June 7, 2008
Let me start by saying, it was HOT. Something like 90-94 degrees with humidity to a maximum. As far as tires go, I was running the new Dunlop Z1 StarSpecs in a size 245. Up to now, I’d been running the DZ101s in a 255 but I used them all up in Erie. I go out for practice and soon realize I have way too much tire under this car. The Z1s are so grippy. I am fighting the car just to stay sideways. It was awful. I didn’t get one clean run all day Saturday. Also, I was still on the same two rear tires I started with. It seemed the track did not wear out tires at all. I got maybe 10 to 12 runs and the tires were still pretty good. Not even close to Erie, where after 4 runs the tires were wasted. I even broke a TC rod on Saturday. Thanks to the efforts of Ray, Tony and Damien, I was lucky enough to weld it back together for Sunday using the welder at the track’s shop. This shop was crazy, we were instructed to make sure everything was back in its place afterwards and told not to make a mess. OMG, this place was a wreck, there were engines lying around all disassembled. The tables were layered with parts and tools. I have no idea how anyone can function in that place. It took 5 minutes just to find a hammer and when we were finished with it we ever-so-gingerly slide it back into its pile.

Talking with Matt Petty about the day, he told me he didn’t know what happened but I sucked! I was pretty upset, not by the comment but because it was true! That night, a friend of ours, Civi, made the comment that I would be fine. He could tell I was trying to learn each turn one-by-one and by Sunday, I would have no issues linking the entire course together and be able to qualify. I guess I never realized I did that…It was a very astute observation.

June 8, 2008
They gave us one practice run before we had to qualify. I did not have high hopes at all; I was resigned to the fact I probably wasn’t going to qualify. Since there were only 21 or 22 drivers, I was secretly optimistic. I did my practice run and it was not very good. I lined up to do my first qualifying run and was ready to go 100%. My saying to get me pumped is, “Go BIG or go home!” I went out and laid it down, not a great run, but a decent one. I knew it was good, because my buddy Damien came flying down the bleachers to meet me at my car. He told me it was an awesome run. I was very happy…..maybe I made it. I went for my second run and tried to go bigger, it didn’t work. I got sloppy. However, I did qualify. During the announcements for top 16, my buddy Matt Waldin of Import Intelligence and I were dead even on score. They used entry speed and we were also dead even. They had to factor in our second run to decide who the higher qualifier was, and Matt won. He had a cleaner 2nd run that I did. He qualified 14th and I qualified 15th.

Qualifying Order
1. Bill Sherman (Nissan 350z)
2. Justin Pawlak (Mazda Rx-7)
3. Forest Wang (Nissan 240sx S14)
4. Jeremy Lowe (Mazda Rx-7)
5. James Robinson (Honda Element)
6.Sammy Tiger (Nissan 240sx S13)
7. Gary Lang (Nissan 240sx S13)
8.Kenji Yaminaka (Nissan 204sx S15)
9. Nick Thomas (Nissan 240sx)
10. Nate Brasz (Nissan 240sx S13) currently 1st in points
11. Aaron Losey (Nissan 240sx S13)
12. Stewart L. (Nissan 240sx S14)
13. John Wagner (Nissan 240sx S13)
14. Matt Waldin (Nissan 240sx S14)
15.Dennis Mertzanis. (Nissan 240sx S14)
16.Brian Wilkerson (Nissan 240sx S13)

For Tandem, I was to battle Justin Pawlak in the RX7 in the first round. Not an easy task for sure. He’s a great driver! His engine was not performing well, but well enough to get him qualified 2nd. After our first tandem battle, the result was a one-more-time. Wow! It’s weird how I keep getting one-more-times against some of the top drivers in this series. We go again and somehow, by luck and/or skill I pull out the win. My tires were worn, but the car was actually drifting the way it was supposed to, so I left them on.

Next, I was up against Gary Lang. He was doing very well this weekend. He had gone up against Nate Brasz, the overall points leader, in the first round and beat him. This battle was surrounded by controversy. I couldn’t believe it myself. Anyhow, after the first run, Gary was up 6 to 4. I led the tandem and had a good clean run. The starter gave me thumbs up, so I moved on. Gary lost the win due to a few mistakes - one being that he ran off course, dropping 2 tires.

My next opponent was Aaron Losey. Good driver, fast car. I’m on worn out tires, STILL THE SAME TWO, these things are dead, showing cords and coming apart. He pretty much killed me….I had a clean run, I did my best, but he killed me.

James Robinson (Ohio local driving the RWD Honda Element) lost to Bill Sherman in the Braille 350z, so it was me against James for 3rd. I had to change tires for the 3rd place battle because after the Losey run, my tires were about to explode. It was the first run on the new tires and I was struggling again to keep the car drifting. Somehow I ended up with a 9 to 1 advantage after the first run, not sure how. My run felt weak. We go again, and this time I’m leading. I go in and just throw the car sideways as hard as I could. The car drifted up to the wall and stayed there….it was a great run, I knew 3rd place was mine.

Final Order
1. Bill Sherman (Nissan 350z)
2. Aaron Losey (Nissan 240sx S13)
3. Dennis Mertzanis (Nissan 240sx S14)

It was a great weekend.

And the man that makes it all happen………………..