2022 RESULTS
1-8-22 SHOWTIME SPEEDWAY
We started the year with Steven testing our new sprint car. It is a Diablo chassis that we purchased from Johnny Gilbertson. Steven took it out for a few sessions and he LOVED it.
2-19-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
We took the new sprint car to our first race at Punta Gorda. Steven took it out for three practice sessions. He ran well, but did spin it out in the third session.
Steven started on the pole for the heat, and settled into third. We ran low on fuel in the last few laps and finished fourth.
We started 8'th in the feature out of 13 cars, and ended up finishing 8'th. At one point, Steven's arm restraint got caught in the bodywork so he could not move that arm. He drove one-handed, but had to slow down to free himself.
The car ran great, Steven loved driving it and I was so proud of everything!
Todd McCreary was on hand to help tonight, and we parked next to Ryan Adema and his dad, Scotty.
We had borrowed a wing from Johnny, and we did not remove his numbers, so we ended up as "22X".
I took some liberties with Roman numerals, and made this version of "22X".
Mykayla made our first team shirt!
2-26-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
Steven drove the TQ tonight and won the heat and feature. I was a last-minute substitute in the #7 and blew up the engine in the feature.
3-5-22 CITRUS COUNTY SPEEDWAY
We made our first appearance at Citrus County Speedway tonight.
Practice went well, but we had a few mechanical issues in the second session.
Steven was on the pole for the heat, but finished fourth with a bogging engine. We were outside front row in the feature, and got shuffled back to fifth. Then we got spun by Bruce Brantley and went to the back. He passed 3 cars, but was losing brakes. By lap 27 there were none left, so Steven parked it and we finished 10'th out of 14.
The driver was better than the car tonight. I had a blast anyway!
3-19-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
We worked all day! The engine did not run well in the first practice. I thought I fixed it, but the second practice was about as bad.
It did run strong in the heat race! Steven was leading, pulling away and heading for a win, but the engine fell out of tune again. (we were getting debris past the fuel filter).
Steven started 8'th in the feature. He made a few open-track passes and was running down 5'th when a wheel began to vibrate. We dropped out after 22 laps.
Despite all the problems, we were the third fastest car of the night, and I was encouraged how things went when the car was right.
4-23-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
Back at Punta Gorda! Steven was leading the heat race, and I believe going to win it, but there was a yellow, and a veteran got a better start, so we finished second.
We started third in the feature, but got stuck behind someone and went backwards. Steven picked up a few spots and finished sixth, even with brake trouble.
We fired it with the body work off to check the engine timing.
Woulda, coulda, shoulda....
Our team made its first visit to Auburndale Speedway, and everything started out positively.
Steven looked good in his first practice session, and was tied for the best time at the track in the second session. Finally, everything was working at the same time! Then......the engine blew up and we were done.
5-14-22 AUBURNDALE SPEEDWAY
All of this scrap metal in the oil pan used to be a racing piston.
The series is taking the summer off, and I'll need the time to get another engine together.
9-24-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
After the track took several months off, Steven came back with a win in the TQs. He got the heat win too.
10-8-22 SHOWTIME SPEEDWAY
The series took the summer off, then suffered FOUR rainouts in a row. Showtime added a last-minute event to finally get sprints back on track.
We were back with a new engine and had a few problems with it. The engine bogged off the corners, but took off about the time we hit the flagstand. We had some over-heating issues too, so Steven parked the car after 22 laps.
Our buddy Scott Heil was on hand to lend a hand on this busy night.
10-15-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
Oh, it was one of those nights...
We had a fuel leak in practice. Steven knew what was going on, so he coasted to a stop and bailed out. By the time we got everything repaired and completely tested, we pushed it off in the pits, and I could tell immediately that the engine was not running well.
THEN the track called sprints to staging for the feature! They had to change the order because of weather that was moving in. Our car would idle, but not wind up at all, so we were out after a lap. :(
During the week, I found that the magneto, and timing, both moved. Our worst nght in the class!
10-29-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
A tough night for the class, but a good night for us. 6 cars showed, but we lost one in practice, then two blew up in the feature. Steven ran second in the heat, and won the main for the second race in a row.
Rob Kohler was leading, and Steven was reeling him in, when a wire broke in Rob's engine with about 4 to go. It would have been a better finish if they could have raced for it until the checkered.
11-5-22 CITRUS COUNTY SPEEDWAY
Citrus County hosted the Sandi DeCaire Classic tonight!
We finally rolled out of the trailer ready to race. Our car was fast all night, and it was only the second time Steven had raced a sprint there. He led the heat race for many laps, but ended up finishing second.
Steven was leading the feature AND pulling away from the second and third place cars! Then came a red flag, followed by a yellow, and our engine loaded up. We ran a few more laps, but had to drop out.
However, we received $464 in lap money for leading 10 laps or so.
Steven in the drivers' meeting with his friends Ryan and Scotty Adema.
We had a visit from our ole' friends Buff and Ben Fritz!
11-19-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
A good night for our team! We were fast in practice and trouble-free. Steven started on the pole for the heat and won it going away. He had a straight away+ on second place.
Our first win!
Feature time, and we were hopeful. Steven led from the pole for 20+ laps and was going great. He had a large lead and was lapping good cars.....when the yellow came out. Similar to the last race, the engine loaded up under the yellow and lost some power. It was much better, but I still have to tune that problem the rest of the way out. After fighting with second place for a few laps, we lost the lead but Steven was still fast enough to cross the line in second place after 40 laps.
The track was running very late tonight, so there was no interview or pictures on the front straight. I would have loved to have been there with Steven and our car!
I had heard about this guy for years, so we ended up parking next in the next space and I finally met Chris Turner!
12-3-22 4-17 SPEEDWAY
STEVEN FINISHED OFF THE 2022 SEASON BY WINNING THE SOUTHERN SPRINTCAR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD! HE DROVE VERY WELL, AND TURNED INTO A STEADY FRONT-RUNNER, ESPECIALLY AS THE SEASON MOVED ALONG. HE NEVER PUT A MARK ON OUR CAR, OR ANYONE ELSE'S.
WE FINISHED WITH A HEAT RACE WIN, AND A CAREER-HIGH SECOND PLACE IN THE FEATURE. STEVEN GOT EXPERIENCE LEADING LOTS OF LAPS TOO. OVERALL, HE DROVE LIKE A VETERAN AND I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER WITH HIS PERFORMANCE.
NO CRASHES, BUT WE DID BLOW UP TWO ENGINES, INCLUDING ONE ON THE FINAL NIGHT OF THE YEAR. I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT CAR PREP, AND WE PRESENTED A BETTER CAR AS THE YEAR WENT ALONG. I EXPECT OUR PROGRESS WILL CONTINUE IN 2023 AND WE'LL BE ROCKIN'!
FOR THE RECORD, STEVEN HAD A WILD HEAT RACE, AND FINISHED SECOND WITH NO BRAKES. HE WAS RUNNING THIRD OR FORTH IN THE FEATURE WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED LOCKING UP AND HE DROPPED OUT.
IT WAS A GOOD NIGHT TO SOCIALIZE! WE HAD LOTS OF GREAT FRIENDS STOP BY, INCLUDING DANA BARLOW, GARY GIMMLER, KENYON ZITSKA AND SHERI KROM.
HERE IS SKY, OUR SHOP DOG.
YEP, THAT IS THE MELON MAN!
FRESH FROM THE COMPLETITION OF THE NASCAR SEASON, ROSS CHASTAIN WAS ON HAND TO HELP A FAMILY MEMBER WITH THEIR RACECAR. THEY PITTED A FEW SPOTS FROM US, SO STEVEN AND ROSS HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK RACING.
SO THAT WRAPS UP 2022!
SPRINT CAR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AND 3 TQ FEATURE WINS.
HISTORICAL NOTE: I WON THE TBARA SPRINT CAR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD IN 2012, SO NOW MY SON WINS ONE 10 YEARS LATER.
