THE MOVE
We arrive early at Madera Speedway and set up our pits next to the Leiby's and was saving a spot for my Uncle Ted, who is making a return to the driver's seat after being retired for 19 years. We had just got most of our stuff out of the trucks and trailers when we were informed that we had taken some of the regulars pit spots. So we put everything back in the trucks and moved across the way and got it all back out again, I'm sure glad we were early and didn't have to rush.
We were all set up and ready to hot lap when my Uncle arrived, he had suffered some brake problems with his trailer and was running late. We helped him to get his car-unloaded lights up and extinction cords run over to Mr. Leibys generator that we were all hooked up to. That reminds me to get some regular gas for his generator, at $2.50 a gallon it gets expensive just to have a little power in your pits these days.
After 3 sets of practice and 3 times in the tech inspection area and over to impound we were finally ready to qualify. We held fast time until the last 3 cars went out. Frankie Winchell, David Winchell, and Martin McKeffery leaving us 4th fast time that would of put us on the pole for the dash but this track doesn't run trophy dashes.
After 1 more time to tech inspection we were ready for the heat race. We started the heat race in the 5th position and finished in 5th. I spent the whole time looking for a good groove to run in. the main event
After the heat race I did see something you don’t see every day, my dad was on his back under a car at the race track, and it wasn't even my car, so I grabbed his camera a took a couple of quick pictures. Generally he will tell me what he think should be done and then sits back in his chair, but this was Leiby's car and he is not as familiar with it's suspension as he is with mine, so he thought he would get under and take a look for himself. Meanwhile my uncle was having trouble of his own. They had determined that he needed more camber but his car was almost to wide. So with time running out my cousin Keith and CO driver of the #48 car talked it over with my dad. Then ran back and puled the front spindles off the car and moved everything over a few turns, after putting it all back together and getting the tow set, it was back to tech and get lined up for the main event. Keith a mechanic by trade can really swing a wrench when he is up against the clock.
There is a move in modified racing that we named after the driver that continually used it on me during my years in modified racing. We call this move the Jack Stone. It consists of timing the restarts just perfect where you can go to the inside or outside passing cars and arrive at the start finish line just a little bit behind the leader. This is a legal move in most divisions. And I'm here to tell you that Jack is not the only driver to use this move to perfection. Frankie Winchell, a Master Legend Driver, showed us all that he is also a master of this move, as he used it to put himself in the leed on the first restart of the main event. During the race I ran as high as 2nd and ran as low as 6th passing and being passed almost every lap. Every time I looked in my mirror there was the 05 of Thomas Leiby, a semi-pro driver just waiting for me to make a mistake. By the 30th lap with 5 to go and with Frankie way in the leed, and Rick Zolman holding a good tight line I just concentrated on not making any mistakes and giving 3rd place away. After the race the flag man puled the first three finishers over and let the announcer interview us. After the interview it was back to tech where they had us take off the hot rear break drums in the dark so they could weight them, my dad burned up a new set of gloves, this did not make him a happy camper. But with a third place finish even he couldn't stay upset very long. Uncle Ted was happy with his top 10 finish. He said the last minute camber change really helped the car.
Fred #55 Legend
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