Figured I would finally offer more comment on the BMARA opener at Beaver Dam, WI Saturday.  I need to first of all thank ALL the "crew" members who "came out of the word-work" and supported my effort - which included a quick rebuilding job in the pits!  After a horrible start (from the pole) in the first heat, I fell to the back of the field and was attempting to find a line to run, get in a rhythm, and have a somewhat respectable run; when I bounced off a rut in turn one and went for a ride.

The night started off like normal, as I tried to follow veterans Chad DeSelle and then Davey Ray around in hot laps.  While I did not think I was doing too well, "tire man" Dwight "suitcase" Steffan seemed to think that we were doing ok.  Actually, we ranked 16th in time (16.7, while Brad Kuhn was quick time at 15.7), ahead of frontrunner Jake Slotten and others.  We made some of the regular changes to adapt to the drying POS track, which always gets beat up by the sprint cars at these "double-header" shows.  An interesting side note before the first heat race, somehow the truck got locked and we had to make an effort to open the doors but in no-way or no-how do I believe this effected the set-up of the car and I really do not think it would have done me much good to watch any winged sprint cars go around the track.

Having fallen from first to last at the start of the heat, I was desperate to at least re-pass the car in front of me (BMARA rookie Erik Johnson, of Cherry Valley) and tried to use the line Dwight suggested pre-race, "The sprint cars are going higher in turn 1 & 2 and lower in 3 & 4".  As it seems, post Lincoln 2006, I have the habit of turning the car in BEFORE the corner (not ALL the time, but it seems most of the time), I really was not running high enough in 1 & 2 (tried it once in hot laps, and it sent me into one so hard I did not know what to do with it!).  However, I noticed the grip in the rut (about the only place on the track not slicked off) offered a boost of speed coming off of one, and I was not scared of it.  Unfortunately, the next time or two I hit it wrong, most likely backed off instead of standing on the gas, and ended up on my head.  The car initially landed on the LR (word from some is that the front really did not hit anything) and then tossed back over on the cage somehow. 

Being that I was in the back, there was not much concern of my worst fear when in that position: another car hitting me.  Hanging upside down though, and locked in pretty good with all my "sissy bars", front muffler guard, etc. (although the visor flew off in an interesting photo shot advertising this website and supporter John Huss, which complimented a nice action shot for primary sponsor JJ Precision Grinding), after the initial frustration over my lack of skill, I pulled the steering wheel off and tried to throw it out the side of the car so those that cared knew I was all-right.  I then heard the track crew and longtime BMARA official/former driver Ron Fredenberg run towards the car.  Ron was upset about the fuel "check valve", as it was leaking fuel.  Before they turned the car over, he covered it.  Fearing girlfriend Felisha, who has a health issue and can suffer medical problems in anxious situations, my only concern at the time was that they have the announcer tell the crowd I was ok.  Once the car landed, some oil that had come out of the cracked oil tank, got onto the hot headers and ignited.  While it seemed to me that the safety crew all fled the scene, I felt someone make an attempt to help me unhook the belts (later heard it was my dad, who disobeyed "closed track" rules to run out).  With "only" the engine bay on fire, I got unhooked about as fast as I reasonably could in the restricted compartment, but had to exit the car on the right side.  Standing on the cage, the only quick exit was to jump from the top of the car all the way to the ground.  Somehow, the thin racing soles offered enough support to not hurt my feet when I "landed".

After my dad and then Felisha were aware I was ok, and the initial disappointment in yet another example of my skill level, I finally did what I would have before done first: looked at the car.  Realizing it was not that bad, I "only" threw a dirt clod over the wall (yes, it did make me feel better) and headed back to the pit area.  With a swollen left eye socket (seems the safety glasses I wear got jammed against the helmet and bruised that part of my head), the track and medical team were adamant that I had to be checked out in the ambulance; basically chasing me down.  The quick exam did not reveal any further issues, but they provided me with an ice pack to try to hold up (about impossible, while trying to work on the car).

With the experience of Lincoln THREE YEARS AGO (and before that, it was another 3 years - August 24, 2003, at Sun Prairie..so if I make it to 2012, I better be careful!), both my dad (who later told me he did not think we would have got it back out) and I were not so sure the car would be able to be repaired (when the rough stuff ABOVE the cushion bit me there, which bent/cracked the motor plate, fuel cell, etc.) not to mention brief thoughts of a new racing "career" just running IRS dirt shows, 4 cylinder stock car Enduros, and go-kart races.  There was no question for Dwight and Andy Jones of JJ Precision Grinding though.  Thanks to them and the rest of the "crew" (Dad, Tom, Felisha, Bruce & Mindy) though, we were able to replace the oil tank, a couple shocks, re-mount the fuel cell, replace the RR radius rod, re-square the rear-end, set the car up for the feature, etc.  There was a decent size gouge in the RR side of the axle though.  Being that those stupid aluminum POS's are notorious for breaking at ANYTIME, I just did not feel too good about that.

As the vision in my left eye cleared up and the initial frustration wore away.  All I wanted to do was to repay the crew with a solid result in the feature.  They all worked so hard and I got over the disappointment I had of having very little help over the "indoor" season (what some call the "off-season).  As we kept plugging away, I thought of how the "storybook" ending to the this could have been, if resulting in my first "legitimate" top 10 in a "national" midget feature.  Actually, my eye felt a lot better once I put my helmet on!  As dry as the track was, and recalling previous events there, I was hoping to run the bottom to a decent finish.

While we were making all of our repairs, longtime BMARA driver Brian Walters managed to hit the same hole in turn one and also flipped his car.  The two of us started alongside, with our #56 stuck on the outside.  I should have gotten the jump on Brian at the start, as it appeared he was feeling out his ride too and did not go into one very hard.  Eventually, I made it down to the bottom and tried to see what I could have made out of the deal.  Johnson got caught in an early tangle and spun in front of us.  I also found a way around Walters and seemed to be gaining on the pack in front of me, which included former BMARA champ Davey Ray, many time feature winner Aaron Fiscus, etc.  Like usual though, it seemed like I would gain a lot of ground going into the corner, but they were pulling me out of the corner.  I just did not think I could have gone into the corner with any less speed.

Towards the middle of the race "Bubba" Altig found the "black hole" in the first corner and went for a ride.  At that time, I thought maybe the run was working out and we were going to be able to climb through the field.  I believe we were 14th or 15th at that point.  Unfortunately, after the red I ended giving away the progress we had made.  Beloit's David Budress and I continued a torrid battle, with the go-kart expert running the top.  At one point I had got around the #31, but then it seemed the groove moved up the track some.  While battling Walters and Budress, I all but completely forgot about the incident earlier in the night, but contemplating an attempt to throw it in on the high side, I recalled the concern with the axle (not to mention the rest of the recently damaged car).  Even Johnson got back around before the end.  I kept waiting for rookie Courtney Erfurth, but at the end of the race, the effects of the accident were taking a toll on my wore out upper body.

Again, I failed to deliver for all the hard work of the crew.  I fell back to 17th, having only improved one spot through attrition.  Later in the year, I am sure the same run would have resulted in a higher finish, as it seems most had their equipment in good shape and were able to make it to the end.

I do wonder that if I had witnessed or heard of someone else hitting that spot first, I may have been able to avoid it better.  I take a little solace in the fact two others had the same issue (kind of interesting all three of us were basically pitted at the same end of the pit area!), but the bottom line was it was MY mistake that caused the wreck.  After the debacle at DuQuoin earlier this year, I had already stepped up my work-out program and put even more focus on the car, while also looking into the "Jerry Coons Driving School" (word is it really has not began yet).  I guess the next step will be to consider other lifestyle changes (while I can count on one hand the amount of times I have consumed any alcoholic beverage the night before a midget race - and last Friday was NOT one of them - we have been "living it up" a little more now that I am laid off and trying to do some late night socializing).  Before the 2006 flip, I had started a 6 month sabbatical from any drinking; although that did not seem to improve my driving either.  The only other action I think I can take is a complete improvement of my diet and nutrition (although I do at least think about what I eat, I know that I could take this to a whole different extreme).

My focus early this week was on doing all I could to prepare for the scheduled IRS race at Kankakee Friday, but that has been cancelled already.  I thought that could have been the best medicine after this deal.  I can now take even more time to get the car and myself ready for the Sun Prairie opener though.  At the very least, we will be doing some go-karting!