Title: 2008 Western Grand
Date: Wed, Aug 13th, 2008
Author: Linda

The 2008 Western Grand was held at the American Quarter Midget track, in Prairie City State Park, located in Rancho Cordova, California.  Close to 400 cars entered to race this event.

We arrived early, and had high expectations of our chances.  The first practice session we were really fast and felt confident.  As the week went on I, as Hunter’s handler and crew chief fell behind on keeping up with fast the fast changing track conditions.

Hunter did a great job driving a tight racecar.  In Senior Honda Hunter had some bad luck at the start of the race.  The leader slid up the track and his and Hunter’s wheels tangled sending Hunter’s car flipping down the front stretch.  We brought Hunter in the pits and dashed to fix his car.  A number of our competitors came to our side to assist and get him back into the race.  Just as the flagman was waving the green flag, we got him pushed back onto the track.  Starting at the rear, Hunter had his work cut out for him to gain back his position.

Hunter caught up the field and was working his way through traffic when a wreck happened directly in front of him.  Hunter and the car he was passing had no where to go, both hit their brakes and managed to stop with minor contact.  Since we were going to have to start in the back again, Hunter pitted to make a handling adjustment.  We managed to get Hunter back on track just in time once again.

When the green flag was waved this time, Hunter made fast work of coming through traffic and in just three laps made it to 4th position and was moving up fast.  Now, Hunter’s car was the fastest on the track.  With only two laps to go, 2 of the lap cars tangled in front of the leaders.  Hunter tried to swerve to miss them but in doing so, his tail cone went flying off from the earlier flip.

In quarter midget racing, the rules say you cannot race without the tail cone.  That made Hunter’s 3rd pit so it ended his race.

Hunter was pretty upset with how the race ended, and is more determined than ever to win in next year’s Grand that will be held in Langley, Canada.