Two Top 10s for Frantz
The weather finally cooperated and allowed the "B" program at Sundance
Vacations Speedway to race for the first time in a month.
During the off time, Paul's dad Russ made some shock and spring changes in
hopes of improving the handling of the Associated Chiropractic/Haines Exxon
#210.
The night started with the 40 lap make up feature from July 25th.
Frantz and the team were looking for a better result than the sixteenth
place finish the last time out. Frantz would start eighth in the twenty car
field and ran there most of the event. The car was not handling like the
team had hoped even with changes made after practice. A restart with two
laps remaining made for an interesting finish. Frantz restarted ninth.
Coming out of turn two on the last lap, the fifth place car slowed due to a
flat tire. Frantz darted to the outside of the three cars in front of him
looking to move into the top five only to slide up the track in turn three
due to debris. He would finish eighth.
After climbing from the car he said to his dad Russ,"The car pushed in the
center and was loose off. I think we would have had a top five but there was
a lot of stones and grass in three and the car just slid up the track."
Russ made a few more adjustments to help the car and help they did. Paul
would start fifth in the regularly scheduled feature. He quickly moved to
third but was boxed in behind the second place car and the fourth place car.
A lap four restart put the Nathan Shive MetLife #210 on the outside.
Unfortunately, Paul was shuffled to the back. He was finally able to start
moving back toward the front on lap nineteen.
Frantz found himself back up to the fourth position with thirteen laps
remaining. Paul did not get a good restart which allowed a few cars to get
by. He finally got going and was running seventh. While trying to pass the
sixth place car as well as a lapped car on lap 32, the two cars in front of
Frantz got together causing the lapped car to spin. Frantz made slight
contact with the left front wheel knocking the toe out.
Over the last eight laps, the handling was affected by the contact causing
Frantz to fall to tenth.
After climbing from the car Frantz stated,"The car was pretty good. Not
perfect, but a lot better. I think we had a top five car.
The car just got bad loose from the center out after I got hit." Paul and
Russ did a little more debriefing and Paul added, "The restarts killed us
too. We were coming down a little too slow. The carburetor kept loading up."
Next up is Saturday September 19th. Also on hand that night is the
77 lap Mark Corbisiero Memorial for the Street Stocks which Paul is looking
for a ride. Races start at 6:00 pm. For more information go to
www.frantzracing10.com.
Source: Frantz Racing 10 PR
Posted:
September 7, 2009