Getting a jump on the holiday traffic Top opted to head to Santa Maira for Friday's USAC show on Thursday night. Leaving the house, SIdewall & Poopie in the capable hands of Brenda and her son Iain, Dave, Tm & Laurie braved the freeway about 8:30 p.m., wondering what kind of grid lock there would be as they hit the road. Wonders never cease, clear sailing. Everything was going in the Moose's favor until he went to accelerate to complete his pass on another semi and pushing on the throttle did absolutely nothing!! No check engine light, no other warning, just no response and the rpm's going to zero. Lucikily Moose's reflexes are spot on and he maneuvered to the offramp and pretty much out of harm's way. ( as there were flashbacks of being stuck on the offramp in way of all traffic last year ) Now What? Try the override button, nothng, it just cranks... shut of the main power and see if the computer will reset, nothing, just cranks. For some reason, even though he'd checked fual level the night before, he and Dsve decided to check the fuel tanks - there are 2, amd it's supposed to flow from one to the other when the right tanks runs low. With a gauge that read 7/8 full, you sure wonldn't think there was a fuel proble,, but guess what!! After probably an hour of priming and pumping fuel from one tank into the other, somehow she finally fired and it was time to back on the road.
With inlamnd temps in the low 100's, the calming 74 degrees was surely welcome. 26 USAC/CRA sprint cars, 4 bangers, 360 sprints and modified's filled the pit area. Qualifying P5 out of the 26 cars would see Jake running in the 2nd Heat with his 2 buddies, Brody Roa and Ronnie Gardner. Starting 5th he drove the Moosemobile up to take the checkered in 2nd. Normally qualifying P5 would see a starting spot in the Main of the front row. But, with 2 cars not making the direct transfer from the Heat Races, it bumped Jake back to outside row 2... bummer!!! Main Event saw the inside row get a massive jump, as the outside front row car was not a quick to respond and bottled up the entire outiside row, lettng the inside row cars scramble and moving foward. Jake stuck behind the slower car was finally able to get the car back in the flow of traffic in about 7th, With a track that didn't present much traffic, he came home in 6th, Not the evening the crew wished for, but as the ole saying goes, it holded intot he trailer in 1 piece and reday for the next race, tomorrow night at Perris Auto Speedway and the massive fireworks show. After missing the beginning of the season, Ryan Bernal was back in a seat fo the frist time in the Ford 73 car. Ryan had been attending the Fireman's Academy and just graduated. Welcome back Ryan!! AS he claimed the Main Event!!!!
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
- Ryan Bernal (3rd), 2. Damion Gardner (5th), 3. Brody Roa (1st), 4. Austin Williams (8th), 5. Danny Sheridan (9th), 6. Jake Swanson (4th), 7. Richard Vander Weerd (6th), 8. Logan Williams (7th), 9. A.J. Bender (2nd), 10. Mike Spencer (10th), 11. Ronnie Gardner (11th), 12. Cody Williams (12th), 13. Chris Gansen (14th), 14. Tommy Malcolm (16th), 15. Cory Kruseman (18th), 16. Jeremy Ellertson (13th), 17. Anthony Lopiccolo (21st), 18. Verne Sweeney (20th), 19. Jace Vander Weerd (15th), 20. Chris Dyson (22nd), 21. Max Adams (19th). NT
Some people may call Tom crazy, but with the teeam still wide awke and bench racing over the evening's event - the car is completely serviced and race ready before the hauler gets on the road headed to Perris. Who wants to service a car at the track in 100 degree weather? Not this group. Pulling up the back gate at Perris Auto Speedway at 3:30 a.m., it was finally night night time. Rise and shine, roll out the car... finish up a few little things and then get ready for the fans to come to the front straightaway for a driver autograph session and games for the kids. Driver cards, red,white & blue beads and lots of 4th of July candies and other give aways were present to show the fans how much Team Moose appreciates their support.
On to the evenings show. 24 sprinters, lightening sprints, Young guns and Seniors were all the plate for the most anticipated event at The Pas. Qualifying in P2 --- this was gonna be a challenge, as due to the heat and winds that were present all day, th track was gonna be dry and probably not to easy to pass on.... so, sometimes being quick in qualifying is not to your advantage. Starting the back of Heat 2 -- Jake throttled the Moosemobile to 2nd and the direct transfer to the Main,. Being entertained during "halftime" with the choreographed fireworks display presented by the awesome group at The Pas! Thoughts a bit to late would of been to have had the crew in the pitts, while it wsa dark, with their LightUpTheWorld custom water bottles all aglow in the purple with custom MooseRacing label. ( check out the photo of the cool looking bottle)
Main Event: 3rd row starting spot --- it seems somehow the 92 appears ot always been the row, that doesn't "go", again bottled up behind a caras that hel up the outside row --- on a track that was so tricky, with a huge cushion, Jake muscled his way up to 4th... and then the couch coming out of 4 get hi.. Bouncing off the wall and packing the wheel - slowing on the track and bringing out a yellow, the crew was able to clear out the wheel and get Jake back on the track, at the back of the pack. Elbows up and Jake was still able to bring the Moosemobile home with a top 10.
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Danny Sheridan, 2. Ryan Bernal, 3. Damion Gardner, 4. Richard Vander Weerd, 5. Mike Spencer, 6. Stevie Sussex, 7. Austin Williams, 8. Max Adams, 9. Jace Vander Weerd, 10. Jake Swanson, 11. Chris Gansen, 12. Chris Dyson, 13. Jeremy Ellertson, 14. Verne Sweeney, 15. Andrew Sweeney, 16. Tony Everhart, 17. Cal Smith, 18. A.J. Bender, 19. Brody Roa, 20. Logan Williams, 21. Ronnie Gardner, 22. Cody Williams. NT
As always, none of this possbile without the Awesome Moose Crew and all the companies and people that support Team Moose!!!