Life As I See It
John Ward
Oct. 2nd
There was a season ending Demo at Stateline. AJ had already pulled the rearend apart and we fixed the gears and axles so when it was announced we were ready. AJ was second fast out of 16 cars and he got second in his heat race. In the Demo the right front top A arm was broken and the shifting linkage as well, putting him out but not before he had secured 5th place which paid 250.00. Not bad at all for a first timer.
There was a season ending Demo at Stateline. AJ had already pulled the rearend apart and we fixed the gears and axles so when it was announced we were ready. AJ was second fast out of 16 cars and he got second in his heat race. In the Demo the right front top A arm was broken and the shifting linkage as well, putting him out but not before he had secured 5th place which paid 250.00. Not bad at all for a first timer.
Sep. 3rd 2011
It was an interesting day at the races. We arrived early enough to get our normal parking slabs. It was hot but we manage to find some shade and waited for the crew to show up. We had intended to just wait until 5 to start any real work, after the crew arrived we unloaded and prepared the cars. After time trials of which I was slowest ( no surprise )at the drivers meeting we were inforned that the streets were going to run a drop out charlie race after all the heats were finished. The slowest car ( Me )would enter the track and as soon as I got to the startfinish line the next slowest car would enter and so on until all the cars were on the track then at lap two the last car would be disqualified which would be repeat on all subsequent laps until one car remained that car would be declared the winner. I won the race. Finished 5th in both the main and heat. That's it for this year, do not which class I will be in next year but see you then.
It was an interesting day at the races. We arrived early enough to get our normal parking slabs. It was hot but we manage to find some shade and waited for the crew to show up. We had intended to just wait until 5 to start any real work, after the crew arrived we unloaded and prepared the cars. After time trials of which I was slowest ( no surprise )at the drivers meeting we were inforned that the streets were going to run a drop out charlie race after all the heats were finished. The slowest car ( Me )would enter the track and as soon as I got to the startfinish line the next slowest car would enter and so on until all the cars were on the track then at lap two the last car would be disqualified which would be repeat on all subsequent laps until one car remained that car would be declared the winner. I won the race. Finished 5th in both the main and heat. That's it for this year, do not which class I will be in next year but see you then.
Aug. 13 2011
Sorry for being so late with this update, I was waiting for the points to be updated from the track, after waiting longer than I should have I contacted Stateline repetedly and finally on Aug. 13 there was an update it was wrong, I told them of the errors. On july 30th with very old tires I timed in at 16.45 one of my faster Hobby car times to bad I now was a Streetstock. We changed back to a previous engine, added headers and a four barrel carburator, took out about 70 pounds of useless weight. The engine ran strong but there was oil coming out the breather so we had some smoke, with the smoke and the bad tires I was just there for show. Finished Seventh. Aug. 13th we put new valve cover gaskets and a new breather cap on, but the tires were still bad. No money for new tires. The rear trans. seal started leaking in the heat so again only for show in the main. Finished 6th. Last race on Sep.3rd we will change the seal and try again. Points update includes both race dates but may have small errors, when the track posts thier new list I will check it against mine.
Sorry for being so late with this update, I was waiting for the points to be updated from the track, after waiting longer than I should have I contacted Stateline repetedly and finally on Aug. 13 there was an update it was wrong, I told them of the errors. On july 30th with very old tires I timed in at 16.45 one of my faster Hobby car times to bad I now was a Streetstock. We changed back to a previous engine, added headers and a four barrel carburator, took out about 70 pounds of useless weight. The engine ran strong but there was oil coming out the breather so we had some smoke, with the smoke and the bad tires I was just there for show. Finished Seventh. Aug. 13th we put new valve cover gaskets and a new breather cap on, but the tires were still bad. No money for new tires. The rear trans. seal started leaking in the heat so again only for show in the main. Finished 6th. Last race on Sep.3rd we will change the seal and try again. Points update includes both race dates but may have small errors, when the track posts thier new list I will check it against mine.
July 3rd 2011
We decided after the demo in 2009, to run no more demos. After my nephew A J said he wanted to build a race car we said if he wanted to straighten out the car from 2009 he could run the July demo. So that's what he did. Driving any type of race car was totally new to him and he was quite nervous. But the more he hotlapped the faster he got, he was not fastest but he was not slowest either. However during the heat-trophy dash either an axle or rearend gear broke putting his demo hopes on hold. There maybe another derby this year but probably not, he will have to wait until next year.
We decided after the demo in 2009, to run no more demos. After my nephew A J said he wanted to build a race car we said if he wanted to straighten out the car from 2009 he could run the July demo. So that's what he did. Driving any type of race car was totally new to him and he was quite nervous. But the more he hotlapped the faster he got, he was not fastest but he was not slowest either. However during the heat-trophy dash either an axle or rearend gear broke putting his demo hopes on hold. There maybe another derby this year but probably not, he will have to wait until next year.
July 2nd 2011
Went out to race and found the cam shaft broke at the back two cylinders. Was forced to sit out the night. We will be changing engines and classes I will finish the year as a Streetstock. Next race is July 30th.
Went out to race and found the cam shaft broke at the back two cylinders. Was forced to sit out the night. We will be changing engines and classes I will finish the year as a Streetstock. Next race is July 30th.
6-18-11
We got rained out again, no makeup race as yet. But we will both be racing on July 2nd. Not going to change engines just yet, found a broken spark plug which may have been broken at the last race so will go with this engine one more time.
We got rained out again, no makeup race as yet. But we will both be racing on July 2nd. Not going to change engines just yet, found a broken spark plug which may have been broken at the last race so will go with this engine one more time.
june 11th 2011
Nice weather but not nice racing. The 3 year old engine did not help we could not remember which firing order the cam was either 302 or 351 we tried 351 and posted my slowest time in hobbies ever. Declined to run the heat. We tried the 302 firing order for the main it was so bad I came off after one lap but may have finished 12 as one other car did not start the main. We are going to check the valves, retime the engine, check the distributor setting. I am going to run with the streetstocks and JC next week as a class filler to help them have a show there only 6 of them so far. I expect other hobbies to run too. We will take out 50 pounds and add a four barrel carb. and see what happens. If performance is still as bad as it was this week we we will change engines again.
Nice weather but not nice racing. The 3 year old engine did not help we could not remember which firing order the cam was either 302 or 351 we tried 351 and posted my slowest time in hobbies ever. Declined to run the heat. We tried the 302 firing order for the main it was so bad I came off after one lap but may have finished 12 as one other car did not start the main. We are going to check the valves, retime the engine, check the distributor setting. I am going to run with the streetstocks and JC next week as a class filler to help them have a show there only 6 of them so far. I expect other hobbies to run too. We will take out 50 pounds and add a four barrel carb. and see what happens. If performance is still as bad as it was this week we we will change engines again.
May 28th 2011
Very interesting day, the car was still running slow we had to go to used tires on the right side, do to a flat, but it still handled good, the engine just has no speed. We had 12 cars start I finished 10. It was a fan appreciation night so the promoter ( Randy ) asked if any Hobbies would run with the Streets to fill out the field a little since they only had 5 cars. 4 of us started the main and I finished 9. After the checker flag I decided to make one more lap because of all the cars on the off ramp. JC did one more lap as well, as we were coming out of turn 4 I pulled up beside him and we crossed the finish line together, I do not know how the regular fans liked it but my family in attendance did. We are changing the engine to one that has only one race on it, also the ignition system and the steering rack. Maybe this will help, next race May 11th.
Very interesting day, the car was still running slow we had to go to used tires on the right side, do to a flat, but it still handled good, the engine just has no speed. We had 12 cars start I finished 10. It was a fan appreciation night so the promoter ( Randy ) asked if any Hobbies would run with the Streets to fill out the field a little since they only had 5 cars. 4 of us started the main and I finished 9. After the checker flag I decided to make one more lap because of all the cars on the off ramp. JC did one more lap as well, as we were coming out of turn 4 I pulled up beside him and we crossed the finish line together, I do not know how the regular fans liked it but my family in attendance did. We are changing the engine to one that has only one race on it, also the ignition system and the steering rack. Maybe this will help, next race May 11th.
May 21 2011
Nice day to race no wind and warm almost clear skies. We put the good engine back in after fixing the valves and added 100 lbs of weight to the car. After scaling the car we decided it was ready. The car handled well but the added weight slowed it down in the hot laps from the last time with this engine also the right front tire was leaking air from a hole in the inside tread. We tried to fix it but no good had to time in with a tire from last year was 13th out of 15 cars. Started the b dash on the pole got spun on the first lap no restart so just came off. We got the tire fixed and put it back on but the plug came out during the heat and I had to come off. We got some older tires from Gil Rapp of the Earlystocks tried one in the main and managed to finish 10th. If it does not rain we have a rain make up race this Saturday we will try again. JC will be running too.
Nice day to race no wind and warm almost clear skies. We put the good engine back in after fixing the valves and added 100 lbs of weight to the car. After scaling the car we decided it was ready. The car handled well but the added weight slowed it down in the hot laps from the last time with this engine also the right front tire was leaking air from a hole in the inside tread. We tried to fix it but no good had to time in with a tire from last year was 13th out of 15 cars. Started the b dash on the pole got spun on the first lap no restart so just came off. We got the tire fixed and put it back on but the plug came out during the heat and I had to come off. We got some older tires from Gil Rapp of the Earlystocks tried one in the main and managed to finish 10th. If it does not rain we have a rain make up race this Saturday we will try again. JC will be running too.
April 30th 2011
Lousy weather we got rained out. JC got on the track and practiced we have more work to do to his car his next race is May 14th. I did not practice we will be changing to the new engine after we fix it my next race is May 23rd we also have to add weight to my car to comply with the new rules.
Lousy weather we got rained out. JC got on the track and practiced we have more work to do to his car his next race is May 14th. I did not practice we will be changing to the new engine after we fix it my next race is May 23rd we also have to add weight to my car to comply with the new rules.
