Medlin Racing

Posts Tagged ‘Bruce’s Tavern’

Aberdeen, NC: — For Immediate Release:

Richard Medlin and the Bruce’s Tavern/Connectnc.com Chevrolet were back Saturday night at the showplace of the Carolinas, Caraway Speedway competing in the second Sportsman event of the season for the team. Medlin entered the night 14th in points standings in the division, with one top-fifteen finish in single start for the team so far this season.

Medlin drew 3rd of 12 drivers for the qualifying position. As the cars started out for qualifying Medlin noticed that his car’s engine was miss-firing. With no time to look it over he had to go out and give it all the car had for qualifying. On 7 cylinders all Richard could get out of the 5 ride was an 18.84. About a half a second off of the pole run and starting him in the 7th position. The team was able to bring the car right in after the qualification laps and find the problem right away. The spark plug wire had worked its way off of the number 5 spark plug. This was a quick fix and the guys were looking forward to working there way to the front from the mid pack starting position.

It didn’t take long for the excitement to start as the cars were going off of turn 4 to the green flag they started bunching up and as the green flag flew the 3rd place starting machine missed a gear and caused the inside line to bunch all up. This resulted in Medlin driving under the rear of the car in front of him as well as having someone getting into the back of him. No one lost control of there cars however there were a few that had battle scars including the #5 machine. As the cars came off of turn 2 for the first time Jonathan (Richard’s Spotter) noticed that the right front bumper had been knocked loose and was dragging the racing surface. Medlin continued on for another 7 laps until the caution came out, then came rushing down pit road to the attention of his crew. The team tried numerous times during the caution to lift the frontend of the #5 car up off the ground but had little success. So the battered #5 machine went back out to stay on the lead lap. A few laps later the yellow flag waived again and this time as the #5 car made its way down pit road the team had a plan. The plan worked and the 5 ride was back in business. Restarting in the 9th position Medlin was able to work his way back up to 5th in just a few laps when the caution flag flew once again. Two cars had gotten together pretty good off of turn 4 and had debris all over the track. Richard tried to miss most of the debris but apparently was unable to as the cars took the green flag the car pushed very bad into turn one letting Richard know that the right front tire had gone flat. Richard hustled the car around the track for 2 more circuits until the checkered flag waived. In the end the flat right front tire pushed Medlin back to the 6th finishing position and the last car on the lead lap but it could have easily been worse.

“We’ve got a little bit of work to do here on the car after the incident on the first lap, so we’re headed back to the shop to get to work first thing Sunday but all in all it was a good day for us even with the two issues we had. It could have ended up a lot worse”, said Medlin following the race. Richard Medlin will race again Saturday night May 23rd at Caraway Speedway.