10.19.24
Brandon Grider rolls into lake Ming ready, willing, and able. Yes, him and the team have plans for a big weekend.
Even though it’s October it’s California and the weather is nice. The team pitch their spot in the pits and proceed to nut N bolt things with a general look over. Some of the team are in set up while others are onto registration then tech. Things are going according to plan and the team has done this many times before.
‘Brando’ and the team get ‘Wild Fire’ UN-trailered and go to the start line for a pass. The boat is set and Brando hits it lighting up a 6.15 dead off the trailer. Whats fortuitous for the day is this pass turns out to be one of the quickest Wild Fire has laid down. The team has been together for some time and they almost expect great results. So they know they’re only as good as their last blast and it will take more than this to move up the ladder. The team is seasoned.
The driver and boat are pop’n off great qualifying runs at 6.32 and 6.12 again buttressing the days expectations.
The first round elim have him against his good friend Tony Scarlatta. Now this is probably one of the toughest races the team and that Rex Power will be in all weekend. Scarlatta is a many time World Champion and He’ll be looking for the win like a dog on a butchers bone. Brando is focused and ready. His reaction time was poised and then he pulls the trigger. The boat leaves beautifully and he trailers his good buddy. As close friends, the classy and always tough Scarlatta eagerly congratulates Brando.
The Grider team will have have great rounds through out this day and of course, Luck favors the prepared. Especially if you have that Rex Power.
Sunday comes and its another beautiful day in California,,,,, weather wise anyhow. LOL
Brando is lined up in his Cole ‘Flatty’ with Sean Rogers sitting in ‘High Wire’. Brando believes hes got some bank, but hes concentrating on the fundamentals like not going red or a breakout. High Wire leaves and has Grider chasing. Grider roots High Wire at half track passing Sean. Not wanting a breakout Brando coast to the finish turning on the win light for the team.
In the 3rd round Scott Tilling is strapped up in ‘Aggravated Assault’. The weather has changed and Glenn Hutchison, the ‘Doctor’ refines the Rex Power engine tune correcting for things like temperature, water grains, density, altitude and a few other things from all his years as a former 3-Time Top Alcohol World Champion himself. Brando in ‘Wild Fire’ are chasing him and will rap it up with a half boat to spare.
Next up is Tim Ortiz in ‘Never Satisfied’. Satisfied is dialed in at 5.94 so Grider and the team need to be concerned with both ends in this round. Brando bangs the button and that Lenco fires him off. The team can see Satisfied is not satisfied and is broke at the line. Brando at half track is perplexed not seeing or hearing Satisfied. As he finishes he gets the win light. Only then did he realize Satisfied wasn’t to Satisfied this day at lake Ming.
This next round has the Grider team knowing they are living life right because its a bye. Brando just practices a leave not wanting to hurt anything and hauls Wild Fire safely to the win light.
Well needless to say, going into the final, Grider and the team are guardedly optimistic. The seasoned team knows you first have to be in it, to win it. Second if it was guaranteed….. they wouldn’t run the race.
In this final the team faces Craig Lucas in ‘Little Blue’. Little Blue is one of the most formidable drag boat racing teams in the paddock along with the many time World Champion team of Scarlatta. Brando will be chasing Little Blue. The team is in a tight mental state reflecting this is for all the marbles. As the team continues to do what great teams do, prepping, checking and rechecking every thing not wanting to leave anything on the table. Brando is cool and even ‘Zens Out’ a bit visualizing the leave, the race, and the finish.
As the boats come to the start line it’s 3:00 pm. Wild Fire is locked and loaded because Little Blue is most defiantly doing the same.
Each racer leaves on their number. Little Blue squirts out front a half boat on Wild Fire. Grider knows his hands are full and hammers down flogging Wild Fire. As the boats blast down the track. Little Blue is holding and Wild Fire is digg’n at half track. Brando continues chasing Little Blue. Little Blue is relentless, swipes the win light and pops the Champagne.
The Grider team knows they had a tremendous weekend regardless. Little Blue is no Joke and The team was in tough. What would you expect in a field this loaded for nine rounds… a cake walk? not hardly !
The team will move on to the next race, and the next race, and so on. It’s Racing man.
Von Richards
9.29.24
BONNEVILLE OR BUST
Engine Builder Glenn Hutchison of the legendary Speed Shop Rex Hutchison Racing Engines, and driver Gary Matranga were recently at the Bonneville Salt Flats Land Speed Record Proving Grounds.
Glenn Hutchison’s intentions were to help a customer’s car he specially built an engine for to exceed 300mph.
The car is a heavily modified 66′ Barracuda specifically developed for a world record run at Americas most revered land speed proving ground.
The team was successful laying down the initial World Record but were un-able to back it up, thus negating the chance for the Official World Record.
Racing is similar to other competitive sporting events; you can’t win them all.
Like they say, “Maybe Next year.”
We wish the team much success on their next attempt a year from now.
Von Richards
9.20.24
Josh ‘The Boss” Young has been with the Dolner Racing Team for some time now. He’s demonstrated a liking for that Rex Power, winning and finishing near the top. So it should be no surprise that he had another awesome drive that was exciting and a screaming fan favorite run on the 20th of September at Petaluma Park Raceway.
The Boss took the 7EJ out to wheel pack, shake the car down and see where the track was as far as condition that night.The Boss knew that depending on the direction of the tide, the track could get heavier as the evening progresses.
As Josh came out to qualify the engine stumbled a bit and would not rev. He was left in a bad situation at a bad time but made the best of it.
As soon as he pulled in the team swarmed the little racer trying to diagnose the engine issue. Greg Peterson immediately knew there was a problem with the mag and the team installed a new back up mag and the engine lit back to life. However, the damage was done as far as starting positions for the rest of the night. The Boss was going to have a long night up on the wheel hard, all night long.
The big man came out for the first heat race dead last and with a vengeance. The Boss was slicing , Dicing the field, and leave’n change behind. He was able to make a transfer to the back of the main for the effort and the fans were loving it.
Josh was in the main but as they lined up he was again on the tail end of the field.
As the flag fell the Boss wasted no time immediately snuffing several cars with in a lap or two. Josh knew these were the low hanging fruit and it was only going to get tougher as he pedaled his way through the field.
The Boss was running high, running low, running wherever the hell they weren’t! He was smoke’n by cars left and right. As a yellow came out the Boss knew this was where he had to really be up on the wheel. When the green dropped the Boss took command. He was showing them the short way around the track and was closing on the tail of the 5th place Finkenbinder car. The Finkenbinder car is currently leading in points and Josh knew he was in tough against another formidable driver. Well, the Finkenbinder car had a cagey driver in it who was not going to make it easy. The car was a little wider than usual and Josh knew he was going to have to use fineness to set the Finkenbinder car up. It took 7 or 8 laps but the Boss blew by the 5th place car with a few laps left, but he still wanted more.
As the Boss got to Nick Larson in 4th he made a very clever, stellar move and with only a couple laps remaining he surged past Larson. The checker was being thrown as the big man ended the evening in 4th.
The team was left only wondering what could’ve been this night with all that Rex Power under the hood.
Josh ‘The Boss’ will be hunting the big boys down in the next race and the big man will be chomp’n at the bit once again to put the 7EJ at the championship table.
Von Richards
8.27.24
Tyler Herzog carries that number 1 because he’s earned it. Tyler, in his Herzog Roofing, Crown Homes, Rex Hutchison Racing Engines Pro Late Model has proven to be a formidable racer that shows a lot of drivers the short way around the track.
Considering fourth is his worst finish while notching some wins, you could understand why some drivers lean on him. It might be the only time they’re going to be close enough to race him.
During the interview with Tyler he said, “I’m determined no matter what happens, I’m going to finish higher than I started.” Well Mr. Herzog does just that. Tyler is extremely cerebral and when its his time to make decisions behind the wheel, chances are they’re going to be the right ones made. He also lamented, “staying out of trouble and spending as much time working on the car as he does compared to anything else going on in his life is also one of his important keys to staying ahead of the competition.” Another indicator of his talent is that Tyler demonstrates his traits and worthiness as a 4 time champion by always passing cars.
Sponsors are always reaching out for drivers who are capable of not only winning but consistently near the front. We look to great things from this young man and any car owner looking for a young gun that wins championships and races need look no further.
You can see him race at the legendary paved track in Madera and by the way, put a quarter on him for me.
Von Richards