Hello all you Race Fans out there in RaceLand,

It's Wednesday, gorgeous sunny and hot.  Perfect day to go racin'.  Unfortunately for us, the Legends 59 Team Mike Madore won't be rolling our car out of the trailer tonight. Mike's back isn't healing as fast as we'd like so we'll just have to wait. 

Thanks to all who have sent good wishes.  We're sorry to disappoint you, but we just can't make it this time. 

Cheers,

Quick Jack Sandi

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Hello Race Fans out there in Race Land!!!!!

Wednesday July 13 could have been Friday the 13th for the Legends 59 Race Team.  We managed to get the car race ready - not much to do, just a little tweeking.  Pit Crew Bernie, Stan and Sandi got the car ready and in the trailer.  Mike was still favouring a very painful back.  You know what it's like to really want to do something because it's fun - well, we really wanted to race.

We rolled into Capital City under grey, wet skies with just a hint of sun. As the sun came out and drivers were visiting back and forth,  I turned around to see Mike limping up pit road pale and feeling the worse for wear - we hadn't rolled the car out of the trailer, yet. 

Unfortunately, as much as we wanted to get out there and have fun, we just couldn't.  Instead, Mike made the smart decision to climb back in the truck and head for home - rest up, get better and come back next week. 

Thanks so much for all your encouraging words!!!!  We appreciate it. We hope to see you at the track July 20th.

Stay safe out there Race Fans!!

Cheers,

Quick Jack Sandi

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Hello All our Race Fans out there in RaceLand,

Our car is ready to go, but the driver isn't.  Unfortunately, Mike hurt his back and is confined to bed for a short while.  He very much wanted to get in the race car tonight for Fan Appreciation, but it's just not possible. He's on the mend under the watchful eye of his Crew Chief, Quick Jack Sandi.

We intend to be back at the track next week.  To all our Fans, enjoy your night at Capital City Speedway. We'll see you next time.

Cheers,

Quick Jack Sandi

 

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Hello Race Fans out there in RaceLand,

Wednesday June 29th was one of those race nights that remain in your memory long after the dust settles and the race cars growl for the last time that night. Kind of like September 2009 - this was one of those fast, hard races that makes for a terrific night at the track.

Everyone, I mean everyone, was running hot and hard Wednesday night.  The day gave over to very cold, windy track conditions. We ended up wearing a down vest, sox, gloves to stay warm and ward off the biting wind - great night to be racing. The track was cool, at times misted over with moisture under leaden skies.  Just before Heat 1 the dark clouds spit some slow moving mist to dampen the air, the cars and the track.

Let's go racin'!!! Heat 1 we started 4 back outside. The 21 car was out front leading the race. We got bumped by the 92 car in corner 1 but managed to hold our line, slip by and ended up a decent 4th place finish. 

Heat 2 was a little different.  Here comes that mist again. There's a slight mist coming down - it's settling on the cars and hanging in the air.  Not enough to stop us racing, just enough to make driving 'interesting'. We're beside the 5 behind the 09 car.  Not even one lap in and the 17 car lost his hood on the front straight and the 22 spun going into corner 2.  Yellow, yellow all stop, line up again.

Restart in the same positions, hard down the track into corner 1.  The 92 collected up the 21 car. Somehow the 21 front right tire got smashed, folded under he lost his brakes went straight into the wall - completely destroyed a beautiful race car. The 92 couldn't come back he had too much damage.  We're now down 2 race cars. The 59 was with the rest of the field ahead of the mess and got away clean.  Restart again we're 4 back.  1 lap down and the 09 is into the 18 - yellow, yellow and we restart again. 

Lined up we're behind the 22 car.  22 pushed up and almost took out the 1 car, the 1 floated up the the track toward the wall - oh, no - the 1 slipped just shy of the wall and got away clean.  Yellow, yellow again!!!!  Restart behind the 1 car we got chopped by the 22.  Second time into corner 3 - 4 the 22 chopped down again but this time we held our line and kept on running clean down the front straight.

Race Fans the 59 is on her game tonight!!! We're holding our line, running good into and out of the corners in fast packed traffic.  Back in the pit we replaced our front bumper - bent hard from the dustup with the 22 car. The rear bumper's got a bit of a bend in it - rough night for bumpers tonight.

Feature - what a race this was.  We ran 5th for most of the race behind the 7, the 5, the 28 and the 51.  All of a sudden 1/2 way through the race the 28 goes around on the back straight - yellow, yellow flies - the 28 is done he can't get back in the race. Too bad, that's a good little car. Restart puts us 2 back on the outside. The 51 car bumped us and we fell back to 5th behind the 09.  Down the straight pedal to the metal the 59 car drove hard and swept clean around the 09 - gaining back 4th and held that position to the checkered!!!!! It was a good night for the 59.

Mike was still pumped when we got him unbuckled and out of the still hot 59.  That was a race to remember, Race Fans.  It was a lot of fun.  This Crew Chief is hoarse from screamin' encouragement to the 59 from the pit stands.  Thanks to all of you who braved the cool windy weather to enjoy one of the best nights of racing we've seen in a while. 

Until next time - next race is Wednesday July 6th - stay safe and dry.  See you at the track!!!

Cheers,

Quick Jack Sandi

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Hello Race Fans out there in Race Land,

Red Flag at the track, all stop. No racing took place tonight. One thing's for sure - none of you will be in the stands cheering tonight - and that's just such a shame.  Rain, rain, rain.  We can't race in the rain, you certainly don't want to sit in the rain.

All afternoon we racers kept up a comm link, talking back and forth considering whether the rain would stop.  It's sometimes just not going to happen, no matter how badly you wish for it. 

We rolled the Legend back in the garage, time to do a few more things, tune a little more, clean a little more.  Better luck next week.

See you at the track, Race Fans, stay safe out there.

Until next time, cheers,

Quick Jack Sandi

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Hello all you Race Fans out there in Raceland,

2011 marks our 4th year. Our 2011 race program is based on continuous improvement, race hard, race clean.

Thanks to all our 59 Legends Fans for making June 15th even more memorable!!!  We heard you cheering and screamin' as we rounded the last turn for home - love you guys!!!

Heat 1 - A very hot, beautiful night at Capital City Speedway started us 4 back on the inside. With Federal tires on the car, she's tuned, clean and ready to run. Mike's feeling optomistic about the car and our lap times from Monday's practice. Heat 1 marks our first race on the new tires and it's gotta be scary/fun.  We got off to a good start, ran a clean race that earned us one spot, finishing a respectable 4th. 

Heat 2 the temperature's still warm, the track's in good shape.  Starting position puts us 4 back on the inside.  Mike's loving those Federals - they drive a little differently than the Goodrich, much faster, better traction, fun to drive.  We're in a very competitive field of drivers all itching to grab the clean air at the front that could lead to a checkered flag.  We stayed out of trouble away from the rumbles throughout the race and held our 7th place position.

Feature race time. The temperatures have gradually dropped over the course of the evening.  You can feel the slight damp in the air, that little touch of moisture barely there. Got Mike tucked in, car checked, re-checked, car ready, fuel in, tires checked, windshield cleared of bugs and track dirt.  Time to pull on my hoodie and climb into the stands at corner 2. 

We started 3 back on the inside. Nice. Green flag dropped and we took off hard on the heels of the 7 and the 5 running a very strong 3rd.  The 92 and the 21 dogged our butt right from the start of a great race.  Into corner 1 clean out to corner 2 and we're running hard.  Halfway mark of the race we're holding our own with the 92 trying very hard to slip by.  Mike's line is solid, he's hugging the inside coming out, the car is sitting down close to the pavement not a sway or wiggle anywhere. She's not loose, she's not tight, she just sits there powering into and out of the corners.  Consistent Race Fans, that's what we like to see.

Halfway through the race, into corner 3 - I see a little break in the 59's line coming out and she drifts up.The 92 hard on our back bumper nosing in to the inside, the 59 drifted up halfway into corner 3.  The 92 tried hard to pass on the inside. Racing hard down the front straight side by side into corner 1. The 59 drifted up again giving the 92 just enough room and off he went, pass, then pass went the 21!!! Oh, no, Race Fans - you know what happened, don't you.  Yup, right foot on the gas, left foot on the brake.  Lift with the right enough to get the brakes working is always a good idea with left foot braking.  Well, we didn't quite lift the right foot enough.  Thankfully, we kept her under control and clean.  Got back in the race no longer 3rd but behind the 21 finishing a nicely run 5th position.

That was an exciting race from where I sat.  The car 'runs good', as they say.  Except for that little error in corner 3, we held our line, put our foot into it and drove for the sheer joy of racing. Driver error will happen and sometimes it'll break your heart.  The thrill is feeling the car behaving so well.  Now to work on the driver.....

And that, Race Fans, puts the 59 in 6th place.  We'll take that and run with it.  Love those new tires!!!

Til next time, stay safe out there. See you at the track on Wednesday June 22, 2011

Cheers,

Quick Jack Sandi

 

 

 

Hello Race Fans,

Unfortunately, the Race planned for June 8th 2011 got rained out.  Mike and I were busy getting the 59 ready and noticed a sudden rolling-in of dark nasty clouds in mid afternoon.  Oh, well, we said, let's go anyway, see what happens.

By the time we left the driveway, the rain had started.  But, maybe it's not raining at the track, we thought.  Sure, the Capital City Website weather link said very clearly 'Thunderstorm Warning', but, hey, we wanted to make sure.  It's the 4th race and we want to get on the track!!!!

Sometimes things just don't happen the way we want.  No racing that day.  Returning home in the rain, we were disappointed.

Next race is Wednesday June 15th, 2011 - long range forecast looks fine to us!!!!

Come on out to the Track, Race Fans.  Bring your children, your neighbors, your friends - See you at the Track!!!

Cheers,

Quick Jack Sandi

 

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Hello Race Fans,

June 1st was a great night for racing - good weather, dry track, breeze to keep the mosquitos down!!!!

Heat one we started out in mid pack, got around the track without any mess, finished in mid pack,

Heat two was a whole different story - the entire pack came flying down the front straight, hard into Corner 1. A very tight pack of race cars. Pressing harder to gain and maintain the lead the 21 car broke loose coming out of Corner 2. He spun. 

The 55 came to a dead stop behind the 21 - no where to go, can't get down on the rumbles because those things will destroy a car.  The 92 dove down and did end up on the rumbles, and yes, his car's front end was destroyed. The 7 car came to a full stop beside the 55, the 5 just behind the 7 went up and over the backend of the stopped 7 tearing off the 7's right rear fender. Not sure how much damage was done to the 5, but it wasn't pretty seeing that little car flying up and over. No drivers were hurt. You can see this sequence on www.capitalcity.ca photos for the night.  It's not a pretty sight.

We were far enough behind to be able to stop without damaging anyone or getting damaged.  All in all a very messy corner.

Those rumbles are just plain dangerous.  They're too high - our cars are set up to be a little more than 3 inches off the ground. The rumbles exceed that height!!! They're dangerous and mean.  A car gets involved in those things and you end up putting your car in the trailer, bringing out your wallet and spending all kinds of money fixing your car.  If the rumbles were cut down and made into a proper rumble strip instead of a rumble roll of destruction we'd have much less damage.

The Feature saw us on the inside pole.  We managed to hold on against faster cars ending up 6th overall.  We'll be going over the car carefully before Wednesday rolls around, getting her ready to race again. 

Until next time Race Fans, stay safe out there. Your welcome to come into the pit area anytime to talk with Mike, experience first hand the thrill sitting a Legend.

Cheers, and see you at the track,

Quick Jack Sandi

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