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2011 RACING SEASON |
PREVIOUS SEASONS:
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EVENT REPORTSPUMPKIN SMASHER, October 15, 2011 [PHOTOS] The ‘Pumpkin Smasher’ was a 75-lap feature for the newest division at Delaware Speedway, called ‘Bone Stock’. In addition to the Bone Stock 75, a '$500 to win' King of the Hill and Demolition Derby were on the card. The Ontario Open 4-Cylinder 25-lap invitational was added with cars from other speedways descending on the half-mile for a chance to race against a host of different competitors.  
10: RACE NIGHT 10, July 29, 2011. [PHOTOS] We had a good run last week and hoped to build on that tonight, Nostaglia Night at the Speedway. In practice Scarlett's handling was fair, but brake and engine (carb?) problems had to be dealt with by the Team. I was on the pole for Super Stock heat #2 (fast heat) and knew that a good start was crucial. Unfortunately that was not the case, the car's engine died as I accelerated for the start and I got passed easily, getting shuffled back to eighth place. As the engine heated up it got better, but I finished at the back of the pack. That finish put me at the back of the field (15th) for the Feature race. The engine seemed OK, and I was able to work my way up to 8th place. I was working hard to get past #48, pressing him hard for several laps. On lap thirteen I drove hard into turn one, right on his tail. On the transition between turn one and two I was hard on the gas when I heard "Caution, caution" on my in-car radio. I got off the gas and glanced left - nothing. Suddenly #48 darted right, oh S___ ! BANG! I had hit Jason Lidster (#11), his car sitting stationary and facing the wrong way, head on. Worst case scenario. Ouch. I spoke briefly with the track announcer as I climbed out of my car, then I limped back to our pit stall. Jason and I spoke after the race and we agreed that it was "just one of those racin' deals". But it’s going to take some time to bounce back this time.
09: RACE NIGHT 8, July 8, 2011. [PHOTOS] Well, after a couple of weeks off we were back to see if Scarlett really wanted to go racing. Uncle Don and Steve worked hard to solve the handling mysteries that we've been experiencing (plus a new clutch). It looked like their work paid off, Scarlett was definitely better in practice. 
It was "Whelan Emergency Services Night" tonight, Police, Fire, and Ambulance workers (and their families) were invited to join us a night of racing as a way to say thank-you for all they do in our community.
I was fortunate to get the pole position for my heat race. Scarlett was good enough to race and I was able to hold on to the lead and finally win a race this season. Nice.
That win put me on the pole for the Super Stock Feature. I jumped into a good lead but a caution came out on lap 3. During that caution my shifter came loose and I wasn't able to get Scarlett back into gear. I coasted into the pits and the Team went to work. The race director gave us enough time (thanks Ron!) to find a fix and I rejoined the field at the back of the pack. Scarlett handled pretty well and I was able to get back up to 8th place by the end of the race.
While it was a bit frustrating to have another mechanical problem, I wasn't fast enough to win tonight (the winner was a full 1/2 second faster than the field). However, it WAS great to have a car that handled well enough to go racing. Thanks Team!
07: RACE NIGHT 6, June 17, 2011. [PHOTOS]  Tonight was another very special event, the 28-lap Dave Lawrence Memorial Race to honour one of the greatest men to ever race at the Speedway.
Uncle Don, Steve, and Dad worked very hard all week to repair all of the damage received last week and we were very eager to see how Scarlett responded. The short answer is not well. Scarlett just wouldn't turn in practice, and no amount of thrashing and adjusting got her to respond.
For the Feature Dave's sons, Kris Lawrence and Jo Lawrence led the parade lap. Nice. I started at the back and just wanted to avoid trouble, but that didn't work out. I was clipped a couple of times by out of control cars, and around lap 15 something went wrong with the powertrain. As it turned out our clutch had failed, putting a explanation point on a frustrating night.
Congrats to Darrell Lake, the winner of tonight's very special race.
07: RACE NIGHT 5, June 11, 2011. [PHOTOS] Tonight was the NCATS (NASCAR Canadian Tire Series) 50-Lap race in support of the annual NCATS visit to the Speedway. After our misfortunes last week Uncle Don and the Team had to work very very hard to get ready, we even went out for practice last night to see if Scarlett was ‘good to go’. In practice Scarlett’s handling woes continued. Despite extensive changes Scarlett was still a handful through the corners. Uncle Don, Steve, and Dad thrashed throughout the afternoon trying to find a solution. The format for this race included Time Trials (instead of heat races). I went out 17th and ran a 21.727 second lap, 11th fastest and not bad all things considered. The Speedway had the pole sitter role dice for an ‘inversion’, he rolled ‘10’ which meant that I remained in 11th place for the big race (the pole sitter ended up in 10th). On lap one, going into turn 3 I got slammed into the gravel, breaking my (new) front spoiler (again), but I did manage to hang on. On lap 9 I was spun by #04 coming off of turn 2. Three other cars became involved and I locked bumpers with #9. I had to restart at the back of the pack (again) and suddenly this was feeling an awful lot like a repeat of last week . And just like last week, I was able to climb my way back up to 4th place going into the final lap. It felt a bit spooky, was I going to get hit once again? Nope. I finished fourth, closing in on the leaders (the race was called after 35 laps). It was a great finish for us under the circumstances and it felt like a win after what we've been through lately. Congrats to Paul Fothergill on winning tonight’s race, and condolences to Darrell Lake who had his car destroyed in a hard crash heading into turn one.
05: RACE NIGHT 4, June 3, 2011. [SHADOW REPORT] [PHOTOS] Tonight was the annual "Super Stock Spectacular", it included an autograph session and 35-lap Feature race. It was nice to meet so many enthusiastic fans before racing started and I really enjoyed it. The rest of the night was not so great, both races ended up on the end of the Speedway tow truck. In my Heat race I started fourth, climbed to third, and then was spun out coming off turn 2. Later in the race I was spun out again, and then on the last lap my front right rotor fractured. That's a lot of bad luck for one race. The Feature wasn't much better in the racing luck department. I started 17th, climbed to 12th and then was caught up in a turn four wreck (#88 was spun in front of me, I got stopped but was then drilled from behind). I rejoined the race at the back, climbed as high as fourth, but on the last lap I was clipped in the rear coming off turn four and ended up in the front straight inside wall. Not good. The car looks pretty bent up, not sure what it will take to go racing again. 
04: RACE NIGHT 3, May 27, 2011. [SHADOW REPORT] [PHOTOS] The Team worked very hard during our off week to diagnose our engine (fuel system) and handling problems, and their hard work really paid off. In practice Scarlett was better, but a small problem persisted in the front left suspension. Uncle Don made a good call on the front left shock and handling improved a lot. I was on the pole for my heat race (Super Stock heat 2) and managed to hold on to first place until mid-race when #11 (Jason Lidster) passed me – he was really hooked up – and I finished in second place. I started in 7th place (inside lane) in the Feature. The inside lane is usually the place to be but not tonight, a slower car held our lane up and cars on the outside flew past. I fell back to 11th place and then started to work my back towards the front. Unfortunately every time (four times) I made ground my transmission popped out of gear and I had to start over, I think that I might have passed more cars than anyone tonight. I finished in 9th place, without the transmission problems I could have done better. However, Scarlett’s handling was so much better tonight that it was fun just to do a bit of racing. Congrats to Jason Lidster on his Feature win, he was really flying tonight.
03: RACE NIGHT 2, May 13, 2011. [SHADOW REPORT] [PHOTOS] It was a hot and humid summer like night, but on the race track it felt more like Ground Hog Day. In practice Scarlett was hard starting and she didn't want to rev (even with a new MSD rev limiter). The handling was also unpredictable and in the third session something broke in the front suspension. Turns out it was the front left spring pocket. Uncle Don rewired the rev limiter and then got out the welder and thrashed to make a difficult repair (it's was hard to do this with a hoist, much less laying on the ground) in time for racing. I started my heat race in third position, heat two (fast heat). Right away I could tell something wasn't right in the corners, Scarlett was tight (understeering) through the middle and "snap loose" (sudden oversteer) coming off turns 2 and 4. I fell back to fifth place and tried to hold on. On lap 8 I was hit from behind and spun out in turn 4, finishing the race in last place. 
02: RACE NIGHT 1, May 6, 2011. [SHADOW REPORT] [PHOTOS] [VIDEO] Despite a big thunderstorm and threatening skies the 2011 season got underway at Delaware Speedway tonight. Practice was delayed due to the thunderstorm, and when we did get on the track there was not a lot of grip. By (delayed) race time it was very cold and damp out, we really didn’t know how Scarlett would respond. I managed to finish 4th in my heat race, but I had nothing for a couple of the new Camaros that debuted tonight. I was gridded 7th, on the inside, for the Feature, while the quick Camaros started up front. At the green flag the car immediately in front of me didn’t get a good start, allowing cars on the outside to charge ahead. I settled in to 9th place. Around lap 8 or 9 the two cars right in front of me spun out in turn 1, I had to hit the binders pretty hard to avoid a crash. I restarted 7th again, but any hopes of advancing my position were dashed when my car started missing at 5,000 RPM. I was able to hold off a late charge by #17 and finished in 7th. At least we got the car home in one piece, and there really was no way we were going to catch the front running Camaros, including the winning #14 piloted by NASCAR Nationwide Series driver J.R. Fitzpatrick. Congrats J.R..
01: PRACTICE DAY 2, April 23, 2011. [PHOTOS] The weather man really came through this week, it was a great day to be on the race track. The changes that Uncle Don and Steve made during the off season seemed to agree with Scarlett, she ran pretty well for the first time out. Very encouraging. Thanks Team !
PRACTICE DAY 1, April 16, 2011. After several summer-like days the weather took a sudden turn, with rain and wind spoiling the season premier at the Speedway. The Speedway announcement can be seen here.
SEASON PREPARATIONS, Spring 2011. 
PREVIOUS SEASON RESULTS
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RAIN OUT ! 
