Race Results: July 1, 2000


Owner:      James Alan Sherman

Drivers:    Jeff Blanton and  
            James Alan Sherman

Crew Chief: Ed "Tar Heel" Blanton

Chassis:    2000 Eagle

Engine:     Marc Huson 360 Shark


 

 

 

 






 

 

 

 

 

 




It was a nice warm evening at Grays Harbor Raceway.  My
cousin Patricia Ann Sherman, Uncle Paul's first daughter,
was with me in the pits.

This was my first outing since Play Day at Skagit Speedway,
back on April 1, when I broke my tailbone in an encounter
with the concrete wall coming out of turn four.

My best of two time trials was a 14.556, which was 7th fast
out of 16 cars in the 360 sprint division.  Fast time was
set by Donny Fry in the Whitney Chevrolet Huson-powered
Eagle chassis. 

Because of the random inversion, this put me on the front 
row of my heat race.  I can't remember who was beside me,
but it was a car that I thought I could out-horse into
turn one.  Donny Fry was behind me in row two.

I did manage to get into turn one just a whisker ahead of
the guy beside me, and when I turned left he backed off
and gave me the room I needed.  After the last three cars
I had driven, two Gamblers and a J&J, my new Eagle chassis
drove like a dream - a lot less wrestling on the wheel.

I managed to hold the lead for four laps, until I got just
a little bit sideways coming out of turn four; I mashed on
the brakes and was just starting to bring the nose around
when the lights went out.  Donny Fry had been right behind
me, and when I slowed, he T-boned me hard, spinning me in
a circle which bounced me off of one of the big tires that
guard the infield.  

My steering arm was broken and there was some other minor
damage.  The car was pushed into the pits, where the crew
was able to get the steering arm replaced in about two
minutes.  Very impressive!  They asked me if I wanted to
go back out, and I said "SURE!".  I think they thought I
might have been freaked out about getting hit.

The crash put both Donny Fry and me to the back of the pack.
I was now 6th, with two laps to go.  I managed to pass three
cars in those two laps and finished in 3rd place, my best
finish in the half-dozen times I had raced.

JPS