Pueblo CMC (and AI) write-up

[nasa-rm]

CMC and AI is alive and kicking in the RM region. Here's a report from the march event at Pueblo.

 

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The first round of the RMR AI/CMC series took place at Pueblo Motorsports Park (PMI) on what could have not been a more beautiful St. Patrick’s Day weekend. On Friday night Chuck Taylor held a great comp school classroom session for all our newbies. There was no track practice on Friday. On Saturday morning, last years rookie now veteran Tommy Schlender got to show off his new and improved #55 Pontiac Firebird a.k.a. “The Chickenâ€. In Practice he knocked of a 1:42 and change for a new PMI American Iron track record besting Kyle Watkins long standing SCCA AS track record. While our AI/CMC newbies were doing their track education Tommy went out and took the top spot for the qualifying race. Chris McCombs #35 CMC Mustang ran the fastest time to give him the CMC pole for the qualifying race. Saturday’s qualifying race was a rolling start but Raybob’s #43 Camaro had nothing for Tommy’s chicken. Our newest AI racer, Kent Thornbery, who made the jump from roundy-round racing to trying right turns, hung in a close third with the #93 “Menace†a 91 Camaro. Chris McComb’s had a leisurely drive to a CMC pole while all his CMC competition was learning etiquette in the comp school. The main event Saturday afternoon went off just like the heat race. Tommy Schlender had pretty much his way after Raybob’s farming excursion at turn 1 left him to trying to reel in Schlender. Kent Thornberry took an easy 3rd in his first AI race.

 

 

On Sunday the five newbies all became licensed AI/CMC racers and showed their nerves of steel in morning practice running with the big dogs. Qualifying was all Tommy Schlender in AI again with a hot lap of 1:44.176. Raybob and Kent followed for 2nd and 3rd. with rookie AI racer Johnny Ellis failing to qualify due to mechanical gremlins. In the CMC field things got a little different with Cody Powell setting the fast lap and the pole with his #44 Chevy Camaro. Cody knocked Chris McComb off the top with a 1:51.984 while Mr. McComb had the second spot with a 1:53.951. Third spot on the pole went to Tommy Schlender’s son Shane who ran a 1:54.653 in the #911 Camaro. The rest of the CMC field consisted of rookies Shaun Grossnickel in a Chevy Camaro #8 followed by Dave “Fezz†Fessenden in his Pontiac Trans Am.

 

Sunday’s main race was a dead stop start and to everyone’s surprise Tommy Schlender and Raybob Coleman were moved to the far back of the field in 14th and 15th spot for failing to go to impound after the qualifying race earlier in the day. When the green flag dropped it was a drag race down to turn one with Schlender and Coleman getting past most of the slower cars before getting to turn one. After the first lap Colemans #43 got around #55 in turn 8 and started putting some distance between 2nd and 3rd only to have his clutch go out approaching turn one and Coleman was done for the day. Schlender stayed in the front with Johnny Ellis in a distant 2nd. . Kent Thornbery had a DNS in the grid with a cracked head or head gasket. The CMC battle went on behind all of the AI action with Cody Powell’s Camaro battling with Chris McComb’s lone Mustang for CMC supremacy. In a close 3rd was Shaun Grossnickel and his Camaro fighting with overheating problems. 4th place went to Shane Mulleavey and 5th to Dave Fessenden.

 

All in all it was an exciting first weekend out. Everyone came out of the weekend with some new friends and stories to bore their wives and buddies with. We are all proud of the new batch of rookies (courtesy of Licensing Instructor Chuck Taylor) and their solid performances. Our hats are off to NASA Rocky Mountain and the rest of the crew for a great weekend.

 

 

See You All in LaJunta,

Raybob Coleman

[Keith]

Nice.

[Lady in Nomex]

That's awesome you guys!!!! I have spent many summers with my family in Durango, Colorado is my second home. Glad to see some racing there and especially to hear an AS record fell at the hands of American Iron!!!!

[Adam Ginsberg]

Tommy Schlender had pretty much his way with Raybob’s farming excursion at turn 1.....

 

That.....just.....sounds.....so.....much.....like.....Deliverance......ewwwww.....

 

 

Congrats on a great weekend of racing! Sounds like AI/AIX and CMC are moving up in the Rocky Mountain Region!

[Al F.]

Fantastic! Sounds like it was a great weekend.