As expected, time was running out on things to be finished on the new chassis. The engine was fired Wednesday evening and ran as it should. We spent Thursday and Friday buttoning up a few last things and preparing a couple spare tires for the weekend. Friday evening we gathered up the crew and set sail for Mandan. I was a little unaware on what to expect of the new car and was anxious to drop the hammer and see how it would shake out.

I drew a 17, not bad for a beginner, and hey, I kind of like that number! Hot laps we discovered a major oil leak...there was so much oil covering everything we had some trouble pinpointing where it was coming from. Since the crash in Knoxville we switched to a different oil tank and thought we possibly overfilled the oil. So we crossed our fingers, added oil, and went out for time trials. After the qualifying laps were made we went back to looking the motor over and discovered where the mess was coming from.a loose line that had not leaked until high vibration and RPM. Everybody went back to scrubbing down the car and cleaning up our Exxon Valdez oiler. A quick oil change was executed and we went back to getting the car set for the heat.

Mandan is terribly slick, our practice this year made me familiar with what to expect. However, my qualifying was poor and the track was really tough to get a hold of. I tried entering the top on my second lap and slid up and past the portion of the track I was aiming for which set us really far back in the heat. Opening lap of the heat a car spun and we luckily scraped through it with just a damaged front wing post. On the restart, I drove into corner 1 smooth and low, however the car that had caused the first yellow still apparently didn't realize how slick this track was. He bumped my left rear and gave me just enough push to spin me. So, we were onto restart #2, "Thanks buddy, and you do this for a living?!" I thought. Oh well no harm was done and when we finally got underway I catfished the bottom, eventually moving up and catching a groove of rubber. Yes rubber.heat one, lap four! The laps wound down and we finished without incident.

The B transferred the top six into the A. I'm not much of a mathematician but I'm pretty good at counting fast when there are positions I need! When the green dropped, we probably had the most successful start this season. I quickly jumped into 5th place before we hit turn three. "That's it," I thought, "that's all it took?" After searching the next lap I found spots that our car was working really well. I hit my marks and was gaining on 3rd and 4th. I tried making mild moves and didn't leave the bottom open for a contender on exit. "We're in a happy place and let's just let this one wind down to the checkers," I was thinking. The track was fun in the B and a lot less abusive on tires. We were really getting bite and the car felt great. When I got back to the pit the guys and I were full of emotion. You know, sometimes it's ok to bask in small glory when your luck is down. We all needed to smile, pats on the back were exchanged, and we started prepping for the A!

I've been battling with this set of belts (well, Tom has) for some time now. We spent some extra time in the shop looking over the problem and we thought we found a solution. I'm a smaller framed guy and I have a seat which lets the belts run through it. Sometimes of the configuration of the belts don't allow the things to tighten up if not performed perfectly (kind of like getting your first date). Anyway the belts did not get tightened as much as I would normally prefer.I synched down the shoulders and was pushed off. Believe me, I wasn't going anywhere inside that car, I just wear my belts extremely tight, uncomfortably tight if you think about it. Before we went green I think I pull my belts tight maybe four or five times, almost like a nervous disorder (but probably a good disorder to have).

We took the green and I battled with Kevin Lawson for a few laps in the back. We were both probably just out there to play a little, but after seeing the green #11 of Kinser pass me in a not so nice way I quickly drew to the conclusion, "I'm outta here! These guys are going for blood! I'm here to play! The fans want a show! I've wrecked two cars going through something just like this!" My wisdom and sportsmanship took me to the top of the backstretch and an exit stage right. I had a blast; I met a lot of new fans that had a chance to watch some premier teams in their own back yard! The whole night was pretty cool and I hope to be back next year, Mandan!

The next couple weeks will be a whirlwind of activity for us in hopes of receiving the new chassis early this week. The assembly process will begin and a few new items will be ordered to replace bent items. Our hopes are to compete in Mandan August 16th for the World of Outlaws event as well as Minot on Sunday August 17th for the Third Annual Magic City Showdown. A few new race dates are being considered because of the down time this year. More on this to come later.

The new chassis is a little more tailored for a 410ci application and we hope this new sled performs better. Ironically we were looking at a longer chassis and were really thinking about a new car prior to the crash, which speeded up our decision a bit. We're chomping at the bit to start assembling the new whip; it's been a bit of a shock not seeing a car on the stands in the shop. Bolts will be checked again and again, measurements will be made almost every thirty minutes, and second guesses will be answered immediately. "Races are won in the shop," Todd has continued to say since his first win. He's still a little sore from the wreck last month, but adds, "Just put me in my happy place and nothing else will matter!"

As some of you know my luck has not changed. The chassis was destroyed this weekend in an upsetting final lap in the first 410 heat race in Knoxville , the number one place on my list of all the tracks I never wanted to wreck. Knox is very hard on cars, and has claimed our one and only straight chassis.

In hot laps, our car was over geared, too loose, and a shock mount was busted on the left front. All changes and repairs were made prior to our qualifying attempt. I told Tom I was going to take it easy the first lap to get a grip on the changes we made to the car and get a feel for the unfamiliar track. We drew a 67 which put us deep into qualifying order. On the first lap I tiptoed around the bottom and found the corner entry was much better with the new stagger. Corner two was a little tricky; the sunlight made exiting a challenge to find a line quickly without skipping trough the center where it was slick. I moved up a lane on lap two of qualifying and tried to grab the throttle heavy, but the track just wasn't there yet and I carried too much speed on entry that trashed the corners and the lap time dwindled even more.

The heat found us starting in the back, I think in the 10th spot. Our lap times were way off, and that was ok with me.I was just trying to get familiar with this place. On the start a car jumped and we went into a restart. On green, I thought, "These fellas have got balls! Big, big balls!" I mean, I was just left in the dust, couldn't even power up with them. They're fast, comfortable, and very familiar with Knox as they know exactly what to expect of their setup and equipment. I was whippin' around there pretty good for a beginner, finally starting to get a feel of the speed and reaction of the chassis/wing/bars/shocks. I knew I was going to get caught by the leaders soon and after Lasoski showed me his wheel I moved to the middle and held my line. On the front stretch I saw the white flag and was relieved that the ass whipping was soon to be over. I kept a comfortable pace without trying anything funny and exiting turn four I saw the checkers waving and gassed up the motor for a smooth finish and thought, "OK, we're going to the B. That's OK."

Out of nowhere the right rear tire lurched and pulled down.I knew someone had gotten into me. The car stepped up onto the front end and started to point at the fence. I counter steered patiently, not making an erratic move with the wheel because I was up to speed. I thought I had it saved but the left front of the car hooked the track and sent me into orbit. I didn't hear anything, most notably no crumpling top wing. The lights spun through my path of vision twice and I knew this was big. I've been here before so I braced up for landing and it was absolutely the most horrific impact I have ever felt in my life!

I sat in the seat panting, groaning, and trying to wiggle my toes and fingers. It is tough to breath with the belts digging into your lungs. I remember a sensation in my neck, someone scratching me? I couldn't speak loudly, but, I think I am ok. Someone said, "He's not responding." So I yelled, "I'm here OK! OK?"

They right sided the car and I said my ABCs and 123s in the ambulance. I took a walk around the pits to get my bearings straight and noticed my eye was getting worse. To make a long story short, I checked on the car and found it busted all to hell, definitely not fixable tonight. I underwent all precautionary doctor visits and went through several lab tests, two CT scans (one of my eye and one of my abdomen), several x-rays of my ribs. Everything looks ok, just major bruising that time will heal.

I'm looking forward to this coming weekend to just take it easy and soak in the State Fair parade on Saturday. The remains of the car will be disassembled and we'll decide what can be salvaged. I have a couple options for a new/used chassis but haven't made a decision as of yet. Hopefully the motor is ok, and we will decide more when I get time to take a look at everything little closer.

I learned a lot from Knoxville. It is just too bad we had to destroy a car there. When you belt in, there's a reason they get synched down as tight as they do. I know the risks, and losing a car is one of them. I am just thankful it was not any worse and I'm thankful I can heal. However, I am ready to turn the page, hit the switch, and go racing again!

We elected to scratch the Jamestown weekend due to fuel costs and family get-togethers over the holiday weekend. Besides, the team was ready for a "brake" (yeah, no pun intended, wink wink) from the wrenching on a system that has been tough to get operating correctly.sometimes the simple stuff is what kills.

My focus has been on Knoxville as I made a pledge to race there someday and I'm all "throttles forward" to achieve this. I would rather race there with a 360, but the 410's pay more and have a slightly smaller car count. We get a chance to qualify on the track completely by ourselves, and our ASCS 360 is feeling pretty departed if you know what I mean. With the number of Outlaw shows and NOSA events we were going to run, the idea of putting the cash back into a 360 wasn't feasible. Believe me, I could use more time in a 360 but unfortunately to be competitive locally, a 360 is just not enough motor when compared to some healthy 410s. If the track is heavy chances are you'll get crushed if you are in an ASCS 360. The room for error is broadened with the 410. If a guy sticks to his marks after making a mistake he can still reel in positions worthy of passing.

It's been a big change from the 360 to a 410, much larger than expected. On a heavy track, the car responds so much quicker; with the diet and steroids it's been on, the power is just there at your disposal. The 360 I got use to running really hard, whereas the 410 takes a little more throttle control. We're not completely out of the ball park, our setups will have to change, and I will have to learn to adapt better.

This week the fellas and I will head off to Knoxville, Iowa. I'm pretty calm, but I've probably been too busy to think about it a whole lot. Hopefully, with any luck, our tow rig will hold up its end of the routine. The brakes have been tuned in with the help of Greg Nikitenko over the past week, the routine maintenance will be completed, and we hope to make our trip with no hidden surprises.

Listen live to Hoseheads Radio, Saturday, July 12th, at 7P.M. Central. If everything runs well we look to stop at Husets in Brandon, South Dakota, on Sunday the 13th. We will be off for the North Dakota State Fair and afterwards hope to get more seat time a little closer to home prior to our Outlaws events in August. Fargo has been rescheduled to August the 12th (a Tuesday). We wish to compete there but, the availability of the crew will tell the tale. Wish us luck!

The River Cities Speedway World of Outlaws show turned out to be a wrenching nightmare. I was hoping we had the brake trouble ironed out. A new rear caliper and rotor were installed over the past week, and provided a better pedal. In between switching front axles and other components over the past week, we found a troubled front rotor was adding to our lack of brakes. A few items were switched out at the track and made our efforts for tuning the car's setup practically impossible.

In hot laps I discovered the fading brake pedal again. The car was extremely tight and easily reared up, bucked, and biked! Too damn soft! I drove the top once more to keep out of trouble, but corner speed was impossible to control without the brakes. I found myself exiting the track backwards off the top, luckily gathering up the car and saving ourselves from disaster.

We wrenched our behinds off just to make a qualifying attempt, however our gear selection was off and with the combination of "terribles" and "no goods" we set a low lap time. We were way off the pace and I started in the back of the third heat. I knew my work was cut out for me and with the amount of thrashing we were doing. In between qualifying and the heat it was hard to keep my mind on the track. It's sad to say, but without a respectable qualifying time when you race with the Outlaws, you are doomed! These guys are good.really good!

Forks has been a place I love to hate because of our past experiences there. It is small, tight, and there's practically no straightaway. It's been a tough place for me and even if I was riding a tricycle I would miss my marks. I know more time will be needed to get a handle on this track. Forks always seems fast on the top late in the night and only the good drivers can perform well up there. It is fun for spectators but a handful for a beginner.

In the heat race I found myself having trouble getting out of my own way.I was all over the place and had the front end off the ground numerous times. I was on and off the gas, buzzing the tires one second and the next second was on two tires. It was tough, the car was ill, and I was concerned with my stopping power, or lack thereof.

When I returned to the pit after the heat we began tearing into the brake system again just eager to try anything else that might get us an improvement. We switched out the front brake rotor with the spare axle on the Tracker and I quickly dropped into the seat and buckled up as the fellas scrambled to put the caliper and wheel back on. I arrived in the staging area late and was reverted to start the C in the tail. During pace laps I grabbed the brake for all it was worth and found a response! "Finally! Glad you can join us," I thought.

As we went green I noticed the car in front of me "gun to go" and not wishing to be left in the dust, I dropped the hammer. I was right in the middle of this thing with nothing to lose. For a moment I thought I could capitalize on a couple positions quickly and maybe threaten the leader. But then the yellow came out and was charged to the early bird on the green. On the restart I didn't get as good of a start; I was forced to start one lane lower. We battled for third 'til I saw checkers but only the top two transferred. I quickly turned my attention to getting something to eat from the attack shack and watched the B and the A from a good perch. Oh well, back to the drawing board!

We started out our weekend at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan for a few hot laps to shake the car down and get a feel for the new 410. The new mill runs flawlessly but is a handful to control when the car is upset. Getting the car to react smoothly to my style will be a challenge and we hope to get a grip on it soon. A few of the setups we would typically use on the 360 definitely will not work so well on a 410. We went out on some old scuff tires and did not get a good feel of how things would be on fresh rubber.

Saturday was spent in the garage tightening up loose ends on the car and solving some minor problems that could get to be a headache if not looked at closer. We bled the brake system again and thought we had a decent brake pedal to race with on Sunday. Upon loading the car I found myself pumping the brakes again with little to no response. I knew we were in trouble. I had exhausted every option to the problem and was a little undecided on what to do for the night. I quickly rounded up some fresh shoes for the hotrod and hoped we could break out in free air (where our brakes would be in Jesus's; hands and not in the devil's).

In hot laps I tried driving the top a little and found the biggest patch of mud on the track. Driver error set our hot laps short, but I know my weaknesses and driving the top is an area I would like to improve. Besides, with the brakes like they were, I thought I was in a bad position to try any low lines.

Our draw for the night was extremely good and we were set on the outside front row for the heat. It's just too bad that the track was good on the bottom! I settled into third position after a half-lap tire buzzing competition and remained there for the checkers. We started the feature on the inside second row. I cannot complain about our starting position; however I would like to write a complaint to the rear brake caliper department for not allowing me to scrub off speed and shut the car down to position it in the most abrasive portion of the track.

The first lap of the feature I got a great start on the bottom. Unfortunately I found Nodak' new lap board has RED lights on it! I though I had seen something red but when I exited onto the back stretch (with shifter in hand) we were still on green, so my concentration was lost, the brakes were gone, and I was being swarmed by cars with more speed. The race went on and the closer I could drop to the inside rail the faster I was, but getting down there without brakes was a difficult task and the results show it. Next time we are in Minot, GIVE ME A BRAKE!

Our Knoxville weekend got off to a tough start.80 miles from Minot a wheel decided to depart from the trailer causing damage to one of the axles. Not knowing the condition of the rest of the hubs and bearings, we decided to make the tow rig "about face" and head back home. We hated to get even farther from home and find ourselves in more complicated trouble. We were disappointed because of all the hard work we did preparing for a sudden trip with the car in tow. Threatening weather in Knoxville that weekend was also a thought, so we decided to make the trip without the car.

We left Friday morning (May 30) and drove until we reached Des Moines, where we checked into the nearest motel. Beer and pizza was on the menu for the night after a long day of driving. The fun started Saturday morning with a short drive to Ostrich Racing Engines. The Ostrich 410 was fired and run through a couple heat cycles and then approximately seven dyno pulls. A few changes were made until the tuning was found satisfactory for fuel calibration. The new mill sounds healthy and was everything (and more) that we all had expected.

Next we headed off to Knoxville for a quick grind at Sonic and then an evening at the races. The weather held out nicely for the event and Knox proved to be a place not easy on cars; little mistakes cause huge problems. Thank God all drivers were ok, but we can't say the same for their equipment. We were all in awe over the size, speed, level of competition, and overall fan base of the historic half mile. What a place! There is no comparison.

A late night stop at the Dingus to introduce the fellas into the nightlife at Knox was in store, and we soon found ourselves looking for names written on the walls of the pub. We're looking forward to our return trip in July and without a doubt that will be a highlight of our season. We had a great time, and learned a lot from the engine dyno thanks to Lee (and crew) at Ostrich Racing Engines. Next time we travel to Knoxville we'll try not to "drive the wheels off it." The tow rig that is!

Our season will hopefully be underway next week as we plan to make the looooong haul to Des Moines, Iowa, where the new 410 will be completed and put on the dyno at Ostrich Engines. Shortly after the dyno pulls on Thursday, May 29th, we plan to drop in the new motor and head off to Knoxville, Iowa to run some practice laps. The possibility to hot lap again on Friday will be kept in mind.

Saturday is race night and the pre-qualifying jitters will most likely settle in. We hope the practice time gets us up to speed and allows us to gain trust in our equipment. Getting comfortable at the historic half mile with a new engine and a lighter car will be a lot to absorb for one weekend. However, we love new challenges, and afterall, it has been a long winter! You can listen in on Hoseheads Radio starting at 7:30 p.m.

If everything goes well, the plan is to stop at Husets Speedway on Sunday and compete there. Located between Sioux Falls and Brandon, South Dakota, the tight, little bullring is full of action.

We are extremely excited and can barely sleep. At any rate, we are leaving town, maybe not taking the world by storm, but not coming back until we have at least had a good time!

Bon voyage!

We returned home this week from vacation where we attended the "King of the 360s" held in Brandon, Florida, at East Bay Raceway. The racing was great and it was fun to watch the track and how the drivers adapted to the changing conditions. The track surface seems a little unpredictable being on the coast, but then again things tend to seem different from the stands.until your own butt is in the seat and turned a few laps it can be misleading. A surface that actually stays wet, maybe even more so as the night goes on, is something us Midwesterners are not accustomed too. Late main events had cars easily buzzing the tires and left me a little skeptical as to what my setup would be. The majority of the heats had cars locked down and loaded. The track was definitely faster earlier in the night (all three nights) and proved that anything can happen to the surface at East Bay.

It was fun to see some of the local cars (Midwest) compete there. You always have to root for someone you have raced with or share state borders with. In attendance with Annette and I were a couple, Jake and Tanya, that travel with the Nikitenko crew during the racing season. We quickly decided that our taste buds were not in favor of the "Southern" boiled peanut. Boiled? Yes, I said boiled! Yuk! This quickly gained a unanimous vote among us as not a snack to get you over the grandstanding munchies! However, the shortcake was tasty and the beer was cold. And the weather almost made us feel guilty, as all our family and friends were stuck up here in the subzero north.

As I've stated before, my dreams are continuously changing, and racing during speed week in January is starting to filter into my head. If you win the lottery or just plain need to get rid of some cash, make the check payable to "Todd's lazy winter vacation in dreamland." We promise we'll send you some oranges! Nevertheless, we had an awesome time and are looking forward to a return trip maybe with a few more Midwest racers to dodge the deep freeze.

As tracks start to release tentative schedules, we hope to get our schedule put together for this coming season. The car will soon be painted, reconditioned, and reassembled. Also, a quick trip to pick up our 410 at Ostrich Racing Engines in Iowa is coming up. It won't be long now and the cabin fever will be let loose. As for the south, we love your weather but leave the peanuts alone!