Thursday, October 25, 2007

Super Dirt Week

by Rob Zuraski, Engineering Manager


Super Dirt Week XXXVI, snowmobile/ATV show, road trip with 3 friends to Syracuse to visit a close friend– sound like a fun weekend? You bet! I haven't been to a dirt track race in about 10 years, not since I crewed for a team in Vermont. So, this was a fun weekend for me to get back into it.

For those of you not familiar with dirt track racing there is always a lot of action (crashes) as the drivers and crews try to set up their cars for the changing track conditions throughout the weekend, especially in the qualifying races when everyone is pushing it hard trying to make the cut. Need to keep in mind they are racing on a “dirt” track so you get nice powerslides in the corners when the cars get going.
Here's my friend Tony using one of Ingersoll Rand's products at the track.....Kudos to the Club Car engineers for the durability of these vehicles as we gave them a good workout throughout the weekend. I wonder if they thought about the roof of the vehicle being used as bleacher seats in turn 1 when they designed them....

There were lots of cool sights in the infield. I couldn't believe all the different vehicles used now in the pits for hauling tires and people around- the quads, the golf carts and even this custom chopper with a 7hp engine.

Here are some photos of the BNC Motorsports Pro-Stock Championship. Most of the cars are late model Chevy’s (Monte Carlo’s etc..) with an occasional Ford and Dodge.
These are some shots from turn 4. Can you imagine how I got these photos? Had a few guys nearby standing on the back of golf carts who said I should have hung in longer for the “good” shots of the last few trailing the pack really sliding in the corners trying to catch up. But the cloud of dirt from the pack was a little too much more than I thought the camera could handle.





Special thanks to Tony Lema and the Aramark crew for a great weekend and their sponsorship for a couple of the drivers and the big race!

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