MAY 3, 2010 –-- Last weekend we had back-to back races at what I consider the rejuvenated Santa Maria Speedway. It is a great place to race and has a new and energetic promoter in Chris Kerns.

Friday night was the second Taco Bravo race of the year and the first one ever hosted away from Watsonville Speedway.

There were 26 cars and Evan was quick time. In the main event he was running fourth on lap 21 when struck in the left rear popping the shock off and breaking a weld in the frame where the cage upright attaches to the lower frame rail. Evan kept going and brought the wounded car home in twelfth place.

Since we were back and running the next day at the same place, this time with the Golden State Challenge, we had to replace the 360 engine with a 410 AND figure out how to repair the frame. Old friend and semi-retired racer, Greg Porte came to the rescue. He opened his awesome and well equipped shop to us to do the washing, maintenance and engine swap. If that were not enough he repaired our broken chassis and even sent his wife Angela out to get us lunch! Thank you so much Greg.

That night there were 23 cars and Evan was the first to go out and qualify. The track was very greasy and Ev was lucky to time-in ninth quick. Since all cars transferred out of their heat races (Evan won his) he missed the Dash by one spot therefore giving him a starting position of inside of the fifth row.

During the warm-up laps the shock post on the left rear came out of the torsion arm (evidently damaged in the Friday night incident) necessitating an extremely pressure-packed repair before the field took the green flag. Unfortunately, Evan had to start at the back of the field. The car was real good for about twenty laps and Ev was able to move up from 23rd to eighth before it tightened up and he lost about four positions, finishing I think, twelfth. We wish to thank Cajun and Junior from BK’s crew for the quick help with the repair.

Well, that’s the race report for the week. On a better note Evan completed and successfully tested his senior engineering project (he will graduate from the San Jose State Engineering Program with honors at the end of the month) an alternate fuel, air-powered scooter. You can see a portion of the test on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt3ABRnXP8Q&feature=email.

This Friday we are scheduled for the next round of the Taco Bravo Series at Watsonville and then travel north on Saturday to Chico for the Dave Bradway Memorial.

College is winding down and is intense right now for Evan and since we are temporally operating with one race car (thus necessitating an early Saturday morning engine swap before getting on the road for the four hour trip to Chico) we are considering passing on Watsonville this week. The final decision is yet to be made.

Thank you for checking in. We appreciate your interest.

Suggs Family Racing