Vince Porcelli Racing
October 30, 2009
2009: What a Season!
We started our season off in April running in the Gamblers race at Milan. The first race couldn't draw any participants and the second race only had 2. We beat the other guy so we won our race. Then we started going to Lapeer Dragway every weekend after April. The unique thing about Lapeer Dragway is the fact that you will always have a chance to race the best racer. Leroy "Hillbilly" McIntosh has been racing there since the track opened and is probably the best racer I've ever competed against. Witnessed by the amount of times he has won the Track Championship, I believe 6 of the last 8 years! It seemed like it was down to Leroy and us every weekend for the win. We came out on top 8 times and also runner up 8 times during the season. We were cursed quite a few weekends chasing down problems with our starter motor and couldn't compete about 6 weekends. Finally cured the problem, an out of round mounting service on the bell housing from an exploded flexplate kept eating up starters. Replaced the bell with a new one and everything was fine!!! The 1st place points lead was pretty much a weekly change with Leroy and us being separated by no more than 3 o 4 points all year. Leroy and I have become such great friends over the last couple of years that it was fun looking forward to meeting him in the finals. Knowing you're going up against the best is always an adrenalin rush and with me, that adrenalin rush is intensified because he's my friend, a great racer, a fellow Viet Nam Vet and even crews for me when I'm having problems. We went into the last points race separated by 1 point, I was in the lead, and the scenarios were plenty!! If Leroy won and I took runner up, we would be tied and have to have a run off. If Leroy won and I didn't runner up, he would beat me by 1 point. If I won I would be the track champion. Until that final race, Leroy and I, like a lot of racers do, would dodge each other hoping to come down to the finals between us. But that day, Leroy said let's get this over right away and we went up together to race. The shame of it all was the fact that Leroy did a MONSTER wheelstand and when he came down he crushed his headers and oil pan and was out for the rest of the day. It's a sad way to finish such a great season but it was awesome seeing how high he went before coming down. This is our first track championship and it's nice to have but with us, it's all about going fast. I really enjoy the competition but just the fact that we have gone faster every year is more of a thrill! Our goal is to get this thing in the 7's some day but still be able to race every weekend. We usually put at least 250 passes on our car every season and this one was no different. We don't usually see a lot of 8 second cars running 10 passes a day every weekend and we want to do that until we run low 8's or high 7's. It's a goal, is it attainable, who knows, but with a small block with 1 dominator and no power adders it would be quite an accomplishment we think.. This update is being written with all the respect in the world to Leroy McIntosh, for helping me throughout the year and for even coaching me when I was against someone else in the finals. It's an honor to have Leroy for a friend, it's scary having him as a competitor and it was fantastic to come out on top this season. Thank you Leroy, you are the man and I'm sure you'll come and get it back next year.
Check out www.lapeerdragway.com and scroll down to 2009 champion Vinnie Porcelli, click on it and read our thank you! |
