For us the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League event in Hamburg is a family trip. It is one that we enjoy to take the kids up to enjoy the Erie County Fair. It is one of the nicest places we go and a place that we put at the top of our schedule. It wasn't what we hoped for pulling this past weekend. But it was still what we hoped for as a weekend away with our family.
We were planning to take just the Blue Knight with us, but after the problems with Knight Delivery we decided to take it along and see if we could figure out what was going on with the ignition system. We ended up not figuring that out will we got home. But used that time and runs to figure out what was not the problem. By process of elimination we were able to eliminate things from the list of potential problems. Sometimes that is key when dealing with grimlins. With 2 finishes near the back with the problems with Knight Delivery. But we hoped Blue Knight was going to respond to the plan we had and that didnt happen either.
The first night the Blue Knight just didnt come off the line with the traction that we needed leaving us short of where we need to be leaving us to finish in 22. The second night the Blue Knight with some changes hook up well but the motor just didnt respond the way we hoped leaving us again short to finish in 21st place. It was a weeked where if the only reason we went was for the pull we would have been disappointed. But instaed we had a great time with family and friends. Catching up with some of the teams that run with the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling league full time. We have some good notes and deffinatly are looking forward to some time off over the next week and a half to get some maintance done to the trucks so we can continue to push in the OSTPA points race.
Remaining 2016 Schedule:
2-Sep Friday OSTPA Canton, Ohio 7:30 PM LT-PS, TWD, SS, SMFWD
3-Sep Saturday OSTPA Marietta, Ohio 7:00 PM 2.6 FWD, TWD, MOD
4-Sep Sunday OSTPA Richwood, Ohio 7:00 PM LT-LMPS, TWD, SS.PS
9-Sep Friday OSTPA St. Clairsville, Ohio 7:00 PM TWD, PS, SMFWD, PS Semi
12-Sep Monday NTPA R2 Old Washington, Ohio 7:00 PM SS, Lt-PS, TWD, Mod, D-4WD
14-Sep Wednesday OSTPA Wooster, Ohio 7:00 PM TWD, SS, Wayne County Classes
30-Sep Friday OSTPA Coshocton, Ohio 7:00 PM SS, TWD, PS, PS Semi
This was a wet week in Ohio causing two events to be canceled and another to be delayed for our team. What we thought was going to be a crazy busy one turned out to be time on the road with little to do. Croton OSTPA Mid-Season Championship started off our week at the Hartford Fair with a rain storm about an hour before pull time. It wasn't a heavy rain but it lasted a while. We sat and watched waiting to hear a plan. The rain clearer out and they delayed the start to 945pm. But even with the late start the stand were full and we were second class on the Grandstand Track with the blue Kngiht being 7th and final hook. The truck hooked up and had a good pass going till it started to drift towards the left hand line and I had to stand on the break for the last 50 feet to keep it from going into the soft stuff. That resulted in a 287 ft pass and 4th place finish. Congrats to the Williams Family coming home with first and second place finishes in their home town on Shawns Birthday.
Friday we got to the new Holmes County fairgrounds in Millersburg and started to prep the trucks, but the radar didnt look good so we kept things close to the trailer and actully never unloaded the Blue Knight. Right after the first class was completed the rain arrived and caused the ramained of the pull to be canceled do to the water standing on the track.
Saturday we headed out to Ada with our crew and didnt even make it to Columbus as the rain struck again causing the pulled to be canceled. We took the oppertunity to take our crew out for a nice meal and relax after being on the road several days.
Sunday started out like it was going to have the same results as the previous dates. We left the Baby Blue Knight at home again due to the weather and not expecting to get to compete. But as we arrived in Zanesville at eh Muskingum County Fair for the NTPA Region II pull the skies began to clear and they were abel to prep the track for a night of tough compitition.
We drew hook numbers three and six ouot of the class of six. Chad took the Blue Knight out and just didnt get it to hook up to the track. The track appeared to be good but just didn't hold together well. With some adjustments Knight Delivery came to the track with high expectations to find and ignition problem as soon as the sled started to move. finishing a disapointing 6th place.
We will be heading out to the Pro Pulling League event in Hamburg, New York this weekend. We are looking forward to test our stuff out against some of the best in the country. hoping for dryer weather and better luck. Keep checking back for more videos and updates.
Last week was a very busy week for our team. We got home from Tiffin and had to finish getting the Baby Blue Knight running after the engine change. Plus getting ready for a busy weekend of pulling with the other 2 trucks as well. The Baby Blue Knight got fired up and tuned on Tuesday night to be ready for Thursdays pull. As well as the mantance to the Blue Knight and Knight Delivery. Both were due for an oil change and new spark plugs. Clutch mantance and the general nut and bolt checks were completed so the trucks could be loaded by wedneday. With the double duty weekend of Piketon and Xenia on hand the trucks headed south for what we hoped would be a relaxing night of pulling.
Knight Delivery drew hook number one and the Baby Blue Knight was number two. Blue Knight was 9th hook out of the tough class of ten trucks. Coming off the line Knight Delivery had a fuel line come loose causing Danny to back out of the throttle and dropping to the end of the class. Carl took the Baby Blue Knight good wheel standing 292' pass with the new motor on board setting the mark to beat. Chad had trouble getting the Blue Knight to hook up and then breaking a belt late in his run for a disapointing finish. Danny came back last in the class putting up a strop 305' pass to finish in 3rd behind the williams trucks.
The team headed home from piketon excited to come back with the 3rd place finish but knowing some worked needed to be down to the other 2 trucks. With a short turn around the team decided to focus on the Blue Knight knowing the Baby Blue Knight ahd taken off last weekend and was already down in points. With only a few hours sleep the Blue Knight was started up around noon and ready to reload the trailer with 2 trucks for Xenia that night.
The night at xenia was plagued with a bad track. It had one little lane that the trucks could get a grip on. Danny was 1st hook again with Knight Delivery and Chad was last hook with Blue Knight (14). After dropping to 3rd after a short 250' pass Danny came back to go 279'. As the night went on the track did finally start to produce more grip in that single lane. creating 5 full pulls. Chad put down a pass of 308' finishing in 8th place.
With a crazy weekend the team tried to get soem rest before heading into this week. Chad will be taking the Blue Knight to Croton Ohio for the OSTPA Mid-Season Championship tonight. It will be a heavy heart night knowing the Bill Bolen and Shawn Williams wont be with us at there hometown fair. Also this is the week that we lost Jeff McPherson 13 years ago. The Blue Knight will carry their names boldly tongiht as we compete for the championship.
This Weeeks Schedule
Croton August 9th 7:30pm
Millersburg August 12th 7pm
Ada August 13th 6:30pm
Zanesville August 14th 7pm
