Late Model Exodus – In A Good Way!!

It looks as though there will be plenty of experience returning from the USA this winter as a number of West Australian Late Model identities head off to the land of Stars & Stripes during our winter lay off.

Jay Cardy and father Chris will be the first ones to head off on the 27th of June where they will once again catch up with WoO Late Model racer Clint Smith. Jay spent some time touring with Smith last winter and this trip will resemble last years experience once again. “We spend the first couple of days with Integra Shocks and Joe Gibbs Oil (Chris is a distributor for both products here in W.A.) and from there we join Clint for a $25,000 to win show before we hit the Wild West Tour.

We head to places like Minneapolis, North & South Dakota, Wyoming, Canada and Nebraska for about 10 shows in 15 days.” Cardy said.

In total the pair will travel an estimated 6000km with Smith and if the improvements made by Cardy last season are anything to go by another trip like this could spell trouble for the locals for the upcoming season. He had one opportunity to drive last year, but who knows what will happen once he gets there this year.

Someone else who has done it before is Craig Vosbergen who will once again team up with good friend Doug Drown, basing themselves in Drowns hometown of Wooster, Ohio. Vosbergen will be racing the Rocket chassis that Drown ran in 2008, having struck a deal with local racer DJ Miller. “I’ve purchased the car from Doug, and I will be using a brand new Malcuit Chevy powerplant that Miller has purchased. Once my time is done, DJ will race the car for the rest of the season so the car has been done in DJ’s colours and number. It’s a good deal that will work well for both of us.” He said over the phone this week.

And two things that are impressive about Vosbergen's tour is the number of shows planned and the support that Craig is receiving while in the USA. At present they plan to be at twelve different meetings in the space of 24 days including WoO, O’Reilly Allstars and some unsanctioned shows as well. Backing this tour is the likes of Poske’s Performance Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire – Ohio Valley, R2C – Performance Air Filters, WRISCO Aluminium, Genesis Racing Shocks, UTI – Underground Tools Inc, Magnum Pipe, Carson Underground, Trenchless Technology, Loudonville Family Vision, The Looking Glass, DCS Fluid Solutions and DJ Directional Services – amazing.

Someone else who will be there for at least four of these shows is Michael Holmes. Holmes dabbled in the LMRA ranks last season after a number of years in the AMCA division. Since purchasing an Ex-Steve Francis car he has kept in contact with the veteran racer and has been able to organize to crew for him at the Alltel Ohio Speedweek meetings on July 23-26.

“It’s a great opportunity to go over there and do this” he said this week. “I’m going over to do some business so it has given me the chance to get my hands dirty and crew for someone like Steve. Having one of his old cars I couldn’t think of anyone better to learn from so I’m sure it will be a fantastic experience, plus I will be able to source some new parts for the upcoming season as well.” At this stage Holmes intends to run the entire 2009/10 LMRA schedule.

Another who will be flying the flag for Australia will be ‘The O Show’ Brad Blake. Blake will leave his Bunbury base on the 1st of September to compete in a number of shows including the renowned World 100. He will compete with the best that the WoO and the UMP has to offer but it’s the 100 lapper at Eldora that he really wants to compete at. “I’m time trialing for the World 100, then going to bar to party” he joked recently. “But seriously it’s all about the making it in to the show at the World 100, that’s the dream, to make it in to the top 120 so I can have a chance of making it to the final would be a blast.” Blake will be competing in a car he has purchased, which good friend Ron Miller will finish just prior to Blake’s arrival.

He will warm up with three meetings prior to the World 100, including another 100 lapper the week before the big race at Eldora. “It’s a family effort. Dad, Noeleen and the rest of the family are helping me do this. It will be three weeks over there and if I’m to do more shows it will depend on how we go at the World 100, we will just wait and see.”

As you can see this winter wont be a quiet time for some, but the knowledge gained will only help these competitors on their return to racing for the LMRA title during 2009/10.