ChasinRacinDL

  OK.  It's been a long silence.  Our homework-consuming dog is named Verizon.  That's my excuse for the delay in posting, as we have been on data probation for (evidently) watching too many episodes of this or that on Netflix.  The punishment is reduced speed - which "you will barely notice" (Verizon quote).  Unless you want to do something.  Like move photos, etc. Anyway, we are back in Colorado! Day trip yesterday with neighbors Rian and Charissa, to Kennebec Pass at 11,683 foot elevation.  Fun fall trip with wonderful weather and temperatures. So, we returned to Durango on Sept. 29 having been on the road for exactly 10 weeks, during which time we logged 9,470 miles on the truck, most of it pulling the camp trailer. Our last post was mid-September, from Stillwater, having raced most recently at Crandall, Texas.  Relaxing and productive stay in OK before we moved on to the next race, originally scheduled for Thurs., Sept 24 in Minnesota....

  Our last race was Crandall, TX on the 13th.  Since then we have been "camping" in the driveway at mom's house in Stillwater, OK.   She is 93, and imprisoned at the Brookdale assisted living facility in town, just a few miles from here, where visitation is currently limited to "window" chats through the one outside window in her apartment.  This is accomplished with a telephone or chromebook inside her room, neither of which she fully understands or tolerates particularly well, and your cell phone on the outside.  Through a window with glare, which can't be opened due to the "C".  While it's nice to see her, it is an awkward process at best.  She sometimes seems to recognize who's peering through her window, and can carry on a very slow paced, often confusing conversation for a while.  Has the ability to move randomly from one topic to  another, followed by a long pause and blank stare.  At other times, she will make comments that ...

  OK.  So it's been a while.  We've been busy, and have had limited time or limited internet service, or both.  Sorry for the delay. A few weeks ago we pulled in to a gas station at Russell, Kansas.  Guy comes up to us and says "Hey, you have a flat tire, man!"  Sure enough!!  Not just flat, it was basically gone.  Not a blowout - or we'd have known it.  Must have lost pressure and just gradually disintegrated as we ran down the interstate.  Pulled in to a parking lot and put the spare on, then drove to Hays where we got two new tires.  We had already worked out a deal via phone while driving. Then yesterday while driving to a tennis function in Stillwater, we get a flat on the truck.  Pulled into a donut shop parking lot for this one. Gotta find someone to fix t his.  It's a heavy wheel on a 3/4 ton truck.           Didn't have to look too far! She asked . . . no, insisted that she wanted to ...

  We left the race shop in Rapid City Thursday night about dark to drive part way to Marshalltown, Iowa,  Casey and Wade left early Friday morning.  We all got to the track mid afternoon Friday.  Marshalltown is eastern Iowa, right in the heart of the derecho wind storm that crushed the area 3 weeks ago.  Lots of evidence of damage all around - you've seen it on TV so no need for a lot of pics. The track at Marshalltown is a high-bank 1/4 mile.  The IMCA car is the one Wade put together last week - a real feat - and the engine had not yet been started.   Casey, of course, had never driven the car.  He went out and won   our heat race on the maiden voyage!  Finished 6th in the Main, so all-in-all a really good night.  (There were 141 cars entered for this event, in several classes.) Left Marshalltown yesterday morning, driving north to Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minnesota - a track which we raced earlier in the year....

  Woke up this morning camped at the Skyberg Motorsports complex in Rapid City,  having arrived yesterday mid-day.  Wade and Danny (a local who has lots of racing experience and knows his way around these cars) were busy preparing to remove the motor from what will be our USMTS car.   There she sits!  We would have gotten the new motor in last night, but it has not yet arrived.  Was supposed to be here a day or two ago.  Now expecting it today, hopefully this morning.  We spent yesterday and last night doing what we could in the way of other parts, body panels, etc., as we need to be done and ready to roll tonight. On a brighter (and less stressful) note, the IMCA car which we race tomorrow at Marshalltown, IA is ready to go, thanks to Danny and Wade.  It is amazing what these guys accomplish in limited time. So,  we now have three "Lethal" Modified chassis in the shop, one of which we received new just before our last visit here in...

  Our last race was in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma ten days ago.  The next USMTS scheduled race will be this Saturday at Deer Creek Speedway (again) in Spring Valley MN.   The Friday race at Chateau Speedway was cancelled, apparently due to owner concerns that too many people would attend, causing potential "Covid distancing requirement" issues, and jeopardizing his regularly scheduled races.  Found out today that we are planning to run an IMCA race in Marshalltown, IA in place of the cancelled Friday event. To fill the void this past week we arranged to meet daughter Emily and 5-year old grandson Porter near Bozeman Montana for a little (forest) camping.  (As opposed to race track camping.)  They drove the seven or so hours from Spokane, we drove about 24 hours total to get up to Bozeman, and we met up and camped one night in regular campsite at Langohr Campground above Bozeman.  We got the last available space, and the place was then "Full".  Mov...

  Ok.    Will we ALWAYS start in the back??  It's the luck of the draw, literally, nothing you can do about that. Lake Ozark Speedway, Eldon MO   8/21 We all traveled in the toter from Hermitage to Lake of the Ozarks for this race Friday night. Chauffeured by Casey, nice comfortable ride and very scenic going through the Lake district. Pleasantly surprised at how nice a facility this is.  Even has a high pressure wash bay in the pits,  handy when your car needs a little bath. Started the Heat in the back, of course.  In this race, which is 8 laps, Casey got the car from 7th to 4th in a very nice run.  Advanced us to the Main with  a  9th starting position.  Just a few laps in he was up to 4th, from 9th, in a strong run -  until we broke the left front shock mount late in the race, which killed handling.   He kept it going, finishing 7th.  Good run, and a second Top Ten finish  in two nights. ...