17 replies to this topic

[Bench Racer]

Well kept secret.  Or did I miss the thread. Gridded 15th, L10 in 13th.  EDIT: opps, L15 in 32nd  L20 in 35th guessing an issue of some sort.

https://www.news-jou...in-xfinity-race

[Ron Alan]

Going to assume mechanical based on the park job during second stage? Bummer to have a DNF 1st race out...best of luck at the roval Preston!

[LarryKing]

Josh Bilicki is a former SM racer and Ryan Ellis is a former NASA club racer and MX-5 Cup racer.

What's an Xfinity ride cost these days?

[Jim Drago]

Josh Bilicki is a former SM racer and Ryan Ellis started out club racing in NASA.

What's an Xfinity ride cost these days?

Rides are all over the board..  

Dan Pardus bought this car and campaigns it himself He hired a former Hendrick crew chief  and car chief that he knows well from his days in NASCAR. The Pit crew comes in just for the race. Lots of friends and employees were there helping out. But for the most part Dan,the crew chief and car chief are the three main guys on the job.   I spotted in 5/14 and tried to stay out of the way as much as I could   It is easy to race than to spot  

[Tom Sager]

Results linked below.  Looks like Josh finished 20th and it shows Preston retired with a suspension problem?  Looked like a very promising first event for Preston.  IIRC he qualified in the teens and raced in a similar position?  Wasn't able to catch it on TV but hopefully he'll post something here and tell us about the experience and what it's like to drive such a different car.

 

https://www.nascar.c...nufacturing-180

[wheel]

Nic Hammann, car 74, who finished 15th, is an SCCA racer.  He was one of my first students in the non traditional drivers' school at MAM.  He won the overall gaming competition that ended up with him at Brands Hatch.  He now is a driver/engineer for Honda.

[Danny Steyn]

Just clicked on all the drivers profiles, most of the field in their 20's, a few in their 30's and one lone ranger in his 50's. Not sure if this was a function of it being a road course, but I was surprised at how young the field was. Not totally up to speed on the Infinity series, but plan to now that we have a few SM ringers showing up!

[Jim Drago]

Just clicked on all the drivers profiles, most of the field in their 20's, a few in their 30's and one lone ranger in his 50's. Not sure if this was a function of it being a road course, but I was surprised at how young the field was. Not totally up to speed on the Infinity series, but plan to now that we have a few SM ringers showing up!

 

What I find now is college kids look like middle school kids.. Well at this race the drivers a looked the same. What was even more surprising is Preston was the norm as far as height.. Matty D who looks like a pretty big guy on TV is also relatively short, maybe 5 '9". I think Preston can hold his own on track and if an old car Nascar dust up starts after the race, Preston can hold his own with more than half of the field     

[LarryKing]

 

What I find now is college kids look like middle school kids.

That means you are old. 

[Jim Drago]

That means you are old. 

sad but true  

[tjohn67]

But it is still fun for us old guys to beat up on the kids......just getting harder to do.

[Joe (dad) Jordan]

Many of you don't know about Will Rodgers, but he was a spec miata racer out here in SOCAL.  He also ran Bspec and jumped from a Bspec car to a K&N car and won 3 road course races at Sonoma, Watkins Glen and NJMP.  He ran the Mid Ohio Xfinity race a few weeks agoand finished 12th. ( I was one of his spotters)  He moved to Charlotte and is chasing the dream.  He is not like many of the up and coming Nascar kids who have family money to bankroll them, just a good kid who is working hard.   I told him early on in his racing career that if you can win a Spec Miata race you can win any race at any level.  He still feels that is true.  He is constantly trying to get the NASCAR hopefuls who come to him to get taught how to drive road courses to drive spec miata, sadly only the Deegans said yes and gave it a try and loved it, although Brian was mid pack Haille was farther back.  

 

Anyway it's great to see the Spec Miata drivers doing so well, I had a discussion with Steve Latarte and explained spec miata racing is like late model sportsman or legends cars is to oval racing, it's where many of the good ones go to figure it out.

[Danny Steyn]

Many of you don't know about Will Rodgers, but he was a spec miata racer out here in SOCAL.  He also ran Bspec and jumped from a Bspec car to a K&N car and won 3 road course races at Sonoma, Watkins Glen and NJMP.  He ran the Mid Ohio Xfinity race a few weeks agoand finished 12th. ( I was one of his spotters)  He moved to Charlotte and is chasing the dream.  He is not like many of the up and coming Nascar kids who have family money to bankroll them, just a good kid who is working hard.   I told him early on in his racing career that if you can win a Spec Miata race you can win any race at any level.  He still feels that is true.  He is constantly trying to get the NASCAR hopefuls who come to him to get taught how to drive road courses to drive spec miata, sadly only the Deegans said yes and gave it a try and loved it, although Brian was mid pack Haille was farther back.  

 

Anyway it's great to see the Spec Miata drivers doing so well, I had a discussion with Steve Latarte and explained spec miata racing is like late model sportsman or legends cars is to oval racing, it's where many of the good ones go to figure it out.

 

Miss your wisdom and experience Joe - hope to catch up with you and Joey again one day soon. Yesterday Tom Fowler was discussing (in esteemed company) the fact that some kid put his rental car into 5th place at the Runoffs. I still think he is more proud of that than he is of my podium finishes!!!!!!

[Jim Drago]

Miss your wisdom and experience Joe - hope to catch up with you and Joey again one day soon. Yesterday Tom Fowler was discussing (in esteemed company) the fact that some kid put his rental car into 5th place at the Runoffs. I still think he is more proud of that than he is of my podium finishes!!!!!!

I know another one of those dam kids who put a rental car in victory lane at the Runoffs

[Ron Alan]

Many of you don't know about Will Rodgers, but he was a spec miata racer out here in SOCAL.  He also ran Bspec and jumped from a Bspec car to a K&N car and won 3 road course races at Sonoma, Watkins Glen and NJMP.  He ran the Mid Ohio Xfinity race a few weeks agoand finished 12th. ( I was one of his spotters)  He moved to Charlotte and is chasing the dream.  He is not like many of the up and coming Nascar kids who have family money to bankroll them, just a good kid who is working hard.   I told him early on in his racing career that if you can win a Spec Miata race you can win any race at any level.  He still feels that is true.  He is constantly trying to get the NASCAR hopefuls who come to him to get taught how to drive road courses to drive spec miata, sadly only the Deegans said yes and gave it a try and loved it, although Brian was mid pack Haille was farther back.  

 

Anyway it's great to see the Spec Miata drivers doing so well, I had a discussion with Steve Latarte and explained spec miata racing is like late model sportsman or legends cars is to oval racing, it's where many of the good ones go to figure it out.

Will is doing a great job of hustling the dream! And because of that and making lots of connections he is getting some opportunities!

It also helps he is smart, a great communicator and just an all around great young man. He and Preston have this end covered(driving skills for both is a given!)

I believe he will be at the Roval as well so we can do a little West Coast/East Coast jabber jawing

[Joe (dad) Jordan]

Miss your wisdom and experience Joe - hope to catch up with you and Joey again one day soon. Yesterday Tom Fowler was discussing (in esteemed company) the fact that some kid put his rental car into 5th place at the Runoffs. I still think he is more proud of that than he is of my podium finishes!!!!!!

 

Thanks Danny!  Not sure on wisdom though...  I'm glad Tom is still telling war stories.  Joey hoping to get in a racecar in his latest adventures in Peru!

 

I'll be at the Runoffs so I'll be sure to stop by and say hello!   

[Joe (dad) Jordan]

I know another one of those dam kids who put a rental car in victory lane at the Runoffs

 

Yeah me too!  But did you get pissed off at him for being a California kid barefoot in the tech shed?  

[Joe (dad) Jordan]

Will is doing a great job of hustling the dream! And because of that and making lots of connections he is getting some opportunities!

It also helps he is smart, a great communicator and just an all around great young man. He and Preston have this end covered(driving skills for both is a given!)

I believe he will be at the Roval as well so we can do a little West Coast/East Coast jabber jawing

 

 

Yes Will will be at the Roval and Drago and I will be spotting for our respected youngins!  should be hysterical.    I expect 4-6 spec miata vets in the Xfinity field for the Roval!  I also expect it to be a crashfest!