Haven't updated my blog in awhile

Well, I have been a lagger!!! I haven't updated my blog in awhile. So I will just post some pictures that I can and the other ones on the memory stick I will figure out later because it is not working in the computer.

August 7th Plaza Park Raceway

Well, if we didn't have a bad luck, we wouldn't have any luck at all..... This has been the craziest race season we have ever had, (I think) maybe I just blocked the others out of my mind. lol

Raio and TJ were both racing Micros tonight, we just got TJ's motor back and put in the car Thursday night and during Hot Laps on the 2nd lap TJ was in a big cloud of smoke. So, TJ was done again for the night and NOT happy.

There was a big turn out of the Super 600 class tonight, with a car count of 32. Raio qualified 17th which put her to start 6th in her heat race. She ended up 2nd to make the automatic transfer to the Main. She started 15th in the Main and it was one of those FULL MOON racing nights which we were happy to be in one piece at the end. With 3 laps to go another driver got into Raio, which ended her night before the checker flag.

August 1 at Kings Speedway in Hanford

The car count was not very big, with only 8, 360 Non wing cars to show up. That gave the crew a chance to get TJs car where it needs to be.

TJ qualified 2nd, got 2nd in his heat race and then the Main...... He started 2nd in the Main and he went straight to the back. He looked horrible out there trying to move the car and it just wouldn't go. The end result of the night is that they had the wrong gear in for the Main and it just wasn't handling the way it should have.

July 25 Santa Maria Speedway

July 24 Plaza Park in Visalia

Raio qualified 11th and finished 2nd in her heat race and she finished 18th in the Main Event .

TJ didn't race the Micro tonight because our motor wasn't done from the last race, when it blew up during the Main Event.

July 18 Bakersfield Speedway

July 11 Kings Speedway in Hanford

July 10 Plaza Park in Visalia

That black cloud just seems to keep following us this year.

4th of July at Santa Maria Speedway

Well, we spent our 4th of July at the Santa Maria raceway.

6/27/09 Thunderbowl Raceway Non Wing 360

Well, they were still trying to figure out some issues on the car today before they got to the race track and things weren't completely smoothed out. TJ qualified around 14th and then went over the scales too light so was DQed. That put him to start last in his heat race he started doing real good moving towards the front and he started having trouble with the car again. I heard it up in the stands and knew something was going on. That put him to start 15th in the Main Event. What a main event that was, we could barely see the track because it was so dry, I don't know how they could drive in it. He missed a lot of wrecks that happened in that race with luck on his side. But luck went away again on lap 15 when his car came to a stop. They pushed him into the pit area for the crew to look at his car but they threw the green flag and he was done for the night. It was a very HOT and frustrating weekend but we are still in one piece and there are more races to come. :)

Sponsored towards the weekend, Road Rage Performance

6/26/09 Kings Speedway Non Wing 360

Well, it was one of those nights!!! TJ was the first one out for qualifying and he just didn't do that great. He ran a 17.635 the first lap and then on his second lap they sent the other car out to soon so TJ let up and he ran a 17.065. They asked the officials to run another lap at the end since he got messed up and then he ran a 17.7. NOT GOOD!!! because now they took his good lap of 17.0 away!!! He was better off with the second lap. Oh well, he started on the pole in his Heat ran and went backwards and ended up 4th. He started 10th in the Main Event and had worked his way up to 7th and then he started going backwards again and then he pulled off the track on lap 23 to say that the motor just wasn't running right. They aren't sure what is wrong with the motor but I sure am tired of having a Black Cloud over us all the time.



The boys figuring out what the are going to for the main.















Me and TJ in between races

June 20th Plaza Park and Kings Speedway

Well, as you know we were split up again and everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off!!!! It is very stressful to be at different race tracks but it only happens every once in awhile. :) Anyways, as for the results of the night, Raio won her Semi by half a lap to put her in the transfer to the Main Event. As we were waiting to find out where TJ started in his main, Raio text to tell me that she is having motor issues and she was done for the night, not a good start to our evening.

As for TJ, he was back in his #14 Sprint car sponsored by UHL Rubber, Steve La Gras, he has supported the kids racing through thick and thin. TJ started on the pole in his heat race and he ended up 5th. Which didn't make him happy at all. After he put that behind him, he started 11th in the Main Event and ended up 7th out of 14 cars. That wasn't too bad for starting in the back twice in one event. He screwed up three times at the beginning of the race and had to work his way back up and of course with the pit crew he got harassed the rest of the night. We have a bunch of great guys that are with us every weekend to help out Raio and TJ. That's what having good friends is all about, they are always there no matter what. :)

TJ's #14 UHL Sprint Car

Robby, Matt & TJ cruising in the golf cart

TJ & Grandpa waiting for the Main

Budweiser Outlaw Nationals at Plaza Park Raceway 6/19/09

Well, it is NOT very exciting posting my blogs when I don't have pictures to put on here. Maybe I will get my computer fixed soon. :( Back to Tonight, it was the first night of the Outlaw Nationals. Raio qualified 21st which put her to start 6th in her heat race. She had to make it to the top four for the transfer to the Main Event. She ended up 6th which will put her to run the Semi tomorrow night. She will start on the Pole in her Semi. If she stays in the top 3 she will be going to the Main Event. We will keep our fingers crossed!!!!

TJ didn't run tonight because the Outlaw Nationals is a 2 day show and the Main Events aren't until tomorrow which would be a waste of money to just do qualifying and the heats so he just came to help out in the pits and tomorrow night he will be running the Non Wing Sprint Car at Kings Speedway in Hanford. We will be split up again which I really hate but I guess we have to do what works for everyone. So we will keep our fingers crossed that they both do good and pray that they are safe!!! :)

Lemoore Raceway 6/13/09

I don't know why I'm even posting on this right now it is 2:52am and we just got home for Lemoore Raceway. What a joke!!!!! Raio was running her Main Event at 1:15am!!! There was a Red Flag in every race!! That tells you that the Track is bad when that happens.

Raio ran Multi and Qualified 10th and she started 6th in the Heat race and ended up 4th. She started 10th in the Main and I think she ended up around 10th because I couldn't see anything with how much dirt was blowing in my eyes. TJ ran Non Wing and qualified 3rd started 4th in the Heat and ended up 2nd. That put him to start 4th in the Main and on the first lap in corner 3 someone bumped TJ from the back and he spun out and ended up on the edge on the infield and they kept the race going and never thru a yellow flag. That was a safety yellow because the other cars were climbing up on the burm. Well I guess someone else at the track felt that way too, because he grabbed the flag from the Official and threw it on the track!!!! They put TJ to the back of the pack so he was going fast to the back of the pack and that's when it all began. One of the idiot track officials started Screaming at TJ because he said he was going too fast under the yellow flag and told him he was done for the night. So of course TJ being pissed off, he did a bunch of donuts in the infield. Well Big TJ and Grandpa Dan were right there to question what was going on and why they didn't throw a caution and they were pointing at Big TJ that HE was the one that threw the caution flag. THAT WAS NOT TRUE!!! Which only ended up with everyone mad and arguing with each other. What a joke!!! So, the end result was they kicked out Big TJ and Grandpa Dan (which I don't really know why) you should always be able to voice your opinion anyways they called the Police Department to make sure they left. That was a waste of time for the Police Department. I could care less if we ever raced at that track again, every time we are in Lemoore there is always Drama. If not with US, it's with another Team.

Getting the cars ready for the night

Plaza Park Raceway 6/12/09

While we were waiting to watch the kids race, we got news that Wes Gutierrez (their old team mate) flipped the Midget that he was driving in Bloomington, IN. They took him to the hospital and they ran a CAT scan and said he would be okay and they needed to watch him for 48 hrs to make sure everything is okay. With that kind of news, it just drives you crazy to know that these kids are in dangerous situations all the time. We were very happy to hear that Wes is okay.

Back to our race night at Plaza Park Raceway. There was a good car count with 33 cars in the Super 600 class. Raio qualified 10th and TJ qualified 16th. They ran in separate heats, Thank God. I don't like when they run the same Heat race, it's hard enough to watch them both in the Main. TJ started on the pole for his heat race and stayed there for 8 laps to the finish and was 1st place at the checker flag. Raio started 2nd in her heat race and finished 3rd so both of them transferred to the Main Event. Raio started 8th in the Main and TJ started 14th. They were both doing good and moving up and Raio stayed up towards the front and TJ started going towards the back. Raio finished 6th at the Checker flag and TJ ended up around 19th, not a great finish but car is still in one piece so they can race in Lemoore tomorrow night.

June 7th - We are no longer racing with McCowan Motorsports

We are no longer racing with McCowan Motorsports.
I will keep you posted on our future endeavors and hopefully I can keep posting my pictures to my posts. It just might be that time for a new computer so I can keep my blog updated. Maybe the boys will let me get a computer instead of a race car part!! LOL
I doubt it, moms always come last!! But that's okay, as long as the kids are Happy and having Fun that's the most important thing.



Celebrating

Santa Maria Speedway 6/06/09

TJ ran the 360 Non Wing at Santa Maria Speedway on Saturday. He qualified 11th out of 25 cars. Which put him to start 2nd in his heat race after 8 laps of racing he took 1st place at the Checker flag. He started 11th in the Main and ended up 8th. We came home in one piece that night. After watching him hang from the fence in Tulare the weekend before, I was very happy with the results. When hearing about drivers old and young getting into wrecks and dying it is very stressful to watch your kids going that fast and praying that they are going to be okay. Sometimes I think I should have pushed them towards golf!!! Just kidding. :)

TJs first night racing the 410 at Thunderbowl Raceway May 30th

TJs first night in the 410 Wingless Sprint Car started out great, he qualified 5th out of 24 cars. He started 6th in the Heat race and on the third lap that's where it all went wrong. Going into turn one TJ hit a bump started to bicycle the car rolled and the front nose went straight into the ground bounced up and caught on to the fence. Of course, he wasn't going to hang there so he started busting his way out of the car to get back on the ground. TJ is one driver that any wreck that he is ever involved in, he jumps out of the car as soon as it comes to a stop. Catching on fire has been a fear of his after watching other drivers go up in flames after a wreck. His front tire was hung over the fence and they couldn't get his car off for awhile.

TJ okay but the car is stuck on the fence

Big TJ trying to get the car down

TJ in one piece after hanging on the fence , some of his fans coming by to get autographs.

Raio qualified 1st tonight!! Plaza Park May 29th

Well, the night started off great for Raio and not so good for TJ. Raio qualified 1st and TJ qualified 18th. Both of them finished 4th in their heats for the transfer spot into the Main Event. That put Raio to start 8th and TJ to start 15th. The race started pretty good then someone rammed into Raio which messed up her back left tire up. So Raio ended up out of the race because they couldn't fix the tire because they didn't have an open red. So the race started again and it was soooo dry it was hard to even tape the race. I think TJ ended up around 12th but I found out for sure later.

TJ didn't race this weekend.

We didn't go to Santa Maria this weekend, instead Robby Russell, (TJs crew chief) ran TJs micro at Lemoore Raceway. So, this weekend TJ was a Crew Chief and Robby got to run the car. TJ also was helping with Brandon Collins 7B the rookie who is brand new to the micros. I wasn't there to watch this weekend but from what I heard Brandon is doing great for just starting out. Robby didn't get to run the Main Event this weekend because we are still having Motor issues.

Raio in Visalia and TJ in Tulare May 16th

Well, I really don't like splitting up because it is very hard on everyone but we had to do what worked for the kids. Raio finished up her weekend at Plaza Park Raceway and TJ had a race at Thunderbowl Raceway. We had alot of texting back and forth to see how everyone was doing. Raio qualifed 17th which put her to start 5th in her heat and finished 3rd. She started 16th in the Main and finished 10th. TJ qualified 21st and he started 1st in the Heat race and he finished 4th for the transfer spot. He started 21st in the main and finished 14th. It was a VERY HOT and exhausting weekend but with summer coming we have alot more of those to come. I was looking at their schedules and they have a few more weekends that they will be split up again, but we will get through it again like we always do.

Tachi Palace Shoot Out at Plaza Park May 15th

First Night of the Tachi Palace Shoot out was a good turn out. In the class that Raio and TJ run there were 40 cars. Raio qualified 11th and TJ qualified 25th. Raio started 2nd in her heat and ended up in first place. TJ started 8th and finished 5th which put TJ in the Semi. He started 1st and got 2nd now they both would be in the Main Event. Raio started 11th and finished 11th in the Main and TJ started 17th and finished TBD.

Bakersfield Speedway May 9th

The car count was average, with 19 cars in the 360 Sprint class. The track was already getting dry and rough during Hot Laps so with TJ qualifying almost last in his class he didn't have much of a track left. But he made the most of it and ended up qualifying 3rd. That put him to start 4th in his heat race. He spun out and went to the back and he ended up 4th at the checker flag. As we were waiting for the Main Event to start we got the phone call that TJs motor blew up and we were done for the night. Driving all the way to Bakersfield to end up not racing is very disappointing for the team but you just have to take the good and the bad in racing.




Fellow junior racer looking for his next ride.

Santa Maria Speedway, May 2nd

Mother Nature was good to us and we were on our way to the race track. The excitement was high because TJ got his Crew Chief Robby Russell back on our team. With car owner Dennis and Robby on the car, we are getting closer to our first win of the season with McCowan Motorsports. The car count was 19 and we qualified 5th which put us to start 3rd in the Heat and he got a little excited and spun out, so to the back he went and at the end he finished 4th. Of course he was harrassed by his pit crew that he needs to have patience and throttle control. When he masters that, nothing will stop him. The Main Event we started 5th and battled with the top 4 fast cars of the night and we ended up 2nd behind Veteran, Peter Murphy. TJ was so excited that he had a hard time spitting his words out during his interview. So, a BIG Thank You to car owners, Dennis & Connie McCowan for making this all happen and to Robby Russell for getting TJs car steered in the direction of the winners circle.

Allison, TJs girlfriend, waiting for the races to start.











Grandpa, TJ and Robby after qualifying.

Matt, TJ and Curtis watching the track.
TJ after the Main Event.







TJ and Robby showing the love.

Plaza Park Raceway cancelled because of Rain

Well, mother nature took care of our racing tonight. Raio was flying in and they were both ready to go racing then we got the phone call that Plaza cancelled the race. Everyone was bummed and Raio changed her flight until the next Micro Race on May 15th for the Tachi Palace Shoot Out, we should have nice weather by then. We always tease Raio we always know she is flying in because it always rains that weekend.

If the weather holds out in Pismo area tomorrow and the track is okay we will be leaving for Santa Maria Speedway tomorrow morning for TJ to race the 360 Non Wing car. Everyone is excited to go but I have big knot in my stomache because the last time we raced there on October 11, 2008, TJ went end over end down the front straight away to total his race car.
I was a mess, but Thank God, he was fine.



This is not what you want the car to look like at the end of a race.

2nd Series of the Sprint Car Grand Slam at Bakersfield Speedway 4/25/09

There was a good turn out of Sprint Cars tonight, I think the car count was around 35. We did not quailify tonight just 1 Heat race and a Main Event. TJ started 5th in the Heat and ended up 3rd and he started 9th in the Main Event and ended up 7th or 8th, the track dried up and it was hard to keep my eye on where he ended up, a big cloud of dust everywhere! Confirmed the Main finish and TJ ended up 8th.

TJ hanging out with his old team mate Wes Gutierrez, they met racing Quarter Midgets when they were 8 yrs old.

Hot Laps

Kings Speedway 360 Wing sprint car 4/18/09

Racing came to an end pretty quickly tonight, with only 7 Wing sprint cars in TJs class and not to many cars ran in the other classes too. It's all about seat time with a low car count. With this only being the second time TJ has been in the Wing 360, he said he is finally figuring it all out.

Grandpa Dan and Big TJ getting the car ready.

Having fun in the grandstands as we cheer TJ on.

Me and Raio.

Plaza Park Raceway racing the Micros 4/17/09

Well, the car count was good again at Plaza Park with 37 cars in the Super 600 class. TJ qualified 29th and Raio qualified 24th. That put Raio in 8th for her heat race and she fininished 6th. TJ started 7th in his heat and DNF (did not finish) I kept seeing puffs of smoke and on the last lap his car came to complete stop and poof the Motor Blew!! TJ was done for the night and Raio started 3rd in the Semi and she held on there for the transfer spot to the Main Event. She started 22nd in the Main and we aren't quite sure where she finished, but I will check and post it at a later date. Well, I checked Plaza Park website and Raio finished 10th.

Raio and her friend Karissa.

Raio and TJ running Hot laps.

Happy Easter!!!

This is normally just my blog for racing but I wanted everyone to know we actually do other things besides racing. Raio didn't come in for Easter this year but she will fly out for racing again on Friday.

TJ and his cousin Zach.

My place is usually behind the camera but here I am with TJ.

TJ jumping in the trampoline with his cousins.

Taking a break because they wore TJ out.

360 Non Wing race at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway 4/11/09

Tulare Thunderbowl had a good turn out for the 360 Non Wing class. There were 23 cars and TJ qualified 10th. That put him 3rd to start in his heat. On the second lap there was a car in front of him that was sideways so TJ slid into him and the cars were stuck together. Once the cars were untangled from each other, TJs car was okay to finish the race. He went to the back in 8th place with only 7 laps to make it to the top 4 transfer spots for a good spot in the main. On the last lap he ended up 4th and was on his way to the Main Event. He started 2nd in the Main with 21 other drivers. There were alot of yellows and one red flag and they were down to 16 cars to finish the race. When the checkered flag was thrown, TJ ended up 5th. It was a good night.

Hot Laps

TJ Qualifying

Final results of the Main Event

Another crazy night of racing!!!!

Well, after tonights race I looked up in the sky to see if it was a full moon. Because we just had a crappy weekend of racing. I don't know what was going on at Kings Speedway but only 7 of the 360 Wing Sprints showed up and only 5 ended up racing in the Main Event. The other classes that ran tonight car count was down too. Rumor has it that some of the drivers were boycotting Kings Speedway. I don't know the details but I know it did effect tonights car count. He started out good in the Hot Laps with the fastest lap of 16.662 going 81mph and after that it just kept getting a little worse from there. TJ was running real fast in the first Heat race with the fastest lap of 14.530 going 92mph he was in 1st place and the Torsian Stop came off of TJs car and went through 00, Corey Eliason's wing and put a hole right through it. Thank God, it was only his wing! TJ ended up 3rd in that race and the second Heat race wasn't so great either, he ended up 4th and the Main Event just got worse as he spun out twice to DQ himself for the night. And to top this whole weekend of craziness, TJ had bet some of the guys at Kings Speedway that if he didn't finish in the top 3 tonight, he would have to cut his hair into a MULLETT and wear it like that for 2 weeks. I don't know about any of you, but I really don't want to see my son sporting a Mullett. So, thankfully we left the track with all his hair in place! :)

Raio and her boyfriend, Tyler watching TJ run the sprint car.









TJ's second Heat Race.

WOW!!! Plaza Parks 1st Race of the Season, what a crazy night for our race team!!!

Where do I start, there was so much craziness I don't really know. For starters of this night, Raio's Micro was still being put together around 5:30 tonight at the race track. Both cars still need vinyl on them and the tempers were at their peak in our pit area. There were 39 Micros in the Super 600s which TJ and Raio run, so they both had their work cut out for them. TJ qualified 11th and Raio qualified 20th. Which never fails, put them in the same heat race together. The top 4 cars would transfer to the Main Event and TJ finished 2nd and Raio finished 7th where she would have to run the Semi. We were waiting to watch Raio in the Semi when TJ came up to let us know that he was DQed for being 10lbs too light, so he would be running the Semi as well. Raio started 3rd and TJ started 7th and only the top 3 transfer to the Main Event. So, of course all the drivers were running hard to get to the top 3. At the checker flag Raio got 3rd the last transfer spot and TJ got 4th. Well, as they reached the scales we saw them keep pushing Raio's car back and forth and she ended up being 3lbs to light to be DQed and done for the night. That put TJ in the transfer spot to run in the Main. TJ was not too excited to run the Main by Raio getting DQed but he got back into the car and started 22nd in the Main Event. There were alot of yellows and during the race but when the Checker Flag flew TJ had made his way back up to 10th place. Not to bad for the luck they had tonight.

Raio's biggest fan, Tyler her boyfriend.

Raio Practiced at Plaza Park and TJ raced at Kings Speedway

Well, it was one of those crazy nights when we had to be at 2 places at one time. Raio flew in to practice the Micro at Plaza Park Raceway she ran a few sessions and she was done, so then we were off to Hanford to watch TJ race at Kings Speedway. It was a good night, TJ started 7th in his Heat and Finished 3rd. That put him starting 10th in the Main Event. He was doing good and then he drove the car up to high in turn 3 and hit a rut that bounced his car everywhere and he stalled it. So he was put to the back of the pack, to 18th. Unfortunately he had some work to do to get back to the front and when the checker flag flew he had worked his way up to 6th place. Next weekend we will be back full force into the race season, Raio and TJ will be running the Micros on Friday and TJ will run the Sprint car on Saturday. Most people who are not familiar with racing do not understand why we do the things we do but it keeps us together as a family on weekends and we love it.

Raio and her crew chief, Bryan Lugo.

Raio getting ready to run Hot Laps.

TJ hangin out before the races.

Grandpa making sure he is strapped in tight before he goes out on the track and Dennis waiting to push him out.