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2018 Weekend Updates

End of 2018...it's been quite
the year....

It's mom again.  First, I promise Lil Red and Cookie will take this back over for the 2019 season.  It's been a long haul this year; mom getting hurt, dad's 4 cylinder getting destroyed, race cars (and sometimes drivers) that just weren't quite where we wanted them to be.

 

Lil Red ended the season strong in his Light 160 and finished third in points; unfortunately, the Senior Animal just was never figured out - and he finished a respectable 4th - but off the podium.  He had a wonderful offer during the middle of the season - to run Senior Honda for Pat, Kim and Ethan Brown.  After a long talk with Cookie, he was in the car for the last regular season race and then for Turkey Derby.  He ran great both times and, at TD, he was going for the win on the last lap when he tangled with the lead car - they were both sent to the rear and he didn't have time to get back up front.  We were proud of him for going for it; even more proud that the Browns allowed us to take the car to run in Florida for the Little 500.

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Cookie's season was not the best.  But she continued to learn throughout the season and, as it neared the end, she was listening more, putting her foot a little harder on the gas and a little less on the brakes.  She ended up 7th in points for a very tough Senior Honda class.  We are proud of her efforts and look forward to the 2019 season.

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We ended the year making a very long trip to New Smyrna Quarter Midget Racing Association's Annual Little 500.  It would be a chance to see some friends we made at Grands in 2016 and, of course, another chance to race.

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Poor Cookie!!  She only made, at most, 10 laps before having a brake issue.  Under a caution, she slowed on the front stretch and came in for repairs to her brakes.  They sent her back out and, going to the green, she suddenly passed two cars on the inside and went into the grass - spinning out there.  The bolts had sheered off of part of her brake assembly.  She was out for the race and, unfortunately, after looking everywhere for a new part, we didn't get her back out.  When we asked Neil Potter for help - man, he went OUT OF HIS WAY to get her back on the track.  First he took the part to his shop.  He came back with it partially fixed and told her he WOULD get her back on track the next day.  The day came, and he had torn apart his own cars (not racing that week) to loan us a part.  Viola, she was back on track - well, not exactly....when they went to push her off, something happened to her gearing.  The crew chief and car chief spent a lot of time trying to fix it, but we missed the call for the C main and she never got back on track again that week.

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As for Lil Red, well, it wasn't what he was hoping for.  We seemed to be off on set-ups the first day.  So he was in the C main for Honda, B main for Light 160 and A main for Animal.  The 160 race would take forever to get going, and, when they were taking the green finally, he was shoved into the wall coming out of turn 2 - and that was the end of the day for that car.  Before that, he was in the car for the C main when Travis realized the engine needed moved to tighten up the chain.  He lifted the car on his own to do this, and gasoline spilled out onto Thomas.  He complained about it so both the car chief and crew chief told me not to expect much - well, they were wrong and he went out and ran his best race of the day - and moved on to the B main.  But, when he got out, he was in serious pain.  We took him to the motorhome and got him changed out of all his clothes and suit, found something 'comfortable' to wear and put his sister's driving suit on so we could get his dry.  He was unable to get the Honda into the A and finished 5th in the Animal A main with an ill-handling car.  By evening, his behind was blistered and bright red; we treated it and went to bed.  Woke up with more blisters but insisted on racing.  He made it straight to the A main in Animal - but that race didn't go well as he was continually blocked and hit by another car.  In the end, he'd had enough of it and refused to back out when pushed down going for a position on the last lap.  They both wrecked and didn't finish the race. But that's okay - he stood his ground and knows now to not back down.  He put the Honda directly into the B main from his heat but, after getting a call that many said was wrong, he came from 7th with just a few laps to go, to 5th - which made him the X car for the A main.  He ended up in the same position in the Light 160.  Unfortunately for him, that meant waiting around during the hot laps and lining up for the A mains to see if he would get in; he did not.  But, for how our weekend started, it was a decent ending.

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The year has come to a close - and 2019 is in full swing already.  I will open a new page for the 2019 season and get you up to speed on some happenings.  Thanks for sticking with us even as we've been fairly bad at keeping up.  Mom's doing much better and, even though she's got a lot of therapy left to go, now that Shawna has her license, mom has a 'little' more time to help Lil Red keep up with all of this!!

Finally an update

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Garden State Classic - Opening weekend

Practice for
Light 160 - Lil Red
Senior Animal - Lil Red
Senior Honda - Cookie

Mom here:  for those of you who follow our site and don't know, I had a bad accident at Big Wall Stadium on April 21st.  It was touch and go at some points early on and, while I am doing well now, I still have a long way to go for 'normal'.  I'm telling you this to explain our absence of updates (well, there was some rain dates in there, too - including Mother's Day which ended up nice for me because the whole family got to come to the rehabilitation/physical therapy center that I was staying in at the time.  I'm home now; and have more ability to help with the computer work this all takes.  I'll cover the couple of weeks away here with what Lil Red put in his weekly update for Champion!

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May 20th:  

Sorry for not updating lately. My mom fell at Wall Stadium on April 21st and was in the trauma unit for 2 weeks and now is in a short term rehab facility. We didn't race the day after her accident. The next week I got 2 podium finishes. Then we had a week off and went to Dover....then a rainout.

 

This week it was hot and I wasn't feeling well. I qualified 5th fastest but, with the redraw I started on the pole. I got passed a few laps in and settled into third. Unfortunately, as I wasn't feeling so well, I lost 3rd with about 6 laps to go to bring home 4th.  This was our Light 160 trophy race so it hurt quite a bit to lose that podium spot.

 

In my Animal I got spun in turn 2 of lap 1 and then 2 cars drove full speed into me. My crew decided that was enough for the day and I headed to the trailer to rest.

 

We are off for Memorial day. Mom hopes to be back with us by the next race.

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June 3rd:

Well, it started off as a good day... finished 2nd in my light 160 heat and 4th in the senior Animal heat....and I was excited for the A mains.

 

In 160 I was in 3rd place with just a few laps left when 4th place tried to get by and I spun .... just a racing deal. But while I was stopped dead on the track another car came full speed into me.... car was done with a snapped shock.

 

So I still had Senior Animal.... my turn to be going for third.... and spun again. Believe it or not, I got hit HEAD ON AGAIN at full speed under yellow! This time my front bumper was destroyed and I hit my knees on the crossbar. My day was over. Thankfully just some bruises but both cars need work. We won't be racing again until Friday Night Lights on the 24th.

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Shanon didn't have a great weekend either - she finished last in her heat and second to last in her A main.  

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We are hoping for so much more when we start Friday Night Lights on June 22nd!!

 

PS.... Mom was back announcing at the track....

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June 16:

Dad's turn to race; well, sort of.  He had a problem in his heat and finished last.  Got moved up a few spots for the feature race because of cars dropping out or moving to the back.  But, coming out of turn 2 after the green, he was caught up in an accident he had no chance to avoid.  It may be a while before he is back - the front axle came out, lots of damage to the front end AND his windshield is cracked in half.  Fortunately, other than a sore shoulder, he came out okay.  Mom's getting a little worried about the Big Track not liking us very much this season - she's silly!!!

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WHAT AN OPENING WEEKEND!


Lil Red took over #ChampionLive this weekend and showed them what he could do. He brought home his Champion PartsOlsen's BBQ & GrillWildBill Productions, LLCAL G' S ROADHOUSE BANDStone Creek ShepherdsMike's Performance CenterAmsoil Synthetic Lubricants- Mike's PerformanceNicole's Auto Sales LLC.Dave Falini's A-Main MotorsStorm Chassis Schwarz Racing Senior Animal and Light 160 home to two second place finishes!! Not too bad in that Light 160 that he only got seat time in the night before!!


Cookie took her Senior Honda to an 8th place finish - she made her goals: finish both races and get seat time. She was lapped a few times, but she held her own and did not hold up other drivers. More seat time and she will be back at the front again.
Thank you to all of our sponsors! We are looking forward to a great season!!


And we cannot forget "The Dad"! Dad had his opening weekend, too. He finished 2nd in his heat (could have finished first if they had finished the last 3 laps) and finished 6th in his A main. He will be credited with 5th due to an issue. His teammate Nicole finished a very strong second. Look out Wall Stadium - Razzano Racing is coming at you this year!!


We will all be right back at it next weekend. Dad races Saturday night and it will be Fan Fast at Wall. Tommy and Shanon will be racing a regular race day on Sunday!


Thanks again for your support!

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We'd also like to give a big SHOUT OUT to our sister Shawna.  Shawna runs backstage for our high school plays and this year they are performing "Into the Woods".  Since we got rained out Sunday, mom and Shanon got to go see it!  You know - if you are anywhere near Somerset, NJ this coming weekend (April 20-22) you SHOULD GO!!!  Seriously - not only is she running the backstage as a sophomore - she's ON STAGE as well.  That's all we can tell you - the rest is a secret...but come!!

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                                                    Dad takes the lead on the opening lap of his heat!!!

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