03/19/2024
This past weekend we ran the Rattler 250 for our 2nd time at South Alabama Speedway. Been looking forward to this race since last years ended short of the finish but had good speed. This year out of the trailer we had good speed in the car but wasn’t the feel I was looking for so we worked hard on that as well as keeping up with the track changes as rubber was laid down.
First day all the changes we made seemed to be In the right direction but 2nd day we got a little off along the way and had to back track back to baseline. On racedays I found out I was going to be racing a pro for Grant Thormeier and Jarred Warren and luckily for me it was fast first laps in it. We Qualified 4th in the pro and 8th in the super with some good laps put down so that set us up with some good track position for both races.
In the Pro race we settled in 4th early car was loose all day so it was a matter of time it would come to me but it never did. Car went super tight first run then 2nd run started to chatter RF on entry and exit as well thinking I had a RF tire problem after falling to last I pulled it in and it had 36lbs and steam coming out so what little moisture it had in it had started to boil out and along with that rear stagger closed up an inch on us so just wasn’t our day. Can’t thank grant and his team enough. Jarred, Eddie, nate and all their guys were all over that car all weekend and appreciate them making it easy for me to make both races happen.
With the Super we had a good starting spot and had confidence in the car but really lacked short run speed. At the start of the race I quickly got down in 7th but in a couple laps was shuffled to the top and fell back to 15th struggling with a tight race car but after about 40 laps the car would come to me and we’d start moving forward and making up ground. For the 1st half of the race I tried to just manage my stuff keep the nose clean and keeep the brakes on it. Made a good couple of adjustment at the 1/2 way break but still lacked short run speed and had good long run speed. We rode in about 10th for the first run then started moving forward. At about 50 to go I made a mistake and turned the 6th place guy off of 2 and had to the rear and do it all again. Luckily got a couple cautions and got the preferred line for the restarts and we were able to make a strong push at the end for good 5th place finish. Learned a lot all race long and look forward to the next time we can make it back to that track!
Also awesome job by Lloyd Garner on the radios your experience at these shows and knowledge of racing was a huge help all race long and helped keep my head in it man thank you again!
Big thank you to all of my team these longer races are hard on equipment and have a lot of attrition and our car never missed a beat all race Long. Can’t thank my guys enough for all their hard work getting it prepared. My dad, Hogan, Will, Bob and Richard all busted their asses this weekend. Even got my grandpa Ralph Goddard and girlfriend Jordan Ashley White to come up and support me all weekend love y’all.
Big thank you to our sponsors and supporters if it wasn’t for y’all we wouldn’t be able to make it to compete at the national events like this one.
National Roofing
4M Services
Century 21 J.W.Morton Real Estate The Curry Team!
FLF Racecars / Finish Line Fabricating FLF Racecars
Brannon Earnest and Earnest Performance Shocks
Brembo Brakes
Michael Hinde Racing and all their support and help at the track when ever we are short handed and on the go thank y’all for the help.
