RACE REPORT --- LIMA, OH --- 6.27.09

  Welcome back to ChrisCarr.com. We got into Lima Friday night and settled into the camping area around 9:00. Earlier in the day we had a chance to visit with Nick in Dayton and see his progress. He had been moved back into ICU to deal with some issues with his lungs but he was still stable. I'll fill you in on the latest after the races.

   Saturday greeted us with a beautiful day. Plenty of sunshine and a few breezes, just enough to turn a great racetrack to shit. I was told that they had put a million gallons of water on the track during the week. They must have run out on race day because I have never seen the cushion at Lima disappear so fast since the last day race there several years ago. They had it dug up pretty deep at first, but then it just vanished by the third practice.

   Speaking of practice/qualifying, that went pretty good for us. I was listed pretty much in third for the all sessions combined but didn't feel very comfortable until the last session. For me, having the track dry out was in my favor early in the day as the track was pretty defined at that point.

   So, I chose the inside pole for the third heat race which again included Mees and Coolbeth and others. I got off the line about fourth like last week, but Lima was allowing us a lot more passing opportunities than Bull's Gap had. I moved into third fairly quickly and found myself grinning as pretty in pink Nichole Cheza was flat handing to her boyfriend Jared for a few laps. I started getting some good drives off of turns 2 and 4 and by the halfway flags I was comfortable in the lead and pulling away. First heat race win and off to the George Roeder Sr.Dash for Cash.

   I lined up third from the outside with Smith and Schnable to my right and little Halbert, Mees and Don Taylor to my left. I got to turn one okay and came off of two side by side with Halbert for second with Mees out front. I went high into three to let Halbert do his famous slide job and I squared him off of four. I got a good run up to Jared off of four and just as I was coming up on him he looked back and turned left. I had to check up to keep from hitting him and then went high again into One. Jared was running in the middle of One and two and I was running high-low. So I go in high and out of the corner of my left eye I see Halbert on one of his slide job missions and I let him clear and get a decent drive off of two to pull back along side of him. I felt like I was inside a pinball machine there for a lap or so, so I decided since I had Sammy to the outside down the back straight, I would keep him high going into three to prevent having to deal with him in the middle of the corner. This worked out pretty good as I got into three really good, got the bike turned and got the about the best drive of the night coming off of four that brought me up to and past Jared for the lead as we got the halfway flags. After that it was smooth sailing to the checkered flag and a badly needed 5 bonus points for winning the Dash, definitely, the highlight of my evening.

    As we got ready for the Main it became apparent that our new AMA is prepared to sacrifice the quality of the show to maintain their schedule. I think all of us riders were surprised that the track was as dry as it was for the Main. I got another decent start and found myself dicing with Smith and Halbert for second as Jared again had a small lead on us. After things settled down a little I took control of second and proceeded to chip away at Jared's 15 bike length lead. I wasn't really pushing too hard as I was just trying to be smooth. I caught Jared by about lap five and went back and forth a bit and then I didn't see him for awhile. I hadn't been in this position in awhile, especially at Lima and I knew it was going to be real tough to go the next 20 laps on an ever changing track. My high line going into both corners was starting dry out pretty quick and I knew our setup wasn't going to work on the bottom very well so I just rode as comfortable as I could for as long as I could. Jared came back by around lap 10. I started to struggle getting the bike turned in the middle as it felt like riding on ball bearings into and though the middle of the corners. I went back and forth with Smith for a few laps and around lap 14 or 15

I tried going into three a little higher than before to see what I could find for traction. What I found was a rut that swallowed my front end and spit me up into a good view of my front tire. I felt one of those over the front/highsides coming up and somehow was able to get the bike back under me. I think I turned 43 right then and there. I was used up, out of breath and out of strength. Throughout the remainder of the race, I held on as best as I could. Halbert had the best seat in the house for my near get off, and took over third. Weidman and Schnable came by toward the end of the race and I finished sixth.

   Although I was disappointed with the last ten laps, I am inspired for the rest of the season. We have really struggled with the half-miles the last couple of years and we feel we are heading in the right direction. This season's Twins Series is shaping up to be a dog fight. I am convinced after Lima that there is plenty of fight left in this ol' dog. I can't wait for Hagerstown.

   On Sunday we went to Steve Morehead's annual party up in Findlay. We had a great time wearing out the kids and the dogs and then headed down to Dayton for another visit with Nick Cummings. What a difference 48 hours makes. When I opened the curtain to his room in ICU, I was delightfully shocked to see Nick bring his head up to see who was coming through the door. That alone brought a huge smile to all of our faces. We were able to communicate fairly well with facial expression and sign language. He tried talking, but his voice hasn't come back from all the damage from the tubes in his throat over the last two weeks and my hearing isn't so good from all those years of riding without earplugs. After about 20 minutes he started to peter out so we let him get his rest.

   We went back to the hospital on Monday for our last visit for awhile to find him out of ICU and into a secondary unit. He is undergoing breathing treatments for the pneumonia he caught late last week. His move out of ICU is a sign that he's improving. I talked with Kenny Tolbert today, and Tom Cummings, Nick's Dad, said he was operating the remote control in his room today, most likely bored while his family can breathe a little easier themselves. I'll try to keep you informed as best I can during the break.

   During the break, my wife Pam and I will try to get caught back up here at home while the boys go swimming. I'll be doing everything I can to be prepared for the rest of the season. Thanks again for visiting ChrisCarr.com. 
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