April Showers Bring Oil (apparently) April 2, 2006 Portland, OR

When I arrived at the track around 1pm for the Spec Miata race, Ed Pavone, pointed out the nice stripe of oil-dry that went as far around the track as I could see. I didn't think about it much. After a few laps it gets cleaned off, right? It turned out I was wrong about that.

Ed and I took our viewing positions in the chicane and tried to figure out who was where on the grid as the cars started their parade lap. We saw Ken Sutherland on the outside of the front row, with Gary Bockman right behind him. Will Shrader inside row two. Who is in the blue car on pole? Oh, yes, Andrew Caddell, wunderkind from up north (Congratulations on the pole, Andrew!). Fenn Bourland and Chuck Hall made up row three and the rest of you guys know where you were. :-)

Ken got a slight edge over Andrew on the start. As they approached turn one nearly side by side, either Andrew decided to give Ken the corner, or Ken broke a lot later, because Ken shot forward under braking and then had a clean run through the chicane. Andrew settled in behind Ken. And then, what the heck? Where'd Fenn come from? Fenn must have had a great start because he was in third exiting the chicane followed by Gary, Will and Chuck (right?). The rest of the field came through without incident, but I did notice that the cars who ended up running in the oil-dry were slipping and sliding a lot. Some drivers that were running on the outside entering turn one found themselves losing a position because they couldn't get traction.

Ken and Andrew were able to stretch out a five or six car lead over the next couple laps. Then Gary was able to get around Fenn and start to slowly reel them in. Will Schrader got around Fenn soon afterward and gave chase also.

Since PIR cut a bunch of trees on the back side of the track, we can now see some of the action as the cars blast toward turn 10. Several times we could see Andrew pull along side Ken on the back stretch, but then Ken would come off turn 12 with about a 1 1/2 car lead, only to have Andrew on his bumper by the time they started braking for turn one. A little before midway we saw Andrew come off turn 12 less than a car length behind Ken and using the draft was able to pass Ken just before braking for turn one. Andrew then ran the chicane perfectly and opened a 1 1/2 car lead on Ken and held it all the way around the infield and down the back stretch. However upon exiting 12, Ken was on Andrew's bumper and easily passed passed him before the start/finish line. Meanwhile, Gary had caught up with the leaders and Will was not far behind.

A lap or two later Will was on Gary's bumper, but then he went flying off of turn six. He gathered it up and did not lose any positions but found himself about 15-20 car lengths behind Gary by the time he re-entered the chase. Meanwhile other events unfolded further back in the pack, we saw Fenn go agricultural off of turn 7, and a yellow newer model miata left the track soon after trying to avoid Fenn (from Geoff's post that must have been Brian Richards, who ended up creeping into the pits via the back access road-- the damage must have been on the driver's side as the passenger side looked fine as he crept back. ). Kenn Tubbs was also in the midst of a fun battle when he lost the rear of the car coming off the chicane. A bit further back it looked like Greg Bush and Jim Graffy where having their own personal race swapping positions frequently.

As the race neared its end, Andrew decided to make a move. Up to this point he had driven a very smart race, not taking any unnecessary chances, but he was running out of time. About three laps from the end he had a good run on Ken and actually led him by a bumper as they entered turn 1, but Ken had the better inside line. They both broke deep into turn-1 and, unfortunately, Andrew found himself sliding in oil-dry. Doing his best rally-driver impersonation, he was able to flick the rear of the car around the apex of turn two and then perform a beautiful 4-wheel drift all the way to turn three. This amazing display of car control was met with a round of cheers and applause from the fans in the chicane. But, while Andrew was entertaining us, Gary adjusted his line, got on the gas early, and snuck by just as Andrew's rear tires finally hooked up.

Ken was given a little room to breathe, and Gary was able to hold Andrew off for the remaining laps, and that's how they finished. It was a very entertaining race to watch. Thanks for the great show guys, and congrats to Ken on the win.