Edition 24, July 8th - 2008

Missing In Marshfield

The Berge race team race team loaded up the 97 Taurus and took the long drive from home to the mid state half mile at Marshfield WI. This is the same track that James won his first race last year in September. So with great weather and a holiday weekend there was nothing to make this any better unless there would be something “missing in Marshfield”.

With so many family activities for everyone most of the team could not attend due to other plans so it would be a rare occurrence with Driver Swan and owner Adam being the crew. Hankscraft Gen. Manager Mark Blume drove over from Wausau and offered assistance where he could (I personally think he likes to tor que lug nuts and move car stands). I had family home for a few days so I could not attend, and by reports from others, the race fans were rather spotty in the stands so “people were missing in Marshfield”

The car came off the hauler for practice; the usual banter about what to do and the decision was made to just give it a try as is. The car had been repaired from the previous race at Francis Creek where we bent a valve and had to use a loaner car. By all reports the practice went great and times were relatively fast, so the decision was made to not make any adjustments, just put on a set of fresher tires. We timed in the top five but during the heat race we just plain sucked and driver James report that the “engine was missing in Marshfield”.

James and Adam put their collective heads together and went though the several scenarios of what could be wrong. Thoughts of replacing the carburetor were discussed and dismissed. Perhaps a bad plug wire was suggested. The distributor cap was pulled and examined and the plug wires were pulled and re-routed slightly and that is where; when replacing the plug wire on the left bank on number one cylinder James saw the plug with broken ceramic. A quick replacement and the team car was ready for the feature race.

The feature had us starting on the outside, which is where we have had difficulties all year, but with a car running on eight cylinders we were able to hang with the top five and flirted with the top three for a little while. Bill Prietzel again drove to the front like a man on a mission and looked like a sure winner, but track local Brian Back would not be undone and he held with Bill and using a lot of track savvy he passed Bill on the last of the forty lap feature. We got an inadvertent block from another team and finished fourth. We went to Marshfield to be in victory circle but our car with the winning trophy sitting on it this day would “be missing in Marshfield”.

So we move on, and are frustrated by our lack of a feature win this year. We are now 14 points behind leader Prietzel but looking forward, we feel good about our chances at the next race tracks where we have made a good showing in past years. We will race at Slinger during the upcoming Nationals. Hankscraft joined the team as sponsors at Slinger two years ago on this date so this is our race anniversary with Mid Am racing.

As usual stop by anytime and talk with us, we enjoy it. I can even show you the broken spark plug from Marshfield that I am now carrying in my pocket everyday until the team wins. Sort of my way of reminding me that there are some things in life you cannot control, and perhaps I should have not been “missing in Marshfield”.

Congratulations Brian Back (I use to watch Jim race years ago) and glad to race against you in a yellow free race. We look forward to see all in Kaukauna.

Racing to the Checkers,
Jim