The week leading up to one of the most anticipated races of the year was a full on thrash!! The trip up north the previous weekend tuckered out the enitre Moose Crew, ( dang we're all getting old - that is, except for Jake!! ) Running Friday night in Watsonville, then Tom driving all night to Petaluma Speedway, racing and then back in the rig and heading the 8 hours home. Arriving home about noon on Sunday the crew unloaded the borrowed trailer and then sat back to access all the work that was sitting before them in the short upcoming week.
First off was to take the saws all to the damaged frame and have it prepped for the new piece that Ron Williams with Victory Chassis was fabricating and then popping it out next day Fed Ex. Service the "A" car and then pull Pee Wee from the B car and have it ready to deliver to RC the engine doc come Monday morning......
Set up night was Wednesday and honestly, for us gals involved it was more like paty night. George Blacker ( Ram-Bull Racing ) had never been to the Moose Garage, so it was a real pleasure for him and his wife Luk to come over. They had been to Napa after the race in Petaluma and came bearing gifts for the guys. For me, whelp, it was bottles of wine from my favorite winery in St. Helena!! Thata triggered the party mode for Luk, Eileen, Tammy, Michelle and me!! Watch out crew, the gals are gonna be supervising!!! A huge gigantic thank you to Luk and George for the very gracious gifts! And so glad you had a chance to visit the Moose Garage!!!
Car serviced, the "b" car ready to go should anything happen accident wise at The Pas, then the crew would head home, swap engines and then head to Santa Maria for Saturday's event.
The mule decorated in the proud red, white & blue ... the new driver hero cards ready for the autograph session, over 200 patriotic sets of bead for many of the Perris fans and tons of holiday tootsie rolls and pops, and we wer eon the road. Crusing down the highway Tom glanced out his window just in time to see poof - trailer tire blown!! Sure the Moose Crew isn't Nascar trained in pit stops for tires??! Trailer jacked up, steaming hot wheel and tire removed and the new one popped in place, all in 13 minutes!! WOW!! ok, no more drama - please!!!
Exciting to see 29 sprinters ( Lightening sprints, Sr sprint cars and Young Guns too line the front straightaway for a driver autograph session. The weather around here the week previous to the 4th for some reason is always mello and beautiful, but come the 4th of July, it's brutal. 100 degrees and humid and sticky....but the drivers, crews and fans toughed it out and enjoyed 1 1/2 hours visiting and chatting. We adorned many fans necks with the fun beads, sold a bunch of tshirts and shared Jakes enthusiasm and infectious smile with tons of new Moose fans.
It's finally qualifing time --- 3rd quick!! This kid is on it!! But here we go, starting back of heat race, would he make it through to a transfer spot? Wheeling his way thru the traffic, Jake ran 2nd to Brody Roa. And made i through to the main.
A break in the on track actiom for a Stellar Salute to The Stars and Stripes as the sky filled with massive fireworks. Perris, once again came thro with the magic that represents the 4th Of July!!
The field salutes the crowd with the traditional 4 abreast - and then breaks out into starting line up. Jake inside Row 3... Starting on the inside wasn't the most desired, and the 92 dropped back some, before regrouping and heading forward. WIth about 15 laps into the 40 lapper anyone watching could tell Jake and the car were having a bit of a discussion, and it was obivious that Jake wasn't winning, he was fighting a car that sure was not happy, and begain to drop back in the field. Holding on, did hold on for a top 1o finish..
Get loaded up, hit the highway and head to Santa Maria for Saturday night action.