6/28/2012
Sprint Source
2012 Speedweek Recap
2012 Speedweek Recap
Round 1 had the team hustling from Nashville, Tn and picking Jim up at the Airport to getting to Waynesfield Speedway in Ohio by Heat time. The team knew it was best to use this race as a test and tune for Eldora Speedway the next night. Jim went out for the heat with no hot laps and not a chance to even fire the motor in the car. We threw a quick set-up under the car and hoped for the best. The car was close but Jim did not make the transfer. We then started back in the B Main and finished mid pack, a total of 42 cars were on hand. Round 2 the team was ready for their first ever visit to the Eldora Speedway. Jim turned a fast lap of 13.90 during hot laps. However, a new procedure of qualifying in groups of 6 did not work in Jims favor and thus had us starting in the last row of our heat. Jim was just unable to transfer from the heat and later finished mid pack again during the B main, a total of 37 cars on hand. Round 3 brought Jim and the team to our first visit to Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana for the World of Outlaw event. Crew Chief Bob Thompson had the car set-up perfect for the qualifying run and Jim turned laps just a half second off of the 410's in his 360 motor. Jim would not make it out of his heat race and started the B main toward the back. Jim was having a strong run in the B and outran a few 410's before the race ended when Jim got loose out of turn 4 and Danny Smith having a strong run off the corner turned Jim around and Jim hit an infield barrier. The car was not hurt bad and Jim was scored 10th.
Round 4 brought the team a much needed rest but not the kind they were looking for when the USCS race at Clarksville, TN was rained out. The team took the time to visit J&J Auto Racing shop in McKenzie, TN to see the progress of our new car being built. Thanks for the hospitality Bonnie and Jack. Round 5 took the team back to Columbus Speedway in Mississippi for USCS Speedweek race. Bad pill draw seems to be the norm this year and Jim started last row in the heat race. Disaster would strike in the heat race as Alex Hanks and Jim were drag racing down the front straightaway with Jim on the inside and Alex on the outside. As the two entered turn one at the fast 1/4 mile Alex went high but jumped the right rear of Clint Weiss who was running just in front of us. Alex took off with a number of barrel rolls and climbed the fence before crashing back down on top of the wall. Alex had to be cut from the car and was unconscious when paramedics arrived. Alex was transferred to a local hospital where he was alert but injured. We wish Alex the best in his recovery. Jim was able to start the A main and was running mid pack when a Jim took the high line to get around a car but they lost it in front of Jim and he climbed a tire and just about destroyed the car. The car was still ok to race but Jim was just able to bring the battered car home in 15th place. After further review of the damage the team felt that Round 6 at Columbus Speedway would need to be missed to repair the car and took it home.
Overall, the team learned alot during the week and improved. Ohio and Eldora was a good run to test the car and have it ready now for the Kings Royal mid July. The team really missed on the gearing but got it worked out to have better results on the next return to Tony Stewarts big 1/2 mile. Lawrenceburg and the Outlaw show were incredible and a large field of cars were on hand. Jim in a 360 showed he can be fast when the car is hooked up. Columbus was just plain scary, not only was the Alex Hanks crash bad but Terry Gray had a slider go bad and sent Justin Webb flying thru the air and completely destroyed his car. It seemed like a wreckfest and just getting out of there was an acomplishment. Would like to send out a thank you to the two hardest working crew members, crew chief Bob Thompson and Caleb Thompson.
Submitted By: Jim Perricone