WWCD

The band was back together this weekend as my Mom and Dad where back from vacation.  So things were back to the norm.

Friday night we headed to Kanawha Valley to do a little testing.  The week before, Kanawha Valley had to change the timing system and thus changed the lights in the tree.  So I struggled.  With those results, we made the decision during the week to head to the track on Friday so I could work on my reaction times.

The results were mixed for sure.  My reaction times for the night were, .022, .023, .036, .001, .046, and .023.  Needless to say those were less than stellar as far as consistency goes.  So after mixed results on Friday we headed home, only to hook back up and head back to KV Saturday for a weekly points race.

As Saturday rolls around, lets just say it was hot.  During the first 2 time trials my reaction times were decent, .026 and .021.  At least they were close enough to each other that I could adjust the delay box accordingly.  However during the 3rd time run I had a blistering .049 reaction time.  So after feeling good, my confidence took a big hit heading into eliminations.

Once eliminations rolled around lets just say that things got better.  In the first round I have a .009 reaction for the win.  This gave me the confidence need to win the next few rounds.

As the night continues, I find my self in the semi finals.  The semi final round was an important one for me because if I won the round I would overtake Jeff Higgins for the points lead.  In the semis I dial a 5.30 to my opponents 6.37.  I leave with a .036 light to his .051.  So even though I would not call that a great light, I had a 15 thou advantage, which I will take any day.  I catch him and pedal to run a 5.324 on my 5.30 dial to his 6.382 on his 6.37 dial.  I win.  I crossed first by .0029.  Basically I did a poor job of pedaling and almost gave back up the strip.  Off to the finals!!!!

In the finals I keep my 5.30 dial.  My opponent is dialed a 6.61.  I leave with a .0149 reaction to his .0299.  So once again I have a 15 thou advantage!! (This makes the whole winning thing a lot easier.)  We get down the track and I pedal once again.  This time I run a 5.331 on my 5.30 dial as he runs a 6.644 on his 6.61 dial.  I cross first by .018 to take the WIN!!!!  Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!

This win was my 3rd win of the season is my 4th final.  Also by winning I took the Pro points lead at Kanawha Valley by 10 points (2 rounds).  There are 3 points races remaining.  I am sitting in good position, however I would like I little more breathing room.

Next week we head back to Kanawha Valley as there are 2 points raced scheduled.  So this is a big weekend in deciding my chances of winning the Track Championship.

Thanks for reading.  Remember that you can Follow me on Twitter: @ClaytorRacing

Until next time: Hit it Hard, Hit it Fast!!

How Quickly it Goes Away

Back to Points Racing!!! The weather co-operated this weekend and Kanawha Valley was open and running for some points racing.  After being rained out for a few weeks down there, the track decided to have two points races on Saturday.

Heading into the weekend I was sitting 6th in points, 25 points back.  At KV 10 points are given for showing up, 5 points per round win, 5 point bonus for winning the race, and a 2 point bonus for finishing 2nd.  So basically I was 5 rounds out of first.  Jeff Higgins was leading the points heading into the weekend.  He has been leading the points for most of the season.

As the first race got under way I was very confident.  I was driving well and the car was great.  The first round of the race rolls around and I end up running "Radar" Ray Kinder.  Radar has nice 55 Chevy that runs 5.60's.  I dial a 5.27 to Radars 6.64.  I get the win as I take a starting line advantage, .020 to .040, and drive the finish line to take .018 and run a 5.28.

2nd round I draw John Carr in his 5.90 Nova.  I dial a 5.26 to Johns 5.90.  John kills me on the tree with a .008 to my .041.  However, he runs way off of his dial, a 5.98 on his 5.90, so I get around him and Womp the gas a few times to run a 5.271 on my 5.26 and take .008 strip for the win.

3rd round I again draw Radar.  After our first round match up Radar bought back in.  This round is very similar to our first round as I get the advantage on the tree .018 to .042 and play with the brakes on the big end to take the strip by .021 and take the win.

4th round I am down to 6 cars.  I draw David Bailey and his 69 Camaro.  This was a good race right up until I left the starting line!!! I leave to a red light, -.012 and David takes the win.  I run it out the back door and run a 5.268 on my 5.26 dial.

Decent finish to the first race.  A good points race for me as pretty much everyone else that I am battling lost early.

During time trials for the 2nd race, I am struggling.  I simply can not find the tree.  I am a red lighting machine.  I keep putting time in my delay box and nothing seems to work.  Luckily in my last time shot I actually turn the bulb green!

In round 1 of Race 2, I draw John Carr again.  This time he got the better of me as I screw the pooch in every way possible.  It was almost like I had never drove the car before.  I let go of the trans-brake way before Johns Top Bulb came on, thus would have led me to Red Lighting.  So I decide that the only thing that I can do it Footbrake the car.  That did not work and to the buy back window I went.

I buyback in and head up for the second round and guess who I pull up beside.........RADAR!!!! For the third time I had to run Mr Kinder.  Radar is a very good racer and I knew that I would struggle to beat him for a 3rd time in one day.

Radar simply kills me on the tree with a .008 reaction to my blistering .046!!! (Way to cut the tree down Jason)  Needless to say I never catch him and he puts me on the trailer.

Overall a decent day points wise.  I did not move up any positions in the standings but I did get closer to the point lead.  I now sit 15 points, 3 rounds, out of the lead.  With 4 points races left I need to get my head on straight and get it done!!

Upcoming schedule is to head to Kanawha Valley on Friday for a little testing and then be there Saturday for another points race.

FINALLY!

I actually got to race Saturday!!!!!  Mother Nature allowed us the opportunity to get a full race in.

The weekend was actually a big weekend in my racing career.  For the first time ever, I went racing with out my dad being there.  I am 26 years old and I have been racing since I was 8.  So for the last 18 years my dad has been at the track every weekend that I have raced.

My mom and dad are actually in Myrtle Beach.  So on Friday night my good buddy Tyler Baisden met me at my Mom and Dads house and we loaded up my dragster in his trailer, along with his dragster.  The plan was to head to Kanawha Valley on Saturday for a regular points race.

Well Mother Nature did not totally agree with out initial plans.  A big rain storm blew through Northern West Virginia and at 1:00 Kanawha Valley cancelled.  So at 1:00 Tyler and I decide to head to Kil-Kare Dragway in Xenia, OH.  Now it must be noted that time trials at Kil-Kare started at 1 and we had at least an hour and a half drive ahead of us.

Our day must not have been hectic enough as the Lords of the Highway decided that we needed a flat tire on the trailer about 30 miles from the race track.  We decided to just slow down and make it to the track before changing the tire.

We arrive at KK as they are in the middle of the 2nd and final time trial.  Luckily we bust our butts and make it to the staging lanes just in time for both of us to get a time run.

My car runs as expected and so does Tyler's dragster.  In Round 1 we both decide that we wanted to Red light, just so we could give $25 more dollars to buy back!!!  Ok, so maybe that wasn't the plan, but we both did red-light.

Round 2 comes around and luckily this round I turn on a win light.  My opponent went red.  I went .008 on the tree and ran a 5.26 on my 5.28 dial.  Tyler did not have any luck as fuel systems issues continued to plague him.

In Round 3 I pull up against Dave Caplinger, who is a KK regular.  Lets just say Dave decided to destroy me.  He left with a .004 light to my .014.  He then proceeded to run dead on his dial with a 7 to have a .011 package.  I had to break out with a 5.253 on my 5.26 dial in order to cross the finish line first.  It honestly did not matter what I did at that point because Mr Caplinger was whooping my butt.  I made a good pass, but he was just better.

So that was my weekend.  This weekend coming up I will once again be traveling with Tyler as Mom and Dad will still be in Myrtle.  The plan is to head to Kanawha Valley as they have two points races scheduled.

Lets just hope that I can get back into the swing of things and hopefully find my way back to the winners  circle!!

Please follow me on twitter: @ClaytorRacing
Check out my Racingin.com Profile page: www.Racingin.com/ClaytorRacing