Copyright 2001 Lightning Layouts. All rights reserved. |
No, we AIN'T dreamin!!! And yes, we was FAST! But the best part of all - No Wreckin!!!!! After three short practice sessions with only minor set up changes, Chris drew the lucky 13 ball, and he and Sam were ready to show 'em what they got. Twelve competitors qualified before our duo, and Chris went out hoping for a respectible run. But as he took the white flag we all started to scream - couldn't believe our ears...HE WAS THE QUICK TIME!!! Sam musta been excited, too, cuz the second lap wasn't as fast...but we didn't care! We held our collective breath as the rest of the field took their turn - and only one truck was faster than our heros!!! For the very first time - Chris and Sam were in the trophy dash! The dash line-up saw us on the inside of the last row. Chris took it easy (as pretty much did everyone else) during the eight laps - after all it was a double points race on the line, and nobody wanted to wreck. The finish saw our pair in the same spot they started in, which led to a starting position inside of row four in the main. It was a really clean race this time - big yea for that! - with only two cautions for spins. By the time the first few laps were done Chris had manuvered into fifth - and that's where they stayed. No banging at all, just a little bit of rubbing and a few bumper nudges - what a great run! And since it was a double points night, the excellent finish brought us up to 13th in the points! Guess 13 was our lucky number for this race!!! So our hopes are high, and we are ready to try our hand at ludicrous speed! Hittin' the dash two weeks in a row would be awesome! July 7th is the "Northern Colorado NASCAR Blowout presented by Arctic Cat" . So hang onto your seats, and in three short days we'll C-YA AT THE TRACK! |
Event Date: |
July 7th |
Results: |
Event Date: |
July 3rd |
Results: |
Qualifying: 5th @ 16.619 |
No, we STILL AIN'T dreamin'!!! But Mother Nature had other plans.... With high hopes and Sam chompin' at the bit we headed to the track....a short practice and we were ready to go! Chris was the 12th qualifier this time, and turned at 17.10 for his first lap (Sam got a little squiggly coming out of turn one), but Chris TURNED IT UP for lap two and had quick time again!!! Only one truck was faster, and our heros found themselves again starting the dash from the seventh position. Chris wasn't content to just stay there this time, and manuevered his was into fourth before the eight laps were done. A lucky roll of the dice found our duo on the pole for the A main - the place we have been aiming for all season! As we nervously watched the darkening night skies, two other divisions ran mains peppered with cautions. Just as we were ready to roll onto the track, Mother Nature stepped in with a ferocious hail storm which was quickly followed by torrential rains. Yep, you guessed it, our first crack at the pole position was washed out! Well, all this has done is intensify the fire for next week for us - the Napa Auto Parts 250 Winston West series is this Saturday, and our awesome duo will once again be shooting for the front in a 50 lap battle. So hang onto your seats, and we'll C-YA AT THE TRACK! |
Click the picture for a FULL SIZE version of this awesome artwork courtesey of SHAWN YORK! |
Event Date: |
July 14th |
Results: |
Mother Nature sure likes toying with us! After the build up and let down last week we were so ready to race this week! We made some adjustments in practice that really increased our duo's speed, and Chris and Sam were ready to shoot for the quick time spot. Chris drew the 14th qualifying slot. But wouldn't you know, as our heros sat in line waiting for the Winston West cars to finish their qualifying, the skies darkened and the clouds let loose! It rained just long enough for both qualifying and the heat race to be cancelled - which found us in the 13th spot - inside of row 7, lined up by points - for the main event (or should we say ONLY event?). Well, you just have to play the hand you are dealt - and Chris and Sam had their work cut out for them! Chris was able to move Sam through traffic up to the 8th spot, avoiding spins and keeping her straight when she was gettin' rubbed. After 50 laps (and only two caution flags!) we came home with another top 10 finish, only minor damage from racing, and some much-needed points. And we'll take it - we like this a whole lot better than finishing in the back for sure!! Samantha and Chris are taking next weekend off, gettin' ready for our next 50 lap race on July 28th! But Dave and Roxy are ready to go racin' next weekend! Roxy is sporting some new clothes, so be sure and watch for her fashion debut! And keep on doin' the SUN dance - til next time when we'll... C-YA AT THE TRACK! |
Event Date: |
July 28th |
Results: |
Look Out! Chris and Sam post their best finish EVER!! Our duo is on a roll alright - right to the front! We tried a few different set-up combos in practice, and Sam was dialed in and ready to once again aim for ludicrous speed! Chris & Sam were the seventh truck to roll out for qualifying, and they posted a 16.754. We hung onto quick time for a while, but ended up third quick when all was said and done. This put our pair on the outside of row three for the trophy dash. Chris was running in the 6th spot when a little contact in turn one resulted in a spin and smack! Sam suffered some damage on the left rear, but we patched her up and were ready to rock 'n roll for the main - a double points 50 lap event. The feature line up had our heros in the 8th starting spot - outside of row four. Chris wasted no time in charging for the front, and had manuevered into the third spot before the halfway point. Although cautions had tightened the field up, Chris never gave up any positions and was able to pull away with the leaders on each restart! Chris was right there when the #17 truck made the pass for the lead - with Sam hot on his heels! For the remaining 15 or so circuits, Chris stayed tight on the #17 truck (except for one lap when Sam got a little disoriented - but she remembered where she was and caught right back up!) as the two trucks pulled away from the rest of the field towards the checkers. At one point they had a half-straightaway cushion! Even though Sam was fast, #17 was just as fast, and Chris stayed in the number two spot through lap 50 for another incredible finish! Chris did an excellent job driving, and continues moving forwards in his quest to take Sam to the winner's circle. This outstanding run also resulted in 96 points, and we are (unofficially) now in the top 10! Our next race is another 50 lap event on August 4th, and every member of the team is rearin' to go! BUT WAIT - there's more! Roxy was so excited about her new colors (or maybe it was DAVE who was so excited!) that she was 5th quick on her last outing - which put Dave in his first trophy dash at CNS!!!! Way to go Dave!! The resulting dash run had a bit too much rubbing, though, and Dave held back (trying to avoid that first scratch in Roxy's new paint , y'know!) ending up with an 8th place finish. However, a wildly lucky roll of the dice for the feature line up found Roxy sporting her new look FROM THE FRONT ROW!! Ah, but you know how it goes - a broken suspension part in the first couple of laps resulted in a very ill-handling car, and they ended up finishing 18th. Not to be discouraged, though, the repairs have been made and Dave & Roxy are eagerly awaiting their next chance to strut their stuff on August 11th. So until then, keep your fingers crossed for our streak to continue, and we'll..... C-YA AT THE TRACK! |
Well you know what they say about horeshoes and hand grenades... BUT ALMOST DOESN'T COUNT!!!!!!! For 20 laps (count'em, 20!) on Saturday we all thought we were FINALLY going to see the winner's circle....but fate once again just dangles the carrot...... Wait - let's start at the beginning! After a couple of good practice runs Sam & Chris were ready to fly! Our duo was the 18th truck to qualify, and turned a couple of fast laps which resulted in the 5th fastest qualifying time, and a starting position in the dash on the outside of row two. A little slidin' and bangin' near the start of the dash saw Sam & Chris nearly bringing up the rear of the field, but Chris masterfully manuevered Sam back towards the front, and was the third truck to take the checkers across the finish line. For the second time this season, a lucky roll of the dice put our heros on the POLE for the main event, and Chris was ready to show 'em just what we got! He easily pulled away from the pack on the green, and had widened his lead to better than 4 truck lengths by the 8th lap. On lap 14 the second running truck of Chris Leaf had caught up to our heros, and Leaf made the pass in the following laps. But Sam & Chris weren't too happy being #2, and quickly took back the lead. But now the almost part....on lap 22 as Chris went to pass a LAP TRUCK in the low groove, the other driver chopped our duo as the came out of turn two and, yep you guessed it - around they went! The track officials made a very debatable call and put our twosome TO THE BACK!!! Well needless to say, we didn't win this one, either. Chris made a valiant effort to get back to the front, but with only 4 laps to go had to stop quick to avoid a spin - AND WAS PUT TO THE BACK AGAIN!!! Even though heated debates raged after the race, the officials stood by the questionable calls and our heros finished a disappointing 16th. But you know us - gluttons for punishment to the bitter end, so we were right back at it on Sunday! Sunday was a little better! We tried some different set up combos out in practice, and Chris felt ready to once again aim for the brass rings. Our pair was the third truck to roll out for qualifying runs, and Chris turned a lap that held quick time for a short while. Even with the disadvantage of being one of the first to qualify, Chris & Sam held onto the 6th fastest time, and started inside of row two for the dash. Chris piloted Sam to a third place finish again on Sunday. The dice weren't so kind to us this time, though, and our pair started the main from the 9th spot - inside of row five. Chris was able to guide Sam into the 4th position (in spite of a tangle with another truck early in the running), but with two laps to go a tap in the rear caused Sam to get a bit squiggly, and Chris had to chase her up the hill to gather her back. Even still, Chris was able to hold onto to the 6th spot. The points battle came away scrambled up a bit Sunday after a spectacular crash before the green even fell (after a startling brake check by one of the other competitors, the #17 truck of Paul Deines ended up running sideways on the WALL - we were all afraid he was going to roll it, but he managed to miraculously save it! Although Paul was ok, his truck will be needing some major repairs), and we are in the 12th spot now. You know we'll be back this Saturday, gunning for a good run and finish in our quest for a top 10 spot in the final points race. As the season draws to a close, we are all hopeful that we will find our heros in the front - where we know in our hearts THEY BELONG!!!! :-) So keep on dancin' for us, and come September 8th we'll..... C-YA AT THE TRACK!! |
Event Date: |
September 1st |
Results: |
Heat/Dash: 3rd |
Main: 16th |
Qualifying: 3rd @ 16.754 |
Heat/Dash: 8th |
Main: 2nd! |
Qualifying: Rained Out |
Heat/Dash: Rained Out |
Main: 8th |
Qualifying: 2nd @ 16.762 |
Heat/Dash: 4th |
Main: Rained out |
Qualifying: 2nd @ 16.700 |
Heat/Dash: 7th |
Main: 5th |
Qualifying: 11th @17.011 |
Well, every streak has to come to an end..unfortunately! We just couldn't quite seem to get Sam dialed in during practice - everybody has an off day, right? Chris and Sam lined up to qualify near the front, and held the quick time for a short while. But when all was said and done, we found ourselves 11th (out of 24 trucks) and outside of row two for the heat race. Chris made some excellent moves and finished in the number two spot, which put us outside of row five for the 50-lap feature. By the 20th lap our duo was in the seventh position, but a line let go on the power steering pump and the resulting smoke-filled cockpit had Chris heading to the pits. The crew quickly made adjustments to allow our pair to continue, and Chris went back onto the track without power steering! Chris did an excellent job of keeping Sam up with the field even though Sam was very hard to steer - but we finished 10 laps down - a disappointing 18th. So as they say - onward and upward! The boys have been in the shop making changes and adjustments to get Sam back to where she was, and we are looking forward to the 11th and aiming for the dash once again. Dave and Roxy will be back this weekend, too, and rarin' to go! So hang onto your hats, folks, and we will... C-YA AT THE TRACK! |
Event Date: |
August 4th |
Results: |
Heat/Dash: 2nd |
Main: 18th |
Up and down...up and down..... But at least Sam is ready to be FAST again!! Because of the Southwest Tour being in town our practice sessions were a little different, but after the second practice Chris was sure Sam was ready to once again rock 'n roll! He proved to be right, too! Our duo was the 10th truck to qualify, and Chris' second lap put him in the number 2 spot. By the time the rest of the field was qualified, Chris and Sam found themselves back in the dash - hooray!! - with the third fastest truck. Sam musta forgotten what it was like, though, and got a little squigly at first. Not wanting to take a chance of breaking parts before the main, Chris slid back and stayed in the seventh position, which found our pair on the outside of row four in the A-main line up. Alas, if it ain't one thing....during the preliminary green-yellow laps (to heat the tires), as Chris was powering down the front chute, he heard a sputter and pop (no, not a crash bang like the announcer thought - thank goodness!!) and found himself coasting. Sam was done for the evening with a broken distributor shaft! And the worst part - they didn't even get to take the green! So back to shop she goes - and do we hope to get her back better than new! We are off next weekend - but Dave and Roxanne will be there for sure! Our next show is a two day event for Labor Day, and you can bet we will be there ready to once again shoot for ludicrous speed! (And I have to apologize for not giving you an update last week. I still have the bitter taste in my mouth from a less-than-stellar call by the track officials that put our heros in the back for causing a spin that they weren't responsible for, and for scoring a lapped truck ahead of us in the finish...but let's just say it wasn't too great. I promise to do better, and on Labor Day I will be there, too, so.....) C-YA AT THE TRACK! Oh wait - one more thing - let us know that you are out there! Sign the guest book - or visit the message board!! |
Qualifying: 3rd @ 16.925 |
Event Date: |
August 18th |
Results: |
Heat/Dash: 7th |
Main: DNS |
Qualifying: 6th@ 16.831 |
Event Date: |
September 2nd |
Results: |
Heat/Dash: 3rd |
Main: 6th |
Qualifying: 3rd @ 16.6121 |
Event Date: |
September 14th |
Results: |
Heat/Dash: 7th |
Main: 15th |
Qualifying: 7th@ 16.573 |
Event Date: |
September 15th |
Results: |
Heat/Dash: 2nd |
Main: 4th! |
What a WILD Season it's been! But we kept on TRUCKIN' and can now proudly look back on 10th Place! The rain out on September 8th found us competing in two complete shows in 2 days - back to back. Friday was cold and the rain splattered off an on, but we were able to get one good practice in and Chris and Sam were ready to rumble. Our heros were the 14th truck out of the box, and turned a fast lap that kept them in the postion of third fastest. In spite of a scary spin where our pair barely missed hard contact with the turn two wall, Chris and Sam still turned in a solid run in the dash which found us in the 7th starting position for the main event. However, the caution flew before even one lap was on the board, and our crew found themselves scrambling to get the cut right front tire replaced on Sam before the wreck on the track was cleared. Even though the tire was changed quick and we didn't lose a lap, our duo still found themselves at the back of the pack when the green flew again. Chris quickly steered Sam through the traffic and was moving up in the field when another truck spun in front of them. Although Chris was able to stop Sam without making contact , they were hit hard in the side by a back-packer (and guess who - the same one that stole our win on Labor Day!) Chris limped Sam into the pits, and some quick pullin' and whackin' by the crew got them back out, but Sam's rear-end was not right, and pretty much all Chris could do was ride around and stay out of the way! Once again we finished a disappointing 15th. But let me tell you what - Saturday was a whole different story! The weather was better, and the repairs made Friday night and Saturday morning were right on track! After two good pratice runs Chris knew Sam was ready to go for the brass. Our heros were nearly the last ones to qualify - 22nd out of 25 trucks - and they turned their fastest lap ever! This lap put them on the outside of row 1 for the dash, and Chris stayed right in behind the polesitter, the #07 truck of Chris Leaf, for the entire eight circuits. The dice roll found us in the same starting position as Friday, but the similarity ended there. Chris moved into the 5th spot in a hurry, and overtook the 4th place truck early in the running. Just as Chris made the pass the caution flew, though, and track rules go back to the last completed lap. So Chris had to make the pass twice! His keen driving skills allowed him to do it again, and he stayed in the fourth position for the remainder of the 40 lap race. We started the race on Saturday in the 12th position in the points, and needed to finish the main four positions in front of the 10th place truck, and 5 positions in front of the 11th place truck to finish the season in the top ten. You can bet we were screaming loud enough for the sheep in Wyoming to hear us when we realized our dream was becoming reality!!! Our heros proved again to us all that they are competitors to be contended with! It was a long, hard battle, with lots and lots of ups and downs, but in the end we can look back and proudly say we've come a long, long way!!! It was nine races ago that Chris and Sam first found themselves in the trophy dash, and with only one exception Chris has posted qualifying runs that kept them there for the remainder of the season - including the past 5 straight events!! Way to go Chris!!! :-) So now it's time for some R&R, and Sam is already eagerly anticipating her new parts and paint to get ready for the '02 season. Our goal for next year is the winner's circle, and the big trophy with the words "CHAMPION" on the bottom. Keep checking back over the winter months, and we will post progress reports and pictures to let you know how it's coming! Thanks to all of our fans who stuck by us through the good times and bad times - we couldn't do it without ya! So have a great winter, and come the spring you know where we'll be, ready to aim for ludicrous speed again! So until then, keep your checkered flags waving, and we'll.... C-YA AT THE TRACK!! |
CHALLENGE CUP XXVII |
