Here is a race report from my Florida adventure. The trip began from my Mississauga home the morning of October 3rd. I was alone. As I was attending both Florida races , and as they were on consecutive weekends, no crew members were able to afford the time off from their jobs or schooling. The first two days of driving were uneventful eight hour trips. Friday’s five hour drive saw me pass through places such as Thomasville, Georgia, where people look at the boat as if they’ve never seen one up close before. They probably haven’t. The cotton fields with the cotton pickin’ people was a real eye opener, as were the ramshackle houses with the screened porches and rocking chairs. Before this APR season, I had never heard of this Chattahoochee. I now know why. It is located in the Florida panhandle west of Tallahassee, and minutes east of the thriving metropolis of Sneads. Thriving may be an exaggeration, but there were a lot of convicts being watched by their guards as they cleaned up their property.

After registration and a discussion with APR’s Sally Titus and Sherron Winer about the stack of music cd’s that had made my trip interesting, the safety inspection of the boat was performed by APR’s Jeff Titus who is thankfully very thorough.

Saturday. Florida. The Sunshine State. It rained. After a lengthy delay, and a swamp forming around my car, I was able to take to the water for first testing, then racing. With great assistance from the Book Brothers Racing, I was launched successfully and ready to race in Group B. For those two races I had past SST-60 champion Paul Pittman on my radio to be my guide. His experience was very apparent throughout the race. One of the heats was very interesting as I was catching boats like never before. I also learned like never before too. David Choate taught me where not to be when you’re too far behind entering a corner, but he was fair.

Due to safety reasons on the relatively small course, only 14 of 16 boats would be permitted to race in the Final. Three boats had already qualified from each of Saturday’s two groups, and with radio-man Pittman repairing his own boat due to contact in his race, I was fortunate to acquire a pre-qualified driver Andy Felton. He has a lot of experience driving in this class, and it was also evident. Remember, this is only my 6th weekend racing a tunnel boat. With the public address announcer indicating the Allied bombing had started against Afghanistan, I started the “Last Chance Qualifier” 5th. The winner would start last on the first flag. Through most of the race I was in third, until leader Howie Nichols got hung up in traffic and David Choate and I went through, where I finished second.

With the Jenkinson Racing Team having repaired my trim gauge, I was set for the Final. I was starting first on the second flag. Though I was missing my crew, I knew Rainer was probably worrying about something going wrong with the boat, and Kevin was playing hockey somewhere. With veteran Formula One driver Don Jenkinson on the radio, I would provide him with a race to remember. The boat didn’t fire immediately, and Nichols jumped about one and a half boat lengths ahead. Being a rookie, I made another mistake. I was either going to hit him at the first corner, take out the buoy and go a lap down, or spin. Coming out of the spin seemed to take forever, and I struggled to get the trim angle right. Then the fun began. I was 14th, and dead last. With the course length under 30 seconds, the 20 lap race would elapse quickly. I started to pass boats inside and outside. Then, I almost blew it over. I’ve had people say before “you almost blew it over”, but this time they meant it. Jeff Titus said later with a big smile on his face, “God was with you”. I said, “I know, I prayed before I went out”. This was high. With the tops of the 40 foot high trees dropping below my horizon line, I knew I was high. When the boat began to rise again, it was even higher. After travelling the length of the straightaway, and when it settled, I turned for the corner.

Some said the next two laps were my best. I re-passed Terry Montgomery and maybe another boat. Then I continued on until I caught fellow Canadian Dean Bowes. I think I raced with him for three to five laps, as he showed me his defensive techniques as he raced fairly. Once I was far enough in front of him, I closed the door, and he jumped through my spray. When I caught frequent winner and veteran Sam LaBanco, I knew something was wrong with his outfit. I later learned he had blown a head gasket, and was scoring his cylinders. He didn’t defend the position in his ailing condition, and allowed my then faster boat through. I finished about 7 seconds behind Nichols. If I hadn’t made the mistake at the first corner, or the boat had fired immediately, could I have finished higher? That’s what racing is for. I’ll have to get the others next time.

It was a great weekend, and I was very pleased with the motor and boat. The spectators deserved a good showing for enduring the rain Saturday, and apparently Carole Reno, Felton, and Neal Haraway provided that. The race with Bowes was the most fun I’ve ever had in head-to-head competition. The battle with Craig Ferrier in Formula Vee in Sudbury, 1999 is now second.

Monday was travel day. For the first time, this was starting to feel like I was on the road with a big series, and got a feel for what the Nascar and Champ Car teams go through. I arrived in Altamonte Springs, at a hotel a few minutes from the race site.

Throughout the remainder of the week, I toured Orlando and other places in Florida, and spent Thursday in the water at Daytona Beach. With reports of snow flurries at home, the 80 degree weather in Florida was tough.

Friday brought inspections, and a sponsor party at a local steakhouse. The boats were parked surrounding the restaurant, and a radio station did a live broadcast.

Saturday brought a format similar to Chattahoochee. Two groups, and two heats back-to-back. Through the lucky draw, I started on pole. I got a good start, and finished third, holding off Reno and Felton. I was fourth in the second heat. With Paul Pittman on the radio, and Ray Pittman as crew, I was in good hands.

Sunday brought an encouraging chapel service provided by Motor Racing Outreach, attended by many of the drivers and crew. It was a very good contrasting peacefulness from the soon to come roar of the launching cranes and pit activity.

With the Pittmans heading home due to damage to Paul’s boat sustained in testing Thursday, I made Don Jenkinson my crew. In the last chance qualifier I started second. Montgomery had the pole, Blake Roque was to my right. I was slow off the dock, but passed Montgomery by the commitment pin. Roque led me into the first corner. I got caught in his spray, and it shut my engine down. As I was trying to re-fire the engine, someone bumped me on the left sponson. When it fired, I was last. Now I had 4.5 laps to pass four boats. Within half a lap I passed one. In another lap I passed the second. Two laps later I passed George Galloway, and may have had a chance to pass Bowes at the same time. I still don’t think I had enough room to get by Bowes without taking the risk of him not seeing me, so I opted not to. The last lap would be it. Coming to the line, I figure I was no more than three feet behind. I had the boat standing on end. It was really trimmed out. Observers said you could see my entire sponson tips above Bowes’ boat. It was not enough.

Almost an hour later, I learned I had not qualified for the Final. The disappointment at a race has never been greater. Fortunately, I was able to cheer Andy Felton on, as he passed a competitor who almost pushed me into the rocky shore on Saturday.

It would be a long 22 hour drive home. The poorly marked I75 north near Knoxville, Tennessee cost me close to an hour, but I was able to see the backwoods of Tennessee. The Highway Patrol Officer in Ohio who was going to issue a ticket when he “got another call”, was very nice, and that helped. I don’t think he could believe I was towing the boat that fast with the Z28.

I had gone from the elation of my best finish ever in a tunnel boat, to the crushing disappointment of not making the Final. It will make for a long Winter. And let’s hope so: snowmobiling should start soon enough.