NEWS ARCHIVE 2009
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Test and Tune November '09
The T- Bolt still has a few
kinks to work out. Even with good old leaf spring suspension traction
isn't
one of them. Either that or "The Wiz" has a secret anti-gravity component
under the hood.
Turning up the wick in an effort to cut some time off the earlier 9.42
"realigned" the steering.
This may dash our hopes of hitting some low low 9's during the 2009 season.
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Races 1 thru 4 of 2009
The big news for
the year ....
422
Motorsports
is running all the cars in the stable.
This of course has brought
out a small army of 3 rookies for 2009. Keeping Bill Murphy's
Jersey Duke alive is
the
Bob Fort Jr.
Bob stepped
up after after more than a few years in the seat therefore
I'll refer to him as the "veteran rookie". Frank
Pellegrini has spent the past couple of seasons trying to figure out how to
drive 2 cars at the same time. This
year Dave Harvey
has pitched in to help by driving
Frank's '63 Galaxie.
Car owner/cinematographer Jim Amos
has completed the restoration of the
Fermier Bros. 406 Galaxie.
Jim lives in the land of sun and fun so driving
duties for his car are being handled by
Anthony Pappas.
Bob,
Dave
and Anthony
are off to a good start and
should be fighting in the points before you know it.
The reports on the first 4
races are condensed because there isn't any big news to report yet this year
except
our rookies. Between minor drive chain changes, a lack of test runs,
untimely equipment failures and winter time
driver "rust" the whole team got off to a rough start. Our standout drivers
Ed Youmans
and
Jay Zolko are
still
holding in
the top 10! Currently they are in a tie for 8th.
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The rumor mill
"The big news for the year
....
422
Motorsports
is running all the cars in the stable."
That is what it said in the
previous blog. There are some small indications that the
422
Motorsports
flagship
Thunderbolt may come out of moth balls once again. Although still an
unconfirmed rumor the paparazzi
came up with this on July 1st at Cecil County.
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2009 Super Stock Reunion at Beaver
springs
That is How a Super Stock meet
should look. 58 cars, we need to see more outings like this. The
stands were
full, the weather was great and some of Detroit's finest artillery put on a
great show. Clutch woes knocked
Frank Pellegrini
and his
Dearborn Thunder
out after the first qualifier. A valiant attempt by the
422
crew and
friends failed to replace the unit before the first round. Everyone
appears to have gotten back in the groove.
The 4th round
Bob Fort
Jr. in the
Jersey Duke
and
Jay Zolko
in the Comet wagon were still holding on. In the
5th round
Bob
found himself on the loosing end of a double breakout.
Jay Zolko
seems to have the kinks and
bugs worked out of
"The Duck"
and proceeded to let everyone know. When the tire smoke cleared there
stood
Jay with the
2009 Super Stock Reunion trophy.
In other news, the rumor was true, the
Thunderbolt
made the show and its first rounds of competition in over
2 years.
Ed Youmans
piloted the
T-bolt to the second round and lost a squeeker to
Leo Sekulski's
Galaxie.
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#####
FLASH
#####
August 1,2009 Our newest team member has arrived!!!!!
Ed Youmans and his wife Patty
announce the arrival of:
Emma Hope Youmans, born
8.01.09 at 12:33am, 8lbs 11oz.
Mom and baby are doing well.
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Races 5 thru 7
After
Jay Zolko's
win at the reunion his mechanical woes returned. An "aha" moment
during qualifying
at Delmar for race #7 a problem was located and he was back in the groove.
Jay
went to the
finals
and
in the excitement broke out but #2 feels great after problems kept him from
going more than 2 rounds
in the previous 6 races. This moved
Jay
to 4th
just 1 point behind Steve Vargo.
Ed Youmans
seems
to finally have the trans working in the Comet going several rounds in race
6 & 7 moved him to 5th.
Ed
had a visit from the motor demon at Delmar sending a rod thru the block.
Don't despair, Ed
will have a
ride for the finals at Maple grove keeping him in contention.
Frank Pellegrini
has been inching his way
up the list and is just 4 points out of the
top 10.
After 2 years of transmission and ignition issues
Frank
can't wait to get into that elite group.
Fred Henderson
is just 15 points out of the
top 10.
Tough
competitors have forced
Fred
to push the envelope resulting in several breakouts and red lights. It
won't be easy but he still has a shot at 10th.
Dave Harvey,
Anthony Pappas
and Bob Fort Jr.
are in
20th, 22nd and 24th respectfully. Having missed 1 or 2 races each and
in their rookie year they are
still in the top half
of the points list. Way
to go!
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Ford Fever at MIR
The weather was bad.
Rain, rain and more rain. It cleared long enough Saturday to unload
the truck.
It was no surprise that when the track told us to stand by and suit up, the
sky opened. We covered
the cars put the equipment in the truck and went to dinner. Sunday was
worth the wait. Clear skies,
cool crisp air and a decent crowd for a rain soaked weekend. This
being an exhibition there are no
elimination results to report but......
Frank Pellegrini
went out and clocked a
new
NSS record
of 8.35.
Just to be sure he went back out and backed it up and topped it with an
8.32 @ 159.67.
Ed Youmans
had hoped to cut a little off the T-bolt's best but was having some
difficulties with the carbs. He
seemed to work out the problems by the end of the night. He was unable
to trim the time but he did
manage to pull the wheelie of a lifetime. We were beginning to wonder
if it would ever come down.
That is saying something for a 3300 lb, original Thunderbolt without tubs.