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WSSL Points Final

9/23/2009

This Saturday marked the 2nd last race of the year for Thunderbolt Racing. After the Superseal 150 we had quite a bit of work to do in the shop to get the LA Weight Loss Chevy Impala SS ready to go for the WSSL Auto Parts point’s final. After a few long nights in the shop we had it all put back together and looking good as well. In the first practice session we put ourselves on top of the speed chart and we were relieved that we had the car pretty close on the setup for the night. In the first heat race we were lined up behind the #20 car of Ken Campbell and going into turn three of the first lap the field backed up a bit and we ran into the back of him, causing the hood to teepee and crush the hood support. We were able to get the car back onto the track before the green flag dropped and were able to come from the back to get a fourth place finish. In the second heat race we found out the same thing that has been happening all year, if you are stuck in the wrong lane you are definitely going to the back of pack before you can go forward. We were stuck on the inside line behind a slower car and everyone was able to drive past us on the outside. Once we got to the back of the pack we started the challenge of trying to move back to the front. We managed to make it up to 2nd place with two laps to go, but the #69 of PJ Kondra had built up a big enough lead that we weren’t able to catch him. Going into the feature we were a mere three points behind the 55 of Jim Gaunt for 2nd place in the overall points, meaning we had to finish ahead of him and have one car between us. Unfortunately we made some changes before the feature that slowed the car down and we finished fourth in the feature. In the overall standings we finished in third position. With the strong competition this year it’s not a bad spot but after having a first or second finish every season since 1995 we are really looking for a better finish next year.

This Sunday is final race of the season at ACMS, with the Ultimate Enduro. It is best described as a rolling demolition derby. Just like last season Trent will be piloting Brad Cross’s enduro car for him and hoping to improve the 3rd place finish from last year and get the win in the #88 car. The gates open at 1:00pm and the green flag drops at 2:00pm.

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Superseal 150 Results

9/14/2009

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The Arca West Superseal 150 this weekend was quite the race. The field was made up of ten local cars from Saskatoon and eighteen cars from western Canada, as well as two drivers from Illinois and Washington State. The day didn’t start the way we had planned in practice as we were trying a new setup, but we stuck with it and kept turning laps and making changes to try and make the car faster. After the second practice we were outside the top ten and wondering what we could do to speed up the car, because we were running out of options. By the time qualifying time came around we had made a couple key changes and clocked in at a 14.60. This was good enough for a 9th place qualifying spot and the top crate motor in the field. Since there were 28 cars and at ACMS they will only run 24 cars for the main event, they had to have a B main to fill the rest of the field. Once the B main was done the field was set for the Super seal 150. With the format that the Arca series runs now they don’t have any heat races at all, so after you qualify you wait all night for the main event. Once all the local racing was all done, and drivers finished signing autographs it was time for the main event. The field was packed with a lot of fast cars and anxious drivers wanting the win. We started on the fifth row on the inside. Once the race got started there was a lot of jockeying for position but after the first ten laps things had settled down a bit and everyone was getting into a rhythm. The first caution didn’t come out till lap 50, which is really odd for a race like this which is usually filled with cautions early in the race. Unfortunately the next caution that came out was at lap 66 and we were apart of the caution. We came down the front straight battling for the 6th position with the 18 car and he hit us really hard in the left rear corner. That caused the car to spin down into the grass in the infield. Once the car had almost come to a stop was in corner 1 and looked like it was sill able to be driven away but then made contact with the 6 car and at that point our night was done. We ended up finishing in 19th spot. In the end Ron Dexter won the race with Trevor Emond finishing second and Jim Gaunt was third.

Our next and final race of the season is this Saturday night.

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Superseal 150

9/10/2009

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We have arrived at that time of the season where the touring Late Model series makes its final stop of the year in Saskatoon at ACMS. Over the last three years in the fall tour race we have an average finishing position of 2.3. The longer 150 lap races are definitely our strong suit but the competition has been stepping up there game over the last couple years and it’s not going to be easy. This race isn’t going to any different. This race will have the highest car count of any race at ACMS this year, with predictions calling for upwards of 35 Super Late Models coming from Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and a few American drivers as well. For a race that has this many cars show up unfortunately you can’t run them all in the main event because of the size of the 3/8 mile track. So after everyone qualifies they usually take the top 18 cars and lock them into the main event and have a 35 lap B main to decide who fills the rest of the field, with the top 6 or 8 cars. The B main tends to be quite an exciting race because everyone in it is fighting to make it in to the main event. With an added bonus to this race there will be two live camera’s broadcasting the race on www.arcaracingwest.com. This will be a first for ACMS. Qualifying starts at 5:00pm and racing starts at 6:00pm. We hope to see you there, and feel free to come down to the pits after the race to see all the cars and chat with the different drivers.

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One Hellava Race

9/10/2009

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This Saturday was quite the roller coaster for the #70 LA Weight Loss Chevy Silverado. We went into the day with a 14 point lead over Jamie McClennon in the #33 Truck. The day started off great, having the third fastest time in the first practice session. We knew that the truck was going to be fast we just needed to fine tune it and we’d be pushing for the top spot. In the second practice session we climbed to the top of the speed chart after only 11 laps with a 15.177. We were pretty happy and were ready for qualifying. During qualifying Trent noticed that there was something wrong with the truck and thought the exhaust might have fallen off because of some terrible noise it was making, but we looked at the truck and didn’t find anything. We qualified 5th with a 15.301. Jamie McClennon took the pole and set a new track record with a 15.033. Once the heat race started we had a decent starting spot on the outside of the second row. When the race started that noise was back but Trent just kept on going. After two laps we were about to challenge for the lead when we found out what the noise was as the rear end blew up!! We were able to work fast on the truck and get a new one put in and back on the track for the second heat race. With the finishing order of the first heat race being inverted for the 2nd one, we were on the pole. With the new rear end we kept the lead right from the start and lead all 15 laps. Now going into the feature we had a 2 point deficit to the #33 truck to make up and we knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. We had to have at least one truck between the two of us to clinch the championship. Once the race got going we made our way through the trucks starting in front of us and took the lead after the 8th lap, and Jamie was in 4th. Not long after that Jamie made it past the #48 truck of Dan Saunders. We then had a great battle with the #24 truck of Larry Cramer but every time he would try and pass us on the inside he wasn’t able to get past. Once Jamie made it past the #24 we knew the battle was on. We fought hard for many laps but with 35 laps to go the two of us got together and the rear bumper cover came loose, so with his bumper dragging he was sent to the pits to remove it and put to the back of the pack. With him at the back and a lot of trucks to get through you’d think we’d have in the bag, but with a strong truck and a determined racer it wasn’t over yet. With ten laps to go there was a caution and Jamie had made his way back to the 2nd spot. We had another great battle but just couldn’t hold him off. We finished 2nd in the race and in the points. It was definitely in the top three races I’ve seen at ACMS.

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Super Truck Points Final

9/1/2009

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This Saturday will bring our rookie season in the Alberta Super Truck Series to an end. Even though we have raced a few races over the last couple years this is the first year running the ACMS mini series. So far this year we have had quite a bit of success so far with just one more race to go. We are entering into the final race with a 14 point lead over the #33 truck of Jamie McClennon (the owner of the #70 truck) and a 20 point lead over the #24 truck of Larry Cramer(last years ACMS mini series champion). Even with this lead we are not getting over confident as anything can happen with a possible 250 maximum points up for grabs. We have had consistent finishes in the three feature races so far, all being top five’s. But we are still chasing a feature win. Hopefully we can cap a great season off with one.

This Saturday should be a great night of racing. The Street stock will be running there second last races of the year, and the Pro Truck will be running there points final and the Siemens West series will be running their Express Foods 125. Then capping off the whole evening will be JB Water and Vacuum Service Super Truck in the FGI Supply 100. Qualifying starts at 5:00pm and the green flag drops at 6:00pm. We hope to see you there.

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WSSL Points Final

Superseal 150 Results

Superseal 150

One Hellava Race

Super Truck Points Final

Matthew Stauffer

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