2/27/2019
Lance Jackson
9th Place Finish to Begin 2019 WRS Season
After an abbreviated 2018 season closing out with 3 DNF's and a pretty hard crash at the KCRP Dirt Track, we were looking forward to a fresh start for 2019. The crazy February weather looked like it would cooperate and after some pretty heavy rains earlier in the week, track officials determined the races would be on and we were ready to with the Lucas Oil, Stark Naked Motorsports TecSpec 305 sprinter!
Upon arriving, we found the track was still being worked on, but it looked like a pretty good situation. The cars had a tough time getting heat in the cold temperatures during wheel pack, but we managed just fine. Hot laps proved to be something else, with a few holes already developing around the track and the ruts made by the water trucks had hardened off, introducing a fairly new concept to this "pavement guy" - TERRAIN...I'd gained a bit of experience with a "hole in the track" last year at Tulare, but what I saw out there Saturday was, well, a LOT! We were a second off the pace during hotlaps and just Wow - it was astounding. We made a few changes for qualifying and got a lot better, gaining a full second, but then everyone else did too and we ended up qualifying P12.
Next up were heat races....we made a few more changes and after about 2 laps I determined we had pretty much gone the wrong way with the changes and I was ready for the race to be over. After consulting with some select people that we work with, We got a game plan together for the Main Event. Since we were starting at the back of the 13 car field, I was really looking forward to figuring our how to deal with the damn bumps - and not end up in someone's lap!
The Main event went off well! After consulting with some of my MUCH more experienced dirt racer friends (and their dads), we made a couple of excellent adjustments and brought the car a lot closer to manageable. With just a few yellow flags, the race was completed in less than 20 minutes, and since we were able to figure out a plan for negotiating the track holes I started getting a lot more confidence in what the heck I was doing! We were running at the end of the night and still had all the pieces on the car - which was a win considering there were 7 or 8 flips on the night.
The best part of the night was that the car rolled back in to the trailer in mostly one piece with only a broken nosewing bracket and a bent up diffuser for the radiator - considering where we were last season, I'd have to say it was a decent start for the 18S team! Of course, none of this would be possible without the hard work of the entire team; Todd Walters, Dave Keyser, and Jeff Sanchez all did a stellar job prepping the car at the shop and keeping everything running smooth in the pits all afternoon. And of course Travis Stark and Stark Naked Enterprises for putting the program together with me. Also, Lucas Oil and their fantastic lubricants - the engine looks perfect inside and considering the cold, damp weather the oils worked beyond excellent!
Our next show is scheduled for this Saturday, March 3rd at Bakersfield Speedway in Oildale...stay up to date with us on Facebook (@supermodified18), Instagram (@supermod18), or Twitter (@jackson18sprint) in case we get rained out, and thank YOU to all of the diehard fans coming out in the freezing temperatures! Don't forget to come by the pits after the races!
Lance Jackson
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