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West Coast Challenge Series Race #4
Buttonwillow Raceway
June 10-11 2006
First time back to BW since
Dan’s accident (although a difficult time for most) a great turn out.
Saturday morning finds 12 spec racers ready to do battle.
Saturday Qualifying and Race:
After the morning practice
session it appeared that Donny, driving Lawson Bros / Dymond Services
#1, might have another easy weekend. Times go up and what's this,
Langley (LK Motorsports #101) is on the pole with a blistering 2:08 with
David Standridge (Rennworks #83) second a few tenths behind. Donny 3rd,
John Joyce (Slightly Dangerous Racing #88), Karen Salvaggio #28, Rick
Anderson #6, TC McNett #33, Mike Joyce #44 (SDR second car), Paul
McGarvey #85(Rennworks 2nd entry), Mike Beeler #10 (driving a
LK Motorsports built car), rounding out the field, Robert Walter # 3,
Mike Easton #31.
At the drop of the green flag,
the 12 spec racers head for turn 1 (counterclockwise course) with
Langley holding off hard charging Standridge, Donny goes by the start
finish line with a big thumbs down (apparently the fuel gremlins had not
been fixed). Taking advantage of the #1 problem, John Joyce takes 3rd
into the first corner. Karen on the other hand loses several spots due
to the slow moving #1. For the first 3 laps the 3 lead cars could have
had a blanket thrown over them with Donny struggling to keep touch with
the leaders. Standridge gets a good run and makes a bold move underneath
Langley entering the Talladega sweeper, and never looks back. Behind the
leaders some great battles are entertaining the spectators, TC is
putting pressure on Anderson and after 3 laps finally gets by. Mike
Joyce after fighting his way thru traffic is closing the gap on Karen,
Karen pushing hard is closing the gap on Rick. In the back of the group
Mike Beeler is battling with Mike Easton for several laps finally making
the pass, but on lap 7 goes off entering the main straight. He tries to
save it but over corrects and shoots across the track into the tire
wall. With only a few minutes remaining the group is black flagged and
then sent to the paddock. The final order Standridge, Langley, John
Joyce, Donny, TC, Anderson, Salvaggio, Mike Joyce, Paul McGarvey, Mike
Beeler, Mike Easton, Robert Walter.
Mike is checked out and is
released, thinking his weekend is done. But not with this group of
racers, everybody pitches in and in a few hours (before Mike gets back
the parts store) has his car back together ready to run Sunday. This is
why people are drawn to our series, truly unlike any other race group I
know of. Thanks to Diane (Rick’s wife) we had dinner together and
finished the day with a little drinking and a lot of bench racing.
Sunday Qualifying and Race:
Qualifying started off with
Donny charging out the first lap only to find him in the pits before the
2nd lap was complete. The top three Standridge (having
mechanical problems with the #83 qualifies in the #84 car), John Joyce,
and Langley are within a few tenths of each other, follow by Donny,
Anderson, TC, Mike Joyce, Karen, Paul, Walter, Easton and Beeler.
Standing start today and at the drop of the green Langley gets a great
jump and makes an aggressive move (hitting the front of Donny) splitting
the front row, three wide into turn one with Langley in the lead with
Standridge, John and Donny is close pursuit, headed for the star Mazda
corner, it was evident that John was not going to make the turn, off he
goes, Langley follow closely by Donny and Standridge. John gathers his
car and finds himself back in 6th place. Donny filling
Langley mirrors makes his move coming out of the bus stop to take the
lead; Langley keeps the pressure on Donny but gradually loses touch with
the #1 car. On the second lap Dave breaks his 2nd car and is
force to retire. Meanwhile John charges back thru the field and settles
in the 3rd position, many battles behind the 3 leaders
especially TC in hot pursuit of Rick, finally on the last lap Rick makes
a mistake and TC charges past. At the Checker Donny (finally getting a
car that runs) Langley, John Joyce, TC, Rick, Mike Joyce, Karen followed
by Robert Walter in a photo finish (less than a ½ a car length), Paul,
Mike Easton and Mike Beeler.
Another fun filled weekend with
everybody cars in one piece.
Bob Lawson
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