LMS Winter Heat 1/19/07 and 1/20/07: Bandoleros Racing Action
By Jason Buckley
BANDITS: MATT WALLACE AND BLAKE JONES SPLIT VICTORIES
Matt Wallace and Blake Jones have been two of the faster drivers during the Winter Heat Series road course races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this season. Coming into this weekend’s double header, Wallace’s strength netted him a fifth and second while Jones visited victory lane both races. It was only fitting this weekend that both drivers ended up in victory lane, splitting the Bandolero Bandits division wins.
Matt Wallace (left) and Blake Jones (right) celebrated after their one-two run on Saturday. (LN Photo)
Wallace’s victory occurred Saturday with Jones crossing the line second, but both celebrated in victory lane since they are close friends; so close that Jones’ family helped Wallace get to the track and get ready while his father, NASCAR racer Mike Wallace, was in Daytona Beach, Florida testing for the upcoming racing season.
“My dad is in Daytona and my mom is at home,” said Wallace. “Thanks to Blake and Ted (Ted Jones, father of Blake Jones) for bringing me out here. We had a really strong car. We did really well out here.”
Even though it wasn’t a win for Jones, the young racer wasn’t disappointed with the finish since he was beat by his teammate for the weekend.
“We brought Matt’s car to the race track for him,” said Jones. “His car was a little bit faster. I thought I had him going through the chicane a few times, but he held the spot. Once I hit the grass over there the toe went out.
“It was a fun race. It didn’t matter who came out on top. Matt and I are good friends and it is fun to race like that.”
Sunday both drivers appeared to repeat their battle for the top spot in the feature just like the day before, but a wreck just behind Jones at the start of the race collected Wallace and at the same time cleared the way for Jones to take the win.
“I saw everyone pile into each other over there,” said Jones. “When I came around the barrels I didn’t see anyone behind me. After the first lap I looked in my mirrors and saw no one behind me for 50 or 60 car lengths behind me.”
Blake Jones has been the best driver in the Bandits division on the road courses.
For the rest of the event, Jones had to stay on track and stay focused as he worked his way around lapped traffic for the win.
“It actually wasn’t that hard,” explained Jones. “They (the officials) told all the lapped cars on the RACEceiver to move out of the way for the leaders. The lapped cars stayed out of my way for the most part.”
While Wallace limped his car home to a 12th-place finish, Jones wrapped up the road course portion of the Winter Heat Series with three out of the four wins, giving him four total victories out of the six total series races run so far.
“It feels awesome to win three out of the four road course races,” said Jones. “My Mountain Dew Bandolero has run awesome on all of the road course races.”
BEGINNER BANDITS: ANGELA DONAHUE WINS DESPITE STEERING WHEEL ISSUE
Winning your first race is always memorable, but winning after having your steering wheel fall off during the race is something that doesn’t happen often.
There have been many new faces in the Beginner Bandits division this season.
Beginner Bandits racer Angela Donahue has been trying to get her car into victory lane some time before the end of the Winter Heat season ended. Saturday she was well on her way to that goal when her steering wheel fell off during the event.
“My steering wheel popped off in the middle of the race and that was a little freaky,” said Donahue. “I had to stop and get it back on real fast. I got passed by a couple people, but I passed them back.”
Donahue was able to take her first checkered flag, and was excited after the event, especially due to the trouble she had on the track.
“It was really fun,” said Donahue. “It is awesome.”
On Sunday, Donahue crossed the finish line fourth as Tanner Rumberg was declared the winner of the Beginner Bandits race. Rumberg crossed the line first last week, but was disqualified due to a mechanical infraction. This time around Rumberg passed tech and has advanced up to the Bandits division.
YOUNG GUNS: LINKER FINALLY WINS WHILE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS GLENSKI AGAIN
Drama is something the Bandolero Young Guns division knows plenty about. Whether it is an incident on the track or a disqualification in post-race technical inspection, the racers in the division seem to always be in the limelight of the sport.
Matthew Linker took his first Bandolero Young Guns win on Saturday. (LN Photo)
Chad Finchum and Ryan Glenski, who have been the top two drivers in the division during the Winter Heat series, both had their bad luck during the race, finishing out of the top spots.
“From what I saw from in the car I went to make a move on the outside of Corey Gordon and I think I hit a loose rock and it just slid around,” said Finchum. “When I tried to correct it got in the grass and spun around.”
Linker stayed calm throughout his run and after Finchum’s spin, focused on the track to work his way to the finish line.
“I thought Finchum was going to get me,” explained Linker. “When he got wrecked I just tried to hit my marks to the end.”
Sunday the two top drivers rebounded to a one-two finish once again with Glenski crossing the line first ahead of Finchum; however in post race tech an issue with the motors of Glenski and fourth-place finisher Tyler Lester put the official results on hold.
“They (INEX) are just checking us and this guy (Tyler Lester),” explained Randy Glenski, father of Ryan. “They (600 Racing) just did this motor and the seals were questionable. I guess they started putting J-B Weld on the seals so you cannot take them apart. They just want to make sure the seals match their seal numbers. I don’t mind them taking it. I know we are legal, so we should be in good shape.”
INEX National Tech Director Scott Reinhardt explained why they had to confiscate the motors.
INEX Tech Inspectors with Randy Glenski after taking the motor out of the #28 car. (LN Photo)
“Part of the inspection today was checking the seals on the Bandoleros,” said Reinhardt. “When Brandon (a tech official) checked the seals on the #99 car (Tyler Lester), one actually pulled off. It is a set screw seal and it should hold the seal on there, (but) we have had them pull off before. It isn’t common, but in that situation we impound the motor to keep control of the motor. We will check the numbers with the seal log at 600 Racing.
“It is basically the same thing on the #28 car (Glenski). One of the practices that Bobby Phillips at 600 Racing uses was putting JB-Weld where the wires come through the seals to help prevent that (separation). That was the case on Glenski’s motor. That is the only one out here that I have seen like that, so we took it to confirm with Bobby at 600 Racing that he did do that to the motor. And again, check the log numbers to make sure the seal numbers are right. Maybe take it apart a little bit or take it apart all the way to just make sure the motor is right. We will seal it back up and they will probably have the motor back Monday afternoon.”
While the motor was being taken out of the car, Ryan Glenski was confident he will be declared the winner.
“I have no reason to be scared,” said Glenski. “I know it is legal. I know I got the win.”
Monday afternoon LegendsNation.com did receive word from the Glenski camp they received an all clear word from INEX. LN did speak to Darrel Krentz, INEX National Director, late Monday afternoon. According to Krentz, Glenski's motor passed inspection and he retains the victory, but Lester has been disqualified for a carburetor infraction. Krentz also stated there is an issue with Lester's seals that they are still looking into, but the disqualification was due to the carburetor infraction.
OUTLAWS: SELLERS DOUBLES UP WHILE RODGERS AND DANIELS FUED
A double-header weekend of racing in the Carolinas for the Bandolero Outlaws usually means that is two more victory trophies Kendall Sellers is going to take home. Just as predicted, Sellers cruised on to win on Saturday and Sunday, but both days he had to keep on his toes as other divisional racers and feuding Outlaw drivers caused a bit of controversy on the track.
On Saturday, officials decided to run the Young Lions and Outlaw divisions together, which cost Nathan Rodgers a chance at the victory, giving it to Sellers.
“They ran us with the Young Guns and I am not fond of running with them,” said Sellers. “There is a reason why you move up, and that is to get away from some people that lack the maturity. I can’t lie, they showed me maturity today, but Nathan got out to a lead and got caught up in their (Young Guns) mess. I hate it for him.”
Bailey Daniels is one of two female racers currently running in the Outlaw division. (LN Photo)
Sunday Sellers had to avoid an incident between Rodgers and Bailey Daniels on the way to victory. While following Daniels, Rodgers made contact with the rear of her car, sending both off course.
“They got together,” explained Sellers. “It looked intentional; don’t hold me too that though. It was pretty serious though. Both drivers did a good job not making it worse. It was wild. That is all I can say.”
Rodgers ended up second with Daniels coming across the line in third. Words were exchanged in the tech area after both drivers exited their cars. Rodgers explained the contact, claiming Daniels stopped in front of him.
“I was coming up there and was all over her bumper the first few turns,” said Rodgers. “I was taking it easy waiting for her to mess up, then all of a sudden we came up to that left hand turn before the straightaway and she just stopped. I was off the gas completely coasting up the hill and she was completely stopped. When I went to get back in the gas I hit her and we just drove off the track. It is terrible she had to lock up the brakes like that. I think we had the car to win today.”
Daniels was visibly upset after the race with the contact and felt it could have been avoided.
“He said I braked,” explained Daniels. “The only time I brake is before the chicane, so I was not on the brake. Going through the corner he was on my bumper. He was on my bumper the whole time. He got on the gas before he should have and spun me out. It cost me a race and a body piece.
“He has always been like this.”
Racing is sometimes a sport of retaliation, something Rodgers might feel is coming sometime down the road.
“You know girls man,” said Rodgers. “They are going to hold a grudge forever. If she tries something, she tries something. That is her stupidity.”
