3D Tames the Wingless World!
by Paul Bredenberg

First heat results: 45-17-24-12-54-80-95
Second heat results: 55-09-20-34-87-33-36-1
Main Event results: 90-95-20-24-55-45-17-34-87-36-80-33-54-12-1

On July 24, 2010, the CARC ventured into the 3/8 mile oval of Colorado National Speedway sans wings for the annual Hall of Fame/CVOR race meet. This is always an interesting evening as some of the drivers really enjoy the challenge of running without the aerodynamic aids, and some drivers just really detest it! It does make for a lot of work for each team, and re-springing the cars for less aero downforce just one week creates long-term vs. short-term decisions. As a spectator, however, the wingless night is a lot of fun to watch and usually creates some of our most competitive races. This night was no exception!

Fifteen cars arrived in the CNS pits, including a second appearance for Matt "The Pebble" Burton, back in a #36 car, but this time the ex-JD Gresham black Theron Bredeson owned coupe. Matt ran the car in Pueblo and is still massaging the car into submission. He's got a little way to go, but I'm sure he'll return to the Rookie of the Year performance we expect of him. Also on hand this week was Matt Devich, all the way from Fairplay with his #80 coupe. He took several weeks off to completely redesign and rebuild his suspension, lowering the car several inches. The work was worth it! Also making a debut appearance was Tom Adler with his BEAUTIFUL #1 black Model A coupe. Another Adler masterpiece, this car looked but gorgeous, but in tech inspection proved to be about 150 pounds too light. It was agreed that Tom could race but would have to start (and finish) at the back of the field. Tom also agreed to the arrangement. I'm sure the car will pick up the necessary weight for future events.

The first heat rolled out on the track at 5:00 with mostly cloudy skies and warm (but not hot) temperatures. It was a very pleasant day. Scott Rhoades in his #17 coupe was on the pole position with Carl Vair's #45 outside. The rest of the field included Jaime Bubak (back in the #12), Chad Guilford (#24), Cris Muhler (#95), Devich, and Joe James, Jr. (#54). At the green flag, Scott jumped into the early lead. Vair was feeling the car out, not wanting to risk hurting anything early on. Bubak headed for the outside lane and Muhler was looking for a way past her. At lap 2, however, the black flag was shown to the yellow #95 coupe, and Muhler left the track. Later, I found out that the gas cap o-ring had been off-center and the car was flinging gas out the top. Officials apparently didn't like that idea! Meanwhile, Vair had pulled up outside of Rhoades and after a three-lap battle, Vair took over the top spot. The car was working on the outside lane very well, thank you. That left Rhoades desperately defending his second position with Guilford, who was finding his car to his liking. This was a great battle to watch, and continued for most of the rest of the race. Jaime was running a close fourth, hoping somebody up front might bobble and let her through! JJJ wasn't happy with his car and just held on to the end. Devich, while finishing last on the track, was making visible progress with the car and finished the 10-lap heat without being overlapped! Final finishing order was Vair-Rhoades-Guilford-Bubak-James-Devich-Muhler.

The second heat was classified by CNS as the 10-lap Trophy Dash, but carried CARC points. A great-looking field was headed by Gary Land (#55) and Bryan Gossel (#34), fresh off his I-25 Main Event victory. Following them was Chet Graham (#33), Rich Bubak (#20), Frank Denning III (#09), Burton (#36), Joe St. Peter (#87), and Adler (#1). At the start, Land leapt into the first lead, while coming out of turn 4 to start lap 2, Graham's coupe bobbled a bit and fell down the field quickly. Land headed off into the distance while Gossel and Bubak had a momentous battle for second. Denning was running a patient race, waiting for Bubak and Gossel to finish their skirmish. St. Peter ran behind them, feeling the car out and just enjoying the ride. Matt Burton was all elbows inside the car. Obviously, the #36 needs a little more work. And work is just what Matt was doing. He was battling the car and he was just looking for a points finish. Finally, around lap 6, Bubak pulled out ahead of Gossel, who was "dirt-trackin'" the #34 Vicky. Viciously loose, Bryan kept working with the car, but Denning went around and headed for Bubak. 3D make quick work of the #20 Vicky and headed out after Land, who was carrying about a 6-length lead. Frankie pulled as close as he could, but ran out of laps. Gary took the win and the trophy. It was his first hardware of the season and well-earned. Land drove clean out in fresh air, and after needing some good luck, he found it for a change!

The Main Event started after the CVOR cars ran exhibition laps, and I can tell you that if Joe Lehman had been running with our club, he'd be right in the mix of things. His car actually kept the right front wheel on the ground, and Gentleman Joe must have been having a super time in there. The car was ROMPING! Anyway, it was now partly cloudy and still very mild out. We were to run the entire Main in daylight. It was only about 7:40 when the cars came out of staging for the event. The field started out with Denning on the pole and Rhoades on the outside. Following them were: Land, Guilford, Rich Bubak, Jaime Bubak, Gossel, JJJ, JSP, Muhler, Graham, Burton, Adler and Devich. Denning jumped into the early lead as Rhoades got a bad start. The field looked tremendous! I still love them without the wings! Frankie, who generally doesn't like running without the wing, had the field covered early, and while he wasn't storming away, he drew away from the rest with smooth driving. The car never looked out of shape. On lap 2, Jaime, who had been running very strong, started blowing clouds of billowing white smoke out the left side of the engine compartment. Since the car still ran strong and sounded good, I thought maybe a valve cover gasket had blown out, but it turned out to be a power steering pressure hose. She pulled into the infield on lap 3, her race done. Tom Adler then spun in turn one on lap 3, with no damage to anybody, to bring out the first caution period. 3D, as I suspected, chose the outside lane with Gary Land on the inside. I had noticed that Muhler was patiently moving up.

On the restart, 3D pulled away again. Joe James had decided that he had had enough of fighting his recalcitrant machine, and pulled it into the pits on lap 6, to wait for another night and another race. Adler then spun a second time on lap 7 in turn 3. Gossel had one whale of a time getting his car to stop, having to avoid St. Peter, whose #87 made a bunch of interesting moves to slow down. Time for clean shorts. . . Adler decided that he should wait for another race, too, and headed for the pits during the yellow. That left 12 cars left for the restart, which saw Denning choose the outside of Land again. He jumped into the lead at the green. Now, however, Muhler, who had been slowly moving through the field, was looking for a way around Land. He got inside Gary on lap 11 and set out after 3D. I watched Cris as he tried several different lines, finding a way to attack the white and purple machine. He was closing, however slowly. On lap 13, Graham, who'd had a very quiet and lonely race, found the pearl coupe very quiet - deadly quiet, in fact - as he rolled to a stop on the turn 2 apron. The engine had quit, and Chet had to be pushed into the pits. On the restart, 3D chose the outside again, this time with Muhler alongside. Frank again pulled ahead. Once behind the 09, Muhler really wanted to take the outside and try a pass. Frankie loves the outside, and doesn't give it up easily. This time was no exception. Muhler could not force his car around Frank, and it just wouldn't stick on the inside long enough to pass. Coming out of turn 2, Land had his car slip up the track, right into the path of the oncoming Gossel, who had a real "pucker moment", as his front wheel hit Gary's rear, and with some brilliant working of the wheel, Bryan got the car back under control by the time he got to turn 3. Whew! Great Save! Rich Bubak, in the meantime, was running a solitary, lonely race in third. The battle for the lead kept most peoples' attention.

Further back, there was a super battle for fourth. Guilford, Land, Rhoades and Vair could have been covered by a blanket for the final five laps. It was an exciting exchange, with all four drivers taking the head of that pack at some point or another. In the end, Frank Denning claimed his second Main Event win of the season, working hard to fend off the attacks of Muhler, who just didn't quite have enough for 3D this evening. Guilford finally nailed down the hard-earned fourth place. Final finishing order was: Denning, Muhler, Bubak, Guilford, Land, Vair, Rhoades, Gossel, St. Peter, Burton, Devich, Graham, James, Jaime Bubak, and Adler. Scott Rhoades was awarded the "Lucky Dog" from 44th Auto Service.

In post-race interviews, JJJ lamented the setup and said he'd get it straightened out for the next race meet at CNS (which won't be until September). He didn't bring enough spring choices to get the car to work. Gary Land said that it was the hardest he'd had to race in a long time, but it was also a lot of fun! JSP was all smiles as he told me how he had tried desperately to get underneath Gossel, and could never make it stick. BUT it was a lot of FUN! Chet Graham had been bitten by the "battery gremlins" and had no voltage to power the car. Talk about a good candidate for "Hard Luck Award" - AGAIN! Gossel explained that after the Main Event, he had to be pushed into the pits because he was stuck in high gear, and also he had NO BRAKES - and hadn't had them for the second half of the race! His right front pad had worn completely out and not only had he gone metal-to-metal, but the piston had come out enough to leak fluid! Great driving there, huh!?!?!? Guilford was pleased with the fourth place, considering that the car was "pushing like a dump truck"! He's not a fan of the wingless event, and I predict he will win his first Main Event yet this year. He's real close! Jaime told me her car felt the best it has all year and can't wait for the next race. I was so glad to see her reverse her decision last time out at CNS.

It was my honor and privilege to bring my special VIP, our long-time veteran and 1968 President, Bob Harrington, with me. As I introduced him around to those in the pits, he was warmly welcomed and chatted up by the current Club members. Bob raced with the club starting in 1949, but that pesky Army commitment interfered for the next few years, and became a full-time driver in 1952 (the year I was born) and raced until the end of the 1968 season. A lifetime member of the CARC, nicer guys are harder to find. He was a dedicated racer and member. I hope I'll get the chance to bring him again next summer. By the way, he was impressed by the level of competition and quality of the cars in the club today.

So now we head off to Cheyenne's Big Country Speedway for the July 31 race. The tight confines of the 1/5 mile oval make for good racing and the need for heads-up driving! Hope to see you there!