ChasinRacinDL

As we mentioned before, the USMTS Series is taking a scheduled break - we will return to racing on  July 21 at Oskaloosa, IA, followed by a 2-day show at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE. Casey, on the other hand, has been busy. When we (Lorna & Doug) visited the motorsports complex in Rapid City a few weeks back, they had just received the new "Lethal" modified chassis from David Stremme.  During that week at the shop we concentrated on getting the (old) Mod and the Late Model both ready for Cedar Lake in Wisconsin.  But Doug was able to do some basic stuff on the new car, like packing wheel bearings, setting up brakes, etc. We had not yet raced the new car as we entered this break.  But after Webster City, they were back at the shop getting the new Modified ready to run under IMCA specs.   Wade, pictured here at an earlier race, is very experienced and adept at making the cars race-ready.  He and Casey prepared the new Mod for an IMCA race this pas...

As we mentioned earlier, our daughter Anna recently joined us for about 10 days on the race circuit.  This has been a hoot, as she adds a lot of enthusiasm, entertainment and humor to the mix.  Great fun.  She and Lorna observe each race from the spectator stands, while Doug works in the pits - occasionally joining them for a Heat Race or the Main. (This usually depends on the distance from pits to grandstands, which varies a lot from track to track.) Her husband Todd drove last Friday from the Kansas City area - pulling their new toyhauler RV - to attend the Rock Rapids race and camp with us at the track. This was the event where, just before the Mains for each division were to run, the skies darkened and lightning began in the distance.  With the first few drops of rain, we were busily loading everything into the race trailer:  car lift, tools, tires, tire cutting machine, etc., and finally the car (which takes a few minutes as it is rolled onto a lift which ...

Well, it's been a few days.  Sorry.  Longer travel times between tracks, some later races, and a self-induced bout with Racer's Flu.  Over the last few days we have traveled from central Iowa to far SE Iowa, then up to north central IA, now in far NE IA (Rock Rapids).   Had a good night last night here.  4th in our Heat Race,  then took a 7th in the Main, behind some very good teams (Sanders, Hughes, Ramirez, etc.)  Good performance by Casey.  The previous night in Mason City, not so much.  5th in Heat, then DNF in Main due to right front damage in incident w/ Joe Duvall triggered by spinning car ahead.  Bummer. Better news last Wednesday in Tipton (Cedar County Raceway)  Got shuffled back in the Heat Race, ended up 6th.  In the Main we ended 15th out of 21 runners.  We moved up 3 positions during the race in which only 8 cars advanced.  Not much passing opportunity, so all-in-all a good outcome. Webster City is ...

  We are now in Tipton, IA for tonight's show.  Track is at the Cedar County Fairgrounds .  This is fairly common in the midwest, and makes great use of exisiting facilities.  Grass covered grounds for camping, complete with power and water.  Nice grandstands.  People stopped us in Walmart, asked if we were "racers", and assured us they would be at the track.   Perfect setting, missing only one thing - our hauler, which is apparently broke-down at a shop In Des Moines.  Something about the Peterbilt not willing to run.  Not a good thing.     😓😢 Last night in Stuart we ran 3rd in the heat race.  Started the Main event mid-pack, and were out in a few laps having come in contact with the outside wall.  I was looking forward to Tipton, which has no outside wall!  Anyway, broke the J-bar and drive shaft, and a few other things.  Fixed what we could last night, then they headed for Des Moines to get some pa...

When you travel with people who race on dirt you collect quarters along the way.  Then you spend them at laundromats and car washes every chance you get.  So we are Sequestered at Nelson's Landing RV Park in Nelson, WI., where there is ample quarter dumping opportunity.  We are just east of the Mississippi River, and about ("aboat" up here!!) 30 miles north of the Mississippi Thunder Speedway where we raced 3 weeks ago.  The area and the towns along the river are very picturesque and apparently a popular summer tourist attraction.  Boats and barges travel this part of the river and  can be easily observed as they make their way through the various locks along the way. Our mini-break is due to the cancellation of the  Park Jefferson race at N. Sioux City, SD. which was to occur today.  Saved us a few miles on the odometer and allowed us to be tourists briefly.  Tomorrow we travel to our next event at Stuart IA. One racing note:  We raced ...

Just a recap for today,  as we are moving. LATE MODEL:  In Heat race we were running 2nd, spun and got hit,  took out front of car.  We thrashed it back together but were knocked out of B-main in 3 laps. MODIFIED:  Started 6th in Heat race, finished 3rd.  Great driving by Casey.  Started 13th out of 27 cars in the $10,000.00-to-Win A Main Feature.  Finished 16th.  Good performance for Casey considering the competition;  making Saturday the bright spot of our Cedar Lake experience.   Stuart Iowa next,  Tuesday,  as Park Jefferson has been canceled due to insurance issue over the use of a public road,  I think. 

At the track, not a lot different than yesterday.  Poor starting positions in both classes - the luck, good or bad, from the pill draw.  Difficult to pass on this track as the leaders typically run low on the track, while up high the cushion is "crumby" at best and eventually worn out.  Also have some really good competition here.  Our starting positions in both the modified and late model classes were deep in the field, and we were ultimately unable to qualify for the main event in either division.  Hopefully better tomorrow.                                                   Random Image of the Day: One of the more popular RV's up here is the "Ice Castle Fish House".  There are at least a dozen in our camping area.  Once positioned, you crank it down until the "coach" rests right on the ground, just as it doe...

First night in the books.  Late model (larger car) (You draw a numbered "pill" to determine starting position) Started 4th in Heat 4.   Finished 7th. Thus did not qualify to go directly to A-Main.  Started 6th in the (qualifying) B-Main, in which we finished 5th.  One position out of qualifying for the A-Main, so done for the night in that division, but had a little work to do on the car from on track action(!) Modified :  Assigned to Heat Race #6;  started on the pole and finished one place back in 2nd.  2 best cars in each of the 6 Heats go automatically to the A-Main, so we're IN.  Except for that thing called "passing points", which rewards drivers who have gained more positions during the course of their Heat race.  That pushed us out.  So we have to qualify thru the B-Main, in which we started 4th and finished 8th .  So we are OUT .   Will not be in the Main event. Except for that thing called a "provisional"....

With passengers Lorna and Anna, drove yesterday from Stillwater, OK to just south of Minneapolis.  A 10 hour drive into 40-45 mph headwinds the entire way.  A 30 percent ding to our fuel mileage, and just plain not a lot of fun.  The upside:  Beautiful scenery and a lot of interesting stuff to see along the way.   Arrived at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI by noon, in plenty of time for the start today of the 21st Annual Modified & Late Model Masters 3-day race.  The track looks to be a hi-banked 3/8 mile.  Large grandstands on front and back straightaways.  Should be some fun racing.  Many rigs in the various camping areas which surround the track.   Will head to the pits shortly, and let you know how the night goes!                                                    ...

Back at Tucson Speedway, mid-February, got to help Wade/Casey Skyberg Racing bang out the dents from a race the previous night.  Took about 4 hours to get the car back together.  Great fun, even though this modified racing stuff was still somewhat new to me.     Lorna and I watched the races, as usual, from the stands that night, but visited with Wade afterward in the pits.  They were going to Oklahoma, where they would convert the car to USMTS specs for the beginning of that group's season in the midwest.  We were headed back to Ajo.  Took the opportunity to mention that we might go down to Texas for the first of that series of races.  We learned that from "Stalking 101" in school!   Fortunately for us , they didn't really object (having evidently missed the "Avoiding and Deterring Stalkers" class),  and the die was cast.  We met them next at the I-37 Speedway at San Antonio, then on to South Texas Speedway/Corpus Christ...

So, Lorna said we might want to try clogging.  I ordered some tap shoes and the cutest little skirts. Turns out she said "blogging" .  So here we go.   Format and style will have to wait.  For now will be mostly just info about our travel, maybe make it easier to follow us.    Test, 1 2 3;  test.   😀 Background:  This past January we took some time to attend car races in Arizona, mostly modified race cars, as that was available.  While looking at haulers and cars in the pits one afternoon before a race, we met a very nice guy that was with one of the teams.  He was kind enough to visit with us, lets us take pictures - even invited us in to the trailer and then the hauler ("toter"), all of which was eye-opening and almost stunning.  My recollection is that the entire rig is about 84 feet in length and weighs in at 85,000 pounds.  Trailer carries two cars above a fully equipped shop, with two slide-outs which hol...