After a wild Feature race, and an equally crazy week, we scored our best feature finish this season with a 7th place finish at Barberton Speedway Saturday night.On Thursday, I was diagnosed with an eye issue that required some treatment. Then, while loading the car on Saturday, the winch died. These events were just the beginning.
When I exited I-76, a driver signaled to me that something was banging the back door of my trailer. Upon inspection, I discovered that the car had come untied. I actually drew the low pill (for the second week in a row) and started the heat on the pole. There were several faster cars in the race, I ended up 5th, with the leaders in sight, and was very happy with that finish. One year ago those cars would have been in my mirror and getting ready to lap me.
Things would change in the feature. In the first turn, the car in front of me slowed abruptly and I hammered him hard. One lap later, one car spun going into Turn 1 and Bob Copen Struck the car. I was literally inches behind Copen and couldn't stop, and I struck the back of Copen's car hard.
The car suffered both cosmetic and suspension damage, but was OK to continue. At that point, I did something that I have never done in 14 seasons of racing. I dropped to the rear, deliberately putting myself in 19th position, as I had a feeling things were going to get worse before they would get better. I was right. Several crashes eliminated a number of cars. Cars spun, struck others and one climbed onto another. I also passed some cars, and ended up in 7th place, our best feature finish of the season.
One race remains in the Northern Ohio Legends point race, and I have a chance to pick up the 9th place position. More on that later this week.
