You can see the confidence building on the track. Eric still drives like an owner, as he should. Last year served him some hard lessons. But he also learned where and how he can drive harder.
He had a good start on the night as he finished second in his heat. He took the lead with a few laps to go, but drifted up just enough to let Ryan Mech under him coming out of the fourth turn to the checkers, for the runner up spot.
For the feature, the braintrust of Eric and Justin discussed the track and set up with Cody's input. Brady "The Jack Man" Krutchen must have put the car up and down four times. They kept making the old man grind tires. Eric seemed to want to change a lot, Justin and Cody took a more pragmatic approach.
They hit on something as the car was strong. He started in the seventh slot and it was obvious he missed a shift again. But the fan favorite Lighting McQueen car gave him a nice, square shot in the rear, helping to launch him forward at the start. We are now thinking it may not be Eric, but actually the clutch that is the problem.
Vince Bartolotta took off and was never challenged for the lead. Dominic Troyan ran second (as best I can recall, Frankie Hoch may have been in there too, but expired, perhaps). Meanwhile Eric waited patiently behind Dan Troyan as the leaders took off. Eric finally started tagging Dan in the back (much later than his race-driver fans would have liked, several told us later).
The rest of the field was breathing down both of their necks, but if you protected the bottom you were not going to lose any real estate. Last week's winner, Ryan Sullivan was trying to run a groove up and could stay even with people, but he could not gain positions that way either. Anyone one else who tried that groove lost spots within this pack.
Finally, with about five laps left, Eric got around Dan and set sail for Dominic. He caught the younger Troyan coming to the white and slipped under him coming out of four.
Eric held on for a second place finish. Vince, according to the team had almost three-quarters of the field lapped. It was another good night for EBR.
NOTES:
It was a special night as we said good-bye to our friend Owen Leatherberry (pictured with Eric) the son of Dawn and Greg. We've been friends for his whole life and have had some really cool racing adventures through the years, be it Owen and Eric in a kart or Greg in a Midget. Before the next APS race Owen will be off to the Merchant Marine Academy. We are very proud of him!
Eric to Justin: "Loose is when the rear end comes out." Apparently Justin is more of an F-1 guy and was looking to hear, "Oversteer." Thank goodness they got this figured out after a year and a quarter together.
It was great to see our old karting friend, Bob Ropke in the pits, helping out an IRA team.
Thanks to Andrew S. our first contact through the EBR site! He started his email like this... "This is 1 of Eric's newest fans from Sheboygan who follows all the action there at Beaver Dam every week..." Andrew is our first fan among people we have never met! Thanks a lot Andrew, you made our day!
We are racing Friday with the Lucas Oil Midwest Late Models and Saturday with the classic 6 division show both at Beaver Dam Raceway! Go to www.wismotorsports.net for details!
As always, a big thanks goes to all of our sponsors: Dog Guard Out of Sight Fencing, Storage & Handling Systems, Quest Civil Engineers LLC, Club LaMark (Madison’s Race Car Bar), Bullseye Games, BRS Radiator Machine & Fabrication, Ground Up Lifts, Wilcenski Farms, Grandpa Blumer and Blumer Antiques.
And thanks to the crew and those who have had a hand in the car this year: Justin Hoium, Cody Weisensel, Mike Hughes, Greg Leatherberry, Joe Wipperfurth, Brian Benisch, Bill Tefft, Brady Kruchten, Phil Espenes and Stephanie Blumer.