Posted 03 March 2010 - 02:21 PM
Hi Everyone, I wrote this because i have too much time right now so i am posting this just for fun.It is MY CHECKPOINT CUP 2010
When i arrived in Southern California a week before the races started at Buena Park Raceway just getting off of the plane was a shock.The warm air that i felt on the jetway was a message that it was summer weather that was awaiting me. How could this get any better?Racing in the Checkpoint Cup and getting out of winter.
I first went to Bryan Warmack's shop to see what was going on.Bryan was in a very painful looking thrash having just got back from a trip to Australia to visit his daughter. As many know, Bryan has a really big heart and also friends that like to race his cars.It got a little crazy but in the end it all got done.
They told me that there was a warm up race the next day for F1 and Can Am so i got up and headed for the raceway.I had the Can am that i ran at The Sano and an F1 that was just a loaner.What i learned at this opening race was that Jonathan Forsyth,with his dad Steve wrenching, would be tough in all of the races and Duran was there and he wanted to make up for last year when he got shut out of a win twice by inches.My Warmack Can Am car ran great and i finished 2nd.It was punched everywhere and just needed more motor.I figured with a good handout motor i would be ok.My F1 car was surprisongly good and i had a good second place going when it launched coming out of the bank in white and was bent.This is the same thing that happened to me last year at this race so i was on alert.It was great to see all of my old and newer friends and i was glad to be able to participate in this race that is to honor Bill Steube Sr. who is Mike's father, and Team Checkpoint. Many of the racers, including Doug Matthes did not run in the warmup and had their cars sorted out.
By tuesday some of the out of town guys were starting to arrive.John Gorski set up and got serious about the king track.He had come to the race with one purpose in mind.He was there to win the Can Am race and get his name on the Checkpoint Cup.He had come close last year and wanted to finish the job he started.John is a great guy who is meticulous in his preperation and his cars are like jewelry.Jay Guard and Greg Wells [cheater to many of us] had a harrowing escape from the east coast to finally arrive.Sano Dave and Roger Schmidt finally got in from Chicago.By Now everyone was going crazy trying to find the right car, tire ,gear ,motor,body and driver to make this thing work.Don't forget that there were six races with 6 different cars.
On Friday the races started with NASCAR on the flat track.I love this track and it is the one that i won the coupe race last year.I knew that winning any race at this gathering was going to be all but impossible requiring a flat out miracle so here we go.Bryan had built some new cars for this class for Himself,Mill and Phil.He gave me the car that he won last year so i practiced with this.I tried many tires and combos and finally found something that really helped. I had brought the falcon 7 motor that i ran in Chicago and put it in for the race and it was good.It felt great to TQ but it was a tough race.The way the rotation went i fell way behind but Rick Salvino who was race director said that Jonathan Forsyth had made a virtual call of the winner and it was me.At the time i was driving i thought it would be nice but he was crazy and there was no way.In the end it was down to me and Phil Nyland who was running a fantastic race and was on my heels.I had to finish perfect to stay ahead of him for the win.Great Racing.
The Coupe race was next.I was running the Warmack car that had been put away since i won with it last year.The only change i made was that i put in the motor i had just won the NASCAR race with and it felt a little better.I had been struggling with the car in practice to get the lap times i needed so i was not that confident.I knew it was going to be hard to make a sit out in the A.Thankfully, i just made the field and it was very tight.Congrats to Bryan here for his TQ and it looked like he picked the right car.I was behind Doug,Duran ,and Jonathan.I had a great start on the good lanes and ran side by side with Johnathan for 3 heats.I then pulled out to a 2 lap lead but knew i needed at least 4 laps to hold off Duran who was coming on good lanes when i finished in white and red.I could not hold him off with my heavy car compared to his retropro lightweight that he somehow got to handle and win.I am thrilled that i finished 2nd in this one.
Retropro was up next, and this was a nighttime race.I had never run a retropro car before and it was very exciting.I had to reprogram my brain to run at higher speed.I was stunned by the increased handling that came with the speed.The car i was running seemed like a rocket but i could not get it any faster than 3.7 and i knew that that would not be good enough.This was a race of machines and avoidance tactics.Jay Henry was practicing with his Foamy built machine and let me try it.Now this is what i was looking for.This car was so smooth and easy to drive it was amazing.Jay told me that he was not going to race it and loaned it to me.When i qualified the car i only went 3.53 which only put me in the B but i knew the car could do more.Although Duran seemed untouchable and Phillipe was flying i was looking forward to the race.The B was fast and furious and i got a great start with a good heat when my motor started to act up.I had a hanging brush that cut my motor in and out and that was my race.The A was one of the craziest races i have seen.Cars were everywhere flying across the building, hitting turn marshalls and drivers.Doug got hit pretty hard in his side while driving and Duran took a hit in the lower belt area without flinching,PDL had a terriffic run going and in the last minute he got crashed and bent the car taking away his great 2nd place finish..Great racing and survival Duran.
Next race was another day.This was Saturday and it was Can Am day.The place was packed with racers and visitors and the carnival atmosphere was in full swing.It was great to see many of the old pros that showed up to say hi and check out the action.It was especially nice to see John Cukras who has been down lately not feeling well.John was in great spirits and was there all day.Fred Larimer, my old Team Russkit fellow member was there also.I was having fits with my car like most of the racers as the track had tightened up and everyone was trying to find the right tire.I bought two handout motors,tried both of them and ran the second one.I just could't find the magic combination and i qualified 8th putting me in the B.I was in the A until the last person up bumped me,that being John Gorski who was TQ with and unbelievable 4:17 to nick Pete Zimmerman who ripped off a 4:18 was happy to see Sano Dave was in the A also.Duran was in the B with me also so i knew it wouldn't be easy moving up with one sit out.As it turned out it didn't matter much as i had nothing but problems and dropped out.A huge Congrats to John who did the impossible and shut out Doug Matthes and Duran and Bryan on their home track.
That night most of the racers and more showed up for the Gala dinner at Knotts Berry Farm.It turned out to be way more fun than expected and everyone had a blast.It got crazy with everyone talking and laughing.having a great time.This was such a good idea and well worth the effort.
The next day was the last for the 2010 round of The Cup.There were still two slots that needed to be filled on the trophy and we were all going to give it our best shot.F1 time was here.Everyone was on the track trying to sort out their F1's and i was watching Bryan running 3 cars around .He did not know which one to run and was trying to figure it out.He had one that kept going over the wall by the doughnut trying to land in the garbage can by the pit area.It tried to land in the basket at least 5 times.The other two looked pretty good.Bryan told me i could try the red one, the one that likes the floor ,and he told me not to launch it or specifically don't break it.Well of course it went over the wall and snapped the guide off right away so i went over and put the car down.When Bryan saw the broken guide he got upset but i know he had cracked it first LOL.When tech was closing and i was the last one i was handed a car to run and teched it in.TQ was a 5:19 at the time and Bryan ran a 5:36 when i went up.I had not turned one lap with this car so the first lap was a 5;35 next a 5;25 then a 5;20 putting me in 2nd.I started pushing it and came off but had time for a few more laps when Bryan jumped on top of the car in the lead on and ended my run saying it was fast enough and he did not want the car broken.I was laughing hysterically as it was one of the funniest things ever.I was really happy that Bryan made the A.In the race,Duran, Johnathan and Doug took off like bullets and i could not run with them.They had too much motor in the race as mine was not as good as when i was alone on the track.I kept thinking it would be nice if something happened to someone so i could podium if i could hold off Gorski.Well,it wasn't long till Johnathan was in the pits and i was in 3rd.Then there was a huge bang as Doug's car launched into the deadman and i thought here comes second, but they put him on, no damage.Unbelievable,anyone else would have been out of the race.I was super happy with 3rd.
One last race,The jail door cars.I had seen Paul Sterret running his Jaildoor around and i knew he had one of the cars to beat.Mill also looked great and i was not feeling too confident as their cars looked a lot smoother than mine.In Qualifying i ran a few laps and they were so slow that i panicked and just started punching this thing for all it was worth and i got it to hop around for a 5th place spot in the A.In the race it was pretty much the same.I drove the wheels off my car and came up with a 4th place which ended my run at Checkpoint Cup 2010.
I want to give a special thanks to Rick Salvino, Mike Who, Paul Sterrett.Mill Conroy, Roger Schmitt, Brian Johnson all who race directed and Lenore and Cheater and Keith Tanaka.These people all put in a tremendous effort to insure that this race was a success and i hope that we can all get together next year and do it again.Thank you Philippe for being my friend and supporting me all of these years.Bryan, i had a blast and you made it happen.
I would like to encourage all retro racers and those thinking about joining the fun that is retro .I want to thank and congratulate all of the racers who are fierce competitors that make it fun.Next year,all of you that are locked into winter should make plans to be in California and attend this event if at all possible You will be glad you did.I can tell you that Me and Sano and Gorski had a great time at Disneyland on that 80 degree January day.
Howie Ursaner
