ahead of us opted to start last (his first race) to try and get his "racing feet" under him before starting up in the middle of the pack, smart thing to do. That moved us up to starting 3rd as they just moved the whole line up. We were in the first heat with the #53, #44jr, #66, #4, #39 and Connelly in #32. At the start we were able to move up to second held it for a short time when Brian in the #44 got past us. We ran 3rd for a few laps behind the #53 and#44jr when Brian spun the #44jr right in front of Connelly, Brian being the professional driver he is locked the car down and gave Connelly a good lane to get buy without any contact. That brought out the caution, Brian took the "choose" which put Connelly back to third. After a couple of laps of hard racing the #39 got into the #4 and spun him, another caution. We again started 3rd., Brian made a great pass on the white flag lap for the win, the #53 finished second Connelly third with the #4 fourth followed by the #39 and #66. Connelly drove a good heat, fairly conservatively but he was in some fast company with the #44jr and the #53
FEATURE RACE
In the feature we started inside second row behind the #53, the blue #44 of Joseph McArdle outside pole, the #59 was outside of us with the #4 inside 3nd row, the #08 outside of the3rd row, with the #39 inside 4th row and the #55r outside 4th row, the#66 inside row 5 with the #7 outside of him. Brian McArdle wasn't feeling well after the heat race so he put a relief driver Billy Elmore in the #44jr for the feature which put him starting last. Connelly started third and finished third, but had to pass about twelve cars to do that. (The "choose" cone is put out after each caution except on the last three laps and allows all the drivers behind the leader move up to the outside of the 1st row, then the next car that "chooses" goes to the outside of the 2nd row and so on.) So when the caution comes out if you are in third place and do not "chosse" you are now in 5th place, however the outside is the long way around the track and the slower line, but the driver who was third and is now 5th has to pass all those outside cars again. There were a number of spins, some one car spins about three others that someone got spun by someone else, so there were a lot of "choosers". Connelly even got into the act. Going into turn one on one of the many restarts the #44jr came down on Connelly and they just barely touched and the #44jr went around, however it knocked Connelly's fender loose, I had to bring him in for repairs, before I got to him Cliff Osmer just snaped the fender back in place and Connelly got back out and didn't loose a lap, but now he is dead last. One lap after the restart Connelly had passed one car when the #39 spun and was black flagged (three spin rule) and withdrew. Connelly took the "choose" and went to the outside of the first row, by time he got to the bottom he was fourth behind the#53, the#7, and Joseph in the blue #44. Connelly got by Joseph in the #44 on a restart, I think Joseph missed a shift. Connelly was able to maintain his position and finish third. He almost got to second when the #7 thought the white flag was the checker and backed off, then realized his error and got back in it, Connelly got to the side of him and was third by less than a 1/2 car length. Joseph in the#44 was 4th, Billy Elmore in the #44jr was 5th with the #4 finishing 6th, the #08 was 7th, with the #59 came in 8th, and the #55r in 9th. After the race in the tech barn Billy Elmore showed what a class act he is when he came up to Connelly and accepted full responsibility for their little "get together" the mirrors in the #44jr were set for Brian and he just couldn't see. All in all a very eventful race, with several spins a couple of slight fender benders and some real good racing. I thought Connelly had a very good race, he got to race against the best drivers and equipment in the deep south and held his own, he is coming along and shows real promise. Our next race is at Sunny South on March 17. Come out to Grand Bay, AL and see some really good racing.
The field of 12 Legends that presented Saturday was a very strong one. In addition to Ronnie #55r, and #39, Jeremy Lundy #53 with his wicked fast '34 coupe, Joseph McArdle blue #44, (2011 Young Lions track champion), his dad Brian McArdle three time track champion in the Pro division in his silver 44jr coupe. Terry Myers with his '37 sedan #59 was sporting a new paint scheme, looks like gloss black that has been in the rain also he has a new engine, Obviously Connelly with his '37 sedan, new engine and all, Also competing was the #4 of Tucker Yance, the #7 of Hunter Lewis, who has a new motor and is super strong. The #66 is also a new driver here for his first race, the #04 whose name I do not have at this time (but I'll get it) and finally another Louisiana driver from Harahan, LA driving his #8 again I do not have his name.
HEAT RACE
We were not able to qualify this Saturday as the transponders did not arrive in time, hopefully they will be in for the next race. I drew the chip for starting position and drew a high number so we would start 5th out of 6 for our heat. The #39 who was scheduled to start ahead of us opted to start last (his first race) to try and get his "racing feet" under him before starting up in the middle of the pack, smart thing to do. That moved us up to starting 3rd as they just moved the whole line up. We were in the first heat with the #53, #44jr, #66, #4, #39 and Connelly in #32. At the start we were able to move up to second held it for a short time when Brian in the #44 got past us. We ran 3rd for a few laps behind the #53 and#44jr when Brian spun the #44jr right in front of Connelly, Brian being the professional driver he is locked the car down and gave Connelly a good lane to get buy without any contact. That brought out the caution, Brian took the "choose" which put Connelly back to third. After a couple of laps of hard racing the #39 got into the #4 and spun him, another caution. We again started 3rd., Brian made a great pass on the white flag lap for the win, the #53 finished second Connelly third with the #4 fourth followed by the #39 and #66. Connelly drove a good heat, fairly conservatively but he was in some fast company with the #44jr and the #53
FEATURE RACE
In the feature we started inside second row behind the #53, the blue #44 of Joseph McArdle outside pole, the #59 was outside of us with the #4 inside 3nd row, the #08 outside of the3rd row, with the #39 inside 4th row and the #55r outside 4th row, the#66 inside row 5 with the #7 outside of him. Brian McArdle wasn't feeling well after the heat race so he put a relief driver Billy Elmore in the #44jr for the feature which put him starting last. Connelly started third and finished third, but had to pass about twelve cars to do that. (The "choose" cone is put out after each caution except on the last three laps and allows all the drivers behind the leader move up to the outside of the 1st row, then the next car that "chooses" goes to the outside of the 2nd row and so on.) So when the caution comes out if you are in third place and do not "chosse" you are now in 5th place, however the outside is the long way around the track and the slower line, but the driver who was third and is now 5th has to pass all those outside cars again. There were a number of spins, some one car spins about three others that someone got spun by someone else, so there were a lot of "choosers". Connelly even got into the act. Going into turn one on one of the many restarts the #44jr came down on Connelly and they just barely touched and the #44jr went around, however it knocked Connelly's fender loose, I had to bring him in for repairs, before I got to him Cliff Osmer just snaped the fender back in place and Connelly got back out and didn't loose a lap, but now he is dead last. One lap after the restart Connelly had passed one car when the #39 spun and was black flagged (three spin rule) and withdrew. Connelly took the "choose" and went to the outside of the first row, by time he got to the bottom he was fourth behind the#53, the#7, and Joseph in the blue #44. Connelly got by Joseph in the #44 on a restart, I think Joseph missed a shift. Connelly was able to maintain his position and finish third. He almost got to second when the #7 thought the white flag was the checker and backed off, then realized his error and got back in it, Connelly got to the side of him and was third by less than a 1/2 car length. Joseph in the#44 was 4th, Billy Elmore in the #44jr was 5th with the #4 finishing 6th, the #08 was 7th, with the #59 came in 8th, and the #55r in 9th. After the race in the tech barn Billy Elmore showed what a class act he is when he came up to Connelly and accepted full responsibility for their little "get together" the mirrors in the #44jr were set for Brian and he just couldn't see. All in all a very eventful race, with several spins a couple of slight fender benders and some real good racing. I thought Connelly had a very good race, he got to race against the best drivers and equipment in the deep south and held his own, he is coming along and shows real promise. Our next race is at Sunny South on March 17. Come out to Grand Bay, AL and see some really good racing.
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