Race Report

Vermont Circle Track Weekends

by April May Gelineau

First we're racing and then we're not! Mother Nature is really being a pain in the butt this year!! Since opening night the 28th of April, which was actually supposed to be the 21st, we have raced 5 times. We started one week late, have had 3 rainouts to date, and as I am writing this way over due newsletter I have a feeling that tomorrow will be a rain out too!! But when we do get to the track we sure are having fun so I will try to fill you in on the past 3 races.

Week Three May 19th It rained on the 12th. Now that it has been a month, I am trying to remember all that happened! We got really close this week, and were in position for a trophy. I was in third for a while, but unfortunately a caution late in the race bunched the pack back up and the faster cars were able to get by me. After the dust settled I managed to finish 5th! Not bad we are maintaining our top 5 finishes which is right where we want to be.

Week Four June 9th It rained on May 26th and on June 2nd!! After 2 weeks off every body is anxious to get back to racing! We started 8th in our feature, and have decided that it doesn't matter where you finish in the heat race cause we always start 6th or 8th. Both spots being in the middle of the pack and on the out side, OF COURSE!!

I've been told by some that I need to work on passing, which is right. I try to start passing or figuring out how to pass way before it is time and hence I get messed up and it usually doesn't work. I need to wait till I catch the guy and am ready to drive over him before I make my move. Well this was the case with fearless Freddy, he had gotten by me but I was able to stick right with him and was foaming at the mouth waiting for HIM to mess up for me.

We are going through turn 3 when all of a sudden I swear he blew up, because the whole car was engulfed in smoke. My first reaction of course was to get out of the gas. Because I am sure, where there is that much smoke there has to be oil or some sort of fluid on the track. AND I am headed full throttle for it, which means look out bank here I come! Guess what, yeh right, no fluids at all. I get out of the throttle and everyone else stays in the throttle, driving by me and when the dust settles this time I am 6th.

From my understanding if the guy (or gal) is up to your door, i.e. you can see them, then they have the spot and you should NOT cut down or chop them off. If you are not up to their door then you should back out of it if they do come down. Well when I am in either of those spots I do just that. Maybe too much, because they all seem to think that I am supposed to stay up when they are under me, even if not up to my door, and I am supposed to lift if they come down even if I am up to their door!! What is good for the goose is not good for the gander!? But that is okay, cause I am still NOT GOING to let those guys get by me with out a fight!! So keep on trying to chop me and see what happens!!

I was talking to Danimal about how I did lift with the smoke, and he said I did do the right thing, cause if there is fluid on the track, you hope to be going as slow as you can. And even though the other guys stayed full throttle this time they were lucky, but next time they might not be so lucky!!

Week five June 16th 2 weeks in a row!! HOT!! We have gone from winter to summer. It was definitely warm but it felt good! The great thing about real hot weather is that I usually sweat out about 10 pounds, no lie, but unfortunately by the end of the weekend it is all back. Oh well it is nice while it lasts!!

We started 8th again, having finished 2nd in the heat, behind the guy who won the feature the week before, so you would think I would start 2nd in the feature….. Not!! I told you it didn't matter where you finish in the heat!

Victor made a spring and tire change for this week and the first practice out it was SOOO loose I couldn't drive it. Well we tightened her up some, but unfortunately the sun went down and the track cooled just enough so that when it was time for the feature we had over done it. By 1/2 way she was starting to push up again and here comes the cavalry!! I did get a good jump on the start and was in 3rd again, but wasn't able to keep it there.

Fearless Freddy and I are running neck in neck this year. He got by me, but when going through the turns I was catching him. One time coming out of 2 I was way up past his door and he came down. I don't think he meant to come down on me. He got sideways in front of me, and I could swear at that point someone ran into the back of me cause I was hard on the breaks. The last person out there this year I want to have altercations with is Freddy he is a good guy and doing a great job. Anyway somehow we both got going straight again without a caution and when all was said and done I finished 6th again.

It is turning out to be a very competitive season. There are about 12 of us who are pretty equal. Of course the vw's will always have an advantage, but if I can keep the car down they will have to work harder to get by me. And I am hoping that I will have my luck someday and be there foaming at the mouth to make my move when they mess up!!

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