EVENT REPORTS
1: JLMI Race Night #02, June 01, 2002.
We had a total of 4 practice laps on our car when we got to Flamboro for the first time this year. In (a rain shortened) Practice the car was very loose, and that continued in Heat 1. We tried to make adjustments for the Feature, but the car was still a handful. The race was rain shortened again, and we had to settle for 6th place. We need more laps, more practice, to get our new chassis properly dialed in.
2: CJR Race Night #01, June 12, 2002. [FULL RACE RESULTS]
This was our first race on the new CJR track (turn 3-4 was re-paved). Uncle Don worked hard on the car after our struggles in Flamboro last week, and in Practice the car was much better. In Heat 1 we started near the back and moved through the field to take the win! We started the Feature in 4th. It was one of the most exciting races ever, the new turn 3-4 concrete gave us lots of room to race. We diced with #6, #77, and #2 all race and we finished 2nd.
3: CJR Race Night #02, June 15, 2002. [FULL RACE RESULTS]
In the past we have had no racing luck at Grand Bend Micro Speedway, but after last Wednesday we were anxious to get going. Rain delayed our program and cut practice short but the car felt pretty good. In our Heat Race we started 5th and climbed to 2nd. We started the Feature in 7th, right behind #6, the only car as quick as us in Practice. Both of us moved to the front early, lapped the field, and we finished 1-2. This was our best night ever at Grand Bend.
4: CJR Race Night #04, July 03, 2002. [FULL RACE RESULTS]
It was a very hot, humid night but our car seemed to like it, despite some problems in practice (loose hood, broken throttle cable). In our Heat Race we started 6th, the car felt good, and we climbed to 3rd place. That put us in 7th place for the Feature. We got a good start, but the car didn't feel quite right. As the tires heated up handling improved and we worked through traffic to 3rd, behind #8 and #04. A flat tire hurt #8, and we were able to get past #04 by mid-race. We stayed in first the rest of the way, winning by about 10 car lengths or more.
5: CJR Race Night #05, July 10, 2002. [FULL RACE RESULTS]
Uncle Don had the car just right in practice. We started our Heat in 8th, made an early mistake, but recovered to finish fourth. That put us in 5th for the Feature. Right off the bat #23 spun in front of us. We got by but a bunch of cars wrecked behind us and that put us in 2nd for the restart. We moved into first and held on until lapped traffic held us up. Number 6 got under us, but a couple of laps later we were able to get under him and hold on for the Feature WIN. After the race we got a lot of compliments on a good drive, and an exciting race.
6: CJR Race Night #06, July 13, 2002. [PHOTOS] [FULL RACE RESULTS]
The car needed a lot of work after the last race (bent tie rods, cracked fibreglass, etc.), so we hoped that we hadn't lost our setup. The car was tight in the first practice, so Uncle Don adjusted the chassis and it was better. We started last (8th) in Heat 1, and the car was good enough to move through the field for the win. We started the Feature in 8th also, and were able to move to second behind #6 early. We battled #6 for the rest of the race. We got by him at mid-race, but four laps later he got by us. We banged a few times and the car started to push, but we stayed right on him right to the checkered flag. It was an exciting, hard fought race. We'll have to get him next time.
7: CJR Race Night #07, July 17, 2002. [PHOTOS] [FULL RACE RESULTS]
 The car was a bit of a handful tonight, but we were able to work through traffic to win our Heat Race. We started 8th in the Feature, and moved up to fourth place. About half way two cars got together in front of us, when we spun into the gravel trying to avoid them, the chain came off. Uncle Don got it fixed in the pits and we re-entered the race before the green flag. We charged from last to 5th place, but we had to overdrive the car to do it. Unfortunately in turn 3 we hit #1 in the rear and spun him out - earning a black flag and a place at the back of the pack again. We tried to regain some spots but got spun out once again so we ended the night at the back of the field. Not a good night. Dad recommends "a little less heart, and a little more brain" as the lesson for tonight.
8: CJR Race Night #08, July 24, 2002. [PHOTOS] [FULL RACE RESULTS]
We started 4th in our Heat Race, on the first lap #2 spun us out in turn 3 and the chain popped off. CASCAR restarted the race before we could get back on the track, so we ended up 8th. That put us in 16th for the Feature. The race was tight, and getting through traffic was tough as the car was hard to handle in turn 3-4. We got into our friend Darrell in the #77 Traction car a couple of times. We ended up 4th, a good result considering the circumstances.
9: CJR Race Night #09, July 31, 2002. [FULL RACE RESULTS]
We started our Heat Race in 5th, on lap 3 the chain popped off when we got out of shape in turn 3 (the car was not good tonight). Uncle Don got it fixed quickly, but CASCAR restarted the race before we could get back on the track (while the safety vehicle was still with us in the pits). We joined the race about 1/3 of a lap behind the field, we caught them on the last lap and finished 7th. That put us in 13th for the Feature. Passing was not easy tonight, but we were able to get to 6th place.
10: JLMI Race Night #04, Aug. 04, 2002.
The car was fair in Practice, and we ran pretty good in the Heats, finishing 3rd both times. We started 9th in the Feature and slowly started to move up. Around lap 18 #7 spun us into the infield in turn 3. After the re-start we managed to get back to 4th place by the end of the race. Afterwards Uncle Don found that the front king pins and spindle bearings were damaged, likely when we were spun out, so 4th place wasn't a bad finish.
11: CJR Race Night #10, Aug. 07, 2002. [FULL RACE RESULTS]
Uncle Don discovered lots of front suspension damage after Barrie, so he did a lot of work to get ready for tonight. We lost our chain three times in Practice, so we had no idea how the car was handling for Heat 1. We started second, on the outside pole but the car was very tight. We jumped into the lead and diced with Darrell Lake (#77) for a couple of laps but the handling got worse and we settled for third place. That put us in 6th place for the Feature. Uncle Don loosened the car up and it was a bit better. We moved to third place, but on lap 3 we looped it in turn 2, putting us at the back of the pack (15th). Aaargh! Well, the car got better as the tires heated up, and we started moving through the field. By the end we were in 3rd place, running with the leaders. Not a bad finish considering how the night began.
12: CJR Race Night #11, Aug. 14, 2002. [FULL RACE RESULTS]
Well, if it could go wrong it did go wrong tonight. In Practice the car apparently ran out of gas. Then the left front spindle bent when we hit a pylon. When we took the green for Heat 1 the fuel pump or filter failed and we rolled into the pits. That put us in last place for the Feature. The car wasn't that good (little practice) but we did manage to climb to 7th place we got hit in the front left and bent both front spindles. The car ended up with about 3" of front toe, it was impossible to drive. It started bouncing in the corners and finally with 2 laps to go it bounced the chain right off. What a frustrating night.
13: JLMI Race Night #05, Aug. 17, 2002.
This was our first trip to Kawartha, and the track lived up to its reputation - smooth, fast, and lots of room. Our car was awesome in Practice, but we over-reved the engine so we had to change gears. It was still pretty good for the Heats, and we grabbed a couple of podium finishes. The Feature was fun, with lots of passing and real drafting! Our friend Stephen Richmond passed us for the win. Stephen is one of the Junior Division drivers, so it was fun to see him get the win.
14: CJR Race Night #12, Aug. 21, 2002. [PHOTOS] [FULL RACE RESULTS]
Disaster last week put us in Heat 1 tonight, we took advantage and grabbed a win, but the car sure wasn't 100% - loose in, tight off in 1-2 and tight throught 3-4, with lots of bounce. Uncle Don continued to make adjustments and we started 4th in the Feature. We got a good start and managed to get into 1st early. We led about 10 laps because out front we could drive our own conservative line and pace. But a caution brought the field back to us, and suddenly after a the re-start the car got really tight and slow. We gradually slipped back, holding on for 5th. We discovered that the back right wheel had been moved into the frame, so perhaps we were lucky to get a 5th place finish.
16: CJR Race Night #13, Aug. 28, 2002. [PHOTOS] [FULL RACE RESULTS]
On crutches due a badly dislocated left knee (done at football practice), we knew we wouldn't be doing any 'real' racing tonight. Uncle Don had modified the pedals so that I could safely use the brake. We passed tech inspection but missed the driver's meeting because the doctor had advised me to avoid walking (not driving ;)). That put us in scratch position for our Heat, which was fine. We put in a couple of (uncomfortable) laps and then parked the car. We started the Feature in last place, again did a couple of laps, and then headed to the pits. We couldn't risk further damage to the knee, and the points we did earn should secure second place in the CJR Standings for us. Depending on how orthroscopic surgery goes, we might be finished racing for the year. That means we might miss the final four Junior Late Model events. We have approached another driver about using our car for those races.
PREVIOUS SEASON RESULTS
- 2001 - 2 Feature Wins, 6 Heat Wins.
- 2000 - 2 Feature Wins, 5 Heat Wins.
- 1999 - Senior Division "Rookie of the Year".
- 1998 - 2nd Place, Sportsman, Classroom, and "Best Appearing Car & Team" Award Winner.
- 1997 - 3rd Place, Sportsman, and Achievement Classroom Award Winner.
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