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Rough start to race weekend ends on a high note, but still work ahead for BTK Motorsports.
Linwood, NY – May 12, 2008
Billy “The Kid” Coffey and the BTK Motorsports team started the race weekend on a sour note. On the way to the races the hauler was involved in a fender bender where a car rear ended the trailer. The accident damaged the trailer hitch and tore the cabinet mounts out of the walls of the trailer. The inside of the trailer was a complete mess, but the car and the four-wheeler were okay as were the occupants of both vehicles. After waiting for the police report to be filled out and making a trip to get a new trailer hitch Coffey and the BTK team were running way behind schedule and late for the races.
Upon arriving at the speedway the hot lap session for the other classes were on the speedway, not leaving much time to prepare for his own session, but managed to unload the car, throw on his fire suit and helmet and make the session. “The car felt good but seemed to be a little off.” stated Coffey.
Coffey hit the track for the make up feature from the previous week’s rain out starting 3rd. Coffey got a great start and was in 2nd place but was battling a loose condition and was able to correct it by adjusting the wing and shock. Now within striking distance, Coffey felt he had the chance to make his charge, then disaster struck. The engine started to slow down. “The way the engine acted, I knew the feeling and got off the throttle right away and pulled off the track and it quick right away” relayed a disappointed Coffey. The engine burned a hole in a piston.
Billy and his father Butch Coffey who is also the engine builder for BTK Motorsports went to work rebuilding the motor. While rebuilding the engine the team missed the heat race which would place Coffey 16th on the starting grid for the feature. Finally, the engine was back together, but something didn’t seem right with the fuel system when firing the engine a few in the pits to test the rebuild. After making a few changes, the team figured they had it where it should be and was ready for the feature. Coffey also made a few changes to the car to correct the loose condition and relayed to the team, “He was going to the front in a hurry in the feature.”
Well, Billy wasn’t kidding around. In less than 10 laps Coffey shot from 16th to 4th. The car was handling like it was on rails and was getting better every lap. Within the next couple laps Coffey worked his way into 3rd then to 2nd but needed a caution bad if he wanted to catch the leader. Billy was driving the car real hard and started to reel the leader in while in lap traffic and with 4 laps to go Billy was right with the leader and ready to pounce on the top spot. Then it happened again. The engine began to stumble like it was burning up again. Coffey, eased up on the throttle to try and make it last and was able to last the final laps and come home in 2nd place. “The car felt great and the engine had a ton of pull, but we are still battling a fuel problem. We need to get this engine apart and find out if it’s hurt, which I am sure it is. Not a great weekend for us, but considering everything that happened, a 2nd place finish isn’t that bad.” stated Coffey.
Visit www.billythekidcoffey.com for all the up to date info on Billy Coffey and the BTK Motorsports team.
BTK Motorsports Sponsors – C&C Performance, Sign Blazer Signs, Motorsports Image, Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing, Lauterborn Electric, Genesee Speedway, VRP Racing Shocks
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