Thanks to Ken Spira for supplying the Kirk Hooker / Hooker Bros. updates from New Smyrna Speedway. Greg Gibson helped me attach a GoPro camera to Kirk's #38 last night, so I'll be posting an in-car from Kirk's third-place run. Thanks guys!
Post Race Update #8, New Smyrna Speedway Florida February 19, 2011
The crew arrived at the track for the last night of racing with their suitcases packed and the condo cleaned ready to head north for home immediately after the last night of racing. After checking the toe, Kirk only had to run two practice laps to determine that the setup was back to where it was the previous night before contact knocked out the toe.
The #38 JBM Leasing Chevy lined up in the outside pole position beside the #11 who historically did not have good starts and the crew was pumped looking for a win. Kirk focussed on the job at hand as he followed the pace truck with Ontario photographer Dave Franks in it taking quality pictures as he has throughout the week both at the big track in Daytona as well as New Smyrna Speedway. Additional pictures can be seen and purchased from Dave by visiting his website at davefranksphotos@sympatico.ca.
Kirk took the green flag and cleared the #11 going into turn one only to have the caution come out before a lap could be completed due to a car spinning on its own on the backstretch. Kirk repeated the move on the restart and led the field for the first lap. The lead did not last long as the #26 of Jessica Murphy got a run on the outside going down the backstretch and she took over the position followed by the #36 who got on the inside of the #38 to put the #38 into 3rd.
The #20 and #15 decided to make things interesting by going three wide with Kirk in the middle so Kirk wisely backed out of the dangerous position to drop back into 5th. The #25 of Cole Powell who was running his crate division late model with added weight and less left side percentage to join the limited late model class put Kirk back another position as the field approached lap ten in the 25 lap feature.
The #26 pulled well ahead of the field followed by the #36 when the #15 & #20 got together bringing out the caution. Kirk lined up beside his fellow Canadian, the #25 where the two would run side by side for a couple of laps before the #25 pulled ahead on lap 12 putting Kirk into 4th as the caution returned for the #20 who spun in turn 2. The #26 was still out front followed by the #36, #25 and #38 as they took the green flag, however the front row would change as the #26 & #36 got together in a battle for the lead on lap 14 and spun in front of the pack going into turn one.
Kirk piloted the #38 Spira Fire Protection Chevy through the maze of spinning cars without making contact and after the #26 & #36 went to the back of the field, the #38 was in a Canadian front row for the restart beside the #25. The #25 cleared Kirk as they came through turn two putting Kirk second with a hard charging #15 closing in fast from behind. The #15 put Kirk into 3rd as he made his move on lap 17.
The top three pulled away from the field as the laps ticked away and Kirk reported that the longer the run, the better the car handled as was evident by the gap that he was closing on the #15 ahead of him. The #25 pulled well ahead of the #15 as Kirk remained just two car lengths behind the #15 in 3rd. The order remained the same for the final laps and the #25 took the win followed by the #15 and #38 to round out the top three. The crew were very happy with the run and even happier that the car survived the week with only minor damage to the left front.
Immediately after the race, the crew went to work winterizing the car for the return trip back to the cold Ontario winter where they should arrive in less than 24 hours. The Hooker Brothers and their crew would like to thank those that helped them at the track as well as the sponsors who without them, would not make the annual trip to New Smyrna Speedway possible. As the final race concluded on the track, the Hooker Crew headed out of the infield for the long ride home satisfied that the had a pretty good run with their 6th place overall finish at New Smyrna Speedway.
From Ken Spira
Post Race Update #8, New Smyrna Speedway Florida February 19, 2011
The crew arrived at the track for the last night of racing with their suitcases packed and the condo cleaned ready to head north for home immediately after the last night of racing. After checking the toe, Kirk only had to run two practice laps to determine that the setup was back to where it was the previous night before contact knocked out the toe.
The #38 JBM Leasing Chevy lined up in the outside pole position beside the #11 who historically did not have good starts and the crew was pumped looking for a win. Kirk focussed on the job at hand as he followed the pace truck with Ontario photographer Dave Franks in it taking quality pictures as he has throughout the week both at the big track in Daytona as well as New Smyrna Speedway. Additional pictures can be seen and purchased from Dave by visiting his website at davefranksphotos@sympatico.ca.
Kirk took the green flag and cleared the #11 going into turn one only to have the caution come out before a lap could be completed due to a car spinning on its own on the backstretch. Kirk repeated the move on the restart and led the field for the first lap. The lead did not last long as the #26 of Jessica Murphy got a run on the outside going down the backstretch and she took over the position followed by the #36 who got on the inside of the #38 to put the #38 into 3rd.
The #20 and #15 decided to make things interesting by going three wide with Kirk in the middle so Kirk wisely backed out of the dangerous position to drop back into 5th. The #25 of Cole Powell who was running his crate division late model with added weight and less left side percentage to join the limited late model class put Kirk back another position as the field approached lap ten in the 25 lap feature.
The #26 pulled well ahead of the field followed by the #36 when the #15 & #20 got together bringing out the caution. Kirk lined up beside his fellow Canadian, the #25 where the two would run side by side for a couple of laps before the #25 pulled ahead on lap 12 putting Kirk into 4th as the caution returned for the #20 who spun in turn 2. The #26 was still out front followed by the #36, #25 and #38 as they took the green flag, however the front row would change as the #26 & #36 got together in a battle for the lead on lap 14 and spun in front of the pack going into turn one.
Kirk piloted the #38 Spira Fire Protection Chevy through the maze of spinning cars without making contact and after the #26 & #36 went to the back of the field, the #38 was in a Canadian front row for the restart beside the #25. The #25 cleared Kirk as they came through turn two putting Kirk second with a hard charging #15 closing in fast from behind. The #15 put Kirk into 3rd as he made his move on lap 17.
The top three pulled away from the field as the laps ticked away and Kirk reported that the longer the run, the better the car handled as was evident by the gap that he was closing on the #15 ahead of him. The #25 pulled well ahead of the #15 as Kirk remained just two car lengths behind the #15 in 3rd. The order remained the same for the final laps and the #25 took the win followed by the #15 and #38 to round out the top three. The crew were very happy with the run and even happier that the car survived the week with only minor damage to the left front.
Immediately after the race, the crew went to work winterizing the car for the return trip back to the cold Ontario winter where they should arrive in less than 24 hours. The Hooker Brothers and their crew would like to thank those that helped them at the track as well as the sponsors who without them, would not make the annual trip to New Smyrna Speedway possible. As the final race concluded on the track, the Hooker Crew headed out of the infield for the long ride home satisfied that the had a pretty good run with their 6th place overall finish at New Smyrna Speedway.
From Ken Spira
