PRI Tradeshow, Hickory Test and All the Rest!

I left the Kelowna Airport with my dad Sunday morning on our way to Charlotte, NC. The trip down there went relativity smoothly without any lost luggage, the only hitch was our own misdoing. When we arrived in Dallas we had one more flight to catch to get to Charlotte, unfortunately my cell phone didn't update to the local time and I thought we had a while before our next flight. We grabbed dinner at  a restaurant nearby our gate and when we finished we realized we had missed our flight and they had apparently been calling us non stop.

This resulted in us having to re-book our flight for the next day, but the bright side was we got to stay in a fancy 5 star hotel for cheap thanks to the airline. When we finally got there Monday afternoon we visited the Race 101 shop and Tony Blanchard and then checked into our hotel.  The next day wasn't looking so hot for weather but we had to do what we could to get the test session in because I would be traveling to Florida the next day and my dad would be headed home.

Luckily enough the rain held off just long enough on Tuesday to get our test session at Hickory Motor Speedway in, which was a blast. Despite my suit zipper breaking on scene I still had an awesome time driving the Race 101 test car around the historic Hickory Motor Speedway. That night me, my dad and a fellow student Brandon Atkinson took to the go kart track in Mooresville The Pit. I'm happy to report I beat my dad go karting for the first time ever and held off Brandon until the last lap! 

Wednesday morning at 5am Anna Marie picked my dad and I up at our hotel and dropped my dad off at the airport while she and I headed on to the PRI show in Orlando Florida! We drove all day on a straight flat road ( I-95) to get there and I took a turn driving at Jacksonville. We got into Orlando around 5:30 and checked into our hotel room. We waited for Luke Whitteker to arrive and went out for dinner at the Cuba Libre which was a snazzy little restaurant just down from the convention center on International Drive. 

The first day of PRI was overwhelming there were so many people and vendors I didn't know where to start! It was a long day of meeting people and talking about new products and as the day finally came to a close my feet hurt from so much walking but it was worth it. I ran into a friend of mine Tyler Case who was with Scott Steckly (Nascar Canadian Tire Series Champion) and his crew chief Julio, we all went out for dinner at the Olive Garden and then spent a while talking racing. It was kewl to hang with the Champion of the Series I hope to run!

The rest of the time at PRI was much of the same made some interesting contacts and hopefully something wil come of that. But my flight home was a nightmare!

I arrived at the airport at 4am for my 6 am flight, which after an hour of trying to get signed in and waiting in enormous lines I found out my flight was cancelled, and I could'n t be re-booked until 6pm! I spent the entire day in the airport trying to keep occupied until 4pm when I could get through security and get my boarding passes!

When I finally arrived home at 1am my time it had been a 26 hour day and I would be getting 4 hours of sleep before I had to head off to work!


All in all it was an amazing trip can't say enough about the whole Race 101 group and everything they have done for me this year! Although it was tiring too......

3/11/11 Race 101 Classes in North Carolina

    My trip to North Carolina began on a cold Thursday morning at the Kelowna airport. A full day of travel and 3 flights later I was safe on the ground in Charlotte, NC. The first stop was the World of Outlaws Dirt Finals at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord.

    The World of Outlaws race was insane, crazy like nothing I've ever seen before there was dirt flying into your face as you squinted to watch them drive it into the corners full speed completely sideways! I had to leave early to get checked into my hotel and get a good nights rest for classes Friday morning.

   Class on Friday was fun we did some mock interviews and spoke in front of our class about our seasons, Friday night we headed back to the World Finals to watch dirt racing. I had to leave early because the racing was still going at 1am and I had to be up for class at 8.

   Saturday's class was a whirlwind of information courtesy of Tony Blanchard, we went over every component of the car and how changes would affect each different setup. After taking some advil to help my headache from class we headed out for dinner then back to the dirt track again.

   Sunday's class was the most difficult for most of us as we had to do a filmed interview in front of the Race 101 Open House full of people. The interviews can be found online here:  

http://youtu.be/S2NT_ylgaOg

Sunday night we went to the go kart track for some fun, and I flew out Monday morning to go home. The whole trip just about went off without a hitch until my flight in Toronto got cancelled on the way home. I had to wait in the airport for hours and reschedule all my connecting flights.

When I finally got home at 2am it was such a sigh of relief, although I am jetting off to North Carolina again in two weeks to test the Late Model at Hickory Motor Speedway, then leave from there to PRI in Florida!

Seems like I haven't spent more than 2 days at home in the last little while, but not regretting any of it!!

2011 Year wrap up

After the 2011 season and two banquets Sarah's trophy shelf is overflowing with awards, she collected Most Improved Driver in both the ARCA West Ok Tire Series and the West Coast Sportsman Series where she finished 8th and 4th overall respectively. Sarah would not have had the amazing season she did without her sponsors, and she would like to thank, Snap-On Tools, Aarons, Racecom, ANJ Automotive, Lordco and Serious Performance.

As for next year Sarah is working towards putting together a marketing program to run a limited season in the Nascar Canadian Tire Series and a run for the championship in the ARCA West Ok Tire Series.

Sarah would also like to thank everyone who helped make this year possible including:

My dad, Jason Anderson, Roy Clissold, Mike Ernst, Cory McGivern, Becky Mytting, Stef Fratino, Korbin Thomas, Kendall Thomas, Earl Thomas, Doug Waller, and everyone else who supported us this season.

Another Strong Podium Finish for Cornett-Ching

West Coast Sportsman Series Finale

Sarah went into the night sitting fourth in points unable to gain any positions due to the mathematical possibility, but had high hopes to come home with a strong finish. She did just that at Motoplex Speedway after getting out front early and pulling out to a straightaway lead.

"Our car started out really fast and I wasn't pushing it very hard to stay out front, I was thinking we would be able to save the car and pick it up towards the end. Unfortunately after a competitor blew a motor the track was covered in speedy dry and I had three consecutive outside row starts, we roasted the RR tire off the car trying to keep up and then had to battle to our 3rd place finish."

The #99 team couldn't be more pleased with the season they had in 2011, racing at 5 new tracks and trying new setups in the race car they still proved to be a strong competitor. With the last three races at their home track in Vernon, BC they were able to put an exclamation point on the season with a win and strong podium runs. Going into next year Sarah has big plans and hopes to continue to win over the fans wherever she races.

Suiting up for the ride-along

"I grew so much as a driver this year with a car that was able to run up front it gave me the opportunity to push myself and get the finishes we were looking for. Going into next year, I hope to secure a marketing partner for the Nascar Canadian Tire Series but if we race in the Arca Series again I know we will be a threat for the Championship." Said the ambitious driver.

At intermission Sarah took a lucky fan for a ride-along

Sarah is looking forward to her next trip down to North Carolina in November where the Race 101 class will clip and setup the front end of a Howe chassis.








Follow the team at www.SCCracing.com

and on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sccracing
Or Follow on Twitter:
@scornettching

Cornett-Ching Claims Top Five

2011 Arca Ok Tire Championship Night

Sarah went into the night 11th in the points standings and knew a strong finish would be necessary to close out the season on a high note. She would leave no doubt in anyone's minds running in the top 3 all night and finishing 4th. This would push Cornett-Ching up to 8th overall in the Arca Series standings for 2011.

In afternoon practice the #99 Snap-on Tools car would post the 3rd quickest time and move from the back of the heat race up to 5th. Cornett-Ching knew she had a car to beat in the main event and planned to keep it up front.

Sarah would run the majority of the race in 2nd position but lose some ground on a restart, despite her efforts to clinch the 3rd position at the checkers she would bring the car home in fourth.

"Right from the start of the day I was confident and I knew we had a car to beat for the feature race. I'm glad we were able to have such a strong run to finish the season off strong."

There is one race left on the schedule for the #99 team in the West Coast Sportsman Series were Sarah sits 4th in points and has one win. On September 24 at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, BC Sarah will have her sights set on her second victory of the season.

Follow what the team is up to on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sccracing
Or on her website: www.SCCracing.com

Cornett-Ching has Dominating Run Dashed

The second day of the Hot August Nights mini series at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, BC started well for the #99 of Sarah Cornett-Ching posting the fastest speed in first practice and qualifying 4th. The team worked hard all day dialing in the car with a few struggles in the heat race the but car came to life in the main event.

Sarah worked through traffic quickly and was leading by lap 4, from there the #99 Snap-On Tools car stretched it's lead over the field until the mandatory pit stop on lap 25. With one of the quickest stops Sarah regained the lead after the field cycled through.

Cornett-Ching was leading by half a lap and feeling good about the car when it started smoking which would eventually lead to a mechanical black flag on lap 45. Sarah had to relinquish her lead and head behind the wall for repairs.

Emerging from pit road after replacing the tail shaft seal on the transmission 10 laps down didn't slow down the talented young driver as she worked her way back through the field to the 2nd spot. With a restart within 10 laps to the end she was put behind the lead lap cars although she felt she had a car to beat the eventual winner to the checkers.

With such a strong car going into the final Arca race of the year the #99 team is confident and ready to put the #99 Snap-On Tools Aarons car on the podium.

Check out everything the team is up to at www.SCCracing.com or on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/sccracing

Leading the race with some fans cheering us on

Cornett-Ching wins with last lap pass;

Penticton racer scores impressive career-first at Motoplex Speedway

17^th, 2011, PENTICTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA - Sarah Cornett-Ching earned her first career late model victory in dramatic fashion on Saturday at Motoplex Speedway near Vernon, British Columbia. The 20-year-old Penticton racer edged her #99 Snap-On Tools-sponsored car past race leader Mark Berrieau on the final turn of the final lap to steal the win.

“I don’t think I could have imagined a finish much more exciting than that,” said an exuberant Cornett-Ching after the race. “The crew worked hard all day long to get the car faster, and it felt great for the feature. This is awesome.”

Cornett-Ching was among the fastest throughout the day’s practice and qualifying, but the team spent plenty of time chasing mechanical issues. The Snap-on Tools crew fixed a vibration in the car and also addressed vapour locking in the fuel system caused by extreme heat during qualifying. Added to her mechanical issues was a neck injury suffered at work during the week. Despite the issues she still qualified fourth fastest.

“With the neck injury and our challenges through the day I hardly had victory lane in my sights,” said Cornett-Ching. “I actually had my dad bring his driving suit in case I didn’t feel well enough to race. I’m glad I stayed in the car

With the 100 lap Hot August Nights feature race underway each car was required to make a pit stop for a right rear tire. Sarah entered the pits for service in fourth place on lap 27 and rejoined the race as the leader with a 13 second lead. Her lead evaporated when the caution flew and the field bunched up for the restart.

“My crew on pit road was outstanding,” she recalled. “They made no mistakes and we gained valuable track position. The caution came out taking away our 13 second lead, but we made the right changes on pit road and were able to keep my car in the top 3 all night.”

A late-race caution set the stage for an exciting finish. With five laps left on the restart Cornett-Ching lined up on the outside of race leader Berrieau. When the green flag flew she battled door to door with the veteran for the top spot. On the final lap she seized opportunity.

“I could see that Mark was sliding up the track,” said Cornett Ching. “I rolled out of the throttle a little early heading into turn three, and I was able to drive under Mark and beat him to the finish.

“It was an amazing feeling to race with one of the best drivers in the province to the checkered flag, and to beat him at the line was icing on the cake. This win is important to give my crew and myself the extra confidence we need going into the second Hot August Nights race on August 27^th.”

Cornett-Ching sits second in points just 12 points behind points leader Berrieau. The race on the 27th will decide who takes home the Hot August Nights title. For more information on Sarah Cornett-Ching and her racing team, visit www.SCCRacing.com.

Agassiz Speedway Results and Upcoming Race @ Motoplex

I definitely impressed myself when we raced at Agassiz last weekend, it was another new track that I would have to learn in two 30 minute practice sessions. I spent the last scuff session just watching some of the faster cars lines and then walked the track again to get a feel for some marks. I would be the first car to qualify because I chose to skip the scuff session. I spent the 25 minutes before qualifying just sitting in the race car and visualizing the line I needed to run.
My qualifying lap time was half a second quicker than my practice times which landed us 7th within 2 tenths of the track record. I started at the back of the main event which turned out to be a detriment to our run, being a small race track and getting caught behind a few rows of slower traffic I ended up getting lapped early. Fortunately I was able to follow the leaders through and make my way up to 7th in the main event.
It was all in all a great run considering the other issues we battled throughout the race, I lost the clutch on lap 25 so keeping the car running under cautions was extremely difficult. Also a late race contact knocked the toe out but we pushed through and brought the car home in one piece in 7th.
This coming weekend we will also face some diversity as I am recovering from a neck injury I obtained at work. Hopefully I will be able to compete to my fullest this weekend as I feel we have a great shot at the win.

See you this weekend at Motoplex Speedway, Vernon, BC

Racing and Charities

Last Friday we had our two charity cars set up at Walmart to raise awareness and take donations for the BC Children's Hospital and the MS Society through A&W's Cruisin' for a Cause day on Aug 25th. We made it an interactive fundraiser by letting everyone who made a donation sign the hood of our race car. It turned out to be a success as the hood filled up with signatures so did our donation box. 

Saturday was race day with the ASA Late Model Tour at Penticton Speedway, we used the weekend to tweak and tune on the setup in the race car because we weren't competing for points in that series. With nothing to lose we put an unknown setup in the car, unfortunately we were unable to get the car working how we wanted but stayed out of trouble and learned to race on the smallest track in our circuit. Finishing 12th wasn't a travesty but it certainly wasn't the run we had hoped for. 

Sunday we completely changed the setup in the race car and with minimal practice time we weren't able to adjust the setup like we wanted to. The car was turning the center of the corner awesome but would be continually loose on exit. After the heat race a misfire developed which turned out to be a puncture in the fuel regulator diaphragm. No one had a replacement so we had to come up with a solution with what we had available to us.

We ended up using a Nitrile glove inside the regulator to work with the torn diaphragm, it held up for all 100 laps and we brought the car home 9th with no damage to report.
We will be points racing next weekend with the Arca Series at Agassiz Speedway, the track is similar to Penticton Speedway so our setup should be close.

We ended up 10th overall for the weekend and didn't take any damage.

BC Children's Hospital & A&W Cruisin' for a Cause Promotion at Walmart

Yesterday I had a great time meeting with fans, signing autographs and most importantly collecting donations for my charity BC Children's Hospital. We spent most of the week getting our car ready for the two day Gordie Mannes race weekend but were able to put some time aside to make this appearance.
It was a bit of a logistical nightmare to make it happen because we had only one trailer for two cars and were on the other side of town from the shop. Its the long weekend here too so there was an awful lot of traffic and two accidents we had to detour around. Luckily my dad and crew member Jason were able to get the other car across town while I entertained fans and promoted the races this weekend.




Racing starts tonight at 8 and we should have the car up at the track by 12:00 for pre-race tech and practice. This is the single event at my home track this year so hopefully we can finish well for the hometown crowd.
Tomorrows race is also at 8
Follow along live with everything we are up to on Facebook: Sarah Cornett-Ching Racing

Charity Event + Gordie Mannes Memorial Weekend

This Friday I will be at Walmart in Penticton, BC with my BC Children's Hospital car and the A&W "Cruisin' for a Cause" car to raise awareness for both charities and collect donations for the Children's Hospital. We will have the hood we took to the Hospital there for the general public to sign for a donation. We hope to have the hood filled with signatures for the race event at Penticton Speedway on Saturday.

I have never raced my late model at Penticton Speedway before but in 2010 I finished 2nd both nights in my Streetstock. I am optimistic about the weekend for the racing and my charity efforts if we keep the car clean we should be able to bring it home with an awesome finish. 

My family is all in town because we are having quite a few birthday celebrations this weekend and I will have to find time to squeeze in a visit with them amongst everything else I am trying to make fall into place. With the Nascar Canadian Tire Series debut over with that takes a lot off my plate and doing as well as we did makes all the hard work worth it. 

Special Thanks to Jason White for making that dream a reality and all the people who helped make it happen. 

Hopefully we get everything else worked out and then I get a week off to reflect on everything we have done recently, it all seems very surreal. 

Successful Nascar Debut for Sarah Cornett-Ching in the A&W "Cruisin' for a Cause" Chevrolet

July 23rd 2011- Motoplex Speedway Vernon BC,  The Nascar Canadian Tire Series rolled into Vernon, BC with an eager young rookie ready to take to the track; Sarah Cornett-Ching was set for her Nascar debut in the A&W 300 at Motoplex.
The deal with Jason White Racing had fallen into place just weeks before the event and Sarah hadn't been in the car more than 20 minutes to fit the seat. With such a huge opportunity at hand Sarah and her team prepared themselves as best as they could in the days leading up to the event and even acquired last minute sponsors to make it all possible
When Saturday finally rolled around the team had already been through pre-race inspection and had a safety check completed. Racing in a more structured series proved more involved than expected as the team had never been through such a rigorous tech inspection.
The cars hit the race track at 1:30 sharp for practice, her first time ever behind the wheel of a Nascar style car and there were many changes that needed to be made for more driveability. At the end of practice the #25 "Cruisin' for a Cause" Chevrolet was 16th of 21 cars.
Starting at the back of the field and staying out of trouble was the plan for this youngster, which she did with ease. Everything was going to plan running as high as 9th and managing to stay on the lead lap until lap 286 when contact with a lapped car would cut down the right front tire sending her car into the back straightaway wall.
Visual damage sustained included two flat tires so the crew went to work and had the car back out for the lap 290 restart. Unfortunately the handling would be ill after the contact with the wall and eventually the car would spin out of control due to a broken trailing arm mount.
Despite not taking the checkered flag Sarah finished 14th of 21 cars and definitely had a successful debut, Sarah looks forward to more races in this Series and more competitive finishes to come.

Special Thanks: Snap-On Tools, ANJ Automotive, RPR Heating and Air Conditioning, Boilermakers Union #359, Canadian Tire, Underwriters Insurance, Stef Fratino, RaceCom, and Lordco. Crew: Joe Cornett-Ching, Jason Anderson, Korbin Thomas, Kendall Thomas, Nevada Turner, Dan Ursel, Cory McGiverin, Freddy, Tyler, Jason & Jim White, Ken, Jessica, and Earl. Anyone else who helped I really appreciate it too!

Follow Sarah at www.sccracing.com and on her faebook page Sarah Cornett-Ching Racing to stay up to date with where she races next.

Friday Afternoon Day 4

Had a course today for training at work it was fun we used lego to learn about lean flow and kan ban. It was interesting and the best part was we got off at 2 so now I am grabbing a few last minute things from the house and we are headed to Quesnel.
Apparently there is a parade tomorrow at 1130 in Quesnel for the Billy Barker Days weekend so I think we will enter the car in it, should be a good photo op. Then practice will be starting at the race track and I will be able to  spend some laps feeling out the track. We had a chance to run a few laps there on our way back from Prince George 4 weeks ago hopefully it comes back to me when I get out there.
We are stopping in Kamloops to check out the car I will be running in the Nascar A&W 300 next weekend and to have a chat with Jason White on the way. I have a few interviews set up for Monday to announce my appearance in the event, but for now we are about to hit the road. Ciao

Day 3 ~ Successful Day

I had a meeting with our union at work, Lodge 359 Boiler Makers Union and they are interested in coming on board for the race. I also had a meeting with Neil Jamieson from Underwriters Insurance in Penticton, BC he was impressed with all the work we have been putting in and at what I am doing at such a young age. He is also going to be on the car for the race.
I then headed to the race shop so we could button up a few last minute things on the Arca car because we are leaving tomorrow at 3:00 for Quesnel. As I jumped on the computer I noticed I had a message from my Snap-On rep and he was it said; "Good news call me asap" After getting off the phone with him I was ecstatic Snap-On really came on board for us for this event.
Tomorrow on our way to Quesnel we will be stopping by the shop where the Nascar Canadian Tire Series car is to finalize a few details and fit me in the race car. Everything seems to be coming together and hopefully I can clear my mind of all this we can have a good run in Quesnel this weekend in the Arca West Ok Tire Series.

Wednesday July 13th Day 2

This had been a lot more work than I anticipated! We have barely had a wink of sleep so far this week between trying to prepare my Arca West car and get this all organized for my Nascar Canadian Tire Series debut.
I got in touch with Dan Ursel from Lordco today he is going to lend me his trailer, pitcart, air guns, over the wall equipment and give me some tires to run on for the event. This should make getting there and keeping everything organized easier than with the trailer we have.
Tonight we are going to focus on the Arca series car to get it prepared for our first race at Gold Pan Speedway during the Billy Barker Days in Quesnel, BC. We have a ton of work to do to get this car ready.
I have three meetings set up for tomorrow in regards to the upcoming Nascar race.

Day 1 of Nascar Canadian Tire Series Race Preparations

Last night after I hung up with Jason I made a few phone calls to get a crew in place and try to make arrangements to talk to some companies about sponsorship for the event the next day.
I was able to make a meeting with my local Canadian Tire in Penticton, BC for after work on Tuesday, and a good friend of mine who works as a mechanic at Canadian Tire made the commitment to double whatever the store could do. That was a start towards what we needed for the race.
Then I had to start figuring out how I would get the equipment needed for my over the wall crew, I know someone who raced the series quite a few years ago and was able to give me some of the stuff I would need. I was also trying to track down a set of used tires which I never did acquire.
 We are racing in Quesnel this weekend so during this time my race car was all torn apart while we put in the new clutch added the lead back in from the Superlate race, changed carbs, and got tires sorted out.
I made a list of people I thought would be interested in helping out and getting some exposure for their companies one of which was my own work. I also contacted all the people I wanted to have on my crew for the event and tried to get confirmations from them.
Tomorrow I will be mainly focused on getting sponsorship for the event

Received a Game Changing Phone Call Today

It was Monday July 11th and we were working on the race car when my phone rang, it was Jason White a Canadian Tire Nascar Series driver and someone I look up to who also mentors me with my PR program. He had some ground breaking news that at first I was tentative to believe because it seemed so surreal. He wanted to put me in his Nascar Canadian Tire Series car for the A&W 300 at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, BC.
Despite the fact that he had worked feverishly to make this happen for me there is still a lot of work to be done, I have to come up with sponsors for the event and as many of you may not know there is an extensive amount of planning that goes into racing a weekend in this series. I was told that some of the equipment we needed would be available to us but there were things I would need to find for the weekend
Being that we were only going to have a week and a half to get this organized, I started making phone calls that night. I was going to need SFI fire proof suits, shoes, and helmets for my over the wall crew, fuel aprons and balaclavas for my fuel guys. I will also have to find air guns and other tools for tire changes, all while getting my other car ready for our upcoming race in Quesnel and finding sponsorship for the event.
Stay tuned as I update this blog throughout my week and a half of preparations for this event. It will be a great opportunity and I have to give a huge thank you to Jason White and his crew for making this all come together for me!

My Visit to the BC Children's Hospital July 9th 2011

We had an absolutely awesome trip down to Vancouver this weekend the only way it would have been better is if when I left I could taken all the sickness away from the kids.
My sister and I left home at 7am for the drive down to Vancouver, and got there in time to have lunch at The Eatery downtown.We had to take the truck so we could bring the hood down with us which made driving stressful. The streets are very skinny and you can be driving along and all of a sudden there are parked cars in your lane. All I could do was trust the GPS because I had no idea where we were and there was a ton of traffic!
We got to the Hospital with plenty of time to spare and then had a hard time getting in touch with the Child Life Specialist who was supposed to meet me there.
When we met up with her we started unloading all my race gear, raffle prizes and props I had brought with us to entertain the kids. We set up the hood for the kids to sign and draw on and it was a huge hit, I showed them all the safety gear I have to wear in the race car and we played some racing videos I had brought along.
We did a raffle for a die cast car, Darrell Waltrip signed hat and some Aarons hats aswell, I signed drivers cards for all the kids, their parents and siblings. It was worth every kilometer we had to drive to see the kids having a new experience and not being cooped up in their rooms. We were unable to take any pictures unless the kids signed release forms due to Hospital rules but they took pictures with me for their own memories.

Our next fundraising effort will be on July 29th at Walmart in Penticton, BC right before the two day Gordie Mannes racing weekend at Penticton Speedway, BC

Sarah Cornett-Ching to Visit British Columbia Children’s Hospital This Saturday; Donations Accepted for Hospital Charity

 

The BC Children’s hospital is close to the heart for Sarah Cornett-Ching and her family.  With her brother spending some time at the hospital several years ago as a patient, the Cornett-Ching family has a lot of gratitude for the hospital and what they do.  She has supported the hospital with donations that were accumulated the past two seasons, and is excited to step up and do even more to help out.  With her past experience with the hospital, she knows their capabilities, and what they are in need of, and hopes that she can help out even more.

"Our family is grateful for everything the Children's Hospital did for us and now that I have the opportunity I want to be able to give back. I know that these kids are sick and can't leave the hospital, so why not bring some smiles to them" remarked the young driver.

Sarah will be visiting the hospital this Saturday from 2pm to 3:30pm.  She will have the hood from the racecar with her, and the young children will be able to sign their names on the hood.  The same hood may also be signed by the general public for a donation to the hospital.  Sarah will be racing with the hood during the Gordie Mannes Memorial Weekend at Penticton Speedway on July 30^th and 31 to raise awareness for the hospital, and will also be collecting donations during that racing weekend.

BC Children’s Hospital provides expert care for the province’s most seriously ill or injured children, including newborns and adolescents. Based in Vancouver, BC Children’s Hospital reaches across the province with vital health services that may not be available anywhere else in B.C. They provide specialized training in pediatric health care and work with renowned researchers to achieve better health for children and youth. As an academic health centre, BC Children's Hospital is affiliated with the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, Child & Family Research Institute, and other education and research institutions.

Two Great Finishes Racing Double Duty ~ July 2nd Motoplex Speedway 2011

Tires, tires, tires, they were the item of the weekend. We were mounting different tires all day to get the sets we wanted to race in the two different series. Our car was completely different from one set to the other it would stick like glue with the Hoosier tires and slide all over the place on the Goodyears with the same setup.

We had to be on our game all day making changes between races to be legal to race in both series and we were able to pull it off successfully. We battled adversity all day due to a faulty new fuel pump, brake bias issues, and a late race miss fire. Despite these issues we pushed through and made the car work.

In the West Coast Sportsman Series race our car was loose on entry which made it difficult to drive but I was able to hold on for a 6th place run out of 14 cars. During the intermission we had to swap tires, change from a 2bbl to a 4bbl carburetor, change the battery and make a few chassis adjustments. Everything went smoothly during the changeover and we started 3rd row outside. Starting on the outside was difficult and I lost a few spots off the start. With a car that was handling well I was able to pick off cars and work my way forward. With 5 laps to go I was knocking on the door of the third place car, gaining through the corners and losing time on the straightaways with an inferior motor and a miss fire. As the checkered flag flew I came across the line 3 tenths behind the 3rd place Superlate model. 

I would like to thank all my crew that made the weekend possible; Dad, Jason, Cory, and others who pitched in when we needed it. 

I would also like to thank my sponsors for this year; Snap-On Tools, Aarons, Lordco Auto Parts, Racecom, ANJ Automotive, and Ken Brown Welding and Machine.

Our next race is on July 16th at Gold Pan Speedway in Quesnel BC, and it will be my first appearance at the Speedway. Check out my newly updated website for everything Sarah Cornett-Ching Racing.

www.sccracing.com 

Back to Double Duty in 2011

This weekend at Motoplex Speedway the Super Late Model Trick Series will be visiting as well as the local West Coast Sportsman Series show. Our car will be able to race in both classes with minor changes, it will be a great opportunity to have more track time and be in a faster field.
I will have to be on my toes throughout the night between switching the setup back and forth and running two races back to back for a total of 235 laps. I will be racing with a new field of drivers and the lap times will pick up quite a bit as well. We will use the extra laps to tune the car and give me an opportunity to race up a series, all track time is good track time and I learn something every time I get out on the race track.
We have a few preparations to make so that we can have the car ready to make quick changes between races to be competitive in the Super Late Model Series.

Frustrations & Small Victories~PGARA Speedway Prince George, BC

We left our hometown of Summerland, BC at 7:30pm Thursday night for the long drive to Prince George for the weekend's race. We arrived in Prince George at 11am Friday morning just in time for our appearance at the Prince George Secondary School to promote the Arca Series being in town and to campaign Keeping Racing off the Streets. 

The appearance was a huge success, the kids loved the race car and had a great time with the question and answer period too. We had police officers there to help send the message across to the kids just getting their drivers licences. CKPG news did an interview with my dad and myself that aired on the 5 o clock news, and I was able to spread the word over the radio as well. 

After we finished up at the school we took the car over to the Ok Tire, our series sponsor to have on display. We were the only car in the whole series to make the effort to support our series sponsor and were recognized for that. 

Saturday was race day and we started off the day with one loose race car, I was learning the track and trying to get my car adjusted at the same time. We worked our way closer and closer to having the car dialed in, and by the time qualifying rolled around I was happy with what we had. I left some on the table in qualifying due to over driving the 3/4 corner, which put us on the pole for the heat race.

I got a great start in the heat race, but an early caution ate up my lead. On the second restart I had another awesome start leaving the field within two laps. Another caution due to a competitors exhaust falling off the car forced me to try the restart for the 3rd time. This time coming to the green flag the car to my outside gave me a door slam throwing off my restart and I fell back to 3rd. With only a few laps left I was unable to advance my position and ended up 3rd in the heat.

I voluntarily started at the back for the main event knowing the race would be riddled with cautions. A few laps in, light contact caused my rad shroud to close up a bit, and during a long red flag for a roll over the car overheated. 

After the red flag was lifted I started the car and it didn't run for long before vapor locking in the fuel system forced me to be pushed off the race track. 

Once we had the car running again we got back out just a lap down, I was able to hold my line for the rest of the race hanging on for an 8th place finish. Overall we had a decent car, I learned a lot about the track and we came home with the car in one piece. 

Our next race is at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, BC on July 2nd.

Race #3 in the Arca West Ok Tire Series Race at PGARA Speedway in Prince George BC

 Accomplished young Arca West Series driver Sarah Cornett-Ching will be in Prince George this weekend for the Mr Quick Lube and Oil 100 at PGARA Speedway. Aside from the Saturday night race Sarah will also be making an appearance at Prince George Secondary School to have a meet and greet with the students and have the race car on display prior to race day.

 Sarah will be signing autographs and handing out hero cards at Prince George Secondary School on Friday afternoon at 11:30 for the students, teachers and fans. Racing is on Saturday June 18th with time trials at 6:00pm and racing starting at 7:00pm. There will also be an opportunity after the race to meet with the discerning young driver. 

 This is Sarah's first year in the Arca West touring series and her first appearance at PGARA Speedway. " I'm excited to be in Prince George and have the opportunity to try a new track again this week. We will have to work on the car and my driving style throughout the day, but I'm confident we will be able to have a strong night." says Sarah.

 Only three races into the season Sarah has already shown great potential and is eager to jump head first into new challenges. She will be put to the test while racing against a field full of drivers who have already tried their hand at this Prince George event. 

To follow this weekends activities go to the Sarah Cornett-Ching Racing page on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/sccracing

Weekend Off and My Sisters Graduation

With a weekend off before the Mr Quick Lube and Oil 100 in Prince George, I had the opportunity to go out and see some of my old friends and watch my little sister's graduation ceremonies. I will be back behind the wheel next weekend but until then I will be enjoying the time off and preparing the car.
Last night was my sister's graduation ceremony where she was awarded a scholarship, and after the ceremony I got to have game night with one of my friends from high school who attends the University of Saskatchewan.
Tonight I will be going for a nice dinner with my family, and driving them to and from the restaurant so they can consume alcoholic beverages. :)

Until next race day, Ciao!

Relaxing Sunday Afternoon + Squeezed in a Race

Saturday was my dad's birthday but because we were racing we postponed it until Sunday. Mom had a birthday brunch planned at a local winery which was really nice, and while we waited for our meal mom and dad did a wine tasting.
After the brunch I took off as quickly as I could, grabbed my racing gear and headed to Penticton Speedway, I didn't have a ride secured for the day yet but I brought my gear just in case. After all the hot lapping sessions one of the drivers came up to me and asked if I would want to drive his car, of course I said yes and jumped in it for qualifying.
I went out onto the race track in this little hornet car for my qualifying lap and just drove it as hard as I could. On the first corner I accidentally pressed the clutch instead of the brakes and slid way up the race track, and on the second corner I drove it in way deeper to make up for my mistake and when I hammered on the brakes the car nearly spun right around because of too much rear brake. Even with a terrible qualifying lap I was in the A heat, I started in the second row on the inside and I fell back a bit still trying to get a handle on the car. We started the main event way at the back of the pack and worked our way up through the field. There was an accident that I had to come to a complete stop to avoid while the race stayed green we lost quite a few spots but after a caution flag the field was bunched back up. After a 40 lap race with 21 cars we pulled off a 6th place finish in an unknown car, it was a riot and quite a different experience from driving the late model. Any opportunity I get to race I will take, I enjoyed having a great time racing without the added pressure of points or the series I run in.

My ASA series debut at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon

What an exciting weekend, I was blessed to have a bunch of my friends come out to watch me race, even with a "Go Sarah  #99" sign. I am extremely proud of my team and the way my dad and I worked together to take the car from a car that was fast for 5 laps to a car that was there at the end of the 125 lap main event.
In first practice we were the 4th quickest car of a 20 car field but the car was only quick for the first few laps then it would fall off and get pushier and pushier. We made changes and worked on the car still learning the new setup and in second practice weren't able to improve very much.
Before qualifying we made a huge swing at the setup with hopes of being able to find some more speed, we certainly went past a push in into the loose end of the scale. I drove it into the first corner and nearly looped it! But we were able to pull off an 18.9 which is my personal best at Motoplex Speedway. That lap put us 9th in the field.
We started in the third row outside of the A heat and where able to finish in 6th place and determine what changes to make as the track cooled for the main event.
At the start of the main event we got stuck behind a slower car in the outside groove and fell back a few rows, which in the end was a blessing because there was a big wreck I was able to avoid.
The rest of the main was fairly uneventful for us we avoided a few wrecks and rode around and staying on the lead lap until lap 100.
Around lap 100 I had been stuck behind some slower cars that had been racing feverishly and crazy sideways to say the least. Finally one fell back and I was able to make a move on him, I passed him and as I did the yellow came out and we went back to the last completed lap which made me have to give him his spot back. When it went green again with 11 to go we had about 6 lapped cars between us in 7th place and the leaders. We picked our way through traffic and then I was able to start working on passing the two cars in front of me. I made an impressive high low move on the first car and went by him no problem. Once I was cleared I started to work on the 5th place car, I got under him a few times but he would get loose and start to come down on me so Id let him gather it up not to wreck us both.
With 2 laps to go after letting him gather it up several times I made another high low move and got side by side with him coming out of the 1/2 corner, unfortunately he overdrove his car in an attempt to not let me pass and drove into the side of my car cutting the RF tire down. The white flag was waving and I was angry that after I was so courteous to him he had zero respect for me, so I limped the car around the race track riding on the swaybar and spring pocket. We managed to stay on the lead lap and bring it home 8th which is respectable and I was enamored with people who were impressed with my run after the race. I know we had a 5th place car if not better and I can't wait for our next race day!

Thunder Mountain Speedway Williams Lake 2011

We got to the race track Saturday morning and the pits were one big mud hole, I walked the race track with my dad and it was in shambles. I have never seen a bigger frost heave in my life it looked like a tree root was growing through the 1/2 corner in the second groove. Making a mental note to avoid that so I didn't clean off the oil pan we prepared the car for first practice.
I got out onto the track and felt a bit lost as to a line because of the odd shape of the 3/4 corner. I became frustrated because the car was stable and fast but the lap times weren't showing it. I ran 16.9 in the first practice session which was a second off the pace. In the second practice we put the new tires on to scuff them in, and were able to run a 16.6. Thankfully three time series champion Korbin Thomas arrived to the track just before qualifying and I was able to talk to him about what line to run.
With a new idea of where to run on the track I went out for qualifying, the car was loose everywhere we had the tire pressures a bit too low, I came into the pits thinking I had blown it. I soon found out I ran a 16.217 which was my fastest lap of the day by far and only 3 tenths off the top qualifier.
I started at the back of my heat and was able to make a few passes but the track had no top groove so in order to make a pass you had to wait for someone to make a mistake and slide up or move them out of the way. I finished 5th in my 15 lap heat.
The main event was a gong show, going in to the first corner one lap one I drove in the same as I had been all day and the car in front of me slowed up way more than I expected, I braked as hard as I could but ran into him and  sent him spinning into the infield. (He is paralyzed and drives with hand controls, I later found out that his visor fogged up and he couldn't see the corner and couldn't take his hands off the hand controls so he just hammered on the brakes.) It stayed green and as I drove into turn three I had a car dive under me, I was cleared and I rolled it down the hill to get a run off. Unfortunately the #38 car ( Same guy who cut my tire last week) tried to dive in under me as well. I came down the hill as he was just under my bumper cover. My rear bumper slashed his RF tire sending him barreling into the front straightaway wall, and I was completely side ways in the grass luckily I managed to gather it up. The caution flew and because we hadn't yet completed a lap we went back to the starting line up. I was told over the radio that if I got into anyone else I was going to be black flagged, so I planned to be cautious. On the start I was crowded by the same driver who I had spun out previously,and  I was crowded down the track and made the mistake of not holding my line. I tried to turn down more so that I didn't spin him out again and get black flagged but my car hit the bumps on the inside of the corner and the back end started to come around.
From there it was all bad, the field was tightly packed because of the restart and I felt like I was in a pin ball machine, I was hit in the LF which broke the tie rod and sent me spinning up the track where I was hit in the RF wheel and then to end it all the right side door. I tried to re-fire the car but the rad was puking so I just sat and waited for the tow truck.
One complaint I did have was that I hadn't dropped my window net or moved in the car and I wasn't attended to until the car was hooked on the tow truck and they wanted to tell me to drag the brakes. Not very impressed with the safety crew at all.
We came home with a smashed up race car and a sprained thumb from the wheel whipping around in my hands from all the violent impacts.

We hope to have the race car back together and race ready for the ASA race at Motoplex Speedway June 4th in Vernon, BC.

Geared Up For a New Track

After a long day at work and putting the finishing touches on the race car we are finally loaded and ready to go to Williams Lake. Dad and I both have to work tomorrow so we will be hitting the road around 4, we plan to get half way and pitch the tent somewhere for the night. I anticipate some adventure as our sense of direction is usually lacking. Assuming we make it to the track we will be getting in the gate at 10am.
I have never raced at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Williams Lake BC before, but I hope to use the first practice session to learn the track and get a good feel for the race car, then the rest of the day to dial the car in on new tires. We race at 6pm and I hope we can figure this track out with our setup and be a contender, we need a solid points night to get back in the chase after the first race day.

Frustrating Race Night but a Fast Race Car

Yesterday was the first race day of the year, and right from the start we had bad luck. The first thing that happened in the series of events that had us finish 14th was when I went to change into my drivers suit. I had my arms full of my drivers suit and nomex underwear and I was trying to lock the bathroom door when I dipped my nomex pants into the toilet water. Ick so I didn't get to wear those.
It was raining on and off all day and we were lined up to go out for practice when it began to rain. We were parked beside a 2 foot hot pit wall and when we started to roll out the pit lady stepped out in front of me to stop me. I was going too fast to stop and from the drivers compartment can't see the 2 foot wall, I swerved and smashed into it. Next time someone steps out in front of me I have decided I will just hit them, they are softer than the walls. The damage incurred from that was a bent rim, bent spindle, bent ball joint, tore the brake lines off, and knocked the toe out. Because of the lengthy repairs on that we missed all practice and went into qualifying blind.
As we rolled over tech before qualifying we didn't meet ride height rules and the tech official actually said that he thought there was a bump where we were checking ride heights because a few cars hadn't met the height rule on the left side and where high on the right. Very professional tech the ride heights on a bump. So we had only a few minutes to make it legal and frantically wound down on the springs. I went out for qualifying and barreled the car down into the 1/2 corner and quickly realized that all our winding to make the car make ride height had tightened the car up astronomically. I had to wait on the throttle for what seemed like minutes and my first lap was a 19.8 which is over a second off the pace. Once I realized what the car was doing I was able to compensate and pull off a 19.2 which landed us mid pack. A frustrating run though considering we were faster than that the week before in practice.
The heat race was the only silver lining to the day, I started right at the back and was able to pick off cars and work my way through the pack to a 3rd place finish. I was definitely faster than the two cars in front of me but because of the push I had off the corner I could creep under them on entry but couldn't hold it down enough to pull off the pass.
In the main event the invert had me starting behind all the fastest cars right at the back of the field of 20 cars. On lap 2 there was a huge pile up 7 cars scattered across the track on the back straightaway and I am proud of myself I did some pretty fancy driving to avoid all those cars. I turned hard left then hit the gas and slid the rear end around to the right to avoid the huge mess of cars and come through unscathed. By lap 20 I had moved my way up to 7th spot and the car was absolutely flying. I was making a pass on the outside of #38 (a geriatric ran out of talent driver who clearly forgot to take his Geritol that morning)  and I had his door coming up off the 1/2 corner. He drove up to the wall as if no one was there, luckily I was on the wheel last night and kept my car off the outside wall but he cut down my left front tire. I drove into the 3/4 and knew something was wrong and limped it around the track and into my hot pit stall. The sway bar drug on the track and made a spark show about 50 feet out the back of the car! We did a speedy tire change and Ive never slammed through the gears faster than to get back out on th race track and only lose 2 laps. After we put our old tire on the left front the car developed a push off the corner and the further the race went the worse it got. I finished the race in 14 position and brought the car home in one piece which is something to be said with all the carnage last night. Four race cars went home needing to be clipped, and many more had body panels hanging and torn off.

Practice Day at Motoplex Speedway

We showed up to the race track with a setup in the car that to most would seem crazy, and without a clue as to how the car would react. Sounds like preparation right? Fortunately for us we have some very knowledgeable people on our side.
When we unloaded the car it was surprisingly stable and predictable, it made my job as the driver an easy one. We encountered a few braking issues early in the day but had them worked out by the afternoon, and by the end of the day we had the car dialed in. We ran lap times comparable to some of my best qualifying efforts last year on two race old tires.
I am optimistic for the coming race weekend, the car is capable, all I have to do is stay out of trouble and drive to the front. Now I just have to do a million things then we will be ready.
Easy Pie.

Shakedown + New Job

Had my first day of work today, its unbelievable how much safety orientation you have to go through when you work for a union. We spent the whole morning reading about how to use hand tools and the craziest safety rules. One example is: After you cut material the edges may be hot and sharp. If you honestly can't already figure that out on your own there are some neurons not firing upstairs. Then we spent the rest of the day on a computer filling out online safety questionaires... Craziness... We are being paid to do this. Then we got sent home a half hour early and paid for a full day. No wonder these big companies are needing bailouts.

We also finally got the race car to the track today after what seemed like unending set backs, just beat the rain to get in 35 shake down laps. We were a bit off the mark with setup to start but made a few adjustments that put us into the ballpark despite not having the shocks we plan to run for the rest of the season. When the rain came we were happy with our starting point for the season and we now have a better idea of what needs to be done before our big test day at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, BC on April 30th.

We ran most of practice with the hood off, and when we went to load up we realized the hood pins were missing. We spent 10 minutes looking around; on the trailer, in the car, in the truck, they were no where to be found. The only other place they could possibly be was scattered around the race track. They had been left on the roof of the car, so we spent the next 10 minutes scouring the race track until we found the last hood pin. We can all thank my dear old dad for that one!

Back on Track

I am finished school now and officially a second year welder, so I will be entering back into the cruel workforce on Monday morning at 6:30am. At least the government no longer has to support me, they should be happy about that.

Our shocks for the race car aren't going to be here in time for our first test day, thanks UPS. So we will have to macgyver something so we are able to gain information and make changes to the car and still progress forward with our new setup.

I had an interesting conversation with the Foundation department of the BC Children's Hospital yesterday, we are planning a date for my visit with the kids. I have been brainstorming ideas of how to make it an exciting visit with not being able to have the race car there. I think we have come up with some great ideas to make this a memorable event for the kids.

Dad and I are headed to the race shop to dial the car in for testing tomorrow, I can hardly wait to get back on the track it seems like it has been forever. I will have updates and photos of the test on my Facebook page: Sarah Cornett-Ching Racing and a blog update for Tuesday.

A Full Plate is Better Than an Empty One.

Have you ever had so much to do that even though you cross things off your list it seems to keep growing? I do! With school ending the cram to study for the Inter-provincial Test is on and I have to finish 4 weld tests before the end of next week. I have hardly had any time to focus on my racing! The good news though is that I have a job set up for the day after my course ends and I will have a lot less information to clog my brain up with.

First race day, May 7th is just around the corner and the motor will be off the dyno Friday night for me to pick up. I will obviously be taking the GPS with me to navigate the big city of Vancouver, BC so I don't end up backwards on a one way street again. Once I have the motor back safe and sound at the race shop it will be a huge relief and Saturday morning we will be able to bolt it into the race car.

On an entirely random note:
I have recently decided that ice cream is a great band aid for any situation, if you don't do as well as you would like on a test, don't worry ice cream will always be there to lift you up. No questions asked. I can't think of a single situation where ice cream couldn't do the trick at least temporarily.

My first time, Blogging that is!

  So I have spent the past hour and a half just trying to make this page so I could write a blog. I should inform you before we get too far along though that I am extremely technologically challenged.  In the process of trying to make this page I somehow ended up making a Google profile as well and its not too shabby, if I do say so myself.

  For anyone who has no idea who I am, heres a brief intro. I was born and grew up in a small town, I get lost in big cities and apparently airports, but thats a story for another blog. I am infatuated with racing! I have been around it all my life and started driving my own car when I was 12 years old. Currently I am in a the Race 101 program which has me traveling half way across the continent to learn about everything a young race car driver needs to succeed in the tough world of motorsports.

  That concludes my first blog kept it short and sweet, that won't happen often.