Thunder Mountain. I don't
know why they call these the
'dog days'... dogs don't
particualarly like 'em..
Decisions Decsions... With
only (2) races scheduled in our
local area this season, it's
unfortunate that due to a
schedule change (brought on
by the multiple rainouts this
summer), that they ended up
on the same night at different
tracks. So, we had to decide
between the NVDMRC at Afton
or the MVSCC at Thunder
Mountain. We decided on
Thunder Mountain and it was
a good choice, not that
running at Afton wouldn't have
been but with the possibility of
a Spooktacular event in
October, we'll still be able to
make it there this year as well.
Charge up the battery and add
fuel, I did check the tire
pressure, oil and greased the
B29 as well but that was it.
Honestly didn't think we'd be
that racy due to the rules
being opened up and the class
structure changes that have
taken place over the past few
years, so the plan was to go
and have some fun and put it
on the trailer in one piece at
the end of the night. That
should always be the goal but
racing is a competitive sport,
after all, the idea is to win, or
at least try to, and once the
green flag drops the
adrenaline rushes through
you... it's addicting, and hard
to keep that original goal in
mind... After work on Friday,
my boys co-operated with a
quick walk and Thumper fired
up quickly. Up 81 to Whitney
Point we choogled without a
hitch. Into the pits and buddy
Jim Hilimire and Dad have left
me a spot between them. We
unload and then make the
rounds, the weather is hot but
beautiful with nary a raincloud
in the sky, this is going to be
fun tonight. Everyone we greet
and get re-aquainted with is
friendly and in good spirits. We
have a good showing as
Richard Taggert (like us) is
making his first outing of the
season, norm Richardson has
a fresh bullet in the chamber,
the Warrens have brought
along their beautiful St.
Bernard puppy (he's going to
get big....), Gordy Wood is
changing tires and greets with
a handshake, the Mordens are
making shows again after
Ken's hip replacements, Ray
Cole is feeling better after
some off season surgery, I get
to meet sprint car driver Ray
Preston and we chew the fat a
bit, Bob Williams has made the
trip and is pleased to see us,
the Appleby's have some sharp
cars I haven't seen before,
Mary Casti takes our
applications with a smile
(happy 21st Mary..)... we have
15 cars on hand before Jim
and Kay Chase pull in with the
Kennedy 67 for display, a good
showing on a friday night.
Warmups are a blast, the track
is tacky and smooth, best I've
seen it in a few years and the
B29 pulls hard, no changes
necessary. In the pits Dad and
Jim are changing gears, tires
are flying, MVSCC president
Frank Blanchard is changing
carburetors, a bevy of activity.
My nephew Sam and Sonny
Stickles have made the trip
with Dad and Sam is snapping
photos. Before you know it, it's
time to line up for the heats.
The B29 is in the back of heat
1, Shirley and Dad on the
pole, ease into it in thurn
three and then open it up out
of 4 at green. Dad grabs the
lead, the gear change is spot
on, and I'm looking for room,
out of four I have it and split
the difference... on lap 3 there
is a caution just as the B29 is
drawing even with the 43a. On
the restart I get the jump and
cruise from there, Dad finishes
second and the flathead
contingent has shown well
already.
Back into the pits and
Hilimire is changing gears,
again. "Gotta get it to 6200" he
relates, "doesn't make any
power until then." Brother!
He's got a point and a hlf more
gear then I in. We go watch the
sportsman feature to see
where they're running, the top
looks good but so does the
bottom. Check the line-up and
we're in the rear, that's OK -
remember the idea is to put it
on the trailer in one piece...
The 'Modifieds' start up front -
these are the faster cars, tube
frame chassis with OHV -V8's,
mostly 350's. The 'Sportsman'
are classified as the next
group, mostly stock chassis,
with 6's, OHV-V8's and
flatheads in this class, and
then the 'Hobby's" are the
slowest classification. I can't
keep it straight but it's not up
to me to do that, OK, time to
go... The green drops and the
adrenaline is up, I ease into it
figuring I'll see where they
shake out. When I played
football I never wore my
glasses, and so I could never
really accurately gauge how
fast anyone was coming at me.
So I just went full bore all the
time and never got hurt
playing like that. Heading into
turn 1 on the second lap I'm
taking it easy when 'smack',
the #7 has kissed me and is
now lightening my left front,
sparks are flying. I try to pull
off him but I gotta turn left too
and he takes a shortcut over
my wheel... He just knocked
my glasses off.. check the
steering down the backstretch,
my left front has acquired a
couple of flaps but it's still up
and the car feels fine. The B29
is heavy, and hard to move..
The extra weight glues me to
the track and we dig in, back
past the #7 in turn 3 and then
start picking them off. Hard to
keep track of where you are
but brother did that car feel
good and got off the corner
great. The track is excellent
tonight, tacky everywhere and
like in baseball, I just 'hit 'em
where they aint'. By lap 10 I've
cleared all the 'sportsman' cars
but the modifieds have quite a
lead at this point and I need a
coaution that never comes..
Regardless, it's a blast, you
forget how much you love it
and have missed it, I feel at
peace behind the wheel, never
more comfortable and it's over
way too soon. I get credit for
the sportsman win which is a
ice bonus tonight - on top of
the fact that I can drive over to
the trailer and on it afterward -
mission accomplished. My
unofficial final (and yes I
guessing a bit..) John Appleby
(Modified winner), Rob Casti,
Bob Williams, Ray Preston,
B29, Frank Blanchard, Norm
Richardson (Hobby Winner),
Mike Cole, #7 Appleby, 43A,
Warren, Rich Taggert, Hilimire
(spun on last lap) Morden
(DNF), Wood (DNS). Thanks to
the MVSCC and Thunder
Mountain for having us on
George Lewis night. Afterward
I shooting the $#!# with
Hilimire and Rob Casti, it's
good to know that nothing has
really changed in the club as
far as running it...and that it's
in good hands. See you guys
again.. soon.
Saturday was a special day,
my parents have now been
married for 50 years and we
celebrated with a nice party at
their place in Pittsfield, NY.
Approximatley 70 guests
showed up including racing
buddy Bill Marsh who just
turned 83. The food was
excellent as was the company,
we'd like to thank everyone
who joined us to make it such
a nice time.
Our next event is at
Penn-Can on Sept. 4th, see
you there.
know why they call these the
'dog days'... dogs don't
particualarly like 'em..
Decisions Decsions... With
only (2) races scheduled in our
local area this season, it's
unfortunate that due to a
schedule change (brought on
by the multiple rainouts this
summer), that they ended up
on the same night at different
tracks. So, we had to decide
between the NVDMRC at Afton
or the MVSCC at Thunder
Mountain. We decided on
Thunder Mountain and it was
a good choice, not that
running at Afton wouldn't have
been but with the possibility of
a Spooktacular event in
October, we'll still be able to
make it there this year as well.
Charge up the battery and add
fuel, I did check the tire
pressure, oil and greased the
B29 as well but that was it.
Honestly didn't think we'd be
that racy due to the rules
being opened up and the class
structure changes that have
taken place over the past few
years, so the plan was to go
and have some fun and put it
on the trailer in one piece at
the end of the night. That
should always be the goal but
racing is a competitive sport,
after all, the idea is to win, or
at least try to, and once the
green flag drops the
adrenaline rushes through
you... it's addicting, and hard
to keep that original goal in
mind... After work on Friday,
my boys co-operated with a
quick walk and Thumper fired
up quickly. Up 81 to Whitney
Point we choogled without a
hitch. Into the pits and buddy
Jim Hilimire and Dad have left
me a spot between them. We
unload and then make the
rounds, the weather is hot but
beautiful with nary a raincloud
in the sky, this is going to be
fun tonight. Everyone we greet
and get re-aquainted with is
friendly and in good spirits. We
have a good showing as
Richard Taggert (like us) is
making his first outing of the
season, norm Richardson has
a fresh bullet in the chamber,
the Warrens have brought
along their beautiful St.
Bernard puppy (he's going to
get big....), Gordy Wood is
changing tires and greets with
a handshake, the Mordens are
making shows again after
Ken's hip replacements, Ray
Cole is feeling better after
some off season surgery, I get
to meet sprint car driver Ray
Preston and we chew the fat a
bit, Bob Williams has made the
trip and is pleased to see us,
the Appleby's have some sharp
cars I haven't seen before,
Mary Casti takes our
applications with a smile
(happy 21st Mary..)... we have
15 cars on hand before Jim
and Kay Chase pull in with the
Kennedy 67 for display, a good
showing on a friday night.
Warmups are a blast, the track
is tacky and smooth, best I've
seen it in a few years and the
B29 pulls hard, no changes
necessary. In the pits Dad and
Jim are changing gears, tires
are flying, MVSCC president
Frank Blanchard is changing
carburetors, a bevy of activity.
My nephew Sam and Sonny
Stickles have made the trip
with Dad and Sam is snapping
photos. Before you know it, it's
time to line up for the heats.
The B29 is in the back of heat
1, Shirley and Dad on the
pole, ease into it in thurn
three and then open it up out
of 4 at green. Dad grabs the
lead, the gear change is spot
on, and I'm looking for room,
out of four I have it and split
the difference... on lap 3 there
is a caution just as the B29 is
drawing even with the 43a. On
the restart I get the jump and
cruise from there, Dad finishes
second and the flathead
contingent has shown well
already.
Back into the pits and
Hilimire is changing gears,
again. "Gotta get it to 6200" he
relates, "doesn't make any
power until then." Brother!
He's got a point and a hlf more
gear then I in. We go watch the
sportsman feature to see
where they're running, the top
looks good but so does the
bottom. Check the line-up and
we're in the rear, that's OK -
remember the idea is to put it
on the trailer in one piece...
The 'Modifieds' start up front -
these are the faster cars, tube
frame chassis with OHV -V8's,
mostly 350's. The 'Sportsman'
are classified as the next
group, mostly stock chassis,
with 6's, OHV-V8's and
flatheads in this class, and
then the 'Hobby's" are the
slowest classification. I can't
keep it straight but it's not up
to me to do that, OK, time to
go... The green drops and the
adrenaline is up, I ease into it
figuring I'll see where they
shake out. When I played
football I never wore my
glasses, and so I could never
really accurately gauge how
fast anyone was coming at me.
So I just went full bore all the
time and never got hurt
playing like that. Heading into
turn 1 on the second lap I'm
taking it easy when 'smack',
the #7 has kissed me and is
now lightening my left front,
sparks are flying. I try to pull
off him but I gotta turn left too
and he takes a shortcut over
my wheel... He just knocked
my glasses off.. check the
steering down the backstretch,
my left front has acquired a
couple of flaps but it's still up
and the car feels fine. The B29
is heavy, and hard to move..
The extra weight glues me to
the track and we dig in, back
past the #7 in turn 3 and then
start picking them off. Hard to
keep track of where you are
but brother did that car feel
good and got off the corner
great. The track is excellent
tonight, tacky everywhere and
like in baseball, I just 'hit 'em
where they aint'. By lap 10 I've
cleared all the 'sportsman' cars
but the modifieds have quite a
lead at this point and I need a
coaution that never comes..
Regardless, it's a blast, you
forget how much you love it
and have missed it, I feel at
peace behind the wheel, never
more comfortable and it's over
way too soon. I get credit for
the sportsman win which is a
ice bonus tonight - on top of
the fact that I can drive over to
the trailer and on it afterward -
mission accomplished. My
unofficial final (and yes I
guessing a bit..) John Appleby
(Modified winner), Rob Casti,
Bob Williams, Ray Preston,
B29, Frank Blanchard, Norm
Richardson (Hobby Winner),
Mike Cole, #7 Appleby, 43A,
Warren, Rich Taggert, Hilimire
(spun on last lap) Morden
(DNF), Wood (DNS). Thanks to
the MVSCC and Thunder
Mountain for having us on
George Lewis night. Afterward
I shooting the $#!# with
Hilimire and Rob Casti, it's
good to know that nothing has
really changed in the club as
far as running it...and that it's
in good hands. See you guys
again.. soon.
Saturday was a special day,
my parents have now been
married for 50 years and we
celebrated with a nice party at
their place in Pittsfield, NY.
Approximatley 70 guests
showed up including racing
buddy Bill Marsh who just
turned 83. The food was
excellent as was the company,
we'd like to thank everyone
who joined us to make it such
a nice time.
Our next event is at
Penn-Can on Sept. 4th, see
you there.
