Placerville Speedway- Points Race #9
Well, this past Saturday at Placerville Speedway didn't goes as planned. Ryan and the 4n flipped in the heat race. By the time I got to the car, the paramedics were checking Ryan out. He passed the test. He looked me straight in the face with so much determination, and said "Let's go. It's fixable!" Off he ran. Sure enough, we "fixed" it in time. It wasn't quite fixed but it was the best we could do with the time we had. The car was not adjusted at all. Ryan was so toed out it wasn't even funny but he made it work! About lap 15 he was on the high line passing for the lead in the main event. Unfortunately, Ryan and the 21n got together and he got put to the back for rough driving. Ryan was able to come back and finish 4th!
It wasn't the night we wanted but we'll take what we got!
Thank you to Greg Winter, Justin Winter, Nick Dughi, Scott Dahlgren, and Jeff Fitch for helping us get the car back together!
It wasn't the night we wanted but we'll take what we got!
Thank you to Greg Winter, Justin Winter, Nick Dughi, Scott Dahlgren, and Jeff Fitch for helping us get the car back together!
Vernal Nationals
Man, What a weekend! Showed up at the race track just in time for hot laps on Friday (after a 6am airplane flight and a 3 hour drive from the airport to the track). The car was fast all night. Finished 2nd in the heat race behind Shawn Jones in the 80n. Was racing for 2nd in the main event all race long. A bunch of passing, very racey track! Ended up 5th when the checkered flew.
Saturday, the car was even better. Won the fast dash and started on the pole for the main event. Green flag flew and the 3v of Ryan Diatte took the lead right away. It was another race for second all race long, changing places with Shawn Jones, Monster, and Josh King. With a late race restart (green, white, checkered), the 4n tried for the win. The checkered was in the air as the 3v and the 4n come out of turn 4 side by side but it was the 3v that had half a car length on the 4n as they crossed the line.
Big Congratulations to Ryan Diatte on the win! Thank you to Danny Zuger for towing the 4n and all the parts out to the race track from California to Vernal, UT!
Saturday, the car was even better. Won the fast dash and started on the pole for the main event. Green flag flew and the 3v of Ryan Diatte took the lead right away. It was another race for second all race long, changing places with Shawn Jones, Monster, and Josh King. With a late race restart (green, white, checkered), the 4n tried for the win. The checkered was in the air as the 3v and the 4n come out of turn 4 side by side but it was the 3v that had half a car length on the 4n as they crossed the line.
Big Congratulations to Ryan Diatte on the win! Thank you to Danny Zuger for towing the 4n and all the parts out to the race track from California to Vernal, UT!
2015 Recap (Posted 5/25/15)
2015 started with a smile, high hopes, and determination from Ryan and his crew. But the race season started rough and rocky. The handling of the car was finally figured out but the bad luck continued. The first race of the season was a double header in Chico, CA at Silver Dollar Speedway (3/28 & 3/29). The first night, Ryan battled the car the whole night but come through the checkered flag 2nd to Joe Frock. With some changes, the car handled much better the second night. Ryan took an early lead, and it looked like his luck had finally changed. Ryan and best friend/brother-in-law, Shawn Jones, were battling for the lead when out of nowhere, cars in turns 1&2 halted to the two cars. The 4n's front end was completely destroyed. The 26n of Shawn Jones kept going to win. With help of many people that night, the 4n was put back together enough to roll into the trailer.
With a week's worth of work to fix the 4n, it was ready for Marysville Raceway (4/5) the next weekend. Bad luck continues as the 52n gets sideways down the back straight causing the 4n to slow up and the 80n to give him a little love tap that sent the 4n spinning on the first lap of the main event. Unfortunately for the 4n, the car was too far in the infield for them to pull the yellow flag leaving him a lap down. He raced his way back up behind race leader, Shawn Jones, but never received his lap back which lead the 4n to finish 8th.
Next week was Placerville Speedway (4/18), a place where Ryan has been dominate. The 4n took home the heat race win. The two best friends battle it out in the main event, but Shawn ended up pulling away from the 4n, while the 9n caught the 4n leaving Ryan to finish 3rd.
Back to Silver Dollar Speedway (4/24), the night was consistent of second place finishes for the 4n. Second in the heat and Second in the main. The main finished right before the rain came and washed out the race track. Heading to Marysville Raceway the very next day, it was a muddy mess everywhere! But the track crew worked hard to bring the track back, and the 4n worked even harder to get the car ready for the main event. Ryan and Shawn decide to switch cars for hot laps, where Ryan would land the fastest time in the 80n Dwarf Car. Confidence rose in Ryan, with his head down and focused the main event seemed like his after the 80n got put to the back for being charged with a yellow. With no brakes, Ryan attempted to hold onto the lead but with 5 laps to go, the 80n was back on the 4n's bumper. Shawn made the pass successful leaving the 4n to finish 2nd.
Fernley Regionals (5/1-5/2) was more bad luck for the 4n car but good luck at the Casinos! So the weekend evened itself out for Ryan Winter and his team.
Placerville Speedway (5/9) was the night to remember! Fighting side by side with best friend, Shawn Jones. Throwing slide jobs after slide jobs, the checkered flag flew with the 4n crossing the finish line in front of the 80n! With too much excitement to contain, the 4n pulled into the pits revving his engine with the biggest smile on his face. That's the way to win! Hard earned and one heck of a good time!
Coming into Petaluma Speedway (5/16), smiles wide and they just kept getting wider! The 4n took the victory again, back to back. With confidence built, the team went into the Graton Casino to have a little fun and it was Ryan and his soon-to-be wife's Bachelor/Bachelorette party. It was a great night! Besides the black jack table.
Marysville Speedway (5/23), the 4n landed the fastest lap in hot laps and took the heat race win. While leading the race, a slide job gone wrong by best friend, Shawn Jones (80n) lead the 4n to spin in turns 1&2 putting Ryan to the back. The 4n came charging, with a bent piece on the car, made his way back up into the 5th position when the checkered flag flew. It wasn't the race the two best friends wanted, but they raised their beers with a cheers and kept on smiling.
We have an off weekend this weekend! (5/29). Gonna head to Placerville to watch Best Friend, Shawn Jones, wheel his spec sprint!
With a week's worth of work to fix the 4n, it was ready for Marysville Raceway (4/5) the next weekend. Bad luck continues as the 52n gets sideways down the back straight causing the 4n to slow up and the 80n to give him a little love tap that sent the 4n spinning on the first lap of the main event. Unfortunately for the 4n, the car was too far in the infield for them to pull the yellow flag leaving him a lap down. He raced his way back up behind race leader, Shawn Jones, but never received his lap back which lead the 4n to finish 8th.
Next week was Placerville Speedway (4/18), a place where Ryan has been dominate. The 4n took home the heat race win. The two best friends battle it out in the main event, but Shawn ended up pulling away from the 4n, while the 9n caught the 4n leaving Ryan to finish 3rd.
Back to Silver Dollar Speedway (4/24), the night was consistent of second place finishes for the 4n. Second in the heat and Second in the main. The main finished right before the rain came and washed out the race track. Heading to Marysville Raceway the very next day, it was a muddy mess everywhere! But the track crew worked hard to bring the track back, and the 4n worked even harder to get the car ready for the main event. Ryan and Shawn decide to switch cars for hot laps, where Ryan would land the fastest time in the 80n Dwarf Car. Confidence rose in Ryan, with his head down and focused the main event seemed like his after the 80n got put to the back for being charged with a yellow. With no brakes, Ryan attempted to hold onto the lead but with 5 laps to go, the 80n was back on the 4n's bumper. Shawn made the pass successful leaving the 4n to finish 2nd.
Fernley Regionals (5/1-5/2) was more bad luck for the 4n car but good luck at the Casinos! So the weekend evened itself out for Ryan Winter and his team.
Placerville Speedway (5/9) was the night to remember! Fighting side by side with best friend, Shawn Jones. Throwing slide jobs after slide jobs, the checkered flag flew with the 4n crossing the finish line in front of the 80n! With too much excitement to contain, the 4n pulled into the pits revving his engine with the biggest smile on his face. That's the way to win! Hard earned and one heck of a good time!
Coming into Petaluma Speedway (5/16), smiles wide and they just kept getting wider! The 4n took the victory again, back to back. With confidence built, the team went into the Graton Casino to have a little fun and it was Ryan and his soon-to-be wife's Bachelor/Bachelorette party. It was a great night! Besides the black jack table.
Marysville Speedway (5/23), the 4n landed the fastest lap in hot laps and took the heat race win. While leading the race, a slide job gone wrong by best friend, Shawn Jones (80n) lead the 4n to spin in turns 1&2 putting Ryan to the back. The 4n came charging, with a bent piece on the car, made his way back up into the 5th position when the checkered flag flew. It wasn't the race the two best friends wanted, but they raised their beers with a cheers and kept on smiling.
We have an off weekend this weekend! (5/29). Gonna head to Placerville to watch Best Friend, Shawn Jones, wheel his spec sprint!
Mini Gold Cup (First Two Races of the 2015 Season) Chico, CA
Mini Gold Cup Day 1: Fought the car all night last night. Just couldn't get it to turn last night. Crossed the finish line 2nd last night at Silver Dollar Speedway. Think we've found the turning problem. Time to wrench and hopefully fix the car for Day 2!
Mini Gold Cup Night 2: won the heat race. Car felt really good. It proved itself in last nights main even flying on the outside up near the cushion. Ryan took the lead early and left the field. Was looking like a win until, without warning on the race receiver or the yellow lights, side by side with his best friend and almost brother in law, Shawn Jones in turns 1&2, found two cars spun on the top and destroyed the front end. Ended our night.
Really hope Brian Quilty and Ren Morose who were the two cars stopped in 1&2 are okay. All three of them took a big hit.
Mini Gold Cup Night 2: won the heat race. Car felt really good. It proved itself in last nights main even flying on the outside up near the cushion. Ryan took the lead early and left the field. Was looking like a win until, without warning on the race receiver or the yellow lights, side by side with his best friend and almost brother in law, Shawn Jones in turns 1&2, found two cars spun on the top and destroyed the front end. Ended our night.
Really hope Brian Quilty and Ren Morose who were the two cars stopped in 1&2 are okay. All three of them took a big hit.
2014 Season Recap
Ryan and the team had a hard year in 2014. The taller car presented many problems in set up and how the car functioned on the race track. It was the first year that Ryan had under 5 wins since starting his first season in the dwarf car. Only taking home two wins the whole season got the team down and disappointed. The 4n had found it's way upside down 3 times in 2014, the most Ryan has ever flipped in a season. Bad luck rode with the 4n all season long, whether it was flipping, freak-accident parts breaking, or being taken out of the race by another competitor. When the season ended, it was almost a happy feeling from Ryan. A feeling Ryan never usually experiences about a season ending.