AUMEN POUNCES AT WESTERN SPEEDWAY

 

The “Tire Fryer” sharpened his claws and took a swipe at the competition at Western Speedway over the weekend. The Island Racemasters 44s sprint car driver was frustrated in finishing in 2nd position in the last 2 races at the flat 4/10ths oval, but it didn’t look good for a victory on Friday night, the first of a 2 night show. The Finning Cat sponsored race car had a good hot lap session and then Aumen qualified with a decent 4.13 second time early in the qualifying session. The team thought it would hold up for quick time, but Randy Price laid down a blistering 13.629 lap, breaking Aumen’s 13.669 from last year for a new track record. So crew chief Dale Taylor knew some adjustments had to be made. He had the crew changing tire pressures while he fidgeted with the cross-weight, hoping to loosen the car up in the turns.

With 3rd quick time, we assumed the ABC Recycling sponsored sprinter would start outside on the front row in the A dash, but the track promoters put up some money for the winner and the race started straight up, with Price on the pole and Aumen 3rd. The start was a mess, with Price charging to the lead before the start finish line, but the flag man let it go and the 29 car cruised to the win, with the 44s tailing the field.

With 8 classes of race cars performing before a relatively sparse crowd, we had lots of time to look the car over and make more adjustments for the only other WILROC race for Aumen that night, the A heat. Aumen would start 5th. We expected him to move forward, but the car was extremely tight, ploughing through the corners and losing positions. After a few laps, Aumen found himself at the back of the field, trying desperately to find a line through the turns that worked. He wad not successful. He got out of the car and told the crew “I don’t know what you did to this thing, but it has gone from bad to junk”. The crew were scratching their heads wondering what could possibly be wrong, until Bob Windsor happened to push the right front wheel. It was very hard to turn, so pushed harder. Still tight. He tried the left front. It was also tight but not nearly as tight as the right front. He mentioned it to Dale Taylor, who took a close look at it then chatted with his dad Stu. They tried a few things, talked with the driver, then tried a few more things, then concluded that the brake calipers were faulty and were binding on the brake rotor. This would cause the car to pull to the right at entry to the corner, upsetting the balance and creating a problem for Aumen as the car was going right instead of left at the crucial entrance to the turn.

Fortunately the crew had the next morning to rebuild the calipers and check the brakes out carefully. We were lucky. On a regular night we would have no way to fix the problem as the parts were in Duncan, not in the hauler.

So the IRM44s team returned to the track on Saturday night with some hope that they had found and fixed the problem. They had done just that. The E&B Helicopters sponsored rocket lined up in 7th position for the start of the feature race, after about a 4 hour wait for the other classes to complete their features. The CAT car had its claws out from the drop of the green flag, passing the always quick 33j of Jeff Montgomery by lap 4. Two laps later Aumen powered by the Darren Yates driven 91 car for 3rd position. Yates is a good friend of Aumen, but does not let him by without a fight. The 44s then settled in behind the 42 car of Guy Barrett for the next 10 laps until the yellow flew for an incident on the track. Montgomery was right behind Aumen and was quick off the mark on the restart, surprising Aumen by passing him before the cone, but Aumen was not to be denied, taking the position back 2 laps later.

Aumen, now in 2nd position, stalked Randy Vincent in the 2 car for the lead. In 2 laps he powered by him on the outside, taking the lead for good on lap 20. The race was essentially over as the 44s was able to pass at will lapped cars and pull away from the field. It was a dominating performance, with Aumen taking the chequered flag over 3 seconds ahead of Barrett, the 2nd place finisher.

The entire crew was ecstatic with the win. It has been a frustrating year, with the wreck in Williams Lake denying them of what seemed like a sure win, then the problems in setting up a bent then rebuilt race car for the next 3 races, leading to a 4th then 2 -2nd place finishes. Given Aumen’s bridesmaid finishes, he was presented with a nice dress by an old friend in the pits Friday night. Aumen took it in stride, but was more than happy to turn it over to Barrett Saturday night for his bridesmaid’s finish, with instructions that he could only pass it on when he wins a feature. The drive of the 42 car is very hungry for a win, so he does not need any more motivation now. He knows he will have to finish ahead of the 44s car but he will be very determined. Watch for him this weekend!

The WILROC Series finally gets to race at Saratoga Speedway this coming Saturday night. It is our home track, yet Aumen has never won here. The tight tri-oval is a tough place to get around, especially starting from 7th place or worse. It is narrow. Each turn is very different, so it is hard to set the car up to turn well. Aumen loves driving there and is determined to get a win before the team sponsors, who mainly do business in Campbell River. So come out and see if he can do it. Watch for some daring outside passes; Aumen’s specialty.

The race car will be on display at Finning Caterpillar’s premises on Willow Street in Campbell River all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning, so go over and take a look if you have the time. It has some battle scars, but it still looks very fast.

The crew looks forward to seeing you after the races on Saturday night!

AUMEN ONE BACK AT WESTERN SPEEDWAY

Scott Aumen, pilot of the Island Racemasters 44s Finning Caterpillar sprinter reluctantly settled for another 2nd place finish in the feature race at Western Speedway last Saturday night. Rain threatened the event early but the sun came out by mid afternoon, drying the track for the racing card of 6 classes. It was a LONG evening due to the large number of classes. Why do racing promoters think that racing fans like sitting on a hard board for 6 hours? Shorten up the programme so the people can enjoy the races and get home by 10 PM!

Aumen timed in early and ended up 3rd quick. After badly blistering the left rear tire the previous race, he might have been thinking “tire management”, but that is not really his way of racing. Scott only knows one way- go for it as hard as he can, put on a show for the fans and leave nothing on the track. Holding back for position is just not in his play book.

The A dash was uneventful- as usual. The Ketza Pacific Construction sponsored 44s started 2nd and finished 2nd- no surprise there.

The fast heat was more interesting, with Aumen lining up in 6th spot. At the green he was on the move, passing 4 cars, including the always quick 33j of Jeff Montgomery, to end up 2nd. The driver was happy with the handling so little was done on the car to prepare it for the feature. It was a long wait, but finally the field pushed off for the green, with Aumen on the outside of row 4, right behind Montgomery. By lap 10 the Mid Island Engine powered 44s was in 3rd place, right behind Montgomery. On lap 12, Montgomery took the lead. Two laps later Aumen moved in to 2nd place. Lap 15 saw a red flag for a crash involving the 29 and 91 cars, with Yates spinning into the back chute wall. His immaculate sprinter was badly damaged, but Randy Price’s car was untouched. Yates was very unhappy about the incident.

The IRM44s team was thinking that Aumen would now have a chance to pull off one of his patented starts, but Montgomery was ready for him and held him off. Aumen pressed but eventually the 33j pulled away to take the chequered flag for the 2nd race in a row. Aumen was disappointed with his result, but had to be happy with the evening, as he scored 1 more point than Montgomery and has climbed to the top of the WILROC points battle for the first time this year.

So the IRM crew and drive will be doing some thinking and planning for the next race. Last year at this time we had 3 victories. This year we have none. The competition is very fierce, with many cars capable of winning. The 33j crew is very experienced. With Montgomery a 2 time WILROC champion and also an NSRA champion, he knows how to drive and when to go for the front. He and Aumen are very evenly matched, with starting track position giving Montgomery the last 2 wins. We have to figure out how to set the car up so Aumen can pass him in the feature, not just the heat race.

Our next race is back at Western Speedway on July 18-19. There will be up to 8 classes of cars racing so it will be 2 long nights, with lots of waiting for other classes. After that we finally get to our home track, Saratoga Speedway for our first race there on July 26. The Grant Signs decaled sprinter will be displayed at Finning Tractor for a few days before the race, so drop in and take a look at the new colour scheme, then come to the speedway to cheer Aumen on to victory.

The entire team thanks all of the sponsors who have worked with us this year. As you know we had a bad wreck in Williams Lake that depleted our spare parts and then some, but thanks to your support we were able to make repairs and race competitively. We really value your involvement and hope to see you at the track in a few weeks!

Dan Wickham
IRM44s

Aumen Gets 2nd in Strawberry Cup

The Island Racemasters 44s team travelled to Western Speedway on June 14 to defend the Strawberry Cup. Driver Scott Aumen had been victorious in the 2 previous years, winning the venerable 44 year old monster trophy. This year the competition was looking for Aumen. It was the first race of the WILROC season for some. The Mid Island Engine powered 44s sprinter was straightened out after the crash in Williams Lake, but the team was concerned about how it would handle. Fourteen cars unloaded for the event.

As always Aumen was quick in qualifying, turning a very fast 4.12. We assumed it would hold up for fast time, but the 14 car took a page out of Aumen’s book, sliding around the corners for a 4.06 fast time.

The A dash was, as usual, a parade, with Aumen starting and finishing 3rd. Crew chief Dale Taylor and driver Aumen conversed and changes were made to the set-up for the A heat. Aumen lined up the ABC Recycling sponsored car in the 5th spot and worked his way up to 3rd at the finish. No surprises, no big moves.

The main event would be an interesting race. The Grant Signs decaled 44s started on the inside of row 3, which was not Aumen’s favourite side. He likes to go around cars on the outside so was hemmed in. The entire field stayed bunched together for the first few laps. On lap 3 the 14 car slipped by Aumen, but he regained the position 1 lap later. Tight racing ensued until lap 8 when the yellow flew. On the restart Aumen was quick to take advantage, passing the Barrett 42 on lap 10 then the Montgomery 33j one lap later. We were please that the rebuilt car was handling well and going to the front. The Yates 91 was leading, with Aumen trying everything to get by but to no avail. The 44s was all over the outside of the 91 for 8 laps, with the 33j and the 42 sprinters challenging. Montgomery was patient, saving his tires. On lap 18 he moved by Aumen to challenge Yates for the lead. The 4 frontrunners remained in a tight battle, never getting too far apart. Finally Montgomery overtook Yates for the lead on lap 30. Aumen was right behind him as Yates started to get loose. Aumen completed the pass on lap 31 and stayed on the 33j bumper for the remaining 9 laps. Barrett was coming hard and passed Yates on the last lap.

It was a very exciting race. The first 4 cars were very even and Aumen had to really work to get 2nd spot. The team was pleased with the result and learned from the evening. The wrecked race car of 2 weeks previous was fast.

So now we prepare for a return visit to Western Speedway on July 5th. We hope to see you there! Thanks again to all our sponsors who enable us to be competitive. Special thanks to Impact Visual Communications who are printing a new card to hand out to the fans. It will show the new colour scheme and list all of our corporate sponsors.

See you at the track!

 

ISLAND RACEMASTERS 44s TEAM SET TO DEFEND ITS WILROC CHAMPIONSHIP

After winning a second consecutive WILROC Sprint car Series title, the IRM44s team took some time off over the winter, but never really stopped thinking about how they would improve things for the 2008 racing season. It was decided that new parts were in order- a new fuel cell, drive line and a motor rebuild were completed in time for the season opener on May 10. Crew chief Dale Taylor also fabricated a very streamlined front wing that will turn some heads.

Our sponsorship roster also changed in the off season. Finning CAT (Campbell River branch) agreed to become our major sponsor, increasing their financial support in light of the tremendous 2007 season, when driver Scott Aumen had the most quick times and most main event wins, sweeping the 3 big events- the Strawberry Cup, the Daffodil Cup and the Platinum Cup, as well as leading the field at Monroe, Washington at the first race of the season. We are pleased to have Finning CAT with us this year and decided to honour their partnership with us with a new “Caterpillar yellow” paint scheme. The 44s sprinter and the crew will be highly visible this year, as evidenced by the picture above.

Also stepping up this year is No 1 Autobody (Campbell River), who painted the body panels and got things looking bright and shiny for us. Grant Signs (Campbell River) provided a new decal scheme, which will ensure that the 44s is visible from anywhere in the stands. Ketza Pacific Construction (Campbell River) returns as a big corporate partner. This very successful construction company continues to support us.

Also providing essential financial support this year are ABC Recycling (Campbell River), E&B Helicopters (Campbell River) JR Edgett Excavating (Courtenay), CR Lawyers-Shook Wickham Bishop & Field (Campbell River), CR All Trucks (Campbell River), Upland Excavating (Campbell River), Bill Howich Chrysler (Campbell River) and Brian Stamp Law Office (Campbell River). Impact Visual Communications (Nanaimo) will provide us with printed materials to hand out to fans at the track and special events.

Of course Mid Island Engines from Duncan has provided us with the powerful motor that can be heard above the rest of the field at every event. Driver Scott Aumen put in many hours during the off season to tear down and rebuild the alcohol burning, fuel injected 360 cubic inch engine that has been so reliable and stout over the past 2 seasons. Some new ideas were implemented which he expects will result in better power. Fuel economy is not a factor here.

We thank all of our sponsors this year for their commitment to the 44s sprint car. You enable us to be very competitive. We intend to reward you with wins and another championship. We will ensure that your support is recognized on our car, our hauler, our website and at every race track we race on. We hope racing fans will support your business as a result of our success and visibility. THANK YOU!

Our first race was scheduled for May 10, but unfortunately Mother Nature did notcooperate. The event was rained out.

Our next race is in Williams Lake on May 30, then Vernon on May 31. We have not raced at either of these tracks so it will be interesting to see how we adjust the setup to get to the front. If you can make the road trip come and chat with us after the race. If not then check the WILROC website for other race dates-www.wilrocracing.com.

We will be sending you a report after each racing event, but check our website-www.islandracemasters.com. -for information on the team, our races and our sponsors.

See you at the races!

 

ISLAND RACEMASTERS 44S TEAM REPEATS AS WILROC CHAMPIONS

The 2007 WILROC sprint car season ended last Saturday night with yet another rainout, but Scott Aumen and the Island Racemasters crew were smiling as they clinched their 2nd consecutive WILROC championship.  The WILROC officials added this race to the season in the hopes of giving the drivers and crews another chance to show their stuff.  However Mother Nature had different ideas-for the 8th time this season.  So driver Scott Aumen will be crowned series champion at the WILROC banquet in Victoria tomorrow night. 

Aumen started the season with a big win in late March at Evergreen Speedway in Munroe ,  Washington, surprising the Northwest Sprint Car Association/ASA teams with a thrilling victory on the big 5/8mile track.  He followed it up with a victory at the WILROC season opener in Victoria, winning the Strawberry Cup.  He continued his cup winning ways in Calgary where he topped the field, taking home the Platinum Cup, then followed that with a very exciting pass with 2 laps to go for the lead in the prestigious Daffodil Cup back in Victoria.

Aumen and the 44s team had a very good racing season, in spite of the weather.  Their statistics were impressive.  In 10 events Aumen:

Won 4 features

Finished 2nd twice

Never finished lower than 7th

Had  8  quick times

Although Scott Aumen was brilliant throughout the season, he gives much credit to the IRM44s pit crew.  They gave Aumen a very fast race car every night and worked hard to ensure that it stayed that way.  Sprint cars are finicky beasts.  They require a lot of maintenance and tweaking.  Crew chief Dale Taylor always had new ideas on how to better the handling package.  He and driver Aumen communicated very well, which is a key component in every successful racing team.  They not only talked at the race track but off it as well, thus ensuring that the  race care setup  was well suited for each track.  Bill Aumen always made sure the tire pressures were what the driver and crew chief wanted.  Barry Barrowcliff looked after the rear tires making sure the stagger was right.  Bob Windsor was in charge of the fuel, ensuring the race car made it to the finish each night.  Cliff Fairburn changed all the tires and was the go to guy for many other things that need to be done.  Ryan  White was the rookie crew member this year.  He helped with the engine and suspension.  Dan Wickham kept track of the setup notes and kept out of the way.  They all contributed to the success of the car and the driver.  

Of course we could not race at all without the sponsors.  The entire team thanks every one of the businesses and individuals who supported us in 2007.  Each of them is a very important piece of our successful racing team.  Remember to frequent their businesses if you can.  Check out our website for direct links to  them -www.islandracemasters.com.

The IRM44s team is already talking about next season.  The engine will be torn down and rebuilt.  The entire car will be disassembled and checked over for cracks and wear. Parts will be replaced. It will be repainted with a new paint scheme  for 2008. We do this to ensure that your car looks good and is ready to run  up front  every night.  We intend to win our 3rd championship in a row in 2008.  We expect very tough competition but believe we have the sponsors, the driver and the crew to stay out front.  We will keep in touch over the winter and let you know the schedule for next year when it is finalized.

See you at the races!                          

 

AUMEN WINS DAFFODIL CUP!

The Island Racemasters 44s sprinter really put on a show at the 45th running of the Daffodil Cup in Victoria last Saturday.   Driver  Scott Aumen dazzled the big crowd with a magnificent display of driving, besting the field of 25 strong open wheeled race cars from BC, Alberta and Washington state. 

 The Daffodil Cup is one of the premier asphalt open wheel races on the west coast-and has been since 1961 when Geoff Vantreight presented the now famous trophy to Eldon Rasmussen of Edmonton.  Victoria’s Billy Foster won it the next 2 years in a row before heading off the bigger things in the USA, where he was sadly killed driving a stock car in Riverside, California.  Billy became a legend in what were then called modifieds, the precursors to today’s sprint cars.    Other big names to win the race were American drivers Blaine Sneva, Rebel Jackson and Davey Hamilton.  Roy Smith of Victoria won the famed trophy 4 times. 

 We are now part of a nearly 50 year old tradition of racing for the Daffodil Cup at Western Speedway. The Daffodil Cup is currently sanctioned by the NSRA/ASA Series from south of the border.  Their rules allow more powerful engines and lighter race cars than our WILROC rules.  For the past 3 years the race has been won by Jeff Montgomery, of Victoria, driving the 33 car prepared by his dad Neil and crew.  Before that his brother Trevor piloted the car and took home the trophy several times over the years.  In between Craig Deaver of Washington State won the event 3 times.  All of these drivers were behind the wheel of the bigger powered, lighter NSRA sprinters.  Until last Saturday the WILROC sprinters battled gamely but could not quite pull off the big victory.  Aumen changed that- with a banzai display of driving prowess that had the crowd of 3000 fans on their feet roaring their approval. 

The afternoon started with hot laps under cloudy skies and a threat of rain.  Twenty five well prepared sprint car teams where in the pits hoping for fair weather, having endured too many rainouts this summer.  The racing gods smiled on us as the clouds dissipated and the sun came out. 

The  ABC Recycling  sponsored 44s was pushed off for the 1st of 4 sets of hot laps, which are designed to allow the driver and crew to test the handling and make adjustments to the car for quicker laps.  It is a never ending process that involves the entire crew throughout the afternoon and evening.  Racing is a very technical sport.  Minute adjustments to tire pressures and size, springs, shocks, panhard bars(front and rear) and wing angle and position can have a major effect on the driver’s ability to get through the turns and down the straights faster than the rest of the field.  Western Speedway is a flat track, so the turning ability of the race car is critical.  The driver needs to be able to get on the throttle in the apex of the corner in order to gain position.  He also needs to be able to drive the car deeper in to the corner on the outside in order to pass.  Horsepower is not as critical as handling so the bigger NSRA motors are not a big advantage.  The setup is the key to getting around the track quickly. 

The Grant Signs sponsored 44s was ok in the hot laps, but too loose for the driver’s liking - and he likes it loose!   Crew chief Dale Taylor made adjustments.  Driver Aumen went out and threw the car into the corners-too loose.  The crew tried other adjustments.  Aumen still complained of problems getting the car to turn.  More adjustments.  Still a push.  We were all scratching our heads.  Taylor  then  remembered that the car was some 60 pounds lighter as we could lighten it for this race.  The weight was bolted back on.  Aumen was a little happier. 

Qualifying is usually exciting with Aumen at the wheel.  He is not afraid to really push the car and slid it around the corners, but for the Daffodil Cup he was a little more conservative, but still managed to get quick time with a 14.007 time-nearly a half second slower than last year’s track record time.  We were happy but knew we had work to do.  More adjustments.  Push out for the A dash and hope we made it better.  Aumen made the 44s turn and finished up 2 positions in 2nd.  It was a little better, but still not really good. 

More changes.  Push off for the 4th heat, where we had to gain 3 positions in order to maintain our qualifying time and position- otherwise we go the B main.  Aumen drove the Redman Sandblasting sponsored 44s hard and managed to  move  from 6th to 3rd, but his times were much slower than the 1st 2 cars.  They were getting better; we were struggling and getting worse.  Aumen’s assessment was we had a 12th place car-he would end up were he was to start in the feature unless we made the right changes.  He told the crew to do what they thought was appropriate and he would drive it the best he could.  Then he left to help another crew with engine problems.  

Crew chief Taylor decided to go back to the setup used in 2006 that got Aumen a 2nd placed finish.  It was a gamble.  The setup was entirely different than what we had been using.  Major changes were made to the car, hoping that it would solve the push problem.  We knew we had a strong motor and a good driver, so the handling was a variable that would make or break the night. 

 Aumen   was    starting  the 40 lap feature in 12th position.   He had never come from that far back to win .   Neither had anybody else to our knowledge.  So we were concerned.  Would the radical changes to the car work or had we only made it worse?  Aumen was told to give it all he could and have fun.

Twenty cars started the Daffodil Cup feature.  Aumen was fast from the start. Obviously the changes were to his liking.  By lap 2 he had moved up 5 positions.  By lap 7 he was 4th.  He was driving hard and the car was sticking.  By lap 12 he was by the 33 car of Jeff Montgomery, the driver we feared would get to the front quickly and get away from the field, like he did in 2006.  With that big pass Aumen had the crowd’s attention- and ours.  He was FAST!  On lap 23 he was in 2nd, passing the early leader Jeff Bird, another WILROC driver.  NSRA’s Jake Mann was in the lead.  Mann ran 3rd to Aumen in the season opening race in March at Evergreen Speedway just north of Seattle.  He is having a banner year and was using the track to his advantage.  Aumen set his sights on him but only slowly gained ground.  We began to fidget a little in the pits as the laps were flying by.  Then the yellow flag flew on lap 35 for oil on the track.  The 33 car had blown an engine.  The 55 car also went to the pits, out of fuel.  So the ASA red flagged the race and allowed the field to refuel on the track. 

This was Aumen’s chance.  He has become an excellent driver on restarts and routinely passes cars by staying very close and powering by before the others get in their rhythm or get their tires sufficiently warm to really stick.  So he got right behind Mann’s 51 car and waited for the green flag.  It dropped, but Mann was ready and was gone.  Five laps at speed goes by very quickly- like just over a minute, but it seemed to be in slow motion for the 44s crew as Aumen clawed his way back up to Mann, getting right behind him on lap 39, then somehow out braking him into turn 3 and powering by up very high on the outside, coming out of turn 4 with a slight lead.  By the flag stand he was in the clear and raced away to the chequered flag 1 lap later.

The crowd was on its feet roaring their approval.  We could hear it in the pits over the race cars.  It was a very popular victory.  Aumen again proved that he could take on the big guns from down south and drive to victory, in a heavier race car  with less horsepower.  Handling, track experience and sheer driving talent made the difference.  The crew was ecstatic.  It was quite the emotional scene as Aumen climbed out of the car in victory square to be embraced by his wife Jen and their 3 kids, then the crew as the big crowd roared their approval.  The Daffodil Cup stays in Canada, won by a WILROC crew and driver.  Aumen thanked the crew and all of our sponsors for their contribution to the victory, but the crew and the fans thanked him for another display of driving talent.  If you were not there you missed a terrific race!

The IRM44s team is back at Western Speedway again next Monday evening, so if you can get down to the track please do and cheer us on.  We still lead the WILROC points race but it is very close.  Darren Yates only trails Aumen by 32 points and will be looking to make up more ground after having problems last weekend.  He is determined to take the championship away from his friend Scott Aumen so will be racing hard to gain points.

Our final appearance at Saratoga Speedway will be on Sept 15, so make sure you mark your calendars for the event and come out to watch some great WILROC racing.  We may even be on a 3 win streak by then!

Finally we again thank all the sponsors for their support this year.  We could not do this well without you.  We hope you are enjoying your association with the Island Racemasters team.  CH 6 gave excellent coverage of the race with a full sports report, including a video of the last 2 laps plus an interview with Scott before and after the race..  The sponsors' logos on the car were shown clearly.  We hope our success translates into further success in your business.

AUMEN SMOKES THE FIELD IN CALGARY

The Island Racemasters team had a successful weekend racing at Race City in Calgary, but not without a lot of trial and error.  Crew chief Dale Taylor and driver Scott Aumen had the crew put new parts on the No 1 Auto Body sponsored IRM44s sprinter, then set the car up for the big banked half mile oval in Calgary, using some ideas from the 2nd place run there last year and the victory earlier this year in Monroe.  The Monroe track is bigger but has less banking so the team thought some of the ideas gleaned from that race would work at Calgary.

The car count on Saturday night was disappointing.  Ten WILROC cars made the long tow across the Rockies, but only 3 Alberta cars showed up.  For some reason asphalt sprint car racing in Alberta is at a low ebb right now.  The big ticket is sprints on dirt and with the World of Outlaws racing in Edmonton next weekend there was not much interest in winged racing on pavement. 

Aumen was not happy with the setup but still managed to grab 2nd quick time. The dash and the fast heat were used to experiment with different setups, but we never really got it right.  Also, with the 2nd quick time Aumen started in 7th place and got bogged down in the traffic while Randy Price in the immaculate 19 car moved quickly to the front and ran away with the race, which went from start to finish in about 12 minutes, without a yellow.  This is a rare occurrence in sprint car racing as it does not take much to get them sideways or upside down.  The E&B Helicopter sponsored IRM44s finished up 3 spots in 4th place.   Aumen is always looking for a victory and was disappointed with the result, but the car was in one piece and the big race was to be run the next day.

Sunday saw the crew up early, going over the car with a fine toothed comb, making sure nothing was loose or bent.  Sprint cars require a lot of maintenance due to their tremendous speeds and the downforce on the cars from the big top wings.  We were reminded of this the previous night when several cars had to pit due to part failures due to loose nuts or bolts.  We were determined that it would not happen to us, so time and care were taken to make sure everything was tight and true.

The Sunday race started at 1 PM.  It was sunny and warm with a stiff breeze, but the track was sticky.  Randy Price got a tremendous qualifying lap, with a time of 13.98 seconds, breaking the old track record.  Aumen was the last car to time in and we hoped for a blistering pace.  We thought he had it on his 2nd lap, but there was no time due to a mechanical failure in the timing system- a hand held stop watch!  Scott was allowed to fire up and take another lap, but his momentum was broken and he only managed a 6th quick time of 14.87 seconds.  This is the only qualifying time this year that was not in the top 3.  We were disappointed with the result, but it did put the 44s on the 2nd row for the feature race.  The JR Edgett Excavating sponsored 44s missed the dash for cash, then started on the pole for the fast heat and drove easily to a victory. 

After a long wait for the completion of main events for 3 other classes, the 44s was pushed off for the sprint Platinum Cup feature.  Aumen and Taylor had been talking.  The crew was directed to make changes for the feature which was shortened to 30 laps due to the delays over the afternoon.  This turned out to be very fortuitous for Aumen. 

 Race City is a big track.  Cars get spread out and it is difficult to catch the leader if he gets away from the pack.   So Scott was right on the back bumper of the pole sitter at the green flag.  The outside front row car bogged down and held up the entire outside line of sprinters, so Aumen had a clear lane to get around the leader going in to turn 1, exiting turn 2 in the lead and pulling away.   He had a full straightaway lead by lap 13 when the yellow flag was thrown due to debris on the track.  It was a piece of a brake rotor so the red was thrown to see which car was without the part.  Unfortunately the 94 from Edmonton was the car, which ended its afternoon.  But the field was now bunched behind the 44s, with Darren Yates, last year’s Platinum Cup winner, right behind Aumen.  Aumen knew he had to be quick to stay in front, so he really drove the car hard for the rest of the race.  Too hard- or nearly.  He was sliding around the corners in his dirt track style, with clouds of tire smoke behind him, as the car was loose.  He was especially aggressive as he began lapping cars.  The crowd loved it, but the crew was worried.

With about 6 laps to go he started to ease off, trying to save his right rear tire.   Yates was abusing his tires as well so did not have much left to run down the 44s.  He gained some ground, but not enough to really challenge Aumen.  The crew was standing on tip toes, hoping the tires would hold together until the chequered.  They did.  Aumen climbed out in front of the crowd, looked at his right rear and realized just how close he came to disaster.  The tire was down to the canvas.  When interviewed by the track promoter, he said ‘”that is the most badly abused tire that I have ever finished a race on”.  The picture tells it all:

With the 2nd WILROC victory Aumen remains the points leader but the margin has shrunk to 32 points, with Darren Yates breathing down our necks.  Darren has had a great run the last 4 races, with a win, and 3- 2nds.  He is determined to take the championship this year so we have our work cut out for us.  However Aumen is a formidable driver, with great skill and courage. If the crew can give him a competitive sprint car he will charge to the front.  The next race is in Victoria, for the illustrious Daffodil Cup.  Aumen finished 2nd last year, against not only the WILROC regulars but 9 cars running the ASA series in the northwest USA.  We usually run very well at Western Speedway.  Barring a mechanical failure or an accident he will do well there. 

Check the racing schedule on our website- www.islandracemasters.com or on the WILROC site-www.wilrocracing.com.  We look forward to talking to you after the races!   

 

Island Racemasters44s struggles at Saratoga

The Island Racemasters 44s team was looking forward to returning to Saratoga Speedway this past weekend for the 2 day Salmon Classic event, sponsored by Coast Country Insurance and Quadra Building Supplies.  We consider this our home track even though we have never won up here.  Most of our sponsors and the owners are from either Campbell River or the Comox Valley so we like to put on a show for our sponsors and our fans.  Unfortunately we encountered some adversity that was perhaps overdue as we have had such a great start to the 2007 season, with 2 wins and a 2nd in our first 3 races.

Crew chief Dale Taylor and driver Scott Aumen had a special setup for the tight 3/8 mile track.  The plan was based on the setup used by Aumen last year to bring the track record down to 12.51 seconds.  Aumen qualified well on a green track Friday night, but was bested by the 42 car of Guy Barrett, who got his first quick time.  Undaunted, the team sent Aumen out for the A dash and the fast heat, confident that the car would handle and move to the front.  What we did not count on was a broken pinion shaft.  We knew the rear end had some wear and ordered a new one several months ago, for pickup in late June. However it was not available then so we waited and hoped.  We waited too long.

Thanks to the Rob Scott 15 team, we borrowed a rear end and set to work tearing out the broken one and installing it.  As always when you are in a rush, things don’t go well.  The entire tam worked very hard to make the change in time for the feature, where Aumen was to start in 7th position. Thanks to the fans, the WILROC officials and the other teams, we were given extra time to complete the switch.  We pushed off with fingers crossed.  Aumen was up to the task, making his way through traffic in a race that saw several sprinters drop out for mechanical reasons, only to be struck again with a rear end failure in lap 27, when the axle of the borrowed unit broke in half.  That ended our night, after a great effort by crew and driver.  Fortunately with the attrition we place 7th, right back were we started, but our points total was not what we had come to expect.

Saturday saw the entire crew thrashing hard on the car, removing the rear end for the 2nd time and replacing it with another borrowed unit from the Darren Yates 91 team.  Most of the day was consumed in making the change and readying the car for the 2nd night of the Salmon Classic.  We knew we were down on points but hoped that a great qualifying time and a win in the feature would propel us to the overall victory.

Aumen took the E&B Helicopter sponsored sprinter out to qualify and set quick time at 12.84 seconds. The field was very competitive though, with 14 of the 15 qualifiers having times within 1 second of each other.  That tells you something about the level of competition on the WILROC Series.  Taylor and Aumen agreed to experiment with some radical setup ideas in the A dash and fast heat, to see if some of their plans gleaned over a long winter were an improvement.  The jury is still out as Aumen struggled in the dash and was not much happier in the A heat even though he gained a few spots.  So it was back to the old tried and true setup for the feature.  The 44s started in 8th position, ahead of 7 cars with slower times, but behind all of the cars in the fast heat.  The full inversion of 8 cars makes it very difficult to win a feature race on the tight Saratoga racetrack if you have quick time.  This was compounded by the fact that there was a considerable amount of oil and cement dust on the track due to 2 cars from other classes blowing their motors.  So it was a very greasy track for all.  Passing was difficult, but certainly not impossible.

The 40 sprint car feature was a quick one, with only a few cautions for spinouts or breakdowns.  Aumen started well but could not get the car to enter the corners properly as it had a bad push.  He did manage to get up to 3rd position by around lap 30, but then the handling really went away.  The 44s driver did his best to throw the car into the corners so it would turn but this led to slow exits and the loss of 2 positions at the end of the race.  The driver was not a happy camper upon entering the pits but quickly realized it was not his fault as we found the left rear tire very low on pressure.  We think we have a bad bleeder valve.  We will have to sort it out quickly as we are off to Calgary on Aug 11-12 for the Platinum Cup.  This is race that we nearly won last year, finishing 2nd by a few feet to Darren Yates, who was also the winner last Saturday night.  Always a hard charger but a real gentleman, Yates is on a roll at the right time, but we plan to give him a real run.

In spite of 2 poor nights in our estimation, the IRM44s still holds the point lead in the WILROC Series.  We hope that our mechanical troubles are behind us.  We will have a new rear end in the car for Calgary.

We are fortunate to have 2 new sponsors with the team.  Campbell River’s premier auto body shop-No. 1 Auto Body- has come on board with us and will ensure that the car always looks shiny and new.  Impact Visual Communications from Nanaimo has supplied us with some dynamite pictures of the sprint car to hand out to fans after each event.  Both these sponsors are outstanding businesses.  We highly recommend them to our fans.  Give them a call if you need body work or printing.  And don’t forget all our other great sponsors that help us over the year.  Go to www.islandracemasters.com for links to their websites. We thank all of them for their support.

We will be very competitive on the big half mile high banked oval in southern Calgary!  We want to win.  My report after our Calgary races will be delayed. If you want immediate results, go to www.racecity.com or www.wilrocracing.com.

See you at the races!

 

Aumen ready for the Salmon Classic at Saratoga Speedway

Another Saturday night, another rainout!  Once again the WILROC Sprint Car Series had to cancel a race.  Last Saturday night our racing event at Western Speedway was washed away-our 5th rainout this year.  A new record and one we do not want to eclipse.

The good news is we have a 2 night show at Saratoga Speedway this Friday and Saturday.  The weather forecast is good.  We are ready to go.  Thanks to our latest sponsor, No. 1 Auto Body, the fuel tank is repainted after the mishap at the last event.  Welcome aboard, Perry and the gang, we appreciate your help. We want to win the Salmon Classic at our home track and will look good doing it.  

The sprint car will be on display at the Courtenay offices of Coast Insurance on Saturday between noon and 3 PM.  Come out and chat with the driver and crew. 

Note the racing times-Friday night we push off at 7:30 PM for qualifying and a full sprint car race card.  We do it again of Saturday night but qualifying is at 6 PM.  So you get 2 full nights racing, back to back.  The IRM44s is ready to break its track record from last year.  Aumen has been on a tear this year- 2 wins and a 2nd in 3 races.  He is the rabbit that everyone is chasing.  Come out to Saratoga Speedway and cheer him on.  It will be quite the show. 

See you Friday and Saturday nights!

 

AUMEN SLIDES TO SECOND AT WESTERN SPEEDWAY

The Island Racemasters 44s sprinter did not win at Western Speedway on July 6-7, but driver Scott Aumen and crew worked hard to pull out a 2nd place finish in the feature.

Aumen picked the unlucky first pill for qualifying, which required him to time in before the other sprinters, losing the advantage of rubber build-up on the track, but he still managed a very quick 13.998 lap, which was only bettered by Darren Yates in the 92 car.  The fast heat saw the 44s start in the back, but drove hard to get up to 2nd by the 8th lap when the 19 car of Randy Price pulled into the pits with another driveline failure, which resulted in Price spending the night in hospital for observation.  Fortunately his legs were only badly bruised due to the flailing driveshaft, but he was unable to drive the following night.  Victoria based Chris Schmelzle, who drives a dirt sprinter all across the US, filled in ably for Randy. 

Saturday night saw 14 WILROC sprinters at the track.  The Mid-Island Engine powered 44s started on the outside of the front row in the A dash.  Aumen quickly got the lead and was cruising towards victory when Schmelzle, in the 19 car, started a charge.  The last lap was a thriller for the crowd, as the 2 drivers with many years dirt experience put on a driving clinic, smoking the tires and drifting through the turns, coming out of turn 4 side by side with smoke billowing off the rear tires.  Aumen took the checkered by a half car length to a standing ovation from the fans.  Usually the dash is a staid event with drivers saving their tires for the feature, but not this time! 

The JR Edgett Excavating sponsored 44s started the feature race in 6th position.  A mechanical problem on the 74 sprinter caused Aumen to hit the brakes on the first lap, but unfortunately the car behind him did not see the incident and ran up the fuel tank and the chassis nearly to the top wing before sliding back down.  The damage was minimal but the rear bumper was bent down close to the ground, causing a sheet of sparks to fly as the car entered each turn.  It affected the handling.  The crew watched anxiously, worried that the starter would black flag Aumen, but he didn’t, concluding the bumper was still firmly attached.  So Aumen methodically worked his way forward.  By lap 35 he was challenging for second, when a yellow flag came out for a collision between 2 other cars.  Aumen tucked in behind the 7 car, who was taking a very wide line in the straights, making it tough for Aumen to pass.  However the 44s pilot was not to be denied.  Seeing the white flag, he drove deep in to turns 1 and 2 to get a run down the back stretch.  On turns 3 and 4 he pitched the car sideways, sliding it around the outside of the 7 car and emerging from the corner down the front chute with tires smoking for the 2nd spot.  It was another patented Aumen finish.  This driver is determined to get to the front!

So it was another successful weekend for the Island Racemasters team-2nd place in the main, in spite of some problems, a banzai finish to thrill the big crowd and 213 points to stretch out the WILROC Series lead.  We plan to repeat as WILROC champions. Aumen is getting it done!

Our next race is back at Western Speedway this Saturday.  Then we are at Saratoga Speedway for a 2 day show on July 27-28 for the Salmon Classic.  We are really looking forward to racing there as the track is tough to pass on and tough to set up the car as the corners at each end are totally different.  Aumen holds the track record there and is anxious to lower it.  Mark your calendars for this event.  It will be 2 exciting nights of sprint car racing.  Hopefully the IRM44s will take the checkered.

See you at the track!

 

AUMEN REPEATS AS STRAWBERRY CUP WINNER AT WESTERN SPEEDWAY

Saturday afternoon saw 17 sprint cars at Western Speedway for the Strawberry Cup.  This race was first run there in 1964, for what were then called “modifieds”.  This was one of the biggest open wheel races on the Pacific Northwest.  The first winner was Billy Foster, who went on to racing fame in the USA.  The very next year he qualified for the Indy 500. He was a local legend and became a very close friend of Mario Andretti when they were young racers on the USAC circuit.  He was immensely talented, but unfortunately was killed in a stock car at Riverside, California in 1967.  Andretti still speaks fondly of his friendship with Billy, saying that his loss had a great impact on him.  So this race means a lot to us because of the history and the drivers who have won it over the years.

 The weather was not promising.  As qualifying was about to commence, rain started to fall and we feared the worst.  But we were meant to go racing; the rain stopped and the track was ready for sprinters in about 20   minutes.  Aumen was qualifying in 10th spot and did not disappoint.  He thrilled the crowd with his usual screaming, sliding smoke show that stopped the clock at 14.132 seconds, about  ½ second slower than his track record set last year, but good enough for quick time.  It was a good start to a new WILROC season.  However he was not happy with the performance of the car so the crew was put to work changing tires to correct the stagger.  Crew chief Dale Taylor and the driver were deep in conversation as the activity tool place.  They hoped the changes would make the car turn better, but would have to wait for the A dash for proof.

 With quick time, the Finning Canada sponsored 44s started outside second row.  With only 4 laps to get around 3 other very fast cars, there is not much chance of winning and a good chance of abusing the tires, so Aumen gave it everything for the first 2 laps then backed off as he was still not happy with the handling.

 So it was up to the crew to make more changes to get the elusive grip that every sprint car driver hopes for but rarely gets.  A brake problem was diagnosed, and then a new left rear tire was mounted in the hope of getting the correct stagger that is critical to these cars.  They have a tube axle that is 1 piece so there is no slippage between the 2 rear tires.  Your passenger car has 2 separate axles and gears in the differential that allow 1 tire to turn more slowly than the other on a corner.  A sprint car does not have those gears so a compromise is reached by having larger right rear tire.  The difference in the circumference of the 2 rear tires allows it to turn the corners-otherwise it would be like your 4 wheel drive truck wanting to go straight at a curve in the road.  Of course the sprint car wants to turn on the straight too so it is a compromise and a critical one.  Too much or too little stagger and the race car does not turn they way the driver wants it to.

 Next up was the fast heat race, where the Ketza Pacific Contracting Ltd. sponsored 44s started in 8th position.  A different tire combination was installed and the car was pushed off.  The heat was uneventful as Aumen had his hands full just keeping the car going around the corners. He gained 1 position but informed us the car was “junk” and changes had to be made as he could not and would not drive it unless improvements were made.  Scotty is one of the most polite and easy going gentlemen you could want to meet, but his frustration was evident.

 So tires were measured, blown up, deflated and sworn at because the perfect stagger was just not going to happen.  A new left rear was finally purchased in the hopes of solving the problem.  After it was mounted, it still was not perfect, but things are rarely perfect on a sprint car, so Taylor and Aumen decided on other minor adjustments to the “wedge” of the car.  This is always a minute chassis adjustment to 1 or 2 of the springs on the car.  Sometimes it is as little as 1/8th of a turn.  Taylor is a master at fine tuning the setup to Aumen’s liking, but as always it is a crap shoot as we don’t know the result until the race starts- or is over.

 Even though the evening so far had been a busy one for the driver and crew, we were confident that the adjustments were the right ones and the Mike Hamilton Logging sponsored 44s would at least move to the front of the field from its 8th position on the outside of the 4th row.  As last year’s Strawberry Cup champions, we were the crowd favourite, especially after getting quick time.  The green flag dropped for the 50 lap race and we could quickly see that Aumen had his hands full.  He was forced to run the car deep in to the corner, then turn it sideways to get it to turn.  The car was tight on entry then loose coming off the turn.  The right rear was taking a beating as Scott was on the throttle to get traction and maintain control.  Fortunately after several laps he sorted things out somewhat and started to move forward, passing cars on the outside of the turns.  A yellow flag for a spin enabled him to cool off his tires, then get a great start to gain few more places.  It was not pretty to us but the crowd was loving it as Aumen would slide the car around the corners like he was on a dirt track.  His many years on the dirt were paying off.

 By lap 32 he was in 4th place.  Another yellow flew.  On the restart he was on his marks, getting to 2nd place in a few laps.  We then noticed a severe wobble in the front wheels upon exit from the corners.  He was gaining on the Jim McKay driven 21 car but we wondered if he could get by.  In a nearly perfect move, Aumen got outside of McKay on the back stretch and forced the 21 car to stay low going in to turn 3, just as he came up on a lapped car.  McKay had to slow down and Aumen sailed by on the outside, passing both cars and took the lead. 

 The next 15c laps were uneventful, other than our constant fear that something would break or someone would get in the way.  Aumen had an even larger fear.  Something was wrong with the steering box, the power steering was gone and he was forced to manhandle the car for the rest of the race, using both hands on the bottom of the wheel just to keep it going straight on the front and back chutes.  There was a visible wobble in the front tires leaving each turn, but we had no idea what he was going through just to keep the car on the track.

 The Island Racemasters 44s took the chequered flag on the 50th lap after under 20 minutes of racing.  A quick race and another victory.  Aumen is 2 for 2 this year.  His name will again be on the Strawberry Cup, joining many other great drivers.  Usually it is a team effort that wins races, but this time it was Aumen who did what he had to do to win.  He drove a terrific race and was the class of the field.  As always, he downplayed his part in the victory, but the team knows just how great of an effort he made for the win.  He made sure that the sponsors who make it all possible were recognized by the crowd of about 3000.  He thanked the crew for their efforts and skill.  We thank him for being the class act and the very skilled driver that he is.

 We also thank this year’s sponsors who have  again stepped up to help the 44s team try to repeat as WILROC champions-the new sponsors this year-Ketza Pacific Contracting Ltd.,  Finning Canada and Redman Sandblasting.  Also the repeat sponsors- Mike Hamilton Logging Ltd., JR Edgett Excavating Ltd., Mid Island Engines & Machine Ltd., E&B Helicopters Ltd., ABC Recycling Ltd., Seymour Pacific Developments Ltd., CR Metal Fabricators., Taylor Custom Metal Craft Ltd., Kinetic Powder Coating Ltd., Grant Signs, Whakash Contracting Ltd., Bill Howich Chrysler Ltd., CR Lawyers-Shook Wickham Bishop & Field, Upland Excavating Ltd., CR All Trucks Ltd.  Right Away Printing and Brian Stamp Law Office.  The entire racing team thanks you for your involvement in our programme.  We hope that you feel part of the team and are getting a return on your investment with us.  If you have any questions or any fundraising activities that would benefit from the display of our sprint car, let us know so we can be involved. 

  Because of the rainouts there have been changes to the WILROC schedule.  We will be participating in a 2 day show at Saratoga Speedway on July 27 and 28.  It will be a 2 day total points race for the Salmon Cup, sponsored by Coast Country Insurance, with offices in Campbell River and Courtenay.  More details will follow, but do look at our website-www.islandracemasters.ca or the WILROC site-www.wilrocracing.com for information on our racing events. 

 See you at Western Speedway on July 6-7 for our next race dates!

 

THE ISLAND RACEMASTER SPRINTER IS LOADED AND READY TO GO.

The Island Racemasters 44s sprinter is loaded in the hauler and ready for action at western Speedway tomorrow night.  Hopefully the weather will not deteriorate and cause a 4th rainout this season.  We are anxious to get on the track and show you what we can do this year.  Please come out and cheer us on as we plan to take our first checkered flag at our home racetrack.  The car is fast.  The team is prepared.  The new logos for the sponsors are on the car.  Be at the track tomorrow night!

AUMEN STARTS THE SEASON WITH A WIN!

After a long winter, the Island Racemasters team completed their modifications to the 2006 championship sprinter and decided to head south to take on the NSRA sprint car boys at their opening race at the big 5/8 mile oval  at Monroe, Washington. 

Driver Scott Aumen and crew chief Dale Taylor had many discussions over the winter on how to defend the Island Racemasters WILROC Racing Series championship of 2006.  Several modifications were made to the chassis in the hope that it would make the car handle better.  As well, Neil Montgomery, crew chief for his son, Jeff Montgomery of Victoria, the 2006 NSRA champion, who will not be racing this year, offered to provide us with a motor built to NSRA specs to run in NSRA races.  It was a very gracious offer, one that we could not refuse, so plans were made to go to Evergreen Speedway for the March 31 race.

The car was put together by mid March.  We knew that it would be a real challenge to do well, as Scott had never even seen the track, let alone drive on it.  As always we had confidence in Scott’s excellent driving, but we had no idea about the track.  We knew the competition would be very tough.

The team arrived Friday afternoon for practice sessions.  We had to buy 7 tires and a barrel of fuel.  We rolled the car out, mounted the new tires, and then set the car up using our Calgary specifications.  We did not figure on the extreme downforce created by the LONG straights, so Scott was back quickly, telling us to raise the car as it was bottoming out.  A second set of laps lead to a discussion between driver, crew chief and Neil Montgomery, who came down to lend a hand.  More changes, then we were done for the night.

Saturday started out badly.  Heavy rain occurred overnight and continued throughout the morning, putting the race in jeopardy.  Fortunately it abated by noon and the track dried out, so we headed for the pits and more hot laps.  The car was still pushing in the corners.  Tires were changed, wing and crossweight adjustments were made, but Scott was still struggling to get the car to turn in the middle of the corners.

As the NSRA race was a side event behind a much advertised NASCAR All American stock car race on the track, we had to run the heat races before the dash, then the 35 lap main event.  Aumen started 6th in his heat and was quickly up to 2nd where he stayed.  Still complaining about a push, he orchestrated more changes, then went out on the outside front row for the A dash.  Once again he was quick off the green, got around the pole sitter and hung on for the win, just ahead of Craig Deaver, the local favourite and the fastest qualifier.  This gave us some more concerns as Deaver was clearly the quicker racer.  With 35 laps in the main, we knew we had to get better to have any hope of a victory. 

Aumen and Taylor put their heads together and made some adjustments.  The 44s lined up in 8th spot; on the outside of the 3rd row for the main- a perfect position for Aumen’s driving style on the big Monroe track.  The green flag flew and by lap 4 he had the lead, passing cars on the outside of the turns, going high were no other driver could- or would- go.  Deaver was soon right behind him.  Lap 6 saw a yellow caution, then a full red because of 2 separate incidents on the track.  We got to check the fuel and the tires.  We debated refuelling, which required Scott to exit the car.  We finally decided to top up the tank with the remaining 3 gallons that we had from a 5 gallon jug borrowed from another team as we had gone through an entire 55 gal. US barrel of fuel!  This turned out to be the team move of the weekend.

Aumen took the green and managed to pull away from Deaver by going high in to the turns, maintaining momentum and getting on the throttle early.  Deaver had the more power and could reel in the 44s car by the end of the straights, but dove low upon entry, trying to get under Aumen.  This cost him momentum and heated up his tires, making his car loose.   Soon he was losing ground. 

Aumen maintained his line consistently, hitting his marks every time and keeping his tires in good shape.  For the last 23 laps, there were no yellow flags.  Deaver would gain a little ground, but then lose it.  He made a strong run in the last 2 laps, but could not catch the 44s who took the chequered flag for his first NSRA victory in 3 starts.    After the hoopla, the fuel tank was checked.  We were nearly out of fuel, to the refuelling on the red saved the day.

The crowd of over 5000 fans were given a great driving demonstration by the Canadian driver.  He never bobbled under pressure.  He mastered the biggest track he had ever driven on in his first attempt, at speeds of over 140 mph.  

The crew were ecstatic with the result.  What a way to start the new season- a victory against very stiff competition on their turf.  They may not have known who Scott Aumen was before the race, but they do now.

Special thanks must go to Neil Montgomery and his tire guy Dave, who worked with the IRM44s crew in managing the tires.  He even balanced them for us, something we had never done before.  Of course the Montgomery power plant was a big part of our success.  We could not have been that competitive with our restricted WILROC motor.  Thanks guys! 

To our sponsors who have renewed with us this year, we thank you for your support and continued interest in our racing programme.  Mike Hamilton Logging Ltd got an extra boost last weekend when a competitor lost his top wing.  We loaned him our spare wing, which he used to good advantage, finishing 3rd in the feature, so 2 cars bearing the Mike Hamilton Logging name on their top wings ended up in front of the big crowd at the end of the race. 

To those sponsors who have not yet renewed their corporate sponsorship, we look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please call us at 287-8355. 

 Our first race at Saratoga Speedway is May 5, so please come out watch the WILROC Sprintcar Series races, cheer us on and then come down for a visit after.  We look forward to seeing you and to representing your businesses at race tracks on Vancouver Island, plus Vernon and Calgary.  Who knows, after last weekend’s success we may be heading across the border again to take on our American friends in places like Tenino and Ephrata, Washington, or Boise ,   Idaho, or Roseburg ,  Oregon.  Now we have the confidence to run with them.  Now we want to beat them again!  You r   business name will be on the car, the hauler and our postcard handouts for the fans.  Take a look at our newly revised website for more information on our acitivities-www.islandracemasters.com.

See you at the races!

 

Aumen bags first NSRA win in Doug James Memorial

Andrew Kunas

MONROE, Wash. - Scott Aumen is going home to Duncan, British Columbia with some hardware from the ASA Northwest Sprintcar Racing Association for the first time, winning Saturday's Doug James Memorial at Evergreen Speedway.

For the ASA/NSRA, the club in general was happy just to race at Evergreen. Saturday's event was the first ASA/NSRA race at the Monroe oval not to be rained out since the same race in 2003. Fans who braved the cold under the threat of more rain were rewarded with a first time winner in the 35-lap main event. Aumen, who had won previously on a dirt track with the former Northern Sprint Tour, was a winner in ASA/NSRA competition on pavement for the first time.

Even better for the Wilroc series competitor, it was his first time racing at Evergreen as well.

"It feels really good. Anytime you get a win is fun," Aumen said following his first main event on the Monroe oval. "This is a nice group of people. We had a good time all weekend, and winning the race was just the topper. I've heard rumors this was a big speedway, and now I believe it."

The track is big, at .646-mile in length, the longest on the ASA/NSRA circuit.

Driving the Whitcomb/Stewart/Turner entry with a brand new Neil Montgomery motor, Aumen started eighth but was quickly in second place when lap three was completed. The next lap saw Aumen take the lead from pole sitter Robert Beck.

For 30 very lengthy laps around the large oval Aumen kept himself just a little bit ahead of the extremely quick Craig Deaver, who was considered by many the favorite to win after his impressive practice and qualifying performances earlier in the day.

For a time it seemed Sumner, Washington's Deaver would quickly take the lead aboard his own machine after charging to second place from his tenth starting position by the completion of the fifth lap. Aumen, however, was in control and was almost never seriously challenged by the former series champion until lap 33.

Coming up on a number of slower cars as they approached turn one, Aumen was slightly slowed, which allowed Deaver to creep back up. Aumen, however, went very high into turn one, virtually in a no man's land, to pass Matt Mansell on the outside. Deaver was slowed by Mansell for a moment, giving Aumen extra space which proved to be enough to hold on for the win.

"The lapped cars were fast also. When we got to (Mansell) I got up into the fourth groove, where I was in no way comfortable," Aumen said with relief about the close call late in the race.

After setting fast time in qualifying with a time of 19.500 seconds, easily winning his heat race from near the back of the field and finishing second in the dash, Deaver was forced to settle for a second place finish in the feature.

"I basically had the same setup I had on it all night. The only thing that changed was I picked up just a hair of a push when (the track) cooled off and I added a full fuel load," Deaver said. "We were still just as a fast. I could get in on him but he just had enough. We just didn't have enough to get around him."

Deaver, who hasn't won the Doug James Memorial, was admittedly dissatisfied with his finish.

"It was a successful night, (but) I'm just disappointed as heck," Deaver said. "I used to go watch Doug James when I was a kid, and it would be the world to me to win this event, so I'm ultimately disappointed."

One contender who was also disappointed after dropping out during a lap 13 caution was Roseburg, Oregon standout Andy Alberding, driving the Dar-Dan Racing machine. Following a lap seven restart, Alberding moved by hometown driver Jake Mann for fourth and then Beck for third on lap eight. Suddenly the fastest car on the track, Alberding steadily advanced toward the front runners.

The caution on lap 13 for Beck's spin in turn one quickly put Alberding on Deaver's tail. However, Alberding discovered his car was leaking oil and was forced to return to the pit area. Alberding was credited with a 12th place finish.

"It was a bummer. I thought I was catching them," Alberding said. "When we got the yellow I thought we were in business."

After the day he had, Mann was happy to finish third aboard the Waller & Son Motorsports sprinter. After experiencing a variety of problems earlier, including the transponder system not working as well as the side boards on his top wing flying off the car during qualifying, Mann had a solid run in the main event. Inheriting third when Alberding pulled off the track, Mann held the position the rest of the race.

"The wing, the hood scoop, the timing didn't work, and then in the heat race we were horrible," Mann said, running the list of all that went wrong. "Thank God we were able to get a good starting position. Actually, the car was set up perfect (during the main). It was really good. I knew I didn't have anything (for Aumen and Deaver), and considering all that happened earlier I am absolutely happy finishing third."

With the second and final caution of the race coming after only 12 laps were complete, the final 23 were green. Thanks to the long green run on the long track, Aumen and Deaver lapped the field through fifth place finisher and former NSRA champion Allen Goetz. The last finishing car on the lead was Matt Hein, piloting the Hein Racing entry out of Roseburg. After running limited sprints for a number of years, Hein competed in just five 360 sprint car events last year. Saturday was his first time racing at Evergreen as well.

"At the beginning, (Evergreen) was scary, but after you get going it isn't as scary as you'd think it would be," Hein said about running on the big track. "The car was pretty good in the beginning, but the right rear started going away and we got pretty loose."

Greg Middendorf, Mansell, Beck, former series champion Pat Bliss and Monte Zema Jr. rounded out the top ten. Bliss, re-united with Helm Motorsports, whom he won the 2003 ASA/NSRA championship with, dealt with motor problems all weekend, but was able to eventually fire his car for qualifying.

The first caution from lap seven was for two separate incidents on the track, including Graham, Wash. driver Brian Smith and Todd Coleman of nearby Lynnwood crashing in turn three. The other incident happening was Justin Mack, who was racing for a top five position at the time, crashing into the outside wall on the front stretch exiting turn four.

ASA Northwest Sprintcar Racing Association Doug James Memorial Evergreen Speedway - Monroe, WA (.646-mile, semi-banked, asphalt oval) March 31, 2007

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

16 cars

Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. 15 Craig Deaver (Sumner, WA), Deaver Racing, 19.500 seconds 2. 76 Andy Alberding (Roseburg, OR), Dar-Dan Racing, 19.643 3. 44s Scott Aumen (Duncan, BC), Whitcomb/Stewart/Turner, 19.880 4. 25 Monte Zema Jr. (Colville, WA), Team Zema Racing, 20.030 5. 17 Justin Mack (Tri-Cities, WA), Mel's Motorsports, 20.388 6. 44 Todd Coleman (Lynnwood, WA), TODDCO Motorsports, 20.555 7. 98 Matt Hein (Roseburg, OR), Hein Racing, 20.752 8. 5 Allen Goetz (Snohomish, WA), Goetz Racing, 20.784 9. 47 Brian Smith (Graham, WA), K & S Motorsports, 20.787 10. 51 Jake Mann (Monroe, WA), Waller & Son Motorsports, 21.025 11. 49 Pat Bliss (West Linn, OR), Helm Motorsports, 21.528 12. 3 Robert Beck (Redmond, WA), Millennium Motorsports, 21.547 13. 14 Matt Mansell (Victoria, BC), Rendle Mansell Motorsports, 21.613 14. 4 Greg Middendorf (Snohomish, WA), Middendorf Racing, 23.318 15. 46 Larry Davies (Seattle, WA), Davies Racing, 23.697 79 Randy DuBois (Poulsbo, WA), DuBois Racing, no time

Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. 3 Robert Beck, 2. 76 Andy Alberding, 3. 4 Greg Middendorf, 4. 5 Allen Goetz, 5. 25 Monte Zema Jr., 6. 51 Jake Mann, 7. 44 Todd Coleman.

Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. 15 Craig Deaver, 2. 44s Scott Aumen, 3. 17 Justin Mack, 4. 49 Pat Bliss, 5. 14 Matt Mansell, 6. 47 Brian Smith, 7. 46 Larry Davies, DNS - 98 Matt Hein. Note: 98 Matt Hein pulled off track after initial start was called off due to false start.

Dash (4 laps): 1. 44s Scott Aumen, 2. 15 Craig Deaver, 3. 25 Monte Zema Jr., 4. 76 Andy Alberding.

Doug James Memorial (35 laps): 1. 44s Scott Aumen, 2. 15 Craig Deaver, 3. 51 Jake Mann, 4. 98 Matt Hein, 5. 5 Allen Goetz, 6. 4 Greg Middendorf, 7. 14 Matt Mansell, 8. 3 Robert Beck, 9. 49 Pat Bliss, 10. 25 Monte Zema Jr., 11. 46 Larry Davies, 12. 76 Andy Alberding, 13. 17 Justin Mack, 14. 47 Brian Smith, 15. 44 Todd Coleman.