2007 had a devastating start with failing to qualify for the first race
of the season. That DNQ relegated us to a 14th place finish at the
end of the year and 2008 started with the same bad luck. A cut
tire in the heat race and a broken caliper in the consi had us failing
to qualify again for Opening night for two years in a row. This
DNQ won't hurt as bad as last years because last year was a double point
race. Still, it leaves no room for error for the rest of 2008.
Besides
a cut tire and broken caliper, the motor problem last week wasn't the
fuel pickup, as I again fought a stumbling motor all night as
well. After tearing apart the carburetor Sunday night, it was
clogged in two places and was failing intermittently.
The night started well, as we were fast in practice, keeping on last weeks
race winner's rear bumper, but two laps in the
motor started breaking down and I was forced to pull in. Steve Kent Sr
of SKS and Steve Kent Jr of XLR8 Race Engines were
at the track and jumped in to lend a hand. Because the carb
appeared to be shooting fuel when pumped, we looked elsewhere and
changed the coil. Hoping the problem was fixed, we went out for
the heat. The motor ran okay for the first couple laps, but
because of the chassis changes in the off season, the RR quarter panel
rolled on top of the RR tire and my heat race ended a couple laps short
because of a blown tire.
The Kents and myself then went to work changing the rear end
suspension to make sure the body wouldn't roll on to the tire during the
consi. But bad luck struck us once again- the caliper mounting
bolts on the left front backed out and the brake fell into the wheel
locking up the LF tire after a red flag condition. The locked left
front wheel ended our night and it was deja vu all over again from 2007.
After the many long hours in the shop over the off season and last two
weeks, it was hard to take. But now we just need to look at the
positive and try to win races. Being back so far in the points
will let us start up front in the heats when we stop drawing pills for
qualifying after this week. I really feel if our Ford is out
front, we will be hard to pass. The car is rolling through the
turns so well.
Again, I want to thank everyone who helped out this week. I was
on my own with my boss in Taiwan and my girlfriend in the grandstands
with our kids. The Kents, Shamrock Inn, Vegas Radio, Walrus Signs,
Ecolab, XLR8 Race Engines, Ricky Edmunds, and just everyone from Tony
Catlett to Bobby Taylor, Fareth, Joe, etc etc., thanks so much. We
will get this car turned around and everyone is welcome in victory lane
when they are taking pictures of our race winning Ford.
-Brian