First Divisional or National event stories

[nwebber]

My first divisional was pretty cool. It was 2001 at Boise when all the fast A cars were going for the first in the nines. On my way to the track Thursday evening my old Suburban diesel throws a fan belt going up a pass in the snow and I limp it in to the first town with a motel and an auto parts store. I make it to the track about noon on Friday and Jerry Valentine techs me in, checks a lot of stuff but not the carb. I did not know you needed to run a choke plate but had an air cleaner on so it was not noticed. As I walked around I could see everyone had a choke plate so I figured I would just see If it would continue to go unnoticed. I get to race the Tiger car in time trials and am so excited I shake his hand in the scales. First round I get Robert Pond and was just excited to race another super fast A car. It was only about 45 degrees out and he spun. I get lucky and keep going rounds I was pitted down in the hole and noticed Steve Wann moved up closer to the lanes as the eliminations went on. I ended up racing Steve in the finals and he said to me as we are in the staging lanes "you need to get more of those". I had to ask him what he was talking about. It was contingency stickers. I thought it was just cool to see the Wally's up on the guard. I ended up winning the race. Took 17 years to win another.