Friday night's races were nothing short of being action packed. For the first time this season the track had to run four different classes to make up for the rained event the previous weekend. With it being cruise weekend we had some extra Late Models in attendance. The #6 car of Chris Skelton made the trip from Calgary, as well as the #94 car of Ernie Richard came down from Edmonton and Jason Gervais was also out in the #88 car from here in Saskatoon. Unfortunately Ernie Richard had engine troubles in hot laps keeping him in the pits for the rest of the night. So when the green flag dropped there were 12 late models battling for the lead. In the first heat race the car was running decent picking up positions but after getting involved in an incident with the 44 car we ended up in fifth spot. In the qualifier we had a little better luck pushing #70 LA Weight Loss Impala SS up to the 2nd spot, just to be edged out in the closing laps by Glen Hertzke in the #14 car, for a 3rd place finish. For the first time this year the feature race started completely under the lights of the track, and with 12 cars (our biggest field this year) it looked really good. With it being cruise weekend we were given a 50 lap feature, but the way things started off it seemed like the boys thought it was a 5 lap shootout. We seemed to be really good on restarts, being able to make up a spot or two but then losing them again. With five cautions, 2 black flags, non stop position changes and a whole bunch bumping and banging the fans definitely got there moneys worth. After the dust settled we ended finishing in the 6th position, not the finish we were looking for. Going into the final points race of the year we now a have an 18 point deficit to the 14 car and we are 4 points back from the 55 car of Jim Gaunt. Our next race is September 5th when we run the points final for the Super Truck.
Well it has been a long break off from racing for Thunderbolt Racing, but with the amount of racing we've done this year it was a well deserved break. Going into the break we sat in third spot in the Super Late Model standings, with a 1 point deficit to the 55 car of Jim Gaunt and 6 point deficit to the 14 car of Glen Hertz. So far this year we have had an average finishing position of 3.6 in all of our SLM races. So far this year there has been five local point’s races and four different feature race winners, unfortunately we have not been one of them. There is two left this year and we are going to do everything that we can to get both of them to keep that "most feature wins" trophy that we have had for the last three years.
In the Super Truck Series we are sitting in a little better spot. With just one race remaining the LA Weight Loss Center Chevy Silverado has a 14 point lead over the 33 truck of Jamie McClennon and a 20 point lead over the 24 truck of Larry Cramer. So far this year we have had an average finishing position of 2.8. This weekend is "Cruise Weekend" and we are running on Friday night. With the Arca West series being off this weekend we are hoping to maybe see some out of town cars make the trip down to put on a good show. The gates open at 6:00pm and racing will start 7:00pm. |
Matthew Stauffer
I am in my fourth year with Thunderbolt racing. Archives
April 2011
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