Beware of the "cracked rear wheel" Bandit

Michael Lyons · 06-08-2009, 11:26 AM

So I'm all strapped in my car ready to pull into the waterbox next pair out 3rd round at Joliet when someone who looked familiar but I'm not sure who it was, cause the window net is up and I have all my gear on, comes to my window and says "Hey Mike you know you have a cracked right rear wheel?" To which I reply, no I didn't know that. He then says "yes, it'll probably be ok this run but you need to check it when you get back". And thats when I'm thinking is this some kind of a prank, a mind game? Anyways I don't have any time to do anything about it at that point as the offficial was already waving us, Scott Richardson and I, out to the waterbox. I did my best not to let it distract me but I still had to think about that instead of watching the cars in front of me run and get a better read on the conditions. So it still hindered my ability to completely focus on the task at hand. After the run nobody came by to see if the wheel was cracked or talk to me, so I'm skeptical that this person had my safety or best interest at heart. The wheel had a couple oil trails running straight out from the studs from where I put wd40 on them when I put the wheel on, the stripes were straight as an arrow unlike most cracks and wiped right off with my finger. I guess if my new friend was so concerned maybe he could have reached in and tried wiping one when he noticed my "bad wheel" or if he thought it would be ok for that run could have come over and told me after the run, no?

Anyways I just wanted to let the racers know, so if next time they have to race Scott Richardson in Anthony Bertozzis car, to be wary of what anyone that approaches you right before you race has to tell you or warn you about. They may be just trying to screw you up before an important round.

The other thing I was disappointed with over the weekend was the starting line the first 2 days. It was worse than the starting line anywhere else I've been in the last year. Which I wouldn't have expected at an NHRA super track, at a race I had to pay $270 to enter. It was worse than the starting line at that backwoods Indiana track that use to be a smalll aircraft airport. I was pretty surprised. But it did get better finally 3rd round saturday morning. Too bad I couldn't count on that when choosing my dial in..

06-08-2009, 11:26 AM	#1
Michael Lyons Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Garden City, MI Posts: 226 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Beware of the "cracked rear wheel" Bandit So I'm all strapped in my car ready to pull into the waterbox next pair out 3rd round at Joliet when someone who looked familiar but I'm not sure who it was, cause the window net is up and I have all my gear on, comes to my window and says "Hey Mike you know you have a cracked right rear wheel?" To which I reply, no I didn't know that. He then says "yes, it'll probably be ok this run but you need to check it when you get back". And thats when I'm thinking is this some kind of a prank, a mind game? Anyways I don't have any time to do anything about it at that point as the offficial was already waving us, Scott Richardson and I, out to the waterbox. I did my best not to let it distract me but I still had to think about that instead of watching the cars in front of me run and get a better read on the conditions. So it still hindered my ability to completely focus on the task at hand. After the run nobody came by to see if the wheel was cracked or talk to me, so I'm skeptical that this person had my safety or best interest at heart. The wheel had a couple oil trails running straight out from the studs from where I put wd40 on them when I put the wheel on, the stripes were straight as an arrow unlike most cracks and wiped right off with my finger. I guess if my new friend was so concerned maybe he could have reached in and tried wiping one when he noticed my "bad wheel" or if he thought it would be ok for that run could have come over and told me after the run, no? Anyways I just wanted to let the racers know, so if next time they have to race Scott Richardson in Anthony Bertozzis car, to be wary of what anyone that approaches you right before you race has to tell you or warn you about. They may be just trying to screw you up before an important round. The other thing I was disappointed with over the weekend was the starting line the first 2 days. It was worse than the starting line anywhere else I've been in the last year. Which I wouldn't have expected at an NHRA super track, at a race I had to pay $270 to enter. It was worse than the starting line at that backwoods Indiana track that use to be a smalll aircraft airport. I was pretty surprised. But it did get better finally 3rd round saturday morning. Too bad I couldn't count on that when choosing my dial in..