1803-A State Route 34
Wall, NJ 07719-9109
Hotline: 609-242-8880
Copyright © 2006 [Garden State Quarter Midget Racing Club]
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Track Fuel: 87 Octane from the Wawa on Route 34N, about 3 miles north of the track.
Hotline: 609-242-8880
Located on the grounds of
Notes from the 2007 Eastern Grands
at Miami Valley QMRA in Xenia, Ohio.
Respectfully submitted by Sebastian Font
Sunday, July 29:
7PM; The Grands are over.
Just a few thoughts and observations before I pack up.
- It was not a great day for Garden State. The track was oh-so-tight, but our club did its best to put on a great effort. Our club really came together this week, and worked as a team to help each other do really well. I am proud and privileged to be a part of GSQMRC.
- I've been to every Eastern Grands since 2002 (in Topeka), and so far, I really think that GSQMRC did it best. Jill Forrester and Dave Hopkinson did a great job of leading the charge, and our club did a great job of making things work very smoothly. We had our rain delays last year too, but the GSQMRC club worked hard, and put in the long days to get the A-Mains done by Saturday. The Ohio club here also did a very respectable job, especially considering that it is not a very big club. But here we were on a Sunday, racing the A-Mains.
- I hope everyone enjoyed reading my ramblings, and hopefully I was able to give you a sense of being here in Ohio. Time to go home...
Saturday, July 28:
(10:30pm)
- All of the B-Mains are complete, and tomorrow, the first A-Main rolls out at 9am.
- Chris Delaney made it into the Junior Half B-Main.
- The following Garden State members transferred into their A-Mains:
Jeremy Doll made the Senior Honda A-Main.Glen Slocum made the Senior Stock A-Main.Kyle Reinhardt made the Light Mod A-Main.Kyle Reinhardt made the X car for the Light B A-Main.Kyle Reinhardt made the Light A A-Main.Sebastian Font made the Junior Half A-Main.- The rain held off all day today, and it wasn't until after 10pm that we felt a few drops coming down. Tomorrow's weather is expected to be much better for racing.
(noon)
- After our leisurely 9:15am handler's meeting, the first race, the Senior Stock C-Main, started right around 10am. The skies are overcast and even look threatening, but there is no rain showing up on the radar. Let's hope for no delays.
- Glen Slocum transferred from the Senior Stock C-main, so the day got off the a good start for Garden State members.
- Chris Delaney is the next Garden State member to go out, and that will be for the Junior Half C-Main, so we will be pulling for him, and I'll be with his Dad in the hot chute.
More later.
Friday, July 27:
(9pm)
- I'm still in amazement. They called the race day at 6pm for rain. The only problem is that it was not raining, and hasn't rained since, and the track was and is still dry. The big storm that was coming peetered out just before getting here to Xenia.
- Correction: Earlier I said that the C-Mains were completed last night, but it was actually the E-Mains that were done last night. Beg your pardon!
- The handler's meeting is tomorrow at 9am (why not 7am?), and the first race out will be the Senior Stock C-Main. We'll be cheering for Glen Slocum to transfer out.
- Looks like we'll be racing on Sunday. Like Georgia. :(
(early evening):
- We just came in from the rain at 5:30pm, and there is a ton of wind and lightening to go along with it. The Senior Stock C-Main was on the track at the time, which means Glenny Slocum was out on the track as well. The weather radar shows a big blob of slow moving rain bearing down on us, so we just might be done for the day.
- Brendon Bock transferred from the Light A C-Main this afternoon.
(Noon)
- Glenn Slocum just transferred from the Sr Stock D-Main.
- All C-mains were completed last night, with the last race finishing right at midnight.
- Rain delayed things again this morning, leaving the first race pushing off at 11am. We are expecting more weather this afternoon.
More later...
Thursday, July 26:
(late night):
- At 10:45pm, there is still racing going on, but I've had enough. We just ran our Heavy 160 E-Main, where we got spun out coming to the checker. Ugh.
- The final outcome with the Light B G-Main mess was that the two cars definitely should have been DQd, but since they were allowed to run to the checker flag, nothing could be done. Dave Young, the QMA National Race Director made the final decision on that.
- The weather held up for us all day, and we even saw some sun late in the afternoon. Forecast for tomorrow is not good though. But then again, I think weather people have trouble predicting night and day, nevermind the weather.
- Jeremy Doll transferred from the Light Mod F-Main, and that was about it. Tough day for Garden State members. Tomorrow should be a better day..
- Garden State members scheduled to race tomorrow (weather permitting):
Glen Slocum, Sr Stock D-Main
Chris Delaney, Jr Half C-Main
Jeremy Doll, Sr Honda B-Main
Kyle Reinhardt, Lt Mod B-main
Kyle Reinhardt, Lt B B-Main
Jeremy Doll, Lt B B-Main
Kyle Reinhardt, Lt A B-Main
Sebastian Font, Jr Half B-Main
(early evening):
- Well, you know it had to happen: a big messy controversy during the Light B G-Main. Twice, a car would come out late for the green, with handlers on the track surface pushing the car late onto the track. The flagger keeps the green out with handler on the track (at the blend line). Then the car that comes out late starts racing the leaders instead of falling to the back. This happened twice, and with Dave Young (national race director) taking a break, the relief race director on duty obviously did not know the rules. I guess the judges didn't know the rules either. One of those late cars took Jonathan Mandato out of the race. Very emotional outbursts and a formal protest (also informal protests), and it made for quite the scene.
- More later...
(Noon):
- No racing yet because of rain. so I have some time on my hands for a quick update.
- In my update last night, I posted that the Heavy 160 H-Main was the last race to push out, but it was actually race #42, Light 160 H-Main. That race never went green because of rain, so that is our first race today. Of course, that's assuming we will actually race today.
- Rain delayed the handler's meeting to 9:45 this morning. At around 10am , they started drying the track, but then the sky opened up again, and that was that. As of 11:30am, they managed to get the track dry again.
- They just announced at the 11:30am handlers meeting that they will now run 1-minute warmups (they were running 2-minute warmups), and they are now putting a 20-minute time limit on all races. So now I have to ask: Why did they stop running practice at 6pm on Sunday?
More later...
Wednesday, July 25
(late night update):
- Back from the track at 11pm, where race #43, the Heavy 160 H-Main was just pushing off. The raindrops started coming down, and its a long walk back to the motorhome, so we got out of there.
-They (QMA) wanted to get through the Light 160 G-Main tonight, which is race #47 of 133 scheduled races, but the weather will not be cooperating with that. The weather for tomorrow calls for a 30% chance of rain, so we may be seeing more rain delays. It looks like the racing will start tomorrow with the Heavy 160 H-Main.
- No more transfers tonight for GS members, though all of our members drove their hearts out. Sometimes we just didn't get the breaks we needed.
- The Garden State members scheduled to race tomorrow:
Jonathan Mandato, Lt B G-MainJeremy Doll, Lt Mod F-MainBrendan Boch, Lt Mod E-MainSebastian Font, Hvy 160 E-Main- The show is going well so far. No really big judging controversies or other distractions of that sort. But give it time. Most of the conversations are on getting the cars to work through the Turn 3 bumps. Garden State members are working hard to support each other so that we can make a good showing as a club.
(early evening update):
- They ran til midnight last night. As a matter of fact, Glen Slocum and Jonathan Mandato transferred out of their Light 160 Q-Main just after the clock struck midnight. Way too late to run Grands races.
- Weather has been a little bit threatening almost all day today, but there has been some sun too, and no rain delays.
- Here is a list of GS members who have transferred up in their lower mains.
Jonathan Mandato transferred from the Lt 160 Q-MainGlenn Slocum transferred from the Lt 160 Q-MainJonathan Mandato transferred from the Lt 160 P-MainGlen Slocum transferred from the Lt 160 P-MainJonathan Mandato transferred from the Lt 160 O-Main Glan Slocum transferred from the Lt 160 O-Main (as alternate)Jonathan Mandato transferred from the Lt 160 N-Main (Won!)Miranda Carr transferred from the Hvy Honda K-Main- Dean Moslow, who was hurt in the golf cart accident, was back at the track today. With his arm in a sling, he didn't look terribly worse for wear. It was good to know that he was not too seriously hurt.
I will post a late night update later.
Tuesday, July 24:
- Long day. Qualifying is finally over, but it was interesting. Lots of fueling and sealing issues because of inexperience on the part of the sealers as well as the handlers. Its the handlers that get socked with the DQs at the scales, though.
- An update on the handler that rolled his golf cart over: It was Dean Moslow, who many of us have become acquainted with at prior Grands. I didn't even recognize him on the stretcher. Dean has a broken collar bone, shoulder blade, ribs, and other internal injuries. Can't be too careful on those golf carts.
- Weather was a bit of a factor with a short rain delay, and the sun playing hide and seek all day. The rain came just before Jonathan Mandato was to go out for Light160 timing. Mr. Mandato was NOT happy. In all it was about an hour delay for rain.
- Here is a bit of a rundown on how Garden State members have timed:
Jeremy Doll, Sr Honda B-Main
Glen Slocum, Sr Honda N-Main
Courtney Slocum, Hvy Honda L-Main
Miranda Carr, Hvy Honda K-Main
Glen Slocum, Sr Stock D-Main
Kyle Reinhardt, Lt Mod B-main
Jeremy Doll, Lt Mod F-Main
Brendan Boch, Lt Mod E-Main
Glen Slocum, Lt 160 Q-Main
Jonathan Mandato, Lt 160 Q-Main
Sebastian Font, Hvy 160 E-Main
Chris Delaney, Hvy 160 L-Main
Kyle Reinhardt, Lt B B-Main
Jeremy Doll, Lt B B-Main
Jonathan Mandato, Lt B G-Main
Kyle Reinhardt, Lt A B-Main
Sebastian Font, Jr Half B-Main
Chris Delaney, Jr Half C-Main
Lower mains are now under way, and as of 11pm tonite, they were still running.
Monday, July 23:
- Oops! Forgot to mention last night that the car count is at 734. Not sure if sign-ins are actually closed yet. I'll have more later today....
(Monday night)
- Just got back from the track after a long day. After a full round of 3-minute practices, time-trial qualifying started, and both Junior and Senior Honda classes got their timing done. It was over 200 cars between the two classes. Slocum and Doll timed their Senior Hondas tonight. Doll timed into the B-main (unofficially), though I'm not sure where Glenn Slocum timed. Our old friend Kyle Resco also timed into the B-main.
- Jonathan Mandato took a wild ride in his Light B practice, and hit the steel guard rail a ton. For a while, it looked Jonathan was headed to the hospital for xrays to his knee, but everything turned out ok. Jonathan's collision with that guard rail makes you think that the soft-walls are worth the time and the hassle.
- Well it had to happen. With all the golf carts all over the place being driven around carelessly, someone had to get hurt. Last night, someone actually rolled one over, and was carried away on stretcher by the ambulance. I'm told the person (an adult of course) was going to be fine. Leave it to an adult to set a poor example for the kids.
- It looked like rain would threaten some of our day, but the kept winning out. There is a small threat of rain for tomorrow and Wednesday. Let's hope not.
- Tomorrow morning, the day starts with Heavy Honda timing.
Sunday, July 22:
- Another beautiful day in Ohio, with low humidity, mild breezes, and temperatures in the 80s. At the mandatory 8am handler's meeting (which didn't start til 8:25), QMA National announced that there would be a second day of practice tomorrow in addition to today's practice. Frankly, some of us would rather have started that second round as soon as today's round was finished. Since practice was done today by 6pm, we could have saved a lot of time by starting the second round tonight instead of waiting til tomorrow morning. That puts qualifying on Tuesday.
- Jeff Burton (driver of the #31 Nextel Cup car ) is here with his son, who is competing in Jr Honda and Jr Stock. It was great seeing Jeff Burton pull his son's car around like a plain ol' quarter midget dad. No entourage of hired handlers like I've seen with other NASCAR drivers' sons. Dave Blaney is also here with his son, though I haven't run into him yet.
- The Garden State members all had pretty decent practice runs, though we had glitches with a couple of members. And Sebi is still not happy with his Jr Half car, so I still have work to do.
Saturday, July 21:
- Today was safety and signins. No racing. Some of the Garden State families I've caught up with include Delaney, Slocum, Mandato, and Boch. I know the Dolls and Reinhardts are here, and Miranda Carr should be here soon. Everyone is scrambling to get themselves setup for practice tomorrow.
- The Miami Valley club, located on the grounds of the Kil-Kare Speedway, has a huge facility. Of course, that means we have a long long walk to the track. The longest I've had at any Grands since Topeka in 2002. The first handler's meeting is tomorrow at 8am, and the round of practice starts right afterward.
More tomorrow. ...
