2008 GRAND NATIONALS
"Out of the Crate” GM Engines Take Top 3 Positions
FASTRAK Racing Series
Carnesville, GA (Nov-11) Not only did the 2008 edition of the FASTRAK Racing Series GRAND NATIONALS produce the exciting racing that has become the staple of the FASTRAK Racing Series, the 2008 GRAND NATIONALS also showcased how intent the Series is in maintaining the level playing field environment the Series was founded on. For the sake of those who might not follow the FASTRAK Racing Series regularly, crossing under the checkers first is only a part of the equation in being declared the winner of a FASTRAK Racing Series event. After each and every event, FASTRAK Racing Series officials instruct the Top 5 finishers to go directly to the scales. Any delay or unauthorized stops along the way result in automatic disqualification. The Top 5 finishers are not necessarily the only drivers whose cars may be under scrutiny. FASTRAK officials have been known to randomly select other cars as well. Naturally, with $50,000 going to the winner of the 2008 GRAND NATIONALS, the winning car of Royce Bray was going to be under the microscope, but so to, were the cars of Shannon Buckingham, Jonathan Davenport and Ron Parker respectively. Each car would have the engines removed from the cars and a complete teardown of each- right down to weighing the crankshaft would ensue, affirming 100% compliance of the FASTRAK Racing Series Rulebook.
This of course is nothing new to either the competitors or the legions of race fans that regularly follow the Series. Each Touring Event finds any number of cars in the tech compound of virtually every race track flying a FASTRAK banner. Long after the celebrating concluded in Victory Lane at Wythe Raceway on October 18, five engine builders (independent of FASTRAK) were dismantling the engines of Bray, Buckingham, Davenport and Parker in the tech building, and yes, right down to weighing the crankshafts of each. Each of the engine builders would methodically go behind the other and report their findings to FASTRAK National Technical Director Rick Ellison. Closing in on daybreak the following morning, Bray, Buckingham, Davenport and Parker were officially declared legal.
The teardown process also revealed a fact which should “quiet the critics” (who always seem to surface). Bray, Buckingham and Davenport were found to have competed with brand new “box stock crate engines” which should quell the notion ‘rebuilt engines have more horsepower’. Each of these contenders were taking no chances in their quest to be crowned 2008 FASTRAK GRAND NATIONAL Champion. Parker’s engine was the only engine found to have been to a Certified FASTRAK engine rebuilder, and was 100% compliant with the GM technical manual.
A look at events throughout the 2008 FASTRAK Racing Series around the nation demonstrates how paramount rules compliance is in the FASTRAK Racing Series. Finishes have been disallowed for a myriad of things including axles, tires, and of course power plant modifications. Austin Dillon, before moving on to the NASCAR Nationwide Series was victorious at the $10,000 to win Pro late Model Nationals Labor Day weekend and was not officially declared the winner until the routine exhaustive teardown was completed at 4:07 A M the following morning. On this particular weekend, FASTRAK Racing Series officials were even armed with black lights where randomly selected tires were removed from the rim and examined for any indications of soaking from inside of the tire.
Enforcement of the rules is critical and is not central to just the technological side of the cars competing. In one instance, a driver was disqualified when after contact with another car, a crew member ventured onto the racing surface expressing displeasure with the driver of the other car involved. By the same token, in instances when a driver has exited their car to “chat” with another driver after an “on track fracas”, disqualification has been swift.
While there will always be a menagerie of scholarly creative rules interpreters in motorsports, an undisputed fact remains, in the FASTRAK Racing Series, sooner than later, practitioners of creative rules interpretation will have an off day.
Partners of the FASTRAK Racing Series Include;Goodyear Racing, GM Performance Parts, Sunoco Race Fuels, Modern Chevrolet, City Chevrolet, Heintz Performance, Duralite Wheels, Schoenfeld Headers, Mastersbilt Racing Chassis, TNT Racing Chassis, Rocket Racing Chassis,Goliath Racing Chassis, MK-Direct
*THE FASTRAK DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES is based on the GM crate engine program using both the 602 and 604 engine types. All teams utilize Goodyear Racing Tires as the “spec tire” allowing team’s tremendous savings in both engine and tire expense. The National Championship of the FASTRAK RACING SERIES is one of the largest in the United States
"Out of the Crate” GM Engines Take Top 3 Positions
FASTRAK Racing Series
Carnesville, GA (Nov-11) Not only did the 2008 edition of the FASTRAK Racing Series GRAND NATIONALS produce the exciting racing that has become the staple of the FASTRAK Racing Series, the 2008 GRAND NATIONALS also showcased how intent the Series is in maintaining the level playing field environment the Series was founded on. For the sake of those who might not follow the FASTRAK Racing Series regularly, crossing under the checkers first is only a part of the equation in being declared the winner of a FASTRAK Racing Series event. After each and every event, FASTRAK Racing Series officials instruct the Top 5 finishers to go directly to the scales. Any delay or unauthorized stops along the way result in automatic disqualification. The Top 5 finishers are not necessarily the only drivers whose cars may be under scrutiny. FASTRAK officials have been known to randomly select other cars as well. Naturally, with $50,000 going to the winner of the 2008 GRAND NATIONALS, the winning car of Royce Bray was going to be under the microscope, but so to, were the cars of Shannon Buckingham, Jonathan Davenport and Ron Parker respectively. Each car would have the engines removed from the cars and a complete teardown of each- right down to weighing the crankshaft would ensue, affirming 100% compliance of the FASTRAK Racing Series Rulebook.
This of course is nothing new to either the competitors or the legions of race fans that regularly follow the Series. Each Touring Event finds any number of cars in the tech compound of virtually every race track flying a FASTRAK banner. Long after the celebrating concluded in Victory Lane at Wythe Raceway on October 18, five engine builders (independent of FASTRAK) were dismantling the engines of Bray, Buckingham, Davenport and Parker in the tech building, and yes, right down to weighing the crankshafts of each. Each of the engine builders would methodically go behind the other and report their findings to FASTRAK National Technical Director Rick Ellison. Closing in on daybreak the following morning, Bray, Buckingham, Davenport and Parker were officially declared legal.
The teardown process also revealed a fact which should “quiet the critics” (who always seem to surface). Bray, Buckingham and Davenport were found to have competed with brand new “box stock crate engines” which should quell the notion ‘rebuilt engines have more horsepower’. Each of these contenders were taking no chances in their quest to be crowned 2008 FASTRAK GRAND NATIONAL Champion. Parker’s engine was the only engine found to have been to a Certified FASTRAK engine rebuilder, and was 100% compliant with the GM technical manual.
A look at events throughout the 2008 FASTRAK Racing Series around the nation demonstrates how paramount rules compliance is in the FASTRAK Racing Series. Finishes have been disallowed for a myriad of things including axles, tires, and of course power plant modifications. Austin Dillon, before moving on to the NASCAR Nationwide Series was victorious at the $10,000 to win Pro late Model Nationals Labor Day weekend and was not officially declared the winner until the routine exhaustive teardown was completed at 4:07 A M the following morning. On this particular weekend, FASTRAK Racing Series officials were even armed with black lights where randomly selected tires were removed from the rim and examined for any indications of soaking from inside of the tire.
Enforcement of the rules is critical and is not central to just the technological side of the cars competing. In one instance, a driver was disqualified when after contact with another car, a crew member ventured onto the racing surface expressing displeasure with the driver of the other car involved. By the same token, in instances when a driver has exited their car to “chat” with another driver after an “on track fracas”, disqualification has been swift.
While there will always be a menagerie of scholarly creative rules interpreters in motorsports, an undisputed fact remains, in the FASTRAK Racing Series, sooner than later, practitioners of creative rules interpretation will have an off day.
Partners of the FASTRAK Racing Series Include;Goodyear Racing, GM Performance Parts, Sunoco Race Fuels, Modern Chevrolet, City Chevrolet, Heintz Performance, Duralite Wheels, Schoenfeld Headers, Mastersbilt Racing Chassis, TNT Racing Chassis, Rocket Racing Chassis,Goliath Racing Chassis, MK-Direct
*THE FASTRAK DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES is based on the GM crate engine program using both the 602 and 604 engine types. All teams utilize Goodyear Racing Tires as the “spec tire” allowing team’s tremendous savings in both engine and tire expense. The National Championship of the FASTRAK RACING SERIES is one of the largest in the United States
