|
Tri State Outlook
by Duane Hancock
The second weekend of April brings the World Of
Outlaws to Ohio for their first visit of the season.
It seems like this weekend has had many bouts with
mother nature in the past. This year was no exception,
with only the Friday night show getting into the
books, due to weather conditions. The Eldora staff did
an excellent job of getting Friday's track ready after
some afternoon rain showers. When I got there and
seen, what looked like a mud bog pit on the
backstretch, I was thinking to myself, "are they
really going to get this track ready for tonight?" No
questions asked, they did.
31 cars were pit side for the event. Rob Chaney was
a quick scratch on the night after engine problems in
hot laps. Donny Schatz set quick time on the night.
The sun was out but the damp air made the team
scramble on fuel setting all night. The 3 heats went
off without any problems. Chad Kemenah, Joey Saldana,
and Terry McCarl took the heat wins. 2 out of the 3
heats seen cars make the top 6 transfer spot that
started 7th or worse. Jason Meyers had them covered in
the Dash until cutting a tire on the white flag lap.
Saldana took the win. Joey was looking tough and maybe
the guy to beat since Meyers night was turning into a
disaster. Brian Paulus took the B Main.
The 30 lap A Main sat Saldana and Schatz on the
front row. Sounds like a tough enough front row.
Saldana is looking good and pulls to the lead on the
start. Lap 6, Meyers cuts another tire. Restart, its
all Joey. Joey is hooked-up and no one is really
closing on him. Lap 17, Kemenah cuts a tire. Here is
where things start turning a little silly on the
Outlaws part. A new 2008 rule states there will be NO
courtesy laps for anyone after the half-way point the
in the A Main. I am not saying I disagree with the
rule but, it NEEDS to be ran the same for EVERY
driver. It took the wrecker about 5 laps to collect
Kemenah, as the track was being picked-up by the
official. Lap 20, Saldana cuts a tire while leading.
Here is where the problem I had with the WOO officials
occurred. Again, not the Eldora crew, the WOO one.
Joey's car wasn't hardly stopped rolling and Workin
Woody was on his tail tank, getting ready to hook him
up so the crew could a quick tire swap while the track
crew picks up the scattered tire pieces. Schatz
inherits the lead. Restart, Craig Dollansky gets a
good run off 2 and takes over the lead. Lap Sam
Hafertepe Jr cuts a tire. these are all tire cuts, not
tire failures. Once again, it takes a few laps for the
wrecker to get to Sam and the clean-up, aka like
Kemenah's, is done by the time Sam hits the pits. OK,
my question. Why and how does Workin Woody beat butt
out to 1 WOO touring car but not others when all 3 cut
tires in the same area of the track? If you do it for
one, you DO IT for ALL!! This looked very fishy on the
Outlaws part and on Woody's. I like all 3 drivers. I
just want to see a fair shake to ALL 3, not just 1.
Does Sam and Chad not pay the same amount of travel
money, fuel cost, and entry money, as the other teams?
That would be yes. So why should they not get the same
chance to swap tires as others and earn more points
and money like others did? Sorry, not trying to make a
mountain out of a mole hill but, a fair system for all
needs to be put into place. Just trying to look out
for all of the drivers even though I like all 3.
Anyways, Dollansky gets a good restart and off they
go. Lap 24, Kraig Kinser stops coming off turn 2. Lap
27, Jac Haudenschild loses a right front wheel. 3 to
go and Dollansky looks very strong. Lap 28, Shane
Stewart runs out of fuel while running in 3rd. Who has
enough fuel to finish? Dollansky, still strong, takes
the white flag. McCarl starts to slow, while in 3rd,
running out of fuel. Dollansky takes the win over
Schatz, Jason Sides, Kerry Madsen, and Tim Shaffer, up
from 23rd.
Eldora ran a quick program. It has been stated they
plan to do that most of the season. The staff decided
to run the mods first, then the WOO A so fans might
get a chance to get to the pits before the WOO teams
loaded up. I think this was a great idea. Just one
good example of using the free resources we have to
keep the fans and younger fans interested of hooked
onto this sport. Eldora also hosted a chili and hot
dog feast in the barn atop of the hill after the show.
For a mere $3, you got all the chili and hot dog you
could eat, while they lasted, and some tunes blasted
by a DJ. Plus, some good drink specials. Once again,
even though its a little thing, another great idea to
help promote the events at Eldora. Its little ideas
such as those that will help tracks keep their fan
base and draw new ones. |
|
