Theresa Carey, Van Domselaar Motorsports
July 2nd, 2005 -- Vernon, BC: The #14 team of Van Domselaar Motorsports was put through its paces this Canada Day long weekend. On Saturday, July 3rd the CASCAR Western Series teams raced at Sun Valley Speedway in Vernon, BC, and then convoyed down to the southern Okanagan valley to compete at Penticton Speedway the next day.
The weekend was chock-full of ups and downs for the VMS team. Two downpours wreaked havoc with the race schedule on Saturday, with additional problems arising from some defective tires which required 11th hour replacement. Despite the chaos, the VMS team still qualified 5th overall, in a field of 16 competitors. Cars were impounded after the qualifying session, and the team had to hold on to the hope that the earlier tire problems were now behind them.
Skies remained clear for the 200 lap feature event. The race started cleanly and James Jr. stuck with the lead pack despite fighting an understeer problem. By Lap 63 Jr. had been passed by several competitors and took advantage of a yellow flag to come in and make a wedge adjustment. The car’s handling improved somewhat and by the halfway point the SouthFort Monte Carlo was in 7th position.
At Lap 131 the #14 was progressing through the field when the #6 car locked up his brakes and unavoidably slid into Jr., sending the VMS car into a spin. The caution came out again, and Jr. headed into the pits for a much-needed right rear tire change. The VMS entry came off pit road still in 7th place, but a lap down.
On Lap 181 the #87 car spun coming out of Turn 2 and the caution came out again. The team made the decision to return to pit road for a right front tire change and another wedge adjustment. When the track returned to green flag conditions on Lap 146, Jr. radioed in that the car’s handling was now bang on, and he set his sights on getting his lap back.
With about 40 laps remaining, the #14 entry started having power-loss problems again, similar to those at the Vernon season opener. (At that time the culprit was found to be a damaged fuel pump, but that had since been replaced.) With the return of the nagging power problem Jr. was forced to struggle once again to keep the #14 machine out of harm’s way. Laps continued to count down, with the VMS entry losing positions until eventually crossing the line in 7th, one lap down.
After the race the team was disheartened, but had no choice but to regroup and start working on preparations and repairs for the Penticton race to be held the next day. While doing so the team discovered the source of the nagging fuel problem: In the words of Crew Chief James Sr.: “I think we've got the engine problem figured out now. It won't run without fuel! We found the pickup in the tank was not in the ideal location to get the last drop out of the tank causing us to run out before the end of the race. We've moved [the pickup] now and this won't be a problem again.”
July 3rd, 2005 --Penticton, BC: Mother Nature cooperated for the second day of the double-header event, with clear skies and not-too-hot temperatures. There were still some scheduling glitches to overcome, but the team was fast in practice and was looking forward to a quick qualifying run.
Additional glitches with the timing and scoring equipment meant teams had to re-do their qualifying laps, but this proved to be a blessing in disguise for the VMS team as they took their first pole position of the year! The team eagerly awaited the start of the Penticton 200, knowing that with a little good racing luck a podium finish was within reach.
James Jr. took the green flag at the front of the pack, but by Lap 2 the track was already under yellow due to a spin by the # 26 car. When the field restarted again on Lap 8 Jr. could not hold off the #35 car and relinquished the lead. Tires on the #14 machine took a while to come in, and in the meantime Jr. was passed by the # 30 and # 79 cars on Lap 19, and later by the #12 and #68 cars.
Jr. found himself in 5th spot by Lap 44 when the caution came out for a crash involving the #79 car. Jr. brought the #14 Chevy Monte Carlo in for a quick wedge adjustment, which helped improve the car’s handling. Back under green, Jr. was now able to pass and regain some of his lost track position.
The roller coaster ride took another downward turn on Lap 113, when the #14 car was spun out going into Turn 2 by the #36 car. Jr. managed to get the SouthFort ride pointing back in the right direction and underway, so no caution was called. The VMS entry’s left rear tire was flattened however, and the team was forced to change tires under green flag conditions.
The team lost two laps as a result of the spin-out, but the new left-side tire was just what the #14 machine needed. James Jr. was now able to drive the car anywhere on the track, and he made short work of the field, passing everyone by Lap 152. Jr. was working on getting his other lap back when another caution came out on Lap 181. By the time the field took the green again on Lap 195 there were not enough laps left to work through all the traffic once again. And so, Jr. crossed the finish line in 4th place, the first car one lap down.
This weekend’s double header marks the halfway point for the CASCAR Western Series 2005 season. The team now sits solidly in 4th place in the championship standings, by unofficial points standings only 4 points out of 3rd spot. Despite some disappointments, the team’s current standing marks their best ever mid-season achievement to date. And the team has every intention of taking it uphill from here.
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