THE GROVE
After what seemed like an endless offseason, DD and Team GKR, finally gets to kick off their inaugural 2010 season. Team GKR arrives at the Grove to join the long line of team transporters awaiting opening night 2010. As DD pulls the rig through the gates he pulls pill # 5. Full of excitement, the team pulls into their spot and begins to unload. DD headed to the drivers meeting and returned with some good news. As it turns out, pill # 5 was the lowest # drawn, which meant DD would start on the pole in heat # 1. DD buckles in and gets pushed off. At the start of the heat DD and Ryan Taylor head side by side into turn 1, with Taylor having the advantage. DD settles into second chasing Taylor. DD stayed in tune with Taylor, but never really mounted a challenge for the lead, finishing a very strong second. The Grove was using passing points so with the way the heats went DD, would be starting 12th in the feature. Time to go racing, green flag flies followed by a yellow for a false start. After yellow flag displayed, Ryan Taylor got sideways in 3 & 4, turning over, collecting Mark Smith. This moved DD to 10th for the restart. After the red, the green flag flies again. DD looked good passing a couple of cars, moving into 7th place. DD continued his pursuit of 6th place, closing to within a couple car lengths and then back. After a couple of quick cautions, DD continued his drive forward. In the restart with 9 laps remaining, DD realized the brakes were gone on his GKR # 48 Sprinter. DD laid back on the restart to allow time to pick his line into 1 & 2. DD held on for a solid 7th place finish. Not bad for the team’s first night out. Team owner Gary Kauffman was very pleased as well as the entire team. Can’t wait to see DD tomorrow night at Lincoln.
LINCOLN
After a strong showing at the Grove, Team GKR is looking for a big night. Starting out opposite of Friday, pulling pill # 95, which turned out to be the next to highest number drawn for the night. DD and team thought that would play into their hands using passing points, only to find out that’s not how Lincoln was running the program. Hot laps unveiled a slight smoke from the car. DD started last in Heat #1. As the heat race went on, smoke worsened resulting in DD’s GKR # 48 Sprinter erupting into flames. DD received medical attention for burns to the neck and chin from the Lincoln ambulance crew. The # 48 Sprinter returned to the hauler, under further review the crew realized there was a small oil leak, which resulted in the fire. While the crew worked on the car, preparing it for the consi, DD prepared himself medically to continue racing. Ten cars were scheduled for the consi, but only 8 reported out, DD being the 8th car. Drop of the green DD moved forward into a qualifying position, with no sign of smoke from the car. DD finished 5th securing a 23rd starting spot for the feature. With a short intermission, the feature was underway. Start of the feature DD progresses through the field, until a yellow comes out for Doug Dodson stopped in 3 & 4. DD continues into 1 & 2 spinning out, but DD shows his skills doing a 360 and continues, receiving his running position back for the restart. Racing resumes and a few green flag laps are recoded until a wreck in 1 & 2 brings out the yellow, which DD had to spin to avoid being collected. No damages to the car but DD comes into the pits to survey the car and tags onto the rear of the field. DD works toward the front. Handling seems to have gone away on the # 48 Sprinter. Red flag flies for a flipping Aaron Ott in 3 & 4. Under red the # 48 team makes minor adjustments to the car. Green flag drops and DD resumes his drive forward finishing 13th. Team GKR had higher hopes for the night, but under the circumstances earlier in the evening, DD and team were satisfied with the finish. DD plans to take the upcoming week to heal the burns and work on the # 48 Sprinter looking towards next weekend.
