The Ice Bowl 2009
Thursday January 1, 2009 Mark Sims Racing was headed to Talladega Short Track for the 2009 Ice/Mud bowl, we arrived around ten o’clockAlabama time for the practice sessions prior to the races. We had three rounds of practice on Thursday the first and second practices were fairly fast not many changes were made to the car, after the finish of the second practice I felt that the car could be faster so I added a couple traction changes to the car, tires were wearing perfect so they stayed the same. Ok on to the track we went for the third and final practice for Thursdays sessions, we had five laps to go as we finished our sessions I came in feeling great about the car I was sure we were fast, yes we were according to laps times half a second faster than most cars on the track with me!! So its time to load up for the night, the trailers packed and ready to go so I unhooked it and we left it there for concerns about good parking spots as we were to return on Friday night with the camper and food for the weekend. Friday night comes along and we arrived fairly late as I had to work that day, we get there park the camper and get the heat going because we needed that it was very chilly. Finally Saturday morning arrives I wake to mud six inches deep everywhere and nothing but a pair of flips flops and of course my favorite boots, with no choice at the time I had to keep moving unloading the car and getting it ready for tech and our heats that day. Great we passed tech inspections! Now its time to go draw as my class was not going to qualify this weekend, on any other race I would race crate with my crate motor but I felt I was fast enough to race with the limited class. So I go to draw, there is one hundred numbers in a bucket and the better the number you draw usually the better the spot you start, I draw ONE HUNDRED of course with a disadvantage already with a smaller motor now I have to start DEAD last fifteenth out of fifteen in the fifth heat, there were six total. We line up for the heat, start pulling on the track and over the raceiver I hear the officials say, “ok boys were gonna have a clean race and the top three cars go to the scales and on to the feature.” Green comes out, and were racing 2 laps down and I’m still towards the rear as I have only moved two spots in two laps. cautions comes out good thing I needed to calm down and find my line and focus on what NEEDS to be done, ok greens back out on the high side I was fast and able to pass cars easily, but not so easily I was cut off as we come down the straight everyone moves up to the wall and nothing to do but brake! I see a spot to move down low on the inside wall I jump to it as I entered turns one and two, yes three cars one turn now we are on the move but with only four laps to go and I’m just in tenth. I got lots left to do couple more turns pick off two cars each turn make it to fifth and I get behind two guys one running high and the other low and no where to go!! That is frustrating for sure so here comes the white flag and the last lap as I try everything to get to the front with no luck I only finish fifth. So that’s concludes it for Saturday back to the trailer to load up along with ALL this mud EVERYWHERE! Me and dad have dinner and watch the rest of the races, now its time for some sleep with one more chance to make the race Sunday morning. Sunday morning comes along unload the car get it ready I check the charts and I started fourth in the second consolation races and yes they only take two, that far up in a race you are running with people that are usually as fast or faster than yourself. I start the race and we got eight laps to go on the outside pole the guy in front of me must have had some problems because before it seemed he hit the gas we were both already in seventh or eighth by the first turn. So I getting concerned so I moved to the bottom as quick as possible and I’m off one spot, two spots, and a third now I am up to forth again, and the second and third place cars are battling hard. I am concerned that time will run out as it did, so fourth is where I started and where I finished. I get back to the trailer doing all I could have done I am proud we made it that far this weekend. So we loaded the trailer and decided to get a head start on traffic, to the exit of the pits we headed and of course I pull off the road to talk with a buddy and my truck now feels as it were on ice. With no four wheel drive I thought we were stuck as I gave it one more try to get out, and yes we start moving!! Home free we were headed back towards Atlanta, and not looking forwards to the next two weekends being spent cleaning our equiqment!!!!
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