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.
Monday, 27 June 2011
Monday, 20 June 2011
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.
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
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:
Saturday, 11 June 2011
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!
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!
Monday, 6 June 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, 5 June 2011
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!
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!
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