Whitteker Scores First top 10 Finish of the Season
From Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design
Racing at any level is filled with its ups and downs that go along with the sport that we follow. The start of the season has been a bit of a struggle, but it is starting to look up.
The weekend started off on Friday evening at the Can-Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, New York. 42 Sportsman cars signed into the pit area for competition. The team unloaded their 2009 Rust Check, Jim's Performance Plus, Coldwell Banker, Steve Summers Coburn Realty, NAPA/Parcoll Products, Riverside Pontiac, Cohen & Lord Insurance Brokers, Quaker State, and Finish Line Web Design sponsored Bicknell car, and was very competitive in his qualifying heat, finishing 4th.
Come feature time, the track once again became dry and slick, and the team faced the same challenges as last week…no grip. Luke started the feature event in 11th place, and dropped to 15th when the checkered flag waived.
“It's tough,” says Kevin Whitteker, father, and team owner of Luke, and the 38 special. “We are dealing with a new car, and we are racing on a track that has no grip at all. It is hard to pass. We will take the car home, and start preparing the backup car for the shorter Thunder Alley track tomorrow night.”
The team, not letting their frustrations show, headed for home, and spent Saturday morning back at the shop preparing the backup car (2006 Bicknell car) for action at the Thunder Alley Speed Park in Evans Mills, New York for Saturday evening.
Luke finished 2nd in his qualifying heat, and the car appeared to be much more competitive, on the shorter track. The track itself also had a lot more moisture in the clay surface, allowing for more grip than the previous night. Whitteker started the main event in the 6th starting position, and made a terrific move on the opening lap of the race, when a couple cars came together and spun directly in front of Luke’s 38 special machine. Luke quickly pulled his car to the outside of the speedway, and avoided what could have been a disaster.
At the end of the feature event, Luke brought his car home in 8th place, scoring his first top 10 of the 2009 racing season.
“Its still tough. We are not happy with the way the car is working. We will take the car back home, and do some something different. We will change the torsion bar in the right rear, and make some more adjustments”, says Luke.
Next up for the Whitteker Motorsports team will be the Can-Am Motorsports Park on Friday, May 1st, and then back to the Thunder Alley Speed Park on May 2nd. The team looks to get the car headed in the right direction before the opener at the home track, Brockville Ontario Speedway, which opens for practice on Saturday, May 9th followed by the season opener, the kick-off of the 40th anniversary of the Brockville track on May 16th.
For more information on Luke, and the Whitteker team, go to www.lukewhitteker.com
Photo courtesy of Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications
