Let the challenge begin! Just 3 short days to unload, clean cars, do laundry, cook, reload and head to Peoria Arizona for not one, but 2 weekends of stand on the gas sprint cars.
Thursday night Steve Stoud and the gang at The Arizona Open Wheel Museum hosted " The Hall Of Fame" dinner and awards. I was at that event that George Blacker, Mr. Ram/Bull presented Moose Racing with an envelope containing funds to help in the cost of a new engine that Mr. & Mrs. Moose ordered from Kistler Engines!! The addition of this power plant is just one more step in preparation for the upcoming 2015 season. A huge thank you to George for his support and faith in Jake and Moose Racing.
Friday night the USAC/CRA sprinters and USAC National midgets highlighted the 2 night show at Canyon. With the engine woes that were presented to the crew Oval Nationals weekend, Team Moose decided that they would still compete, just using the JC 360 power plant, the team had high hopes for the weekend. Canyon, being a smaller track, and usually a dry slicky track, the decision to run the 360 should play out in a miraculous way. Jake takes to the track to qualify and wowie, what an awesome lap! Heads are a turnin' as the 360 turns laps that stunned many of the other drivers. With all 34 cars timing in, Jake was 11th!!! Green flag in Heat 3 and Jake is holding on for 9 laps in a transfer when just at the checkered flag, Bernal got him for the final transfer to the A. Jake will get it in the B, transferring to the A !!! SEMI: (12 laps) 1. Thomas, 2. Boespflug, 3. A. Williams, 4. Grant, 5. Bacon, 6. Swanson, 7. Mitchell, 8. Rossi, 9. Spencer, 10. Sussex, 11. Hodges, 12. C. Williams, 13. Windom, 14. Curtis, 15. Gansen, 16. L. Williams, 17. Gabbard.
A Main - sure not a lot of passing for this 30 lapper event -Jake in the Moosemobile finishes in 14th....the highest finishing 360!!! Tracy Hines takes the checkered for the event.
Saturday night - qualified 14th -- ran 6th the Heat race, missing the transfer .. and the B Main, welp,missed the Main Event by 1 spot. All in all the guys were happy with the weekends results, putting them on a positive high note for the next weekend. Same place, Canyon Speedway, The 360 Western World Challenge!!
Here we go again - unload, clean car, do laundry, cook, set up the car, reload and head back to Arizona for The 360 Western World ! With the positive experience the prior weekend, emotions were running high and anticipating a successful weekend. Frustration right off the bat, as pushing the car out for hot laps, the car wouldn't fire. No way...another Mag box!! What the heck??!! Scurrying thru the pits Tom as able to borrow a mag box from Mark Priestly ( that you Mark so much for the help ) The 360 series does not qualify, little bingo roller balls are dispersed, those "pills" would lay out the positions they would start in each heat race. 37 cars set the field for 5 heat races. Asides from the position that the driver finishes in, he also receives passing points, somewhat of a bummer, as Jake started outside the front row -- so he gained no passing points. After the 5 heat races the lineups for the B Mains and Main are calculated by the # of points that were achieved. That 2nd place finish, did give Jake enough points to make the A Main!! Starting 12th... and witnessing very little passing on this slick track. But Jake was moving, from 12h to 7th in 3 laps ... when the yellow flag came out...yeap, you guessed it!! It was Jake... the pitman arm broke, sending Jake into the turn 4 wall. So, here, the only car making any moves was out of the show. replacing the steering, a bent rear end, front axle and honestly don't know what else. On to night 2 - again starting the Heat race, outside front row , yippie, and running 2nd, another night not having to run in the B. This slick track was fast, but again, there was not much side by side action, no passing, pretty much follow the leader. Taking the A Main Event checkered flag in 8th!!!
It's the final night ... tally up all the points. The top 6 in points were already locked into the Finale... To fill the field, 4 qualifying races -- here we go again. Outside row 1 -- only this time it was Jake that took the checkers in first!! Wow, making the field for the prestigious Western World!!! Amongst this field of National drivers Jake would line up 10th.... backed up a bit, moved back up to 8th, with 3 laps to go.... the bolt that hold the pan hard rod on breaks.... night over!!
All in all, although the team experienced many set backs over the past couple weeks, there was a lot of knowledge gained. The Moose Team looks forward to 2015!!