Another Season Over

I hate to say it, but another season of enduro racing missed due to house reno's & a very tight budget. Next season looks very promising, with a Bonneville SSEI in the back yard, all stripped & a roll cage welded in place. I will always have a roll cage & drivers door bar for extra protection.

It saved my butt once already. In 2006 we had a little incident where I was spun around coming out of turn #1 (going the opposite direction). Never got the car started in time, and here came a big boat around turn 1. He never saw me until the last minute, and hit me full tilt in the drivers side door. The roll cage had shifted & the bar going down the drivers side door was pushed in 5".

I may have walked away with a fractured foot & bruised hip.....but it could have been a lot worse! If you're smart, you'll weld a roll cage in. You never know when something will happen!



My dad has sent the trailer out for much needed repairs, and it just so happens, that the garage he sent it to is going to load up an old car that has been sitting out back for a while. All I know is, it's a 6 cylinder and runs good......well, that's good enough for me! We'll be out for all 4 races next season, if I don't get into any trouble on the track!

Onto the track!

Shortly after we all got lined up to hit the track, my old buick started to spit & sputter, then it stalled. I cranked it over about 3 times, which seemed like forever, and with one hell of a BANG (backfire), she came to life again. She ran better than ever after that! We headed out onto the track with my heart thumping louder than most of the engines. I couldn't believe I was actually out on the race track! Slowly cruising by the grandstands, and thinking "I'm finally on the other side of the fence!" The pace truck brought us around to turn #4, then veered off into the infield. At the drop of the green flag, it was time to go. I pushed the old pedal to the floor & headed into turn one. No time to be nervous now, too busy trying to negotiate the turns & all the wrecked & stalled cars on the track. About 12 laps in I came with a vengeance out of turn 4, & got tapped from behind. The old Buick slid sideways enough to catch the front of another car. Within 5 seconds I had been hit by three cars. I felt like a ball bearing in a pinball machine! So I shook the cobwebs out and turned the key, in hopes she'd start. With cars whizzing by me on both sides, I put her in gear & away we went again. Something wasn't right this time! I hit the gas, and the engine RPMs went up, but the speedometer was going down. Then I knew there was no fluid left in the transmission. I barely made it off the track, when the old Buick finally died. As I made my way back to the truck, I managed to catch a glimpse of the end of the race. That was one of the BEST adrenaline rushes I've had yet. Like they say! "It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on". Now I know what they're talking about. Soon after, Dad & the gang came back to the truck, & we all sat on the trailer talking about the race, and having a few good laughs over a couple of cold ones. While I had them all there, we pushed the car up on the trailer, strapped her down, & headed for home. It was definitely a night to remember. And a start of something for years to come.

Getting ready to race!

The chill is finally out of the air, and thoughts have turned to the local dirt track. Since I was a kid I dreamed of being in one of those thunderous, ground shaking cars, making their way around the track. We never had enough money growing up to do anything like that, but, finally in 2005 (at the ripe old age of 42) I got my chance! Thanks to Merrittville Speedway for bringing back the "Enduro race". I thought about it, and thought about it. Then I just said, "if I don't do it now, I never will". So, off i went in search of a car. My first prize was an old buick regal, 6 cyl, 4 door. Stripped her down to meet the tracks rules, welded a roll bar in place, and gave her a gloss black tremclad coat. The final touch was to put the number "J40" on the sides of the car, as that used to be my dads number when he raced, back in the 1950s. I could not put the number on the car, as it was a surprise for him. My wife & I, and a good friend, Cam, managed to get the car to the track on a borrowed trailer. My mom, dad, Uncle Gary, cousin Will, and daughter, Sheri all made it to the track on the spectators side to watch, and get a good laugh! I was running around in the pits to find some duct tape, so I could put that J40 on the sides of the car. Cam finally found some from another driver he knew. We got that on & waited for our turn to race. About 15 minutes before the race, here came dad to see how things were going. I think he was just as nervous as me by the look in his eyes. Then he saw the number on the car. I could have swore he had a tear in his eye, along with the BIG smile! That just made it all worth while.

(to be continued)