Edition 8, July 21st- 2007

The White Race in Kaukauna

After a great 2 nd place feature showing in front of the sponsor’s hometown track, Dells Raceway Park one week previous, our team was anxious to return to Wisconsin Raceway Park, to prove that our bad mechanical luck was finally behind us. As Mark and I found the line of Mid Am cars parked in the infield, they were all getting ready for their final practice, except for the 97 Berge Chevy. When you approach your sponsored car with the hood and valve covers off, and the driver wrenching on the motor, you know you have a problem. Adam Berge looked at Mark and I, shook his head, and stated, “You don’t want to see what’s wrong”. Broken valve springs had already been replaced and then a bent valve was found on the left bank, and it was not moving.

For a least a few minutes, most of us felt the night was over before it started, in fact some of the tools were being picked up, but James kept up hope. A call was placed to the engine builder and it was determined that it would take two hours to bring up a new head and the Mid Am cars were going to time in less than an hour. If a valve could be found, there was a remote chance the car could be repaired. The motor was drained and I noted the time on my watch. From there it was a flurry of activity as recorded in the picture gallery from this week. Everyone pitched in from pulling the header, to cleaning the block in anticipation of the repaired head assembly being remounted. All other cars went out and timed with Bill Prietzel setting the top mark at 21.073.

The team continued to thrash at the motor. Then a neat thing happened as other Mid Am teams, driver by driver showed up to offer assistance or en quire if any parts or tools were needed. Bobby Gutknecht brought head gaskets and valve tool, manifold gaskets and valve springs came from other teams and some just showed up to see if they could offer any assistance. The valve was replaced, engine put back together, and as the last bolt was still being tightened, the car fired up. I checked my watch again, and it was one hour and 24 minutes since work had started on the car. Lots of bloody knuckles and cuts were noted on the team’s hands. Permission was granted to qualify the car after late model cars were timed, and we turned in a respectable 21.187 tie for third fastest.

In our 10-lap heat race we came forward for a respectable 3 rd place finish, but the car was very tight. Some of us were happy to have the engine hold together with no further problems. The team continued to work on adjusting the suspension in preparation of the feature race.

We were positioned in the 9 th starting spot next to Gutknecht; with Prietzel a few positions back. Fast cars were also ahead of us. The first 9 laps were cars trying to find a line that was comfortable and then the first caution flew for the 77 car. Lap eleven saw a hard wreck with the 49 car and 7 both in the wall and we were in 8 th position. James started to work the car high and low in traffic, and by lap 19, the car was positioned in 4 th. Lap 25 we worked our way into 3 rd, chasing the very fast 10 car with Prietzel challenging us every lap. Lap 29 caution for car 6 wreck and we held 3 rd chasing the 28 car. Just plain hard driving lap after lap allowed Swan to finally get around the 28 and he set his sights on #10. Hard challenge all the way to the end on the outside, but this night the best car won, and we held on for second place. After all the problems this day we were elated to survive. All agreed we do not want to go through this same schedule ever again. The Hankscraft race team would like to thank the Mid Am officials and workers who helped us and special thanks to all the race teams for your support and help during our difficulties. This is what makes this series great!

A well earned four week break will allow the team to do some needed body work and check the engine for fatigue. Then back to Kaukauna for the Blue Race on August 18. After the race I said to Berge; “Hey I thought when we came here today you said we had problems, I don’t see any problems. We got 2 nd and are holding our own in the points.” Adam just looked at me with that sly little smile of his, and said, “see you in a few weeks.”

Racing to the Checkers

Jim