2019 Season Starting – Sunday

The team decided to invest in an engine many months ago. This was to be used while the previous workhorse was being rebuilt. The delusion, at the time, was to make the opening ICAR race at Flat Rock Speedway.

That was too aggressive, especially with the race date being in April. Thankfully, for us anyway, the apropos occurred – namely April showers. The race was rescheduled for Father’s Day.

This provided time to get it fitted, new lines plumbed, and some of the maintenance done. Since Flat Rock is a ¼ mile we will leave the body work until after the race.

The car is all but ready to load into the trailer tomorrow. To make things better, the MCR dwarf cars are also running that day. The goal is to run both cars and have a blast in finally getting back out on the track.

Write-up will be posted after the race. For immediate information follow our Twitter feed.

2018 MCR Dwarf Car Season Results

2018 was meant to be an off year. And it almost was. I got introduced to the Hoffman Motorsports crew that is part of the MCR Dwarf Car group. They had a race-ready ride that just required me to show up with my helmet. It also had my favourite characteristic – the wheels are open.

I am admittedly partial to small wheelbase motorcycle engine powered vehicles. Add the slicks to it and I was completely ready to pilot one of these. I loved telling people that I had driven a dwarf car before – exactly 20 years prior – on dirt.

I chose Springport for my first race. I have a handful of laps there, to put it mildly, so I knew I wouldn’t need to get acclimated to the track. It was a fun jaunt, mixing it up “close enough” to the front of the pack. I could see the top 2 at the finish, just out of reach, and snagged the last step on the podium. It was interesting to be nearly as quick as the Modified (lap time wise) because the cars generate lap times in completely opposite ways.

The 2nd race was at Flat Rock. This is the only track within an hour of my house, so I have a lot of good memories from going there. The day was HOT, with ambient temperatures in the upper 90’s. The crowd was still strong though because there were schoolbus races. The night started good, timing .018 off the pole position. The race was even better, methodically marching to the front. Was able to hold on to the win despite a late restart that brought the field close. Victory Lane interview on the frontstretch was great, as was the cold water bottle I was handed.

Third race was at a track I never had visited, Angola. I hadn’t raced in Indiana since the prior year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I loved this track because it is the traditional “appears out of a field.” I never did figure the track out but managed to snag a spot at the back end of the Top 5.

The final race wasn’t supposed to happen but got added anyway – the Michigan Cup at Springport. The pits were absolutely lined with cars. It was also absolutely filled with mud and water due to torrential downpours during the night and morning. I am not sure how we got on track, but we did. It made for some sliding. It took till the final lap, but again grabbed the 5th finishing position.

Overall it was a successful season – 4 races, 4 top 5’s. I can’t argue those results and can’t thank the Hoffman guys enough. I look forward to a handful of races with them this coming season. Most will be interesting, as they will be on nights where piloting both it and the Modified.

A New Year, Same Persona

I do not fully understand why people always make changes effective January 1st. Ok, I do understand, but it does not make me any the more complicit in their inane pursuits. The examples are everywhere in the workplace. The refrigerator is full of people’s lunches. The new apparel is donned. Overheard conversation center on the new gym regimen. The men are sporting their holiday beards. The last one is not relevant, but why did so many guys go away for break and come back with a full on NHL playoff beard?

Well just because it is January does not mean I am ready for change. So while I am thinking of a normal novel-length entry to bore you with I shall rely on some quick hits in the interim.

– Why does my bottle of water have nutritional information on it? It isn’t flavoured, so there is obviously no sugar on it. Of course it has no nutritional value. And yes, it is NO part of my 2000 calorie daily diet. Also, I bought it at a gas station. The bottle has their logo on it. I really hope they covered a real brand and aren’t just bottling toilet water. Does it really earn them more money in the long run doing this? Can’t they just stock the El Cheapo brand like 7-11 does?

– I was stuck in traffic yesterday when I ended up next to a Prius. It had some obnoxious personalised license plate like “SIP GAS”. I had heard about places where the eco-friendly have really gone overboard and are arrogant about it, but this was truly my first run-in with it. I did my best to ensure that he couldn’t change lanes, but he wasn’t looking to anyway. Hybrids are just another one on the list of vehicles that I reserve the right to drive differently for. I generally try to give some more room to seniors. People with stupid bumper stickers, especially with heavy politicial affiliation? Good luck merging. Texting while driving? Not using a turn signal? Yes that is my fender blocking your progress. Hot girl using turn signal? Please, go ahead. Hot girl who thinks she can merge just because she is hot and got some schmoe to buy her that SUV? I think not. Driving a Camaro? You are always welcome to merge. Try to pass on the right
all the way until the lane ends even though everyone else has been stuck waiting in the proper (left) lane? There is no way in hell I am going to let you in. And if you think for a second that you will win at chicken and I will let you in at the last possible moment, please try again. Remember, I own two clunkers. I will gladly suffer some damage to the side of my beater just to prove a point to you. After all, I have AAA to tow me home, and another clunker in the garage to do it again tomorrow with.

– Speaking of driving, I really enjoy driving in wintry conditions with my big heavy ski gloves on. Even once my hands warm up (the original reason for wearing them), I like to wear them. I am not truly sure why. I would like to say it is because it makes me feel like I am wearing my racing gloves, especially useful when I am sliding around in the snow, but I like to think even I am not that neurotic.
Oh, who am I kidding.

Welcoming you into 2009,
-Michael

Brown Cow – Moo

My dad enjoyed entertaining youngsters by using “nonsense” expressions. One of them was “brown cow – moo!” I imagine it was a derivative of some sort, originating from the “how now brown cow” phrase that is used in elocution teaching (if I believe what Wikipedia tells me). Regardless, I cannot help but think of him as I shake my head while looking at this monstrosity of an outfit I put together today.

As I look down I notice that I am wearing what appears to be 5 separate shades of brown. It is not the first time I have faced this dilemma. It appears to occur every time a certain shirt comes up in the cycle to be worn. It is just above the “sunshine yellow” shirt from Express that is fancy but also see through and does not allow me to wear a racing t-shirt underneath like normal. Anyway, this brown shirt is a nice soft material. I tried to see what material it is, but I can’t crane my neck that far and I am not exactly about to take my shirt off to find out. It is brown, but not as brown as when it was brand new. Many washings have started to take its toll. I usually couple it with a pair of light khakis. No harm no foul, except the fact that the khakis really have seen better days. Besides fraying at the pockets and cuffs, it has shrunk and constantly pulls up exposing my ankles when my old socks that are sans elastic fall down. I have
vowed not to wear them again, at least not until I am out of clean clothes, especially now that it is cold and I despise the “ankle-breeze.” That leaves me with my two pair of “brown” pants (both between khaki and brown) and a pair of green. I hate the green. I can never figure out a shirt that matches. It seemed like a great idea when I got them, but then I never wear them. You think I would have learned from the last pair that I threw out, for the very reason that they never got worn. Thus, the light brown got the nod.

They are fine pants themselves, but are basically the same colour as the faded brown shirt. But they are not close enough, in my opinion. Throw in my belt (kind of a reddish brown), my socks (they are the dark brown my shirt used to be), and my shoes (used to be brown akin to my belt, but now are the colour “scuffed”) and I just look like a freakin’ fudgesicle. The Italian brown hair and eyes are not helping. All in all, I try to tell myself that I do not really care. It bugs me during the day, and then I still put on the same outfit weeks later. I think I am just dwelling on it today because fudgesicles were on sale at the store this week and I did not buy any. What the hell was I thinking?

Burnt sienna and proud,
-Michael

2008 Season Comes to a Close for Half-Baked Schemes Racing

It seemed like the season had barely begun, but the 2nd week of October indicated that the offseason was upon us. This was the second Super Dirt Week that we had participated in. SDW last year was aggressive, with three races in three days. This year was a bit more tame, with only two on the docket. Much like last year, it was Brewerton Speedway on Thursday night, and Cayuga County Fair Speedway on Friday night.

Half-Baked Schemes Racing driver all smiles before (and after) Night #1 of Super Dirt Week

Quick update (and pic) from the team’s first race of the week: Michael took 6th in a very competitive 28 car field at Brewerton Speedway.

We will have more details to follow in the days ahead, but for now we are off to prep the car to make another run at the leader board at the Cayuga County Fairgrounds.