JT2: If You Aren't A Winner, You're A Loser

Well, on Saturday, we were able to head off to the racetrack for the final CRASHCar/Redneck Racer/Bootlegger Brigade (yeah, we can't come up with a good name that sticks. People call us everything anyway) of the year. It was the first time that JT got to race in the last few races. That's because Rusty gave JT's car away because he had a few other commitments and couldn't make it to the race track. Oh well. I drive what I can, when I can.

So lately, I've been driving the pink station wagon.... ok, I'll give you some time to make some jokes.... go ahead... The car is named Trouble. More jokes? go ahead.... It's always been the car that runs around the back or that Rusty just puts people in that want to have a good time. But I don't think anyone really knew the car had in it until they put one hell of a driver in it. And I've had a good run since I got in it.

Anyway, we went to race at Concord Motorsport Park on their little quarter-mile instead of the half-mile we normally race on. And if its a quarter mile... I've got some great beach-front property here in Charlotte you can buy. Its lucky if its a fifth-mile. So putting a bunch of big cars on the fifth-mile that was built for go-karts and Legends cars is something else.

But we got to practice and race. And both were something interesting. Once we all got used to the track, we all got fast. I kept telling Rusty I was faster than him and I was dogging him in practice. In fact, once I even got into him (visual proof of that below). But I was faster and I told him he would see it come race time.

Well, race time was not much fun. After starting fifth, I got to third after an accident. Then, I started outside of Rusty on an early restart. Then the fun started. Anyone knows me and Rusty is that we run hard and have a good time. But i don't think Rusty likes when I can beat him, which I've been on my way to doing the last four races.

Going into turn one after the restart, Rusty pushed high and I got under him. Going down into turn three, I started to pass him and down the front stretch, I had him cleared. Well, he didn't like that much and slammed into me going into turn one and pushed me all the way up into the wall. When I hit the wall, it broke something in the steering and after restarting in the back (with Rusty behind me after getting black flagged for rough driving... FINALLY). Then, we banged some more and finally something broke in the suspension and I had to pull of the track. I thought the tire was flat and I went to the pit area, jumped out of the car and fully planned to change the tire while still in uniform and helmet Days of Thunder style. "Change the tires. But Cole, the race is over...." Rusty can be lucky it was suspension damage.

Anyway, on Monday, Rusty all but apologized to me for getting into him. He said it was our bumpers locking up that caused me to get into the wall. But he knows he's got some payback coming. He just doesn't like me beating him, especially in the pink wagon.

My last four races, all in the pink wagon: Summer Shootout - led the whole race before spinning late and finishing second; Dirt Track - going for the lead when wrecked by the leader while blocking me; Dirt Track trailer race - lead most race before cutting tire with two laps to go; Concord - passing for lead before getting wrecked.

But you know what they say... if you are not a winner... you're a loser!

I had to do a lot more work on the car after the race than just this.

There were six of us in the race... and Rusty once again cheated by getting to start on the pole.

Yeah, I got into Rusty in practice, but I just knocked him sideways and let him gather it up. I've always called Rusty "RD". Now that stands for "reckless driver."