INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – April 19, 2007: Chris Windom, the 16-year-old racing phenom, is ready to race!
After the weather caused a rough start to the 2007 racing season, Windom will get his share of sprint cars in during this weekend as he participates in three racing events in three days, kicking off with Friday’s "Elliottbrand Clash" special event Sprint car race on the rich, red clay of Bloomington (IN) Speedway, continuing with the first of two USAC National Sprint Car Series races of the season on Lawrenceburg (IN) Speedway’s dirt Saturday, and the traditional "Rich Vogler Classic" on Winchester (IN) Speedway’s treacherous paved high banks on Sunday.
Although most of the Midwest races scheduled for April have been
"weathered out," the Windom Motor Sports team has continued to prepare
with a test at Salem (IN) Speedway last Tuesday in advance of Sunday’s
run on the legendary high banks of Winchester Speedway.
"Salem was super fun - a lot more fun than the other quarter-mile
tracks I’ve run, and probably the most fun pavement track I’ve ever
been on," Windom said enthusiastically of his first crack at Salem
Speedway. "When we first pulled into the track, Jack (French) started
telling me where I should run, particularly through turns three and
four where he wanted my tires right up against the wall, which made me
a little nervous, but I got used to it in a few laps."
Jack French, who was hired by Windom Motor Sports to work on all 2007
USAC National Sprint Car Series events on pavement, is one of the most
legendary and respected mechanics in racing today.
"Working with Jack is great," Windom said of his new mentor. "He’s
helped me a lot, we communicate well: he’s happy, I’m happy, and so I
think we’ll have a good year…and he seems to think the same as I do. We
got off to a good start during these pavement tests (at Anderson and
Salem Speedways). I definitely would have been more nervous heading
into the Winchester race had I not tested in Salem with Jack. I have to
believe that if I was that comfortable at Salem, that I’ll be
competitive running Winchester. I’ve been told the main difference for
a driver will be that I’ll have to run a little closer to the wall,
which should be exciting.
"I’ve heard Winchester Speedway is amazingly fast, and a track that you
have to respect," Chris explained of his upcoming race at one of the
fastest quarter-mile tracks in the world.
"There’s really no good way to prepare for a place that’s got such a
big reputation – I’ll just try to take it easy and get used to it at
first and, hopefully, that will allow my confidence to build so that we
can start running competitive laps soon after we get there."
French, whose 40 years of experience in the sport are revered by every
driver in the short-track ranks, has the highest praise for Windom and
his future. Working with young, developing drivers, as well as NASCAR
champions on the way up the ladder to that ultimate achievement, French
has worked with the best, and knows what the future can hold for his
new driver.
"I’ve been with a lot of drivers and tested a lot of people, and the
test we just had with Chris at Salem Speedway on Tuesday has been
probably the best test I’ve ever been to," French said of his new
protégé.
"Salem was unreal," French continued. "For a 16-year-old kid, Chris is
way ahead of the others. I thought it would take two or three races to
get him used to the (high) banks, but in 20 laps he was against the
fence and going good. Most guys – even the veterans - want to stay
toward the bottom of the track. He didn’t want to get out of the car.
He always wanted to make the car better. If the car’s not working, he
adjusts and adapts instead of just complaining about it. He’ll adjust
better than 70% of the other drivers out there, which will mean the
difference between winning and running second. He’s capable of carrying
a car, and that’s a mechanic’s greatest joy. I’ve been around this
sport for 40 years, and his talent is right there with the one’s who
have moved on (to NASCAR). I think the boy’s gonna make it big soon.
I’ve worked with a lot of young guys in my career, and he shows as much
car control as guys with five or six years experience."
The weather gods should cooperate for this huge three-race weekend,
which kicks off Friday at Bloomington Speedway with their annual
"Elliottbrand Clash," a non-sanctioned track event that draws an A-list
of non-winged sprint car drivers from the Midwest for this early Spring
race. Windom ran in the top-10 in points at Bloomington Speedway last
year (three second-place finishes; ran in the top-five in eight races),
so he should do well. He’s quite a veteran of the red clay at
Bloomington, running the track for the first time in 2004 at age 14.
"I had a few races won at Bloomington last year and screwed up just
because of rookie mistakes," Windom admitted. "But I’ve learned from
those mistakes and am pretty comfortable at that track, so I’m looking
for a top finish for our team on Friday. There will be a lot of good
drivers there, but I’ve run with them so many times in the past at that
track and places like Kokomo Speedway, and I’ve been pretty competitive
with all of them. Even though I didn’t run any USAC National races last
year (due to age restrictions), I raced with a majority of those guys
each weekend, so the competitive situation should not be too different
this week."
With engines producing upwards of 800 horsepower, the USAC National
Sprint Car Series rocket ships combine the thrill of raw power with the
heart-stopping action of non-wing Sprint car racing. Dirt rooster
tails, wheel stands and three-wide racing are the norm when these bad
boys come to town. Sprint cars also run on paved tracks, and any driver
with aspirations of a championship must be able to negotiate both dirt
and pavement.
With the season-opening USAC National Sprint Car Series race being
delayed to this weekend’s Lawrenceburg Speedway event, Windom and the
rest of the USAC sprint car contingent are certainly looking forward to
getting back to the business of racing in a points-paying environment.
"Although I ran at Lawrenceburg last year about 10 times, I know that
I’ve got to be on top of my game racing against the USAC guys on
Saturday," Windom said of the delayed season opener. "We’ve been racing
throughout the winter, and that, combined with being comfortable with
the track in Lawrenceburg, should allow us to have a good start to the
USAC Sprint Car season.
Check out all of the news on Chris Windom’s racing adventures and the Windom Motor Sports teams at: www.ChrisWindomRacing.com .
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