DAN FITZGERALD RACING, Las Vegas, NV.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
November 2005 - February 2006 Results Archive
March 2006 - April 2006 Results Archive
May 2006 - June 2006 Results Archive
July 2006 - August 2006 Results Archive
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2006
The final day of the Duel in the Desert started off with us sitting around watching the DVD of "Cars".    Following that we headed to the track where Gimp TV did an interview and a few sound spots with me and the car.   Next the crew did a total revamp of the set up on the race car.   Bars were moved, springs were changed, and the only thing the same was the body and the nut climbing behind the wheel.   It was incredibly discouraging to start on the front row and drop like a rock the night before.   Embarrassing!   I couldn't do much worse than yesterday so we went with a total change.    The track was still decent in hot laps so I wasn't sure if the car was better or if the track was.   Final qualifying races were lined up by weekend point totals.   Low and behold I was 6th out of those not in the feature yet, 22nd overall.   That sixth place standing placed me on the pole for our 20+ car, 15 lap event.   The top 2 would transfer directly to the A main.   After learning of the pole start around 5:00pm, I had to wait several grueling hours until we lined up.   Finally on track and getting the one to go I figured since I started on the bottom I would stay there until I started getting passed up.  At the green the track was incredibly slick.  I just kept it straight and moving forward.   By lap 8 I was beginning to check the leaderboard as I entered turn 3 to see who was behind.   The same cars that started around me remained behind, but how close?   Still plugging away I began to lap cars.   White flag, one car right ahead.   No taps or cars to the inside so I was content to follow the lapper.   I won it!!   Transferred to the A main in the 22nd starting spot for the 28 car, 40 lap event.   Again I was apprehensive about the A main as I just didn't cut it on Friday.   New day, another shot.   The track was so slick you could see the reflection of the cars in it as they raced on the surface.   The first green flag ended early with a 2 car incident in turn 1.   Restart.   A car clipped the tractor tire and I went to the outside slipping by a few cars who slowed to see where he was heading.   Now inside the top 20 I pulled alongside another car and slipped by another before settling into 17th by the next yellow on lap 8.   Battled with fellow BMS'er Darrick Klima for a few laps before slipping by and setting my sights on the next group.   Caught up to the tail of the next group and had a great three car battle with the 189 and 98 cars.   Moved by the 98 as he went to the outside and finally nudged my way by the 189 going into turn 3, just a slight rub.   Was quite a ways behind the next group when I cleared the 189 and the lack of cautions wasn't helping.   In fact the final 32 laps would be run without a caution.   Slowly but surely I began to catch up to the back of the crowd while also battling with the 98 for position.    With about 7 to go both myself and the 98 caught the group of 5 or 6 cars and began working our way through.   As the white flag waved I was side by side with Super Nationals Champion Rich Lewerke and we rubbed going into turn 1.   Out of two I muscled ahead and pulled off of turn 4 in 11th place.   A move of 11 spots forward!   What a great run for our team.   Made up for Friday easily!    Thanks to everyone for all their help and support this and every weekend.  I had a HUGE group of support this weekend and to try and name you all would be too tough.   I know I'd forget someone.   But thank you just the same!!   See you in 2007!
 
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2006
Over the last few years I've had a hot and cold relationship with the 1/2 mile at LVMS.   Last year I ran horribly in my heat and then went from 17th to 1st in the D and from 21st to 5th in the C the next night.   On Thursday I ran 8th in my heat and then went from 14th to 2nd in the B main.   Friday was along the same lines.   Started 5th in the first preliminary race of about 22 cars which would transfer 3 to the qualifying main after 15 laps.  At the green I used my inside row groove to move up and was 2nd as we scored the first lap.   A few laps later I was able to squeeze by the leader and from there I maneuvered through the lapped traffic to take the prelim win.   Drew #2 for the feature.   At the green I knew I was a goner.   The car went nowhere and I was already 5th coming out of turn 2, then 8th, then 12th.   I fell like a hot knife through butter.   Searched and searched before finally settling in and riding around.   By the end I was in a miserable 15th place (14th after a DQ), missing a transfer by 6 spots.   Not good!    We're back to it today hoping for better results.   We'll see.  
 
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2006
A record 175 cars drew for starts in one of 16 heat races.   I lined up 9th of the 11 cars in heat #6.   At the green I moved up and was in 5th by the first yellow on lap 3 or so.   Just after the yellow I heard a clunk under the car and the fuel pressure went to 0.   The pulley had exited the car from the belt driven fuel pump.   Done for that race.   Lined up 14th in the B main with the winner transferring to the back of the qualifying main.  Ducked to the bottom early and managed to move up to 6th early.   Slowly but surely I was able to claw my way up to the #2 spot and was about a 1/4 lap behind the leader closing in when the yellow waved.   At the green I knew laps were running down so I put some pressure on.   It worked as I was able to duck inside coming off 4 as the leader, Troy Cordes, slipped up the track.   However just as quickly as I passed the leader, the yellow waved.   Back to 2nd.   Again back to green I was able to drive door to door with the leader going into turn 3.   We touched and his car went flying over my RF.   Both of us scrambled to get our cars gathered up and he did first, again taking over the lead.  White flag waved and I just couldn't get by.   Finished 2nd and with the win or go home format, our solid move from 14th to 2nd only gets us the first on the trailer award for the night.   We'll try again tonight!  
 
SEPTEMBER 23, 2006, Summit Raceway
Woke up early on Saturday as I wanted to catch the big football game of Dan, Jr and his "Orange Crush".  It was a big game as both the Crush and the Aztecs were undefeated coming into the game.   From the opening kick the Crush "kicked" butt finally winning 33-0.   Dan was able to make some great tackles on defense keeping the Aztecs on their heels the entire time.   Way to go Danny, #47......we need to see about adding another 40 to your number.  :)

Returned to the hotel room and to my surprise there was not one, but two cakes waiting for us.   Kim Reason and Jody, Kim, Bre, and Mike had sent one as well.   How cool!!

At the track we were greeted with 24 cars as a couple had broken the previous night.   During the driver's meeting I questioned why they were planning on only starting 16 cars in the feature when we ran 20 the previous night, the agreed and said ALL cars would start the feature.   WOO HOO!   Back at the trailer we all enjoyed some 'Vegas walking tacos', which we learned how to make back at the Supernationals in Boone IA.   Take a grab bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos, crunch the chips into dime to half-dollar sized pieces, cut open the bag down the side and hold it open like a taco.   Fill the inside with seasoned ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour creme and your choice of salsa and you have your walking taco.   YUMMY!  

With the added left side weight I strapped in for again, the 4th heat.   This time I was 6th of 6, however another car tagged our heat after not being in another heat.   At the green I squeaked by the front stretch wall on the outside and jumped by the car in front of me, then set the car to duck under the outside pole sitter who pushed going in.   As I exited turn 2 I was already leading and was on my way.   With the field in my sites to go a lap down, the yellow waved.   I paced the final 2 laps for the heat win.    The feature line up inverted the top 12 from the heats and I was in that 12th spot.   It was to be two 25 lap segments with a fuel and tire stop in the middle.   My plan was to race safe, finish the first segment and race the 2nd.   Being on the outside I planned to ride there safely for a while.   However cars pushing up the track changed that plan so I found a hole coming off turn 2 on the first lap and went to the slicked over bottom.   As the tight cars at the front pushed up the track I got the car rotated well and drove by on the bottom.   By the first yellow I was up to 6th and the next yellow I was 4th.   Was passed on the high side on the next restart but I didn't press the issue and got back in line.   A pass low and another on the high side placed me into the third spot.   The two leaders were running high so I stuck to the bottom to give us some room should something happen.   The leader pushed way high exiting turn 2 and both 2nd and myself raced by.   Once in second I was riding along but running a different line.   As the top began to slow some I started to see an opening to take the lead.   Went hard into turn 1 like yesterday, let the car slide up and into the lead I went.   From there I led the final 5 circuits to the crossed flags and the 10 minute break.   As the signal was given to get to work on the cars I exited the car and went straight to the port-a-john while Blake, Dan, Skip, and Dan Jr went to work on the car.   I returned in time to hear them say "7 minutes remaining drivers".    Strapped back in and sat patiently awaiting word to refire.   Once back under caution I knew it would be a long race.   With the track drying I was thinking the top was still there but that it might burn off.   Decisions, decisions.   Do I duck low and force someone by on the top, or do I go with the top and hope to not get passed on the bottom.   After checking out the surface while driving around under yellow, I determined I would go low and if someone got by high I would go up and race their line.   At the green the bottom wasn't all that great as it was a little greasy exiting the turns.   The car was quite tail happy on exit and I felt someone would be flying back by on the high side.   With about 10 to go we were approaching the back of the field and the 2nd place car was inching closer on the outside.   We were almost side by side when the yellow waved.   Time for a line adjustment.   I moved off the bottom about 5 feet which placed me out of the greasy bottom but still in the moisture that was becoming more and more scarce.  With 5 to go I was still hearing the pressure from behind.   As the white waved it was a little more quiet.   Was he going high, did he fall back, what's going on?   I stuck to the bottom, headed off turn 4 and into victory lane.   Gold Rush champion!    WOO HOO!   Also race win #31.   While 31 wins won't be enough in IMCA's eyes to crown us National Champion, it is something I'm very proud of.   Incredible work by everyone.

Thanks to everyone for their help and support in 2006.   It's been quite a ride!
 
SEPTEMBER 22, 2006, Summit Raceway
Out of town by 1:00 and on our way to make the 7:00pm start time for the last time this season up north.   The season traditionally ends with "Gold Rush" in Elko.   It's a huge annual event where the local mines sponsor trophies with actual gold on them.   I won the event in 2002 so I was hoping that my first trip back to the event in 4 years would be a good one.   Arrived at the track around 7:38 and found that things were a little behind.  WHEW!   Lined up in the 5th spot in the 7-car, 4th heat.   They were only taking 20 cars to the feature of the 26 in attendance so you needed a top 3 in the heat to move on.   At the green I moved to the outside to pick off a spot and then sneaked by low for another spot and into 3rd.   From there I was able to hold my line and coast to the transfer applying pressure for 2nd while at the same time being safe enough to ensure transferring.   The top 12 of us were inverted in the front of the field joined by 8 transfers from the B main.   I lined up inside row 4 for the feature and the track was in excellent shape.   The cooler 40 degree temperatures allowed the moisture to stay in the track making for good racing.   The top was fast early and moved up quickly.   By half way I had taken over the lead and was back to running the bottom as it was the only place I could pass coming up through the field.   As the laps wound down I began getting pressure from the outside.   Approaching lapped traffic with about 10 to go I got trapped on the bottom, went high and was pushed up the back stretch dirt wall allowing 2nd to slip by.   Entering 3 I went low behind the new leader.   He pushed and we were side by side at the line, he was about 6 inches in front of me.   As we battled side by side through turns 1 & 2 the yellow waved.   On the restart I was 2nd taking the green and as the leader went in high I went in really hard down low allowing the car to drift up a lane.    The leader pushed up a little and I grabbed the moisture in the middle and shot back to the front.   A couple of laps later the yellow waved allowing the field to bunch up.   Taking the green with 5 to go I was anxiously waiting for someone else to challenge high but the line felt good so I was sticking low.   As the white flag waved I began approaching another lapped car.   4 cars behind, then 3 and then 2.   Coming off turn 4 the final time I was at the bumper of the lapped car and then at their door as we crossed the line the winner!   I had won the first 1/2 of the Gold Rush and not to mention my 30th feature of the IMCA point season.   Since they only take your best 30 finishes, that make a PERFECT season.   PERFECT!!   WOW!!   The trophy was even more amazing as it was almost 5 feet tall.   Thanks to Bruce Crowley for donating the trophy for the first night of the Gold Rush.   It was heavy too!!

Thanks Dad, Mom, Blake, Skip, Dan, Sheila, and Dan Jr for their help and assistance today!
 
SEPTEMBER 16, 2006, Battle Mountain Raceway
Headed into the final event of the season, The Silver Cup, with a 21 point lead over 2nd for the championship.  When only 19 cars showed, I need to start the heat to clinch the title.   My mom and Blake joined the team for the Saturday portion and it was a chilly one.   Lined up 6th for the heat and was 4th in turn 3 when two in front of me got together.   The contact damaged one of the cars bad enough to render him unable to make the restart.   So I moved to the inside and coming off turn 2 I had used the low line to grab the lead.   On the next lap I slipped high and 2nd flew by.   Back to the bottom in turn 1 and I got in a little hard making contact with the rear of the leader.   Head up my butt I guess.   We briefly locked bumpers and I wound up in the infield.   Bent a tie rod in the process and to the pits I went.   The crew went to work and quickly fixed the damage and I went to work on the LF camber.   It was way off.   Finishing last in my heat relegated me to the 18th starting spot for the feature.   OUCH!!   Again watering in the chilly night air made the track a little slick.   I was cautious early, too cautious.   A restart a couple of laps in found me in the 16th spot and I went to the outside to move up.   The car was good and I was picking off at least a car a lap and managed a couple of twofers in there as well.   The next time the yellow waved about 16 laps in I was up to the #4 spot.   A couple laps back under green I was able to jump outside on a lapped car and steal away the third spot.   The top two traded spots and the former leader went high.   I went low and began to work that line for a while.   It worked as I got that spot and set my sights on the lead.   Wasn't able to do much as the leader was running a great line.    Kept adjusting my line as well as the brake bias trying to make the car better.    On a restart with 10 to go the leader pulled up coming off turn 2, broken drivetrain.   To the lead I went.   Restart, yellow for a spun car coming to the green.   Restart, RED coming off turn 2.   Cars everywhere on the front stretch.   Including one on its lid.  Luckily no one was injured but several cars were BADLY damaged.   Hated to see that.   The race was checkered and I was declared the Silver Cup winner as well as the 2006 track champion!!    Incredible job by the team and my family all season to pull off our 2nd championship.   WOW!!   We started off the BM season with a win and finished it off with one as well.   Thank you to all the volunteers who worked so hard at the track this year to allow us to race.   Also thanks to the businesses in Battle Mountain who supported this race by making donations.   I had a great time racing up there this season.   Sorry to see the season end so badly for some with the huge wreck.  

Thanks Mom, Dad, Blake, Sheila, Dan, Dan Jr, Skip, Brian and Joe for their help at the track today.   Way to go everyone!
 
SEPTEMBER 15, 2006, Battle Mountain Raceway
Left Vegas around 1:20 for the 7:00 start at Battle Mountain Raceway.  Hit a huge dust storm that lasted about an hour on the way up before hitting heavy rain and some slight snow for a while.   Called while about a 20 minutes out to check if they were still racing as it was VERY dark in the area.   The race was on.   Lined up in the back for my heat and raced into 2nd after a few laps.   By then the leader was 1/2 a lap ahead of me and while I closed the gap to a couple of car lengths, I wound up 2nd.   The line up for the feature sent me to the 5th row and with temperatures in the 40's I was anxious to get it over with.   Left 90 degrees a few hours earlier, now it was in the 40's.   BRRR!   They had watered prior to the start and the track was very greasy as the water wasn't soaking in or drying up.   At the green it was too slick for me to risk it.   I slowly rode around in the 9th to 11th place range and just played it safe.   However cars began pressuring me high and low and I figured I was going to get ran over by someone soon.   Went to the high line which seemed to be drying out the quickest and really came alive.   Flew by car after car before losing track of what place I was in.   Started looking for cars that started in front of me and finally found two of them coming off turn 2 when I was coming off turn 4.   With them racing hard for the top spot it was slowing them slightly, and that coupled with the fact that my car was very good in the high line, I closed quickly.   Was two cars behind heading into turn 3 about 7 laps later.   A lapped car low caused them to hesitate and allowed me to get in high and get the car turned hard.   I leapt off turn 4 to the bottom and was side by side for the lead as we went three wide down the front stretch.   Into turn 1 my car pushed on the inside and I had to take another stab of the brakes to get it to turn.   Off two side by side for the lead but he had the spot back going into turn 3.   Yellow.   Back to third for the restart and the 2nd place car got into the back of the leader and spun.   Yellow.   At the green the leader went to the lower line forcing me to go the long way around.   I went to work and after a couple of laps I had made my way to the front.   The car was great and although the track was slicking over, it was still going great.   A couple yellows later the 10 to go signal was given.   Off turn two on the restart and the car started losing power and shut off entering turn 3.   Fearing getting run over from the rest of the field I drove off turn 3 and off the track.   The pulley came off the fuel pump, no fuel, no go!   Bummer!   Found the pulley and belt on the track, untouched!  LUCKY!    We'll give it another shot tomorrow.  

Thanks, Dad, Dan, Sheila, Dan Jr,  Skip and Brian for their help and support today.   Thanks for braving the cold.
 
SUPERNATIONALS, SEPTEMBER 6-9, 2006
WOW, what a week. I cannot thank everyone enough for helping to get us here. Arrived Wednesday afternoon after a flight into Omaha, NE on Tuesday night very late. Drove the 165 miles from Omaha to Boone on Wednesday and the car was ready to go when we got to the track. Drew dead last in my heat and battled my way to a 6th place finish. Of the 320+ cars in attendance very few are slow and it showed in the heat as we got in a nice line around the top and followed one another around. They "farm" the track here every 10 races which means prep it by watering, grading, etc. Makes for great track conditions but some of us drivers think the conditions are too good. The track is so fast that there isn't much passing going on. By Thursday I realized that I needed to relearn how to drive my own race car. They drive into the turns so much harder as the track will hold it. So I slowly started getting myself up to speed only to have the clutch fail us on Thursday's heat. Went on the track and the car would go into every gear but 3rd, the racing gear. Had to pull off without taking the green. That put me without points for the day and dropped me from midpack in points to a few from last. Lined up 5th for my Race of Champions heat race and that was exciting. By the way thanks to Dad, Blake, Rob, and Dan for removing the trans and fixing the throughout bearing. As is obvious by the name, the ROC heat had all champions in it. Mine had many good cars in it. I was able to charge the turns harder and was up to 3rd by lap 8 and they took the top 2. Was right on the tail of 2nd when David Murray and myself waged a war for a couple of laps before he and I traded the spot back and forth. In the end he ended up 3rd and I was 4th, both of us missing the transfer. Fun fun! I'm getting faster. On Friday I went out for my heat and the car picked up a miss after a couple laps of racing. It seemed as if the car was lean so I pulled off to save burning a piston. Jerry Buesig found problems with the rear float and with the timing. Went out for All-Star hot laps to check things out. The track was just prepped so it was greasy and slick. Wet slick. I was able to find a way around the bottom and the car ran 10 times better than it had all week. I was excited for the All-Star race. Again it was so chilling to drive onto the track with 9 of the greatest IMCA drivers around with the catwalk and grandstands FULL of people. The draw had us picking bags off the fence in reverse order of votes. The 6th driver in votes picked my shirt and that put me 6th in the 10 car field. After the fans got us to "start your engines" we made a couple of laps around the track and it was during this time I made a promise to myself. Follow the car in front of me into the turn just as hard, even if it did scare the heck out of me. I did and it did scare me half to death. But I did it, I was driving it in deep and hanging it out there just like the rest of these guys who all have more experience on these types of tracks than I. I was up to 5th but was right with the leaders, not getting left at all. The car was at full song and it was incredible. Began getting some pressure for 5th from Kevin Stoa a very successful Supernationals driver in his own right. We were neck and neck for several laps. I was inches off the wall and scraped it twice. The 2nd time slowed me enough to let him slip by. I still managed a 6th place and was on top of the world at the finish. Behind me it was former National champions Henry Witt Jr, & Johnny Saathoff, not too bad to hold off two former National champions. I'm proud of everyone here, including myself. Not too bad for a dry-slick, so-called cherry picker from out west. We held our own and that's all I can ask for. Today they line up off points and after missing the heat on Thursday I'm way way back there. We need a miracle, but I'm not giving up. Too many people helped to send me hear and I'm not giving up on them. Another cool thing happened, well one of MANY this week. I was asked as the National point leader to judge the IMCA Queen contest today at 1:00pm. WOO HOO! Me along with 7 or 8 other people will be rating the contestants to determine who will become Supernationals queen. How fun is that???!!

The final day of Supernationals started with the judging of the queen contest on the spectator side. 8 contestants read their essays and answered questions from the judge's panel. When it was all said and done, a Sport Mod racer from Abilene, Texas won the competition. It was great fun and I appreciate being able to take part in such an event. Fun! At the track we were in "Last Chance heat #16" of 18 needing to be top 2 in the 12 lapper to advance. Having missed my heat on Thursday I was mired in 290th in points giving me the 15th and final starting spot in the last chance. We decided to warm up the car as the temperatures were in the mid 60's. The car started and was running when it suddenly stopped running. In a freak accident, the distributor cap and rotor had basically exploded taking some plug wires with it. There were parts scattered everywhere. Dad, Blake, Rob, and Dan went to work and got the wires replaced. The explosion for lack of a better word had caused several other problems, one being that it moved the timing back many degrees. After several minutes of chasing a laboring motor, we figured it all out and were back in business just in time to line up for the heat race. Rolled out onto the track in last and had to hurry to catch the field prior to the green waving. At the green I moved to the outside and passed into 14th. Two laps later I was moving up a couple of cars at a time when a wreck happened in turns 3 & 4, bringing out the first yellow on lap 2. On this restart I was up to 9th and on the move. Feeling just as good as I was in the Invitational the previous day, I again made my way around the track nicely. By lap 7 I had charged to the 5th spot and was trying to find a way by 4th. Little did I know that the LF suspension was failing and the upper control arm was breaking. It finally broke heading into turn 3 on the 9th circuit. The car wouldn't turn and off the top of the track I went, ending our week at Supernationals. It was nice to finally feel like I do at home, passing cars and actually driving to the front. Thank you so much to everyone who helped to get our team here and for those who helped us while here. We had a great time and I learned so much about racing. While we didn't make the show, neither did about 290 other racers. I'm satisfied with and proud of our progress this week. They knew we were here and that we weren't slouches. Thanks again everyone for all you did to get me here!! This was truly a team effort and one that I will never forget.

 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2006
Spent the morning at Skip's Radiator getting the car ready for the 2nd night of racing and was back at the hotel in time to catch a quick nap.   Totally different track conditions greeted us on Saturday as the track was very wet and quite fast.   Lined up last for the heat and after two failed starts they decided to restart us single file.  However they failed to send anyone from the front row to the rear.   Someone had to be to blame for the poor starts.  Oh well.   Used the outside to jump into 3rd and was into 2nd one lap later.   From there I could only run 2nd as the leader was just too much on the quick surface.   But the 2nd place finish did allow me to transfer to the A main avoiding the B-main. 

During intermission the drawing was held for the raffle where the proceeds went to our team for gas money towards our Supernationals trip.   It was great to see how excited everyone was to win the great prizes.   Many of the prizes I wouldn't have minded having myself.   haha.   I was able to publicly thank everyone for their efforts to support our team.   Again, thank you to everyone!! 

Lined up 4th row outside for the feature and was only 7th at the first yellow.   A red 12 laps in found me running in the 5th spot.   Used a three-wide, down the middle move with a lapped car and 4th to take over that position and then used the outside to move into third.   With 5 to go I was right on the lead duo and trying to squeeze by on the outside when the car died coming off turn 2.   I coasted to a stop and was pushed off the track.   Something had come up and hit the fuel line on the fuel pump busting the fitting attaching the hose to the pump.   Ending our night. 

Following the race, the team from Bosch Motors in Winnemucca, NV. helped us transfer the trailer to their team truck as they have generously allowed us to use it for our trip to Boone, IA.   I can't thank them enough for their help and support!   After a tough weekend of racing they stuck it out and made sure everything was on the up and up.   Thanks guys!! 

Was back at Skip's around 9:00am on Sunday morning and washed the car, cleaned the trailer and readied the team for the trip to Supernationals in Boone, IA.   As we arrived home, the team was already a couple hours outside of Salt Lake City, UT as they make their way across the country in the Bosch Motors team truck with our trailer in tow.

Thanks Mom, Dad, Blake, Skip, Dan, Sheila, Lil' Dan, and Rob for their help and support. 

 
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2006
Around 12:30 the counselor at school arrived to cover my last two classes.  THANK YOU!   Blake picked me up at school and we were on the road by 1:00 for the 7:00pm start at Summit Raceway.   Some slight bending of the speed limits on the way found us at the track just before 7:00pm.    Lined up inside row 2 for the heat race, needing a top 2 to make the A main.   At the green I hugged the bottom of the dry slick surface and nosed ahead of the pole sitter exiting turn 2.   I never looked back and won the heat going away.   The track was watered before the feature making it quite difficult to read.  Started 6th and was up to 2nd by lap 10.   From there I could only follow as the leader pulled away.   Trying too hard I spun in the middle of turns 3 & 4.  Yellow.   Lined up at the rear only to be motioned back to 2nd position.   Turns out the yellow was coming out for someone else as I spun and I was restored to my spot.   Under caution while thanking my lucky stars I figured out a different line and put it to work.   Passed for the lead only to lose it two laps later.   Then took it back the next lap and never looked back as we took the feature win!!   What a LONG day!   Was back at the hotel and in bed by 2:30am!!  OUCH!

Thanks Mom, Dad, Blake, Skip, Dan, and Sheila for their help and support.