2006 NARRC - "Eureka!"

Yup, Jeff Lawton and the Saturn SC had an interesting weekend!! The Friday weather for practice and qualifying was terrible: gloomy, rainy, windy. I took Jeff a 1/2-hour hot shower to warm up. But then again, paddocking with Joe DiMinno is always entertaining so it could have been worse!!

Jeff qualified 5th in the rain. "It took a long time to work up the confidence in the (Hoosier) rain tires," he said. But, 5th's not too bad in a 20+ car- field!

Unfortunately, he got a bad start; he couldn't see the flag then he hit the rev limiter (gotta shift there, bucko!) He managed to get by two competitors, but then got passed by Tim K and Rick B. Soon there after he got punted between the left hander and the right hander (hard enough to do some structural damage, all the way up to the inner wheel well) and re-entered the track waaaaay back in the pack. Initially, he kinds gave up and thinking the race was over; but as he started to reel guys in he began to take it a "little" more serious. With about 4 laps to go, he could see Joe and realized he was gaining on him quick, but ran out of laps. Final result was 5th, but with Richie Hunter getting a DQ (weight), Jeff finished fourth! he's ecstatic he made it from that far back...but "what if"...maybe he could have made things a little more interesting up front...? We can't wait until next year; Jeff had a lot of fun this first year in ITA (I told ya you would! - Ed.). That Saturn is a blast to drive now that he is close to getting it dialed in!!

And Andy: nice job. You were a stud, no doubt about it!! Very impressive weekend and season. Not bad for the car's rookie year!!

On to the ARRC!!