The baseball season is winding down, and some players are already looking forward to next year.  They batted .240, were intermittently injured, couldn't catch a break, and just want to put this season "in the books."   Team Weaver has had a similar season with Skyler and our new Midwest Mod.   

Last night at Grand Forks, we drew yet another high number (84), which had us starting from near the rear.  In the first of three heats, Skyler started in 6th place and finished there.   The car ran well, but seemed a bit loose in the corners.  

In the feature, he started 8th row, outside (16th place) of 19 cars.  The car seemed much tighter through the corners, however, and he began to pick off cars one by one.  At a yellow flag on lap 7, he was in about 13th place and looking to move up.

However, shortly afterward, he lost power and coasted toward the pit entrance, causing a yellow flag.  A push vehicle pushed him over the berm and into the pits, and we were done for the night.  

The issue was rear suspension, a broken pan-hard bar.  The resulting shift broke a U-joint, and we lost our driveshaft.  The issue was not one of maintenance or impact; for whatever reasons, it just broke.   Skyler and the crew said the car had never run better until that happened, ending our night.

The good news was that Skyler and I did some serious promo work earlier in the evening.  During intermission, Skyler brought the car around to the flagstand area for display, and then joined me for an interview.  In front of the grandstand, with several thousand people, we talked about Team Weaver racing.  Afterward we gave away a box of books and t-shirts.  The interview went well, and Skyler held his own with the mic in his face.  

So on a full moon Friday night, we had a "win" of a different sort:  a lot of publicity for our No. 16 "Bookmobile."    With out car on display at  the MN State Fair on Wednesday, it has a been a great week in that regard.  In racing as in life, we take our victories where we can.  So far this season, ours have been off the track rather than on.  I still think, however, that we're due for some on-track success! 

Next race:  Monday night, Bemidji Speedway.