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.