FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2009 Wolf Motorsports began its 2009 racing season at Lee USA Speedway this past weekend, April 18th and 19th, for the running of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) "Governor's Cup 150". Saturday's practice saw the team struggle somewhat more than expected at what is considered their "home" track. "We could get the car to turn some fast laps, just not consistently", Ricky said. "I did not have the confidence in the feel of the car that I felt was needed, so after a long discussion with (Crew Chief) Jerome (Canney), we decided it would be best to take the car back to the shop Saturday night and run through it nose to tail prior to qualifying on Sunday. The crew was fantastic, and we worked at the shop until well after 10 p.m. Saturday night, and we were back at it by 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning, finished up, and headed back to Lee." The car continued to improve lap times as the final "Happy Hour" practice session wound up Sunday, and the Team was starting to find its groove. The fourth qualifying heat race saw Ricky and the BG Environmental #38NH start fourth. Fifty cars were on hand to attempt to qualify for the 30-car starting field in the 150-lap feature event. Each of the four heat races would qualify four cars, with the remainder of the field set through consolation races, as well as a last chance "B" feature. Tyler Cahoon in the #38VT got a good start from his outside pole position, and slipped by pole sitter and perennial front runner Randy Potter in the #02. Ricky pulled to the outside of Potter, where they battled for four or five laps side by side. Eventually, Ricky got the better of Randy, and slipped to second place. "Randy is a veteran guy on the Tour that I have a "Our BG Environmental Chevrolet was really great from start to finish, Ricky said. "I need the experience from some of these longer races, and learn when to go and when to wait. Today, I feel like I should have gone harder at the start of the race. I comfortably raced right up to fourth place during the first 40 or so laps, and then lost a few spots during one of the restarts, falling back as far as eighth place, I think. But, the Team had given me a great little car, and we patiently worked our way back to sixth, and ran with Eddie MacDonald and Quinny Welch most of the second half of the race. I was trying to save some tire for a late caution or two, but the caution never came, and the last 100 laps or so were run under green. I was not expecting that. We will take this sixth place finish with a smile, and move on to Thunder Road in a few weeks." "I would like to thank the guys for working so hard all winter and giving me such a good car on Sunday, and for all of our families for supporting us in what we love to do. We had to work hard for it after struggling so badly on Saturday, but we recovered nicely. We would also not even be running the Tour if it were not for the support of Bob and Gail (Knowlton) from BG Environmental. They enabled us to put together a car we feel will be able to compete at a high level in these ACT races. Bottom line, we are a small family owned and oriented Team running with some phenomenal racers on this Tour. We are having fun." |
