Date: Monday, October 19, 2009 Posted By: Roy Schallhorn
2009 RACING SEASON
IN THE BOOKS!!
The VRT Team was just informed of the Death of Longtime Friend Ralph (Homley the Clown) Leanord. Ralph was a kind hearted Man that made friends with everyone. He has a special meaning in the Heart of Jesse, As Ralph was the person to put Jesse in his 1st Racecar. Ralph loved the Races and coming out to watch the Boys Race. He frequently visited the VRT Garage just to watch us work on the race cars and talk about old Times...Ralph will be missed and we wish him peace!! GODSPEED TO OUR FRIEND
(Ralph's Family will Greet Friends on Thursday Oct.22 from 4pm-7pm at Langland Funeral Home in Comstock)
The 2009 Racing Season has come to a end for the VRT Racing Team. The Season proved to be proberly the best ever for this Team as Jesse and Adam both showed that when the Torch was passed down from Dad (Brad), They kept the Flame Burning!! As they became Top Contender's week in and week out.
The Season began with Both Jesse & Adam competing in there 1st Full season together in the Latemodel Division. The Early season saw it's Up's and Down's as the Team struggled threw the 1st couple weeks, finding the right set-ups and having some Mechanical Issue's!! Adam's season began with a BANG..Literally, as he smoked 2 motor's within 4 weeks, The Purple Let's roll Machine found its way in the VRT Garage almost every week, Getting the Engine changed, or Fixing Something!! Adam tho when running, stayed consistant poping off Top 5 finish's and staying in the Top 10 in points. Jesse would start out a little slow as well, Qualifying in the Top 6 each week, But not hitting the right set-up ,Or having Bad luck (in the form of on track issue's) plaguing him threw the 1st Couple weeks. But in the 3rd week of the season Jesse got the Team Adrenalin flowing as he Broke the Track Record with a qualifying lap of 14.141, Only to see it go away within minutes as Torch re-broke it with a lap of 14.031. Before week 3 the VRT Team Borrowed a back up motor from Jim Gallaway that was run in Bob Methenys street-stock to put in Adam's Latemodel until the Big 18 degree could be rebuilt. Adam's luck would change for the better as the car would adapt to the smaller motor and begin running up front each week, placing the car in the fast car dash several times. At the Mid-Season Championship Night, Jesse found himself in the running for a championship trailing only Scott Rugg, Luke Krick, in the points. Adam climbed the point ladder quickly with consistant runs and stood 5th. In week #6 Adam would make his 1st apperance behind the wheel of a SCHOOL BUS!! thats right.. a School Bus!! Adam would pilot the VRT Special in the Annual School Bus Figure 8 Race, and would make the VRT Team and its Fan's Proud as he continued the family Tradition (As Dad Brad ran several Bus races ) scoring a Huge Popular win!!. Adam would carry the Momentum of the School Bus Win to the Annual Freedom 100 4th of July Race. Both Adam & Jesse were Primed and ready to prove that they were capable of running with the Big Gun's.... With the likes of 11 Time champion Andy Bozell, 2nd Generation Driver Phil Bozell, Track Champion & Supershoe Winner Brandon Lyons, alongwith several other top area drivers in attendance, The VanAvery Boys would put on one of the best shows of the year, and proberly the best Freedom 100 race ever!! As Adam would check out early and lead the 1st 90 laps, holding off Phil Bozell, and Andy Bozell, as both put the pressure on Adam...to no evail!! Adam seemed destin to have the Biggest WIN of his Career, when suddenly the Power plant went sour and Adam's Great run would fall for not, But Jesse would re-kindle the Fire as he would step to the plate and make some pass's and finish a very impressive 2nd. That finish would lite a fire under Jesse as for the next 3 weeks, As he would string together 3 straight feature wins!!! Adam would run well also finishing 2nd twice for a 1-2 VanAvery finish.. Jesse would make his statement as a championship contender from that point on, As he Ran up front week after week matching Scott Rugg, and Luke Krick not allowing niether to get away in points. Adam would continue consistant runs week in and week out moving to 4th in points behind his brother. Jesse would take his turn in a School Bus later in the season, But would'nt have the results Adam had, as Jesse experienced some brake issues with the Bus and would'nt finish. Adam took a turn behind the wheel of Jesse's Latemodel as Jesse was away with a Family Comittment,And Galesburg was'nt scheduled to run Latemodels, So we took Adam to Kalamazoo Speedway for some seat time. That proved to be a mistake (Not that Adam was'nt Capable) Just that the timing was wrong and the Only fear we had (Getting caught up in a wreck) Proved to be a Dagger in the Back as Adam did get caught in a major wreck, and the Car suffered major Damage!! After alot of suspension repairs and some cosmetic repairs the car was back in action, but we were never really able to get the set-up back to were it was, and Jesse suffered threw qualifying the rest of the season at the Burg. But was able to still maintain his 3rd place in points and Adam in his Latemodel.. was able to continue his consistant finish's to score a 4th place finish. All in All it was a VERY GOOD season for both Jesse and Adam as they showed that they can run with the Big Boy's and that next season could be another 1-2 VanAvery Finish!! (This time in Points).
ON TO THE SUPERSHOE!!!
This years Supershoe Proved to be the BEST for the VRT Racing Team as The Momentum from a Successful season at Galesburg spilled over to the BIG Race of the Year!! THE SUPERSHOE.. Jesse would wait almost the whole weekend to race, as the Heat races were canceled due to the Rainy weather, But he would make the most out of his wait as he became the 2nd VanAvery Racer (beside's his dad Brad) To score a B-Feature Win in the Shoe!! Adam would put his car into the A-Bracket and Post a Heat win on Saturday, Then race to a 4th place transfer finish in his Last-Chance Sunday to become the 1st ever VanAvery Driver to start the A-Feature! He would finish a respectable 17th out of 24 of the Area's best Drivers after losing the rear-end 54 laps in.
RECAPPING THE SEASON AND SENDING OUT THANKS.....
The VRT Team.. Brad,Adam,Jesse,Roy,Mike,Kenny would like to thank all of our Fans and supporters threw the season, along with our Sponsor's...Sweet Mfg.,Engines By Glen,Greg's Tree Service,Cyber 1 Programming,Ivan's Repair Service,Grant's Antique Mall. For a Great Season and look forward to the 2010 season. Special Thanks To Greg & Amanda Lockmiller for there Help with all the Special Event Organizing, and support of the Team.
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