Results from the May 20,2001 Race

This was the 2000-2001 season finale of the Vintage HO Racing Series.  After 3 races in a row with increasing attendance, this race only brought in 15 racers.  The semiannual Parippany slot car show had a lot to do with that.  But while many regulars missed the race, there were still a couple of new faces making their VHORS debut.  I think there have been new racers at every race this season--which is very good for the series.

Among those not present were JB, Joe Selinsky, Joe Hoopes, and John Hoopes.  Each of those racers has won at least one race this season, and made the top 4 a minimum of 2 other times.  This was great news to the racers who did make it!  Everyone had a good chance to place higher, and those who usually finish 5th-10th had a shot at the podium.

With such a small field the day seemed more casual than usual.  There was a lot of track time available, and I think everybody got to try out all the cars they wanted to.  We were also able to get a lot more pictures of cars on the track then we were at last month's race.  As expected the racing was fun and tight, and a little brutal (especially in the post-race crash-n-burns for prizes--just ask Gage).  Every group managed to put a car on the floor at least once.  Big cars made contact with little cars, and the little cars won some of those battles.

Track owner Kevin Chesney was on a mission to win this one on his home track.  Tom Bowman, who has raced well this year, hadn't won one yet and also wanted the victory.  Kevin eeked out Tom for the pole.  Team Bigstuff qualified third and fourth, and separated by only 5 sections.  Larry Schenk after a long layoff, and "Mose" Marsley rounded off the top six racers who were able to get 6+ laps in qualifying.  

The qualifying results were important, and not just for bragging rights.  Qualifying determined not only race groupings, but lane selection.  Higher qualifiers chose first.  With the pole position, Kevin chose to run the gutters first.  And those who've been to Paperboy know those blue and yellow lanes are tough.  So Kevin got to run the middle 2 lanes last, Tom got to finish in one, JJ got to finish in the easier (yellow) gutter, and I got to race yellow then blue to finish.  Kevin and Tom were strong from the start.  JJ had bad luck from the start.  Not only to start in blue (his choice), but just seconds into the race, and after getting through the elevated section, his Cheetah got loose with me right behind him.  I was forced to drive through him (luckily staying on), and delayed the marshall in re-slotting the car.  Later in that first heat, his car jumped into my lane at the worst possible moment.  It was as I was gunning it down the main straight, and just before he entered it.  His car hit the floor.  After that I had some trouble of my own.  Tom Bowman's Lola was about to lap me (again), and I was trying to shake him.  He just got by me as we were heading into the curve before the main straight.  I was trying to make up the ground right there, so I dove into the corner hard and heard my panel van it his Lola.  You would think his Lola would have deslotted (or worse), but it was my panel van that was taken out!  At the end of one, Tom had 13, Kevin 12, me 11, and JJ 9.  

The next heat had Kevin and Tom in the gutters, and JJ and I in the middle.  JJ and I knew we had to race this heat well or we'd be done.  I managed to pull 13 in red, and JJ was much happier with 12 in green.  But Kevin and Tom each managed 12 in the gutters.  At lunch Tom was on top with 25, Kevin and I were tied at 24 (but Kevin was ahead), and JJ had 21.  In the third heat, Kevin and JJ came out strong with 13's.  Tom, in blue, did a terrific job to get 12.  I could only manage 11 in the other gutter.  

Going into the final heat of the 2000-2001 VHORS season, Kevin and Tom were on the same lap, I was 2 behind with 35, and JJ was one lap behind me.  There was no way I could catch Tom and Kevin while I was running in blue.  I could only hope to hold onto 3rd or 4th.  This was a showdown between Tom and Kevin.  Each was driving one of the favorable middle lanes.  It was a long 3 mintutes.  I spent some time trying to get another lap on JJ (couldn't), some time trying to keep Tom from getting one more lap up on me (managed), and a lot of time chasing Kevin's Lola trying to get back the lap he added on me (got it!).  Sparing no drama, there was a track call with 6 seconds left.  I was near the end of the main straight, Tom was close behind, Kevin was at the far end of the main straight.  I think each of us was surveying the track, and trying to calculate in our heads if we would be able to complete that lap.  There were no deslots in the last 6 seconds.  Desperate to get that last lap in, my panel van, Tom's Lola, and Kevin's Lola came tearing around the last curve one after the other.  The last few seconds ticked away as each of us pulled tight on our controller triggers to get the last few feet.  Look below to see how it turned out.