Been a while since I ran at this track. Neat track. Started second row outside. Worked my way to the front in a couple of laps and motored to a convincing heat race win........I thought. Seems my car weighed 4# light. Still haven't figured this one out. Car weighed 939# the night before after the feature. I had one gallon less in fuel by comparison. Should have weighed 932# minimum since I had 3-4# of mud on the car this time. Nope.......921#. Bummer. DQ'd. That put me 7th (13th) row inside of the feature on the line up board. That also fired my shit right up. I decided.......Going to the front at a rapid rate. Taking no prisoners. Took off at the start and was up to third in two laps. Second in another lap Followed the leader, my son, for 3-4 laps. We caught lapped traffic and I made my move. Got a LUCKY break and moved into the lead. Sometimes running second in traffic has it benefits. Never backed off, ran 20 non-stop laps and I think I lapped up to third place. I was on a mission. Weighed 937# at the scales. Talk about Miller Lite Longneck time. This time for sure. Vendicated myself somewhat......at least in my own mind. Car was absolutely perfect. Anyone could have driven this baby to the front. Did I mention it was Miller Lite Longneck time? Now to get ready for the Heffernon Memorial Race....Non-winged! Then the final OMMS race of the year! After that, I might just get one of the 305 sprint cars out to run the Valley non-winged open shows in October???
Been off for a couple of weeks from racing. Was ready to give it another shot. Started second row inside of the heat. Decided to just let things happen and not freak out trying to win it in the first lap. Besides, I had left the non-winged setup in the car and simply put wings on it which wasn't too bad last time. Hmmm....different time and definitley a different track. NOT a good setup for this track this particular night! Car was a handful to say the least. Worked my way to the front by lap 5-6 and LUCKED into a heat race win. Rolled a 5 on the die but got lucky when the guy in the row in front of me didn't make the call to the staging area. So I started seventh instead of ninth. Track was a booger with the setup I had. Should have changed some major stuff but to lazy and didn't have enough time. I literally muscled my way to the front by around lap 11-12. It was a battle just getting the car around the track. Everyone was having their own "situations" trying to get around the track. Rough and physical. At least my LUCK continued to the point of first....... FINISHING and second....... WINNING. If I ever deserved a Miller Lite Longneck after a race......It was this one. So I took......several. Needed to "relax" since we were scheduled to run the next night at Nevada. Was looking forward to it.
Back to Urbana non-winged. Have come to the conclusion this track is simply a follow the leader track 99.9% of the time. At least it has this year. Luck of the draw determines your destiny for the evening. Lucky for me.....I have had good luck at the draw everytime there this year. Drew front row outside of the heat. That was the good part. The bad part.........A one lane track that ice would have been tackier to race on before the heats even started. Got "freight trained" at the start and fell back to third. Tried the middle, tried the top......nothing. Couldn't get a run anywhere. Lucky for me, the second place guy didn't realize the track was so damned slick out off the groove so on the last lap he tried to make something happen and pass the leader going into turn three. Gave me an opportunity to advance a position. Putted around the bottom and passed him for second. Not really good racing. Like I said....follow the leader bullshit. That put me second row outside of the feature. Made sure I didn't get "freight trained" again at the start of the feature, fell in line like a good soldier, idled around for 20 laps bumper to bumper and finished fourth. All full midgets. I was the only "little guy" motor. Hell, a 5 HP briggs go cart would have kicked all our asses. Pathetic. At least I didn't tear anything up and to be truthful, a fourth with a field of all healthy full midget is nothing to be ashamed of. I would have just rather had to work for it. I pitied the guys that drew terrible starts for the heats......They were doomed from the start. So....Did I let all this "doom and gloom" deter the expected Miller Lite Ritual? Hell No!!!! I can only remember two races in the last 10 years anything effected that call. Besides.....It was 146 miles back to KC. Friggin' CD's and/or radio aren't enough. We're off racing for two weeks now. Taking a break unless I decide to travel back east. Hmmm...Road trip?
Tried somemore MOLS Winged racing. Being the lazy butt that I have become, I set the car up as non-winged since I planned on running the OMMS race the next night. I also REALLY softened the rear bars for the non-winged show to do a little experimenting. Didn't ever claim to be the sharpest knife in the drawer. However, starting on pole of the heat race has it's definite advantages. Lucked into a heat race win. Car was a friggin' handful. Really driving off the left rear with non-winged offset and then with the wings! Really hard to turn. Physical as hell. Tough on an old fart. Like I said........Lucky to win. The next lucky part.....My son won the first heat and rolled a ONE! That put me on the outside of the front row for the feature. To lazy to change anything on the car for the feature to make it more driveable. Besides....The track appeared to be slicking off slightly so I decided to give it a shot again as is. Got a good jump and backed into a feature win. Lucky deal number three! Hey....I'll take it. Plus......minimal work to get ready for the next night's racing. Definite Miller Lite Longneck time. Enjoyed setting around after the races "socializing" and sharing a cold one, or two, or three, or..........
Finally got to go back to Double X. Pretty crowded night. Five classes. Luck at the draw officially has run out. Drew dead last of my heat. Plus the track was dry slick when we went out to practice. One lane, on the bottom. All night. Worked my way from 6th to 4th. Nobody else passed in my heat or the second heat. Boring. In fact, very little if any passing all night in ALL THE CLASSES. Too slick. Started 7th in the heat and finished there. Everyone basically got in line and rode around. Follow the leader racing. Same in all the classes. Did I mention boring? Miller Lite time to watch the Sprint car feature and headed back to KC. Normally get back about 12:00 to 12:30 AM. Got back around 3:05 AM. Nice. Good thing I had my "little buddies" to keep me company. Sure as hell wasn't much traffic on the roads. Now the big debate to run the MOLS winged race or just run the OMMS race the next night?? Might just go ahead and run the winged MOLS race in non-winged configuration and simply put the wings on and see what happens. Too lazy to switch shit around the next day for the OMMS race. Stupid is as stupid does.
Back to Valley. Pleasantly surprised they had a pretty decent track. Kinda' got a little too much water down on the very bottom of the track since they watered the hell out of it just before we went out to practice. ?? Stayed "soupy" down there all night. Anyway, drew outside front row of my heat. All the fast full midgets except maybe one were in my heat. Horsepower track. Fought and maintained a respectable 3rd place finish. Lucked out and they inverted three rows so I started on the pole with my son, Beau right beside me. That was neat. That is where "neat" stops. Remember me mentioning the dreaded "jinx" associated with the pole position during the features? Validated once again. Started out leading the feature for 3 or 4 laps. On a restart, some jerk-off decides to drive down through the grease on the bottom and do a little "slide job" on me.....I think. NO WAY in hell was that ever going to work and he knew it. He didn't even come close to pulling it off. Blasts me in the side. Not once......Twice for good measure. Spun me around. Luckily no one hit me since this was in front of the whole pack. Tail end for old Phil. You think I was pissed? Just a tad. Well maybe a little more than a tad. Let's just say enough to really get me focused. The bad thing.....Damage to the car. Front spindle jacked up with the wheel all cocked around and hard to turn. The biggest issue.....Left nerf bar pushed back into the left rear tire. I mean really pushed into it. Anyway, started dead last and started working forward. Drove my preverbial ass off. Funny how I drive harder when I'm a "tad" pissed off??? Fought and fought until I got up to second. About that time the left rear tire had next to no tread and was not working very well. It was clear down to the cords. It is an absolute miracle it didn't blow. Smoked the entire race. It was like the brakes were dragging big time but I figured what the hell........I had a point to prove. Anyway, finished second to a full midget. What I found more perplexing was the fact the guy that ended up winning it had stopped at the top of turn 1 before he had become the leader because he said his motor was getting hot from all the fooling around getting us all lined up and a car off the track that was involved in something else. We all kept idling around but he stopped of his own free will. Usually means you go to the tail according to the rules. Or not? Seems he got his spot back with no questions asked. That was just like pouring gasoline on the "tad" fire. Needless to say, I put out that "tad" fire by dousing it with Miller Lite Longnecks. Slow process at a gulp at a time. But that was alright.......no hurry. Oh yeah, and as I'm setting in the pits after the races the car's right rear is going flat evidently from running over something in/on the track and slicing the tire. Figure it only had about 4-5 pounds in it when I came in. Nice. Now it's "repair time" and get ready for a rescheduled race at Double X.
After the rainout of the MOLS race scheduled at Valley the night before, headed to Urbana to battle with the full midgets. Seems the Lightning Sprints are not willing to run with full midgets lately? Intimidated? No reason. Sure they run hard. That's midget racing. Why you think they have those huge "battle bars" (side nerf bars)? There's a reason but that's midget racing. Anyway, got lucky and started the heat race on the pole! Figured I'd get my shit blown away getting to the first turn since the track was tacky and fast favoring the high horsepowered midgets. Fooled their asses! Won the drag race, wicked it the entire race and pulled away from all the full midgets in my heat. That put me on the pole of the feature. Which brings up that dreaded "pole jinx" I have for the features. Seems the full midget on the outside of me decided he wanted to go to the bottom of the track actually before he had room. His left front was firmly planted against my right rear. Actually, he didn't let off. Maybe he didn't notice my car empeding his action? He turned me sideways and let the second and third row guys on the inside by in the process. Nice move slick! It was a follow the leader on the bottom parade. I was running in third getting pissed off since I didn't come to race for third. I decided to try something....anything other than follow. Moved up to the middle. Another guys rolls by me on the inside. Smooth move Exlax. Not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, I figured I'd try the top of the track looking for some sort of mositure. Wasn't there. Lost another position. Feelin' pretty stupid so I went back down and got back in line like a "good little racer" and finished fifth. Other than me actin' like an idiot trying to make something happen......Nothing happened the whole race. Should have been happy I have a complete car but fifth place just didn't cut it. Miller Lite Longneck time. The absolute unbearable heat literally forced me to regain those much needed body fluids. A lot of body fluids I might add. I'll go down in flames using that excuse. On the return trip at least I found out where the computer chip kicks in on my new truck. Or the trailer drag overcomes the truck? 97 mph. Needless to say.....returned in record time. Then what happens? We get rained out the next night at one of my favorite tracks.........Double X. Damn....that sucked. Now....It's on to Valley with OMMS. See if I can piss the full midgets off some more with my little 1000cc motor.
Not much to report. Track was an absolute piece of shit during practice. So bad, I broke more grade 8 steering bolts. Decided to park it for the evening rather than tearing it up worse and doing more damage to my sore ribs from the incident I had a few weeks ago with the same problem. The MOLS race itself was an embarrassment. 6 finish out of 16 due to numerous problems but mainly the rough track. Anyway......Getting the car ready for Urbana and Double X......Both OMMS shows.
Really thought this race was going to get rained out but trekked down there anyway. Good thing I did. Super tacky and super fast. It had full midget performance written all over it but I got lucky. Drew second row outside of my heat but the guy in front of me was a no-show so I inherited the front row outside position......Beside a full midget. My car was a bullet at the start. Out drug the two or three big motor midgets to the first corner and lucked into a heat race win. That put me outside front row of the feature beside yet another full midget. Had full midgets all around me again and the track was still super tacky. Thought maybe my luck was running out for the evening. Nope! Lead the race going into the first corner and wicked it for twenty laps. Tried to drive the wheels off of it. Car was perfect and still a bullet. One of those nights that I couldn't even screw up. Lucked into a feature win. Man, was I excited. I really needed this one. To say I was estatic would be an understatement. Jubilation comes to mind. Damn, I was excited. What really made it a neat experience......all the drivers that came all the way to my pits to tell me congratulations. That was really nice. They could see how excited I was. Running with these guys is really tough considering my little 1000cc motor compared to their full midget motors. Instead of being pissed, they went out of their way to congratulate me. Touching. Oh yeah, getting the highest paid winners prize by OMMS ever was great, but those guys coming to my trailer meant much, much more. I can waste and spend the money in a heartbeat but that memory will last forever. Then it boiled down to some serious Miller Lite Longneck time. Really a good night of racing. Which I needed. I have won features before and I can't really explain it but this one really hit a nerve. Maybe it's because I am not getting any younger and those wins are getting harder to get. Trust me.....I cherish every one I have ever got and will appreciate anything I can get from here on out too!
Well.......Time to get caught up on the results. Some competition with the full midgets with OMMS. The group has really picked up on their program. Quantity is up but the quality has really increased. Very competitive. Very, very fun. Drew the third row inside of my heat race. Picked up a couple of spots but the track was slicking off and getting to be a one lane affair by the time my heat ran. Ended up third. Started the feature fourth row outside. Worked my way up third at one time only to run over the RR of a lapped car and tried to launch myself. Came really close but saved it. Bent the front axle and upset the car but only lost one position. Ran in fourth until two laps to go until one particular idiot decides to nail me in the ass on a single file restart coming to the green flag and deliberately spins me out. Never lifted, hooked my rear bumper and kept gassing it until I was at the point of no return. I couldn't do anything but ride along. The part that really pisses me off......This is the same guy that keep hitting me all the time. If either of you reading this paid any attention to the previous results, you will remember me referring to an idiot literally not turning at a Double X race forcing me off the first turn and then nailing me in the rear bumper while we were on a pace lap to start the feature that night destroying my back bumper. Well..........same guy. He's been around my car three times and he's hit it three times. Richard Kreisel, thank you. Just remember what I told you after the races at CMS. And trust me.....I wasn't kidding. So, I was forced to the tail with two laps. What was the point? Pay was the same way up the line and it wasn't like I was going to blast back up to the top 5 on this one lane track. Miller Lite time. Early start. Plus I had to concentrate on getting ready for Urbana the next night again with OMMS.
Back to non-winged racing with MOLS. Since I have a terrible points average due to DNF's, I got to start on the front row. Good thing.......Ribs where killing me after practice. Track wasn't bad, I was just whimping out. Hell if I sneezed or coughed it felt like it was life threatening. Anyway....got a good jump and cruised around the smoothest parts of the track I could find and backed into a heat race win. Very, very lucky. Good moral booster. Winner of the first heat rolled a two which meant I was starting second row outside. Totally acceptable. Jumped up to second at the start by running around the top. Stayed there a couple of laps and tried a slide job on the leader. Started as a good plan. Went down through some ripples and beat the piss out of my ribs. Hurt so bad my left hand let go of the steering wheel. Lucky I didn't spin the thing out or hit anyone because I really got it sideways. At any rate the guy drove right under me and took the lead back. Got my shit back together and stayed in second and followed the guy for 2-3 more laps and tried it again except this time......I was prepared to hang on and brace myself so my ribs could handle it. Made it stick and took the lead. Buzzed around for 13-14 laps and luckily won the feature. Talk about happy to get a monkey off my back. "Maybe" the dark cloud on this car is gone concerning MOLS racing. It has been doing really well running with full midgets in the OMMS group but stupid little things were happening when I went MOLS racing. Hope that shit's over? Some serious Miller Lite Longneck makeup time was in order. Especially since I abstained at the last race so I could concentrate on breathing instead. Anyway....I started fulfilling my duty. Then it was time to get serious and get the car ready for the OMMS race scheduled for Double X in two days. As a side note to that........Too bad that race got rained out AFTER I got there. Nice. Not a total waste however......Continued the Miller Lite Longneck makeup party!!! Got back to KC way before dark too!
Got a chance to finally run the new car with a wing. Started the heat second row inside. It was a rocket. Got a good run going into turn one and got up to second immediately. Followed the leader for a couple of laps and pulled a slider on him in turn one and two and took the lead. Buzzed around for a couple of more laps and then disaster struck. Something broke in the steering system going into turn one. Went sailing over the embankment. I immediatley discovered that when your rear wheels are off the ground the brakes pretty much are useless. DUH! Smacked the first available pole I could find with the right front. Goodbye wheel, tire, axle and various heims. In a blink, I was sideways into the second pole that jumped in my path. 60 mph to 0 mph in that blink. Let me just say this.....these split second stops are not recommended. Tore some shit up. That first pole distruction was minimal compared to the second impact. Needless to say......Night over. Could have easily been "game over." Gettin' the car fixed and should have it ready for the next race. A week later. And the strangest thing has become apparent.........The older I get the slower I heal. Go figure? To say my left rib cage is a little touchy would be an understatement. The good news.....stopped passing blood so obviously I am on the road to recovery! Just need to figure out a way to breathe better and to accelerate the healing process. I am having visions of multiple layers of foam rubber in my seat for the next race. As much as I hate to admit it......The night did not warrant the usual Miller Lite Longneck commitment. I whimped out. Was having enough trouble just moving and breathing. Although slamming a few for medicinal purposes might have helped, I needed to concentrate on breathing. Priorities rule. Sorry Miller Lite. I promise I will try to make up for it next time.
