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 I was pleasantly surprised to get an email from Larry Jenne on June 21st, 2010 asking me if I was interested in racing the Clay Cup in Deming, WA . In fact up to this point I had never heard of Larry Jenne, so I replied back inquiring about what he had in mind. He was offering me a ride in his car at the $7500 to win Clay Cup Nationals. My first initial thought was to decline, but upon giving it some extra thought I felt that if someone could put blind trust in myself to drive their car without ever having met me, then there should be no possible reason for me to decline. So I booked a flight for myself and my crew guy. I managed a few details from Mr. Jenne, like directions, type of car (PMP ), type of engine (FTZ ), and some photos to see what we would be dealing with. I also took some time to do a little research and see what the track was like, asI always do, google earth-measuring, youtube videos , photos, message boards, called Jake Hagopian, etc.
 We flew in met Mr. Jenne and his wife Barbara, they welcomed us into their home, two strangers from half a country away showing up at their doorstep at 1:30am in the morning shows just how special these people are. The next day we go the raceshop and meet up with Brad Davison and his wife, along with George Shufelt and his wife. Brad races the 1200 and he lets Larry Jenne use his shop. George is the setup guy and shop foreman at Brad’s workplace (A-1 Welding). We go over the car and shorten up the pedals, move the seat forward, get it all ready. Also we take a trip out to the track and check things out. Very beautiful scenery and super nice weather, can you believe I spent 6 days at a racetrack in the sunshine and didn’t even break a sweat!
Once at the track things get down to business, I believe there were right around 50 cars in attendance. I drew a high number on night 1 for qualifying, went out and turned a 10.7 second lap, fast time was 10.44 so I ended up 21st. With a 4 car inversion in the heat I got to start the heat from the pole and won pretty easily. In the feature the field is inverted according to qualifying if you make the top 3 in your heat. Being a high qualifier got me a 4th place starting position, I raced my way to 3rd and while passing for 2nd, I got stuffed into the inside retaining wall, one of those racing deals. I probably should have been a little more patient given this happened on about lap 3 of a 30 lap event. Oh well we fixed the car and now ready for night 2.
Fridays race had a good vibe going for it, I drew a low number (12), so I went out 4th in qualifying, and laid down a 10.589 lap time, this was good enough for quick-time on the night. In the heat I had to start 4th (inversion), all I had to manage was a 3rd, but you kn ow me, I used the cushion to make the pass for the lead and go on to win the heat. In the feature, we missed the setup, car was too loose to run the bottom comfortably, and the top wasn’t quite good enough to advance positions easily. All this trying to come from the back (inverted feature), where I started 18th and end ended up 17th, not very good by my standards, but the car survived.
Saturday finale,  I just knew we were locked into the feature, but I checked the points the next morning and I was 15th in points, top 14 directly to the A, so this meant a B-Main pole position, which is slightly disappointing because anything can happen so its safer and easier on the crew to be locked in. I win the B-Main very handily, and get the opportunity to start the main from 15th spot. I lose a few positions on the start from being bogged down on the inside line, but I make them up soon and find myself in the top 10, a few cautions/wreck/black flags later, I find myself in 8th and that's where I ended up. I think I had a good enough car, that given a better starting spot we could have been in the top 3. The PMP car was quite different from what I was accustomed to and possibly that was a factor in my comfort level in the first 2 nights, by Saturday I was able to drive it pretty hard. I still feel like we could have done better with a bit more track time. That wreck on Thursday nights race sort of set the tone for the weekend and made us play catch-up from there.
More important than racing I got meet some very good people and travel to a part of the country I’ve never been to. I have to thank Larry Jenne and his wife Barbara for putting this deal together and giving us a play to stay, providing meals, and transportation, could not have done it without them. Brad Davison and his wife for providing an excellent place to work on the cars, and all the tools needed to get the job done. George Sufelt and Brad’s father Don for working hard at the track and providing the setups on the car. Bob, Nigel, Elton, and every one else who provided extra hands at the track to make sure the car stayed clean and ready for each event. I have to thank Larry’s Sponsors also for helping him provide such a good race car: A1 Welding and Northwest Roller Systems , Nymo Signs, ANL Racing , and FTZ Engines . Of course you have to applaud the the Lemley Family for putting together an outstanding purse at such an event, its very hard to make a race like this work and they must be commended for that. As for some of the off track fights and black flag dramas of the weekend, my take on that is your going to have issue at all races, so its hard to please everyone. I even say my incident on Thursday night was unfortunate, yes I got hit, but I did force it and I’m man enough to admit it was a racing deal. Should the driver who hit me have gotten black flagged (he didn’t), absolutely not. Things happen, we move on. I think that since I’ve had children and more responsibilities in life I’ve mellowed in my approach to on track incidents, sure I want to win at all costs and I will drive to the absolute edge of my abilities, I just think there are more important things to worry about these days.
Maybe next year the opportunity to come back to the Clay Cup will be presented, and I can take some of the knowledge I gained this past weekend and put in a better result.
Lastly, say a little prayer of speedy recovery to my buddies Wayne Johnson and Travis Rilat, they were injured in separate incidents near the Seattle area this past weekend. Also my thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Tyson Perez who lost his life.
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