WOW!!!!
The checkered flag has fallen on 2015 California Sprint Week and boy was it a doozie for Jake and The Moose Herd!! 6 wheel to wheel action packed races in 8 days .. and Team Moose made it's presence known at each and every one of them!
The most anticapated race of the year takes place in the pictuesque setting of Calistoga. Along with the yearly gala event is the ability to take a afew days to just gel. Pull up a lounge chair, top your wine glass and just kick back and marvel at God's landscape. Well, at least that's how the first few days were planned, so much for the best laid plans of Mice & Moose's. A leisurely 8 hour drive presented no drama... pulling into the Fairgrounds on Thursday. Drop the trailer, pull over to the camping area to set up home for the 4 days. Press the generator button, and nothing. What the heck? It worked on the ride up! SO, Tom's relaxing day ended up under the rig trying to find out why the critter wouldn't work. After hours of cleaning, servicing etc, still nothing! A huge that you to the gentleman at the track that gave Tom the name of a mobile generator repair man, Matt, who after working his "Normal" day made the trek in the afternoon traffic to come up and take a peek at the unit. Ironically, after speaking to Cummins, it had been determined that the problem was probably a resistor -- of coarse, the only part in California was in Irvine -- Dave one of the Moose Herd works for Tom's Trucks in Santa Ana, near Irvine, and has parts runners out and about all the time. Tom called dave, and you'd never believe it, but his driver was next door to Cummins at another business. Bingo - Dave got the part and he and Rich were headed up that night. SO, much for that idea - the part didn't fix the problem. Matt used a test mother board and located another problem, he'd grab parts and come back the next day. Lucky for Tom, Laurie & Jim, there was a back up generator that was purchased for the trailer and it had emough amps to run the rig when needed.
Enough work, when Phil & Eileen arrived, Tom , JIm and Laurie loaded into their car and headed to Gott's Hamburgers in St. Helena - a standing date on Thursday night during this trip. They have the yummiest burgers, and "prices", but Tom everyone enjoys going there to kick off the weekend.
Friday morning it's time for Phil, Eileen & Laurie to visit a few wineries. Pretty scary when the gentleman at one of the wineries says, hey, I remember you! You've been here at this time of the year for a few years now -- GREAT!!! He must of saw a major sucker coming, as Lauriie left the winery with her 4 cases of La Fantastia, hopefully enough to last until the next trip. One more winery to go to pick up an order that Phil & Eileen had placed and between the 3 of them, the SUV couldn't have held much more. Back to the track to prep for the Friday night crew Tri Tip dinner!! By this point, Rich, Nikole, Dave, PeeWee, Bradi and Chad had all arrived too -- just missing Jake, Chris and George, they would arrive Saturday morning. As usual, Tom cooked up 6 whooping awesome tri tips, baked potatoes, salad bar, accompanied by "a bit of vino".
It's finally race time --- Saturday night The Louie Vermeil Classic!!
After mingling with race fans from all over at the Wine Tasting it was time for a relaxing lunch at the Moose Campground before the Moose Herd headed to the pit area for night one of the most anticipated race of year. A grand turn out of non wing sprints and midgets gathered for fierce competition. A few of the mid west stars were on hand to put pressure on the California favorites. (Brady Bacon, Kevin Thomas, Rico Abreu, Robert Ballou, Behind his familiar Kistler powered 92 Moosemobile, Jake mashed the gas and timed in 4th quick on the fast and racy Calistoga Speedway!! That’s great, but now he starts the back of Heat 4, to keep your qualifying time in the line up of the Main you have to finish in the top 4 – and Jake with elbows up finished the Heat in 2nd !! Coming from the back was no easy feat, but Jake was right on!! Main Event time --- All drivers were on their game for the 3o lap event – and Jake proved that he was defiantly one to contend with. Running strong in 5th and ready to pass for 4th when Damion, who was running 4th had a flat tire- the crew looked on as Jake appeared to be maneuvering around the stopped #4, but no, Jake had a flat too with only 3 to go!!! Damion and Jake pulled to the X where several other teams leaped into action in getting the tire off and the Moose Herd was there in a flash with a tire. The tire changed and ready to push back off when over the broadcast system a call rang out for the Medical Staff to roll to the work area where the tire changes were occurring, We are very sad to report that Jeff Stitch on Damion’s crew had somehow fallen off the quad that was brining a tire to the 4 car – It is with a heavy heart that we have to report that Jeff succumbed to his injuries. We all offer our prayers to his family, Damion, and the Alexander Race Team. The race was checkered at lap 27. Ryan Bernal claimed the Night 1 Victory.
Sunday, it was out with the wine and in with the beer tasting. A Moose Herd lunch and back at it again. Another top 5 qualifying effort, saw Jake 5th. We’ll take 2nd in the Heat race and the direct transfer to the Main. Driver introductions were made in a pomp and circumstance style which included each one meeting the ever popular Trophy girl, Leslie Bremmer. A brilliant performance by Jake in the 30 lap Main as he crossed the checkers in a podium finish spot of 3rd!!! With the excitement of the Moose Herd, you would of thought it was the Win. But for the Team, who has had the Bad News Bear following them around for weeks, It Was A Win!!! The team decided that alot of the good luck came from Luk, whi was at her first race since George had been hurt - sporting her pink hat with the Moose on it!!! Congrats to Rico Abreu who was the victor of night 2, claiming the $7000.00 WIN!!!
Can’t celebrate to long, as Monday Night it was race night again, at Petaluma Speedway.
Car count down just a bit – 26 cars filed into the track. After several adrivers brok the track record it was Jake with the RC Performance power plant under the hood really broke that record and set the fastest lap!!! Quick time is great, but now you start last in the Heat and would start 6th in the Main, if you transfer in the top 4. He did it, working thru traffic in the Heat, coming in 2nd –and that direct transfer to The Main. Well, the Main Event had to have been the biggest fascicle that race fans had to have seen. Drivers cutting down onto the infield area to get grips to be able to make passes!!! It was crazy. When it became obvious that this was not how a race should be conducted, the officials started pushing the big tractor tires out further to prevent this “short cut “. Jake had been running in 3rd – realizing that all the dirt and dust that had been kicked up made it impossible for dirvers to see, Jake opted to back off some, just be safe, keep the car is one piece and just finish –brining the 92 Moosemobile home in 5th! A top 5, anyday…!!!