ASA iRacing.com 125 at DCS Aug 22, 2009

From the ASA NWLMT website;

ASA NWLMT Pointed South for Roseburg Oregon


Marysville, WA (August 18, 2009): The iRacing.com American Speed Association Northwest Late Model Tour is ready for its only trip to Oregon. The Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, OR is bringing the Northwest’s only Super Late Model traveling series to town on Saturday Night August 22. The super fast 3/8-mile paved oval will play host to the best and fastest late model stock car drivers in the northwest.
A large field of drivers has pre-registered for the ‘K-DOCK Radio 125. The race is shaping up to pit the best series regular’s vs. North State Challenge Series and Local Big 5 Late Model racers. This event is the largest super late model race in the area in this season.
The points battle for the ASA NWLMT championship has three drivers headed south with a 19-point separation. The Northwest’s hottest driver Gary Lewis from Snohomish, WA currently leads the series by 5-points over E. Wenatchee, WA veteran Brent Harris. Kelly Mann of Monroe, WA is third 19-points in arrears.
Lewis has had a remarkable 4 year run in the northwest. Most recently the last 45 days are unmatchable. It started with a win at he Montana 200 (3 in a row) followed by a win of the Idaho 200 (3 in a row) and this past weekend the ARCA West MAC Series Can-Am 150 at Montana Raceway in Kalispell, MT. The Lewis team is ready for their final long journey of the season. “We’ve traveled a lot of miles this season and Roseburg is our final long distance event. I want to keep the streak going. The team is tired but dedicated to winning the ASA championship,” said a weary Lewis.
Both Harris and Mann have never made the trip to beautiful Southern Oregon. They each have a lot of experience on a 3/8-mile ovals and in a few laps of practice will have the tricky oval at DCS figured out. “With three races to go for the 2009 championship I do not have the luxury of having a bad race,” said a well rested Harris. “We took the last month off of racing in the special local events to get ready for the final three tour races.” Mann also sat out for the last month and has been slowly heading to the top of the points chart for the first ever iRacing.com ASA NWLMT championship.

A local driver that is in the running for the ASA NWLMT Port City Racecars ‘Rookie Challenge’ and in the top 10 in points is Alan Cress (Albany, OR). “I am really excited to run at my home track. We have traveled the furthest distance to all the ASA NWLMT races this season. DCS is a track that I have had success at.”

The new ASA Northwest Late Model Tour was formed during this past off season when the former Late Model Challenge Series and the Northwest Tour merged to form the Northwest’s only Super Late Model Touring Series.

Many of the top local Late Model racers are pre-entered including Dale Roth of Roseburg, OR who leads the Big 5 Late Model division at DCS. Chris Celorie is second in the Big 5 he is from Damascus, OR. Other locals entered are Wade Koens (Roseburg, OR), Paul Blake (Hillsboro, OR), Robert Hirschbock (Klamath Falls, OR) and Jeff Smith (West Linn, OR).
Many are making the trek north from California. Two former champions of the North State Challenge Series are entered. Mike Doss (Upper Lake, CA) and Howard Ford (Crescent City, CA) along with slew of others.

Three states and four series will be represented. The Big 5 series racers will have a race within the K-DOCK Radio 125. They will be running for their own points.

Who: iRacing.com American Speed Association Northwest Late Model Tour plus traveling series Outlaw Compacts/Mini Stock Invitational, Super Street Stocks, Hornets, and Lady/Jr Stingers.

What: K-DOCK Radio 125 (125-laps 3/8-mile oval) plus local classes

Where: Douglas County Speedway – Roseburg, OR at the Douglas County Fairgrounds

When: Saturday August 22, 2009 – Hot laps begin at 2:00pm with opening ceremonies scheduled for 6:30pm followed by dashes, heats last chance ASA NWLMT main if needed and mains culminating with the ASA NWLMT 125.

Registered drivers for the K-DOCK Radio 125 iRacing.com ASA Northwest Late Model Tour at Douglas County Speedway on Saturday August 22:

Brent Harris – E. Wenatchee, WA
Kelly Mann – Monroe, WA
Kyle Pope – Roseburg, OR
Jay Sauls – Puyallup, WA
Ricki Mackin – Eugene, OR
Chris Celorie – Damascus, OR
Martin Stanwood – Portland, OR
Amanda MacDonald* – Ephrata, WA
Brad Stanwood – Portland, OR
Doug Turner – Eugene, OR
Mike Doss – Upper Lake, CA
Dale Roth – Roseburg, OR
Randy Houston – Cottonwood, CA
Alan Cress* - Albany, OR
Kevin Ostern – Lucerne, CA
Gary Lewis – Snohomish, WA
Joey Tanner* - Portland, OR
Wade Koens – Roseburg, OR
Paul Blake – Hillsboro, OR
Mike Lovell – Willits, CA
Bobby Hirschbock – Klamath Falls, OR
Jeff Smith – West Linn, OR
Howard Ford – Crescent City, CA
Riley Watson – Roseburg, OR
Expected: David Miller, Keith Marson, Jeff Marson, Al Gibney and Josh Braudway
* Denotes Port City Racecars ‘Rookie Challenge’

Continuing the season 2009...

Well, after thinking the season was over for us, we are contemplating running the ASA NW Tour race here at DCS on August 22nd. It is a big 125 lap show and is sure to have some of the best super late model drivers and equipment in the NW! The hesitation has been due to the incredible loss of dollars that this race will incur. How badly do we really wanna race? These races are also typically destruction derbys and we have had enough of that kinda luck in 2009 to last us 2 or 3 more seasons!

I doubt we will be highly competitive for the win or even a top 5 however, if we placed in the top 10 without going any laps down, I would be thrilled! My intention is to stay out of trouble. Stay out of the way. Keep the fenders clean. Earn some respect from the Tour drivers like last time they came to DCS. Load the car up and start doing winter maintenance in preparation for 2010 and whatever track(s) are available for late models.

Hopefully, we have a packed house and they are cheering on the local boys to victory!

I also would like to mention the terrible accident that Mr. Don Livermore was in at the track last Saturday August 8th. His street stock ended up going into the Torrid Turn 3 extention K barrier wall that should never have been placed there in the beginning anyways! Don broke his neck in the wreck and had surgery this week on it. He should make a full recovery! Nice job DCS...another near miss on the death chart for the turn 3 wall. I doubt the water barrels that you placed in front of the wall will make much difference and I dont wanna find out. I am still amazed that the County continues to allow this incredibly unsafe wall(s) to be there. Why the backstretch wall isnt extended all the way to the track entrance is beyond me. Spotters should be in the stands anyways. Just my opinion.

Race recap from 7-10-2009

Well, what can I say? We were not very fast in qualifying or the heat race. Made some changes that got us up to speed in the main. Took the lead pretty early (as I started near the front) and kept it until Dale Roth took me on the outside on a restart. Fell to 3rd and through some accidents I was able to regain the lead on lap 38 of 50. Car felt pretty good but after the caution I developed a slight push. The #78 car was up on me tight but I was going to hold my line low and make him pass me high. I figured I had a good shot for 10 laps. Unfortunately, coming out of 4 my car decided to just turn right without warning and I ended up facing the wrong way drivers side up against the wall. Not knowing for sure what just happened, I got the car started and turned it around. I thought the #78 got into my for sure...my spotter assured my he did not. It looked to him like the car just darted to the right while the tires were stright. Weird. So, I lined up for the restart and figured I could pass a couple guys for a decent finish. Green flag drops, looked good for first 1/2 lap and then the exact same thing happened as I came out of 4 and was nearly straight. It veered to the right and I spun. At that point I figured it was an axle, so I parked it.

We have since found that the axle is fine. We checked other things too and all checks out ok. This one amazes me...We will fix the body and try to practice next Thursday. Stay tuned...

Looking for a team photographer and reporter

Starting immediately, Koens Racing is seeking a volunteer photographer/reporter for each of our remaining 3 races in 2009 and practice sessions at DCS. Person should have access to computer and internet with good photography and reporting skills.

Basically, we would want someone that is willing to take pictures of the #18 and #28 latemodels on the track and in the pits on raceday and practice sessions. Maybe take some notes and report on the action of these two cars. Email pics and report to me and I will post them here for all to see and comment on! Hopefully someone can start doing this Friday 7-10-2009.

Thanks in advance!

Wade

After practice thoughts

Well, got to the track at about 5:45p. Track was very dirty and had no rubber down on it.

Session #1: Took the car out real slow, getting heat into engine and tires. I shook it around a bit for about 4 laps or so and gently eased into more and more each lap. All of the replaced suspension parts seemed to feel good. Steering was good and the motor was crisp as usual.

As I got the car up to full speed, I realized that the entry was fantastic but the exit on turn 2 was loose off and exit on turn 4 was slightly loose off but good in the middle on both corners. I felt like the car was nearly race ready right off the trailer! Although the amount of dirt and rocks on the track may have had a hand in the handling feeling loose off...?

Session #2: John Dumire made some simple changes as we searched for more speed and grip off the corners. The entry was still good but we never got the exit any better. We will attribute this to the dirty track and load it up. It is so hard to get 'real' setup numbers with a dirty and slippery track. All we end up doing is wasting rubber on our race day set of tires, so we call it a practice at 7:30p.

I also watched Anthony Pope for awhile in his #8 latemodel. He looked good. They had some mid-corner issues going on but I'm sure they will get that car setup just right for Anthony come Friday. Anthony drives a nice line and has that cart experience which helps him alot with a sideways car.

Thanks to Rhett Lange and Dave Denn for spending so much of their time to get these cars ready in time to make this practice. They are very important to our being able to run each race after the driver wrecks and wrecks...Also, thanks to John Dumire for all the help at the track. He is reliable and has tons of racing smarts!

Race on Friday, stay tuned....!

Practice 7-8-2009

Going out for practice tonight at DCS. Bringing both the #28 and the #18. After the hards wrecks each car got into last month, the practice time is very important to 'shake' out all the bugs. We hope to have enough time to make some changes to get the cars faster off the corners. The #28 is fast going into the corners but loose out.

We have been working many nights over the last few weeks getting these cars ready for this week's race on Friday. Right now they are on the way to the track for practice.

Much has been said about the last latemodel race at DCS. We hope to put that night behind us and move on.

More about how practice went later...