2002 in Review
"2002 Season"
11/27/02
Well, here we are, end of the season. Didn't get to run any End of the year Big Shows. Just kept raining, Raining and raining. Time to set back and reflect on the year. We won a few, never enough, we lost more than we won. But thats racing. Can we do better, YES WE CAN!! Time to regroup, rebuild cars for next year. Try to make them faster, more reliable, with out spending a lot of money, thats hard to do. Move this bracket, change this shock, how can we get all we can out of the engines without them coming apart? Time to spend the Holidays with Family and friends and to look forward to seeing our racing friends again next year. Hope everyone has a Wonderful Holiday Season. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all.
Marc
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09/28/02
Took the Red back-up car to the Bowl. Finished fourth in our Heat which put us on the second row inside of the A Feature. Took the green flag, going into turn one got tagged in the rear by an impatient young driver, when are they going to learn, YOU DON'T WIN THE RACE IN THE FIRST TURN OF THE FIRST LAP!@#*&%....Anyway, got spun and tagged on the left front, bent front suspension, parked for the night. All uncalled for again. We will try to get Black car ready for World of Outlaw show in October.
(ps:same guy took the Track Champion out later in the race and himself, when will they learn, Kids.)
Marc
09/21/02
It was a FULL MOON on Saturday Night at Devils Bowl. Strange things happen on a FULL MOON! I do mean STRANGE. After last week breaking a rear leaf spring, which I have never seen, I thought the worst was over. Rolling out for Hot-Laps, I take the green flag on the front straight. Then it happened, felt like the whole drive line came apart. Rear of the car jump up in the air 4 to 5 feet, came down and coasted in to the pits. Felt something hit the side of my right leg, when I looked down there was a large hole torn in the side panel of the interior of the cockpit. The shifter beside me was twisted and bent. The bell housing had come apart causing the transmission to break lose, fall throught the frame and sending the rear of the car high into the air. Parts all over the front straight, bell housing pieces, transmission and twisted drive shaft. Very lucky all I ended up with was a small bruise. FULL MOON strikes again! Next week, out comes the back up Red car with small block in it. See pictures of cockpit below! Marc
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09/14/02
No Rain! We got to race! Had a flat in our Heat, started 6th in the B-main. Car ran well, finished 4th in the B-main which put us on the back of the A-main. Car was runing good when it sounded like something broke in the rear end. The car snap-spun on me in turn 3. Everyone manage to miss me, when we got the car home we saw that the left rear leaf spring had broke into right in front of the spring pad. Never seen that happen before, but this is racing. Be back again next week. See at the races.
Marc
09/12/02
Rain, Rain and more Rain! We did run on August 31st at the Bowl. Ran third in our heat, then the feature? We went backwards. Started 6th and finished 14th. Car was so loose it was like racing on Ice. Got the car back to the shop to find the right rear shock was not only DEAD, it would lock up! Then on August 7, RAINED-OUT! Rain is in the forcast for this weekend? See at the races, I Hope?
Marc
08/24/02
YEA!! We won our heat, and finished 5th in the Feature!! Ran at the front all night, new engine performed well. Had a vibration on the right rear of the car with about 7 laps to go. I thought mud had gotten in the wheel causing it to be off balance. Managed to finish 5th. As we were going across scales, Jay noticed that the tire had started coming apart! Lady Luck was with us! Look forward to next week. (see cartoon below)
Marc
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08/17/02
Finally got to run new Big Block, we ran second (2nd) in our Heat, got second (2nd) in the Trophy Dash and was running third in the Feature when a cylinder went dead. Being a new engine, I decided to bring the car into the pits. On further investigation we found a plug wire had fallen off! Oh Well!! A few minor tuning problems to address, Bur over all engine ran well. Look forward to next week!
Marc
08/06/02
Have not given an update lately, been busy with new House and Job promotion. We won a Heat Race on 07/13/02 and have finished 2nd in the Heats on 06/29, 07/6 and 08/3. It's the feature we are stuggling with. I feel like Jimmy Spencer, I have a large TARGET on my car. I think every car at the Bowl Has hit us this year, even under yellow!!! We even dusted off the short track car, Red 98, and still got run over. Have finished 17th in the feature 3 weeks in a row. Still running Little small block. Jay got all engine parts out of machine shop last week. Not running Black 98 car until BB is ready to go in. We will return with more HP under the hood! Been a lot of rough driving at the Bowl. (see cartoon below)
Marc
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06/22/02
Have not given an update in a few weeks. We lost out good motor, Big Block, on 06/08/02. We decided to sit out the following week, 06/15/02, and regroup. New parts for Big Block didn't come in so we decided to put Small Block in Black Car. Little motor did pretty good. On 06/22/02 we ran 3rd in our Heat. They started 24 cars in the Feature. Ran in the top five most of the Feature until track went dryslick and managed to finish 9th in the Feature. No Damage, No hurt parts!! We will probably run the little motor one more week before Good engine is ready.
Marc
06/01/02
FINALLY!! Getting a handle on the chassis set-up. Running second in our heat behind Rowdy Starnes when transmission broke. Put us out for the night, but, we were a lot faster!! Will replace trans with more reliable equipment...which means it COST MORE! But, to finish First, first you must FINISH!!
Marc
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05/25/02
Struggling....thats what we have been doing every since we clip the rear of the car. We finished 7th in our heat and 7th in the b-main. Can not get the handle on the set-up. No engine problems, just chassis. All shocks and Srpings are being put on a shock Dyno and spring tester. Moved right rear spring location as well as the right rear shackle location. Replacing anything that looks suspicous. Hope to have better news to report next week. Marc
05/18/02
The night started with car being loose again. We finished 4th in our heat, which got us into the Feature, but it was a given 4th. The car was soo loose I could barely hold on. We changed everything on the car for the Feature, tires, wheel offsets, shocks, added weight and turned screws. When the grean flag flew on the feature I was starting on the 2nd row inside. Went into turn 3 and 4, the car was still loose. I thought I might have got help, but after reviewing and talking with other drivers, I lost the handle in turn 4. Got the car real sideways, trying to save it I was hit in the left front which broke a tie-rod. Spun the car in front of the entire pack. Very luckly to come out with only minor damage. Jay is working on getting the car hooked up. We will try again next week. Marc
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05/11/02
Lots of sweat and blood to put a new rear clip on car. made to the races at Devils Bowl, 04/11/02. In our heat the car was sooooo lose I could only use half throttle. Finished 6th, 1 position out of the feature. Started 11th in the B main, car was hooked up better finished 4th, they were taking five to the A Main, Yea, made it! Found a broken intake rocker stud. Decided to remove rocker and start Feature for start money. I started passing cars only running on 7 cylinders, started 24th moved up within the top 15. Transmission broke with 2 laps to go! Not a good night, not a bad night. No damage, just some broken pieces to replace. We will try next week. Marc
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04/27/02
OK, from the start, Front row pole for our heat. Outside pole car jumps the start, pinched me to the inside wall. Had to check up, got hit from behind causing right rear flat. Started 11th in the B-Main, finished 3rd, good run, car was running and working great! Started in the 19th position in the feature, car was running and handling great! Move up to the top ten when the right rear tire blew. Saved the car, pulled to the high side of the track to let the field go by so I could turn down into the pits. Rolling almost to a stop when one of the cars running last ran in the rear of the car full throttle! WOW! What an impack!! (see pictures below) Some people just don't look past their bumper! We have next week off, thats good, we will put a new rear clip on the car, then LOOK OUT! Marc
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04/20/02
Finally got to race! Car ran great, just didn't want to turn, OK if you drag race. Finished 6th in our heat race. Started 20th in the feature, finished 11th. Not bad but we want more. Will work on the turning problem. Marc
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04/15/02
Rain, Rain, Rain and more Rain! That's about all there is to report on. We've been rained out 3 weeks in a row! We are ready to race, just mother nature is not. I have this new Game I have been playing, since there is no racing, called "HangARoo". Thought I would share it with you. Click Here to play "HangARoo" Marc
03/24/02
Well practice/testing is over. Took the Primary (black) car to Devils Bowl Speedway last Sunday. 03/24/02 Car ran and handled great, after we ajusted on it. The first time on the track the car was loose, then Jay Adjusted chassis and changed a shock. Car was alot better second time. Now it's time to race. First race Saturday 03/30/02. Our first try at making an MPEG of Practice at the Devils Bowl below. Sound not there, Yet! Marc
HINT: This is a LARGE file, you will want to click on
the above link with your right mouse button, save it to
your hard drive using "Save Target As" and play it from
there once it's through downloading. If you don't, this video
may play and stop and play and stop and play and...
03/16/02
Hi again, We took the Red car (small block) out to the new track, "Anna Raceway Park" Saturday, 03/16/02, to test our back-up car. The car ran Great, no problems. The new track needs a lot of work. The only thing there was a track cut in to the land and a wall on the front stretch. They have 3 weeks until their opening night. God Bless them and Good Luck. We may run there on an off night or a rainout at the Bowl. Sorry no picture from Anna, my photographer wasn't feeling to well. Marc
03/10/02
Hi everyone, Well we finally got to the track for testing/practice. The car and New engine ran great. The only problem we had was the left rear axle worked away from the drive plate. Only one wheel was pulling. No problem, simple fix. The pictures below are from the test at Devils Bowl Speedway on Sunday 03/10/02.
See Ya At The Races, Marc Madison!
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