Koger Race Report

Volusia Speedway Park

by Trish Koger

"Can I open my eyes now?" Rick Koger was quoted as saying after the conclusion of the February 12-14 Legends Cars Speed Weeks Shootout at Volusia Speedway Park.

Yes! Believe it or not... the #90 Florida Online / TK Racing team was actually back on the track again! It seemed like an eternity since November's final race of the 1997 season... and unfortunately, it's almost been an eternity to get this race report out. But, then again, good things do come to those who wait!

The Volusia Speedway Park is located about 15 miles west of Ormond Beach, Florida, on State Road 40... in other words, approximately in the middle of nowhere. Ownership of the facility recently switched hands, and the new owners have done a fantastic job in revamping the place. The half-mile track has been transformed back into its original surface of clay, and the three-eighths mile dirt track has been paved, creating a wide-open mecca for Legends Car racing.

If you build it, they will come...

A whopping 68 Legends Cars descended upon Volusia Speedway Park for the 1998 Speed Weeks racing. Many of them made their pilgrimage from such faraway lands as the Carolinas and the Northeast... and a few had trailers clearly marked, "19XX National Champ." It was going to be quite a way to start the pre-season -- and we weren't even competing for Florida points!

Thursday, February 12:
Before I get into some of the on-the-track details, please let me explain our situation prior to arriving at the track for this first day of racing...

In early January, Rick and I were approached to do media and public relations for the brand-new NASCAR Winston Cup team of Daytona Beach native, Dan Pardus. We accepted and then spent the majority of our "spare" time for the next month-and-a-half promoting and representing the #07 MidWest Transit Racing team. What a complete blast!

The culmination of the entire team's work resulted in Dan Pardus rolling out onto Daytona International Speedway for the first of the Gatorade Twin 125 qualifying races on Thursday, February 12. To make a long story short -- which, I admit is sometimes difficult for me -- Dan didn't make the Daytona 500 field. During the 125, he got "tagged" coming out of turn two, and was sent spinning down the backstretch at about 180 mph. He kept it off any walls -- but, unfortunately, his Speed Weeks was over.

So, Rick and I left the speedway during the second 125, loaded up our own race car and trailer, and headed out to Volusia. We were disappointed... but, then again, we had our own racing to do!

With so many entries, the officials decided to split up our racing into two groups: 1) Pros and 2) Semi-Pros and Masters. Even after the separation, the second group (including me as a Semi-Pro) still totaled 39 cars -- but we only had room for a 28 car field! Translation: Eleven cars would be packing up without running in the feature race.

After the practice sessions, the heat races started. Again, since it HAS been a while -- "heat races" are the preliminary races in which they usually run half the cars in each heat and then the feature race's line-up is based upon the results of the individual heat races.

Remember the "wide-open mecca for Legends Car racing" that I mentioned earlier? Well, the mecca turned out to be a mirage. The wide track was considerably narrowed due to the vast amounts of rubber that had "chunked" off the other car divisions (ex: modifieds, late models, etc.) If you got too high, especially if you got too high AND were tangled with another car, you were going to the wall. To be blunt, many of my competitors didn't learn that lesson until it was too late.

The evening turned into a wreck-fest. I was one of the lucky 28 to make it into the feature race... but I was also one of the unlucky 28 to have to ENDURE the feature race. To summarize: warm-up lap, green flag, five car pile-up in turn three, red flag, lengthy clean-up, restart, green flag, four car pile-up in turn two, yellow flag, lengthy clean-up, repeat...

After approximately 50 minutes and only five or six (out of 20) completed laps on the books, the track officials black-flagged the race. What a mess. I am happy to report, however, that the #90 escaped the first night, unscathed, with a 16th (out of the original 39) place finish!

Friday, February 13:
RAINED OUT. Enough said.

Saturday, February 14:
With the rain came a cold front... a VERY cold front. But, at least it was dry, so we would be able to race.

After the disastrous feature race of Thursday night, the officials decided it would be best to separate all three classes for the final night of Speed Weeks racing. At a minimum, everyone could run (or at least those that could still run) their feature race.

Perhaps as penance for holding up the show on Thursday, the Semi-Pro feature was scheduled as the very last event of the night. And did I mention that we were in the middle of a VERY cold front?

Well, by the time we started to line up, I'm convinced that the thermometer had dipped below the freezing point. Following the practice and heat race, I had hibernated in the TK Racing trailer with the space heater on full throttle. It didn't help the moment I climbed into the car.

By then, it was about 12:15 am. Yes, that's correct -- AM -- in the morning -- WAY past my bedtime. I and the other remaining 25 Semi-Pro Legends Cars were lined up in the staging area in anticipation of our final race. I was just down-right COLD, and I was literally shaking as I donned my helmet and gloves! My breath was putting off steam like a locomotive in my helmet, and I had to shove a towel up under my visor to keep it from getting fogged up blind while we waited... I bet some of those NASCAR drivers could only WISH to have that problem as they're sitting along pit road awaiting the start of the late summer's Southern 500 at Darlington!

We finally got the signal to crank up the engines and roll out for the very-much-needed "warm-up" laps. After we got a few in, we received the green flag and we were off!

They say that you should always learn from your mistakes. Maybe brains hadn't defrosted or too many others were also past their bedtime; however, the final race was almost as wreck-infested as our previous race. As I saw it unfold around me, I quickly switched into "survival mode" and did just that -- survived. With only a few bruises to the rear and front bumpers, I even survived myself into a 10th place finish! I'll take it...

So what's next?

The #90 Florida Online / TK Racing team won't be racing again until April 4 at Ocala Speedway. In the meantime, however, I'm going to be spending quite a bit of time on the track. I won't be behind the wheel of the #90... but, instead, in a V-8 NASCAR late model, a NASCAR Grand American open-wheeled modified, a V-8 NASCAR Sportsman car, and possibly a NASCAR super truck!

I'm going to be attending the FinishLine Racing School for the next three days (March 25-27) at the half-mile, asphalt oval of St. Augustine Speedway.

As time permits, I will be sure to send out a race (school) report!

It's really been nice to get back in "touch" with everyone through this report. The TK Racing fan list has continued to grow, so, for some of you, this may be your first report. Please let me know what you think (likes and dislikes -- I can take it)!

'Til the next green flag...

Thanks for all your support!

--Trish Koger #90

To send a letter to Trish, email to koger@thunval.com

Check out the Distant Thunder archives for other articles by women drivers.