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[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 05/21/09 6:49pm Author: from the pits Subject:  ***Results from Race #5 Evadale...May 16th***The weather forecast didn't paint a pretty picture for this event to happen on schedule. A phone call to "Sir Frederick", the Duke of Evadale (& the track manager) late Thursday nite confirmed that the East Texas fans, the Bruce family, and the staff @ Evadale was lookin' forward to some good ol' TPSA action and Fred said it "wasn't gonna rain". The Boxman, DH, and current points leader, Larry Pearce, rolled in after dark Friday nite, followed Saturday by "Quickdraw" Lance Abbott, the Cowger/Wood team, the Hanson's, Nickens/Talley, Joe & Roy Pigford, and fresh from the "left" coast, Mr. "Big" Ben Worley and wife, Donna. It was overcast, hot, & humid for the first round of qualifying and looked like it would rain at any second. The first session was completed without incident but back to the North loomed the blackest cloud that's been seen in a long while. DH slid the Cavalier back in the "box", just in case, and Mr Bruce came by to tell him "it's not gonna rain us out!" Sure enough, a few minutes later, a brief shower cooled things off but Fred and the crew quickly had the track dry and we were ready for the second round of qualifying. The rain showers and resulting cooler temps netted some great times: Pearce @ 4.645, Worley, who hasn't been racing in over two years, #2 @4.668, Joe Pigford @ 4.680, Roy Pigford @4.712 to round out the top half of the field. Cowger, DH, and Nickens were bunched in the mid 70's, and Abbott, Hanson, and Hughes completed the ten car ladder. Randy the "Dandy" Elliott, the Conrad/Winscott team, and the "Ford Guys" would all miss this event due to their bullets not quite being ready to go, and Clint Crownover (C3) was literally "making hay while the sun shines". 1st round...Naiser/Slick Rick teammates Worley and Cowger roll into the waterbox. Ben raced regularly with the TPSA until a couple of years ago when a job in California offered more than he could refuse. Most fans may not know, but Worley owns the car that Richard Otwell has been driving this year and when RO was unavailable for Evadale, Big Ben took the opportunity to fly in and make some laps. In the other lane, the Cowger/Wood team is probably the most improved team for '09 in performance after purchasing a Naiser/Slick Rick combo over the winter. Burnouts complete, the cars stage and Big Ben looks like he's been racin' every weekend with a great .412 lite coupled with a 4.664 to send Rick Cowger's 4.709 to the Consi race. Next up Larry Pearce, the points leader and the most dominant car of '09 (so far) vs. the West Texas kid aka "Quickdraw" Lance Abbott from beautiful downtown Crane, Texas. Lance & his Dad, Kenneth would easily win a long distance tow award with a one way trip of 500 miles. The long tow musta' slowed the kid down some as his .455rt was far from his average but Pearce's 4.649 proved to be unbeatable and "Quickdraw" went to the Consi with a 4.807. Next pair and these guys just can't get away from each other. David Hubbard and Buddy "Budman" Nickens have drawn each other first round at two other races this season. Nickens qualified .02 better here and ran a 4.750 to a dead late DH's 4.744, but the Budman had left the redlite glowin' back on the tree and DH would advance. Joe Pigford and Chad Hanson were up next and Hanson's 4.898 would have advanced over "Pig's" troubled 5.464 but Chad had left the dreaded redlite on with a gut wrenching .3994! Back in the pits the Pigford team found a balky tranny that didn't shift into high gear. The final pair was to feature Roy Pigford against Donald Hughes. The Boxman had hurt a tranny himself in qualifying and was unable to make the call, giving R Pig a comp bye. Roy eased 'er on down with a 4.703. 2nd round...The classic showdown between #1 & #2 in the points, Pearce vs Pigford. Pearce has won 3 of the first 4 events this year and J Pig needed to stop the Naiser Nation momentum. Pig did his job on the tree, recording a solid .015rt advantage, but it was for naught as Pearce's 4.646 steamed by Pig's 4.697; headed for the semi's. In TPSA action it seems it's safe to expect the unusual and bizarre. In the next pair (Ben Worley vs Roy Pigford), both cars left the starting line before the Autostart sequence had started, resulting in no time slip, no win lite, and no data in the computer. In some organizations, and in sportsman racing, both cars would have been DQ'd, but TPSA uses the "Pro" rules which state if it can be determined that one car clearly left before the other, the last car to leave is the winner. Ben stepped up and said he left first and that was verified by the track starter and several competent bystanders; one of which was Jeff Naiser. Thanks to you all for your honesty and a special tip of the cap to both Ben and Jeff...as stated before the bullet in the Worley/Otwell ride is a Naiser piece and his honesty is appreciated. Meanwhile, back in the waterbox, DH was waiting to run his bye which would put him in the Semi's. DH made it down without incident with a 4.759. Semi's...Pearce drew Hubbard (didja know DH is the only car to get a "w" against Pearce this year?) and Hubbard was hoping for a miracle. Not today....Larry would be in his 4th final of the year with a 4.658 to stop DH's 4.758. DH's .04rt advantage wasn't enough to derail the Pearce Express. Roy Pigford drew the bye and went to the final with a 4.691. Maybe he could stop Pearce with a holeshot. Final...The burnouts were complete, the cars approached the tree, stage lites were on....and it was over just like that when R Pig's top lite went out, automatically sending Pearce to his 4th Winner's Circle of the Year. Larry's record is an amazing 15-1 for '09! Congrats to the Pearce's, Naiser/Slick Rick & "Naiser Nation", and the crew. One other final oder of business was the running of the Consi race. Only 3 cars would contest this race as the "Boxman" was still buttonin' up the tranny swap. Cowger defeated Abbott, who was back on track with a .418 lite, with his best time of the event, a 4.687 to Lance's 4.81 and Hanson used a 4.895 on his bye run to secure a spot in the final. Team Cowger/Wood took the money home in the final with a 4.705 to Chad's 4.908. The final pair of cars went down the track around 11pm...even with the down time for the showers... Both Fred and Mr Bruce had told us not to worry...it wasn't gonna rain this event out...and they were right. Wonder if they're available as weather consultants?? The track was in great condition and the cooler conditions that the showers brought were much appreciated. Thanks to the Bruce family, Fred and the staff @ Evadale, and the East Texas fans who always come and support us, no matter what the weather conditions or forecast. We hope to see the Worley's at another TPSA event before this season is done. Next event is Houston Motorsports Park, June 6th. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Replies: [>  Larry Pearce and crew celebrate win #4. Donna & Ben Worley are on the left...  Runner Up...Roy Pigford....shown with brother Joe (l) and Merv Davis (r)  No this isn't the latest poster down @ the Post Office..LOL...It's Consi Winners Team Cowger/Wood...  Brance Frederickson (shown with Jean Pearce) helped with the pairings..  Is this how "Quickdraw" (Lance Abbott) stays sharp??...LOL  [ Post a Reply to This Message ] [Edit]
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