CHEVROLET, APPLE PIE & BUILT FORD TOUGH
Don Christman
Neva cast a wary eye toward me as I approached the entry to the track at 4:45, the last scheduled time on the Friday test day at Heartland Park on the weekend of the Heavenly Hazel Event. "Who are you?" she wanted to know. "Why Neva, don't you recognize me in my Chebby truck?" " I am the celebrity shoe for the weekend for Gary's Speed Shop Super Truck, from Council Grove."
Well celebrity might be too strong a word for my status as a driver, but I was the lucky guy that received the call to debut Super Trucks in the Super Production class of SCCA Club Racing. Super Trucks are 3100 lb. NASCAR Craftsman trucks with a little less power, the Friday night Chevy having a claimed 475 h.p., the Ford that I wound up competing in on Saturday having a claimed 550 h.p., a dog ring competition transmission and 11" slicks and a decal of a gun rack and rifle in the truck rear window which, no doubt, elevated my redneck status.
As I settled my 16" butt into the 15" seat, my former friend and former crew person Ron Heck peered into the drivers window and straight lined me with "I have but one question, my son. Are you tall enough to see out of this thing?" I'm glad my sense of humor includes short jokes. The above is the first question.
The second and most asked question of the day was "how does it drive?" Amazingly well for a big vehicle, 3rd overall in the regional race with a win in SP. It's a HOOT. Keep in mind that there is 8' hanging behind the cab. Weight is 52% front and 48% rear for pretty good balance, the Mazda being a near perfect 50%/50%. Power steering is wonderful. Cornering is balanced and the feel is good. My second lap in the Chevy truck was a 2:08 followed by a 2:06, then a 2:05 on Friday night. Saturday's Ford brought a quick time in the 2:02 range. About the same time as my GT-3 Mazda but with a lot more go and a lot less slow having 11" brakes vs. 12" brakes on the Mazda. The Mazda also weighs 1000 lbs. less.
All that power does create some interesting problems for the driver, however. Given too much throttle, the tires will spin at the exit of any corner at Heartland Park. Throttle management is essential to quick times and full control. Once, exiting 12 to go down under the bridge I was applying throttle a little too aggressively and with the engine in the power band wildly spun the tires cocking the Ford nearly sideways. Needless to say I was a busy boy for a few moments inside the cab of that Ford.
Third question, would I do it again? Yes, and for others who would like to give Super Trucks a try Gary has 4 trucks all of which he will rent out.
Contact Gary Sevenans at 620-767-2807 or 866-573-5003 for more information on renting the trucks and his desire to get a truck series started in the Midwest.
GARY'S SPEED SHOP super trucks are available to lease for those who are interested in racing various events. [Also known as the Rent-a-Ride program.] Currently the the #99 Ford, #97 Ford, the #16 Ford, and the #26 Chevy are available to lease. For more information about each trucks' racing history please see the Super Truck page. Please note: leases are tailored to meet the racers' needs.
The following testimonial by Don Christman was written to give others an idea about his experience driving/racing a
GARY'S SPEED SHOP super truck.
Copyright © 2003-2011 Gary's Speed Shop. All Rights Reserved
472 M Avenue
Council Grove, KS 66846Telephone: (620) 767-2807
Council Grove, KS 66846Telephone: (620) 767-2807Dick Trickle To Compete.....
Four-Mile Course Will Be A Test For McLeodUSA Super Trucks And Stock Cars
Elkhart Lake, WI
Dick Trickle, a native of Wisconsin Rapids, will be the featured race car driver when the McLeodUSA Super Trucks square off aqainst the McLeodUSA Mid-Am Stock Cars... Sunday morning, July 8 at 10:30 a.m. in a forty mile race at Road America in Elkhart Lake. Trickle, a winner of over 1,000 short track stock car races and former NASCAR Winston Cup rookie of the year, will drive a brand new 2001 Ford Super Truck for Gary Sevenas of Council Grove, KS. The former Red, White and Blue State Championship Series champion at Wisconsin International Raceway and ARTGO touring series multiple title winner will meet a field of cars and trucks driven primarily of young hard chargers on their way up the racing ladder. Trickle is an example of many Wisconsin short track drivers who have made it to one of NASCAR's top divisions. Other former Wisconsin short trackers who moved up to NASCAR include the late Alan Kulwicki, winner of the 1992 Winston Cup title along with Matt Kenseth, Dave Marcis, Jay and Tim Sauter, Nathan Haseleu, Travis Kvaphal, Richie Bickle, Mark Martin, Ted Musgrave and Bryan Reffner.
Trickle's competition at Road America on July 8 includes many teenagers with goals of reaching the big time. They'll be racing on the four-mile twisting road course at speeds over 170 miles per hour, making right and left turns, and dashing up and down hills. A stray deer or wild turkey might even wonder onto the surface as an added test of one's racing skills. The McLeodUSA Super Trucks and Stock Cars develop over 500 horsepower out of 355 cubic inch V-8s that will literally scream around the four-mile course, some three miles bigger than any other track the drivers will compete on during the 2001 season. During the early part of the 2001 season Peter Hernandez of Mokena, IL and his 2001 Monte Carlo have been the hot combination in the stock car series, but the super truck division has shown amazing balance with veteran drivers Bill Prietzel of Franklin, WI and Art Christoffersen of Toddville, IA among the winners along with 18-year-old technical college student Jeff Steenbergen of Waupun, WI.
Last year's super truck vs. stock car matchup proved to be surprisingly equal as six trucks and six car were among the top 12 qualifiers for the forty-mile race.Sunday's race, matching stock cars and super trucks in one race, is the only event of its kind on a major United States speedway. "The mix of stock cars and super trucks probably leaves some fans scratching their heads a little bit, especially when they are mixed together at the start. We started the stock car series in 1993 and when the super trucks were designed in 1997 we had every intention of doing some match races," said series president Gary Vercauteren. Jesse Wilcox of Waterloo, WI won last year's race in a stock car, but he was chased across the line by a pair of super trucks driven by Jason Hicks of Lake Geneva, WI and Danny Heinritz of Green Bay, WI. Prietzel holds the one-lap track record with his stock car. He also competes in the super truck division.
Dick Trickle Fastest In Practice For McLeodUSA 40-Miler
July 6, 2001
NASCAR racer Dick Trickle turned the fastest practice lap at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI late Friday afternoon with his 2001 Ford super truck in preparation for Sunday morning's McLeodUSA 40 on the four-mile road course. Trickle, formerly of Wisconsin Rapids, was clocked at 2:34.906 during the 45-minute practice session for the McLeodUSA Mid-Am Stock Cars and Super Trucks. The unique event, which matches cars and super trucks in the same race, is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Trickle, a former NASCAR Winston Cup rookie of the year, averaged 92.959 miles per hour. Bill Prietzel of Franklin, WI was second fastest in a 2000 Dodge Avenger stock car in a time of 2:34.946 and average speed of 92.935. Both reached top speeds exceeding 170 miles per hour. Some 29 cars and trucks participated in the practice with qualifying set for 4 p.m. Saturday. Officials expect up to 40 vehicles to start the race Sunday morning.
Trickle, Prietzel Break One-Lap McLeodUSA Track Record
July 7, 2001
NASCAR driver Dick Trickle and Mid-American Series front runner Bill Prietzel both broke the one-lap record for McLeodUSA Mid-Am style vehicles Saturday afternoon at Road America in Elkhart Lake in preparation for Sunday's 10 a.m. start in the McLeodUSA 40. Trickle offically now holds the McLeodUSA Mid-Am record at 2:32.179 and 94.625 miles per hour average speed. Trickle, who formerly resided in Wisconsin Rapids, set the record in the Super 8 Motels 2001 Ford Super Truck. Preitzel was second fastest among the Road America stock car record field of 38 qualifiers in the Heiser Trailer 2000 Dodge Avenger stock car on the 4.1 mile road course.
McLeodUSA Mid-America rules require a dice roll plus eight vehicles inverted for the start. Trickle rolled a six which is added to the eight, resulting in a 14th place starting position for the former NASCAR Winston Cup rookie of the year.
Starting lineup for Sunday morning's race:
Row 1: Randy Garrison, Beatrice, NE Truck #97 & James Swan Lake Geneva, WI Stock Car #97
Row 2: Brian Bernloehr, Lakeville, MN Truck #88 & George Bruggentheis, Plymouth, WI Truck #5
Row 3: Jerry Seibel, Campbellsport, WI Truck #23 & Jeff Steenbergen Waupun, WI Truck #62
Row 4: Al Brace, Wausau, WI Truck #22 & Brad Dahmer, Sheboygan, WI Stock Car #45
Row 5: Rod Brewe, Kaukauna, WI Stock Car #53 & Mark Eberhart, Ripon, Wi Truck #1
Row 6: Mark Pluer, West Allis, WI Stock Car #72 & Jason Hicks, Lake Geneva, WI Truck #16
Row 7: Bill Prietzel, Franklin, WI Stock Car #5 & Dick Trickle, Ironton, NC Truck #99
GARY'S SPEED SHOP trucks have had a number of highlights throughout their 3 year existence; one of which was in 2001 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Gary was approached by Road America about the possibility of NASCAR driver Dick Trickle racing one of the GARY'S SPEED SHOP super trucks in an upcoming event. Gary agreed and the #99 GARY'S SPEED SHOP Ford was specially built for the occasion. Gary commented that, "It was an awesome experience to work with Dick. He is a very down to earth, grass roots racer." He went on to say that, "during practice we made a few chassis adjustments and Dick just climbed out of the truck with a big grin." The results of the #99 GARY'S SPEED SHOP Ford first race were fantastic as Dick went on to become the first place truck at Road America.
"Dick drove my #99 Gary's Speed Shop F-150 Super Truck at Road America in July 2001. (To date as far as I know his only ride in a Super Truck) It was an experience I will never forget, He is a class act. I have many pictures of him on my site. Check out www.garysspeedshop.com."
Brewe Nips Trickle In Closest Ever Stock Car Finish At Road America
July 8, 2001
Rod Brewe, one of the young lions in the McLeodUSA Mid-Am Stock Car Series, edged NASCAR veteran Dick Trickle by 4/10 of one second to win the McLeodUSA 40 in the closest ever stock car race finish ever at Road America Sunday. Brewe, with tears running down his face in victory lane, had trouble finding words to describe his first ever feature win in the McLeodUSA Series. "I've got to thank my dad and my brothers," he said emotionally. "As a kid I watched Dick Trickle win races at Wisconsin International Raceway. I can't say how much it means to race with him," Brewe commented.
Trickle, driving the Gary Sevenans owned Super 8 Motels Ford super truck, said he was happy with his finish.
There's a lot of good drivers running in this series and other divisions around the country. Only 43 drivers get to go to Daytona. I'm happy I have the truck that I had. It was fast. We did everything but win it.
James Swan started the 40-mile event on the pole and broke into a sizeable lead. Brewe, who ran a lap fastest than Trickle's Saturday qualifying record in an early Sunday morning practice, sliced his way through the field and took over on lap 4. Trickle was running fifth when he and fourth place running Mark Eberhart touched in turn five. Both drivers spun. Trickle continued on, but Eberhart was out for the day. Jason Hicks, who ended up third overall, moved into second past Swan on the fith circuit. Trickle charged back and was running third on lap eight. Trickle raced past Hicks and set his sights on Brewe with two laps remaining. "I tried to slow down a little on the last lap, but my dad said I better hurry up because Trickle was closing fast," said Brewe.
Trickle made a charge as the the vehicles neared the finish line, but Brewe won by inches. Brewe won behind the wheel of the Marquis Marketing/Country Jam Monte Carlo. Hicks brought the Gary's Speed Shop Ford super truck home third while James Swan was fourth in the Crandall Racing Monte Carlo. Bill Prietzel was fifth in the Heiser Trailer Dodge Avenger and Jeff Steenbergen was sixth in the Vari-Tech Metal Ford Super Truck. There were no serious incidents during the race. The McLeodUSA Stock Car Series next appears at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna Saturday night, July 14. The Super Trucks next race Saturday, July 21 at Hawkeye Downs.
