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(9/28/03 5:52 pm)
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NYCONN Race Report from Dusty Lane
Gow Sets the Pace at Dusty Lane
Lake Ariel, PA
September 26, 2003
Mike Gow won the inaugural NYCONN race of the 2004 season, establishing the Super Stock record at 302 laps on the brand new Dusty Lane circuit. Gow started from pole position and lead the race from wire to wire. Kevin Tierney won the Novice division after making his first ever appearance in an A Main.
A Main drivers (l to r): NYCONN and UFHORA Champion Mike Gow, NYCONN President Tom Kanan, Jr., Kevin Tierney, and NYCONN Vice President Steve Von Ahn
HO slot racers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut arrived to find Kevin Tierney’s new circuit in spectacular shape. A full-sized, professionally detailed “Welcome Race Fans” banner proudly marked the garage door entrance. The downstairs race room was brightly lit, with ample pit space for gear-laden slotters, a tech room, and a lounge room with a buffet. Racing memorabilia gathered from numerous F1 and GTP concession stands adorned every nook and cranny. Best of all, the race table, hand crafted to perfection by Kevin and painstakingly wired by Eric Peterson and Mike Gow, was shiny and smooth. Featuring a 14-foot straightaway, the four lane road track boasts a 62-foot lap length, is powered by twin Trak Mate 18 volt power supplies, and has six power taps spaced at 10-foot intervals along the circuit.
The big three of the HO manufacturer’s elite, Wizzard, BSRT, and Slottech, were all well represented at the event. Tom and Megan Kanan brought their G3 stable, while club Vice President Steve Von Ahn and NYCONN newcomer Jim Segreto entered Slottech Panthers. Wizzard Scorpions, along with vintage P3 and P2 cars, rounded out the field of 12 drivers.
Practice opened slightly earlier than the posted 6:00 PM schedule, and drivers immediately set to work trying to tame the knife-edge hairpin that precedes the main straightaway. Dusty Lane has a variety of different radius corners, including a tricky series of kinks in the center section, putting a premium on handling and setup.
In between practice and tech, racers feasted on an endless supply of baked ziti, tossed salad, rye bread, soda, and beer in the lounge room. Hosts Marie and Kevin Tierney darted about, making sure that everyone had what they needed, and continuing the NYCONN tradition of smooth and friendly atmosphere for the evening.
In the qualifiers, Jim Segreto took provisional pole with his 159 lap victory in the first heat, closely followed by 2003 NYCONN Rookie-of-the-Year Megan Kanan (155) and 2003 NYCONN Novice Division Champion Tom Bussmann (154). Segreto’s grip on the pole was short lived, however, as current NYCONN and reigning UFHORA National Champion Gow blasted his way to the top with a consistent 42-45-44-43 run to win the second heat. Gow’s 174 laps enter into the record books as the benchmark for qualifying heats in Super Stock events at Dusty Lane. Track owner Kevin Tierney turned heads by following Gow into the A Main with 162 laps.
Steve Von Ahn headed up the third heat as one of only two drivers to reach the 170-lap plateau. Tom Kanan, Jr. and Tom Tierney followed closely behind, but the fan favorite had to be the siren-like wail of Marie Tierney’s vintage P2. Lane marshals had no trouble telling when her car fell off the track. Gow opined that the sound may have been the result of a spinning plastic bushing, while TK (who built, sold, and serviced the car) recited the culprit’s once proud heritage of blue and red ribbons. Despite the strange squeals, Marie’s car soldiered on without a hiccup, and indeed the entire evening saw no mechanical failures from anyone in the field.
In the five minute mains, a rejuvenated Tom Tierney put together a trouble-free drive to take the B heat win by a hefty margin. His 278 laps in a Wizzard Scorpion left Megan (261), Clark Howell (257), and Segreto (253) wrestling for the tail end of the train. Free from the pressures of being club president for the first time in NYCONN history, Tierney was ecstatic.
“The series is in great hands with TK this year,” beamed Tierney. “And now I can finally concentrate on driving.” The former president has always built ballistic machinery, but more often than not, lacked the focus to keep the car in the slot. After a hectic qualifying run, Tierney settled down admirably, and turned in a fine performance.
But would it be enough to hold off the A Main drivers? Defending NYCONN champion Gow, out to prove his 8 straight titles were no fluke, immediately set to work, blistering Tom Tierney’s 15-minute old record in the red gutter lane by 7 full laps to take the race lead at 74. Wily veteran TK (73) and Von Ahn (66) followed closely behind, but had to soldier on with the knowledge that Gow’s total was from the gutter and theirs were from the racer-friendly inside lanes. Sandwiched in between TK and Von Ahn was the man with the biggest smile of the night, track owner Kevin Tierney (69).
“My heart was pounding,” recalled KT with pride. “This was my first A Main!” KT also won the Novice division, over Megan and Marie.
Once perched out front, Gow never looked back, taking the event from wire-to-wire. His 302 laps were enough to make him the only driver to average better than 4 seconds per lap, at 3.97. Second place went to TK, the only other driver to beat out B Main winner Tom Tierney, with 286 laps. Von Ahn claimed the final ribbon with 278 circuits.
“The other guys turned up the heat,” Von Ahn said. “I didn’t make any changes (after qualifying 2nd).”
Just as Tom Tierney benefited from relinquishing the club presidency, Tom Kanan suffered from it. He presided over a thrilling event, but made a costly setup mistake when he overlooked a pair of magnets he had set aside.
“I ran the narrow instead of the wide magnets,” TK explained. “I put them out first thing when I got here, but I forgot to change them for the race. Its not easy being crew chief for two cars.”
Winner Mike Gow made changes to his car during the third rotation.
“I ran a taller gear in the blue lane, and it really helped. I switched back for white, and it actually slowed me down a bit. I should have left the tall set in.” Asked about the stiff competition, Gow tipped his hat. “Steve and Jim ran strong, and I always have to watch out for Megan.”
An indicator of excitement to come, the first four positions featured all three of the major manufacturers. NYCONN rests firmly on the front lines of the national HO builder’s battleground. An anxious Tony Porcelli called from Florida mid-race to see how his Panthers fared (4th and 8th), and Gary Beedle was soon on the line inquiring about his G3 drivers (2nd and 6th). 2003 NYCONN Manufacturer’s Cup Champion Wizzard (1st and 3rd) will most certainly have its hands full over the course of the season. New to 2004, a separate armature cup division should create some buzz as well. The top two drivers from each constructor in a race contribute their points towards the NYCONN Manufacturer’s Cups.
The next NYCONN event is a Super Stock race at TK Motorsports Park, in Middletown, NY, on Friday, October 10. For information related to the race, and for complete race results for all NYCONN series races, log on to the NYCONN website at www.hometown.aol.com/nyconn2004 .
Edited by: NYCONN at: 9/28/03 5:54 pm
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