The rules changed last year. Still must have cast iron heads, but my intake is now aftermarket aluminum and we now can run headers.

First race of the year on 5-2-15. After studying video from last year, I made a conscious decision to try to drive the car straighter through the corners vs hanging the rear end out. Felt awful in the few laps of practice, but I got the hang of it in my heat race. I ended up challenging for the lead the last couple laps which required going low which I could not quite make work. I ended up finishing second and transferred directly to the A main. Top two of the five heat races had to redraw for starting position and I unfortunately drew #9 which put me on the inside of row 5. A main was 24 cars and I drove cautious the first couple laps of three wide through the turns. After that, I settled down and made a few passes up to 7th with the leaders still in sight. Final lap I tried the high line and hit some spilled oil or water and lost a spot. Finished 8th without any damage on the car. Very content with the result for my first race this season. While I have won the B main last year, I typically would end up 12th or 13th on nights that I made the A main last year.

Heat race 3 video:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BjzIrc3vGNM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

When washing the car yesterday, I did find a very light rub mark on my left quarter panel lower skirt. I guess someone barely touched me. Only two times last year out of 16 nights did I not have to work on my car between Saturdays. This will be a great week not having to work on the car. ;)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1430743721.jpg

Cool!! You really had the leader sweating the last couple of laps. Congrats!

Only raced a few times so far due to rain outs and my daughters wedding. Somehow my car has no damage.... yet. In search of any traction I can find, I removed my fiberglass curved original roof this week and installed a dirt oriented plastic system which should produce a small amount of downforce vs slight lift my old roof was creating. Can't wait to try it.

I also was seeing high underhood temps (wire looms melting) due the headers I am running this year. Decided to go with header wrap.... w
What a pain in the @ss to install while on the car.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1434367054.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1434367195.jpg

That has to be the neatest, cleanest dirt car ever.

You look like a young, dark haired Kenny Wallace:D

This second year of racing I set my sights on improving to the point of being a top 5 car. Thus far this year I have made the A-main all 8 races. Last night I drew a crappy number which had me starting last in my heat race. In the 8 laps I ended up passing all cars and finished first. This was my first heat race win of the season. I then redrew a 4th starting position for the A-main and ended up finishing 3rd and was keeping pace with 1st and 2nd place finishers . My best A-main finish to date. Finally starting to get the hang of this. Heat race #3* https://youtu.be/wt_xAfEtmGc

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1438549167.jpg

Congrats! I just watched the video and was flooring the carpet under my right foot to help you along!

2016 season opener....

Drew a #77 pill which had me starting in 6th position out of 8 cars. Quickly got to second place but then spun out due to hitting a weird rut exiting turn 2 with only a lap or two left. I stayed put to bring out the caution so I would have a shot of getting back to at least 4th so as to make it into the A-Main feature. Made it back to 4th which had me starting 19th out of 20 in the feature.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h5CPIXcro0A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Somehow I passed all the way to a 3rd place finish.... Probably my best performance to date. Better yet.... No damage to the car. Hoping I can somehow manage a win/wins this year in the A-Main but I wont hold my breath.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aJRunp4pbFo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Nice race! You can tell your tight, slow approach to the corner is more effective. Watching an earlier race you passed the #1 and #2 cars and they immediately copied your cornering technique, abandoning their tail out long line.

That #70 in the last video put a gap on the field pretty quick! Looks like your real competition there.

Thanks Amail,

The #70 car was track champion a couple years ago. Last year I was able to run with him most of the time.... This year I think he is back to his old form. The last two cars (E5s and 34) that I passed were also track champions in recent years. I am getting good at running the bottom. It "looks" slow, but it is where I run best. Out of about 60 regulars at my track, I probably was in the top 6-7 at the end of last year. This year I hope to end up being in the top couple. All of the other top 10 cars utilize race shops for build, set-up and major repair..... I do all my own work and I think it baffles some of my more seasoned competitors who have more expensive equipment and bigger motors. :)

Nice job Tim. I'm looking forward to watching your season and your first A-main win!

FINALLY..... Got my first A-main feature win!!

It was a good night starting with a make-up a-main feature from a previous rain out. I started 11th and finished 3rd. Being one of the first races of the night my preferred bottom line was wet but I made due.

https://youtu.be/JM0WQ3pRcr8

I then started 3rd in my heat race and won that without issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zGIbCqGwZo

I redrew the #1 pole position for the A-main and somehow won it. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz8neTzgqWk

With two races to go I am in 3rd place in points for the season.

Heat 3 win
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1473171799.jpg

A-Main feature win
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1473171825.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1473171842.jpg

That's great, what does the wife think now?

That is fantastic, and 61 points is definitely something you can work with!

I'm so glad you posted this, I was wondering how your stock car career was going!

Congratulations!

Inquiring minds...

Great stuff, Tim!

Congratulations! Your video links all point to the first race - I'd love to see the other two.

Fixed the Youtube links above....

My wife seems to enjoy the racing especially when I do good (at least while she is actually at the track). Friends say she goes from nervous to excited while watching depending on how the race is playing out.

On the few nights when I got taken out late in the race by others this year, she has gone home mad after witnessing me losing my temper. I lost it a couple times as the adrenaline is flowing when you get dumped in the last corner by a competitor. She has probably heard stuff come out of my mouth that she could not even imagine me saying. ;)

A good action shot from the make-up A-main. It can get pretty crazy the first lap or two of an A-main..... sometimes up to 4 wide. :eek:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1473175322.jpg

Congrats Tim!

We didn't attend of the local races this summer. On a clear night I can hear them, though!!