5/31/2011
Jamie Ball
Jamie Ball- Hard Charger
Jamie Ball- Hard Charger
5/31/2011
Jamie Ball- No Place to Go?(White Lightning Motorsports) –
?This week the L & J Automotive #5J would race on Saturday May 28, 2011 at the Knoxville Raceway in the 305 division. It was the first time the weather has cooperated in the past 3 weeks. I was eager to get back on the track after the time off. This week the 305 program was going to try a new format. We would be trying out the same group qualifying program that the 360 class uses. I would draw a 41 and would go out for group timing in the last group. I would turn a 16.975 setting a new track record and quick time overall. After time trials I would go to the scales to weigh and I would be disqualified for not making weight. This was a big surprise to my team and I as prior to building this new car we would always be well over the minimum weight requirement. There was nothing we could do about it so we just had to move forward with the night. It did however put us behind the eight ball as not having a qualifying time I would have to start last in both the heat and the feature. I would go onto to start 10th in the 2nd heat race and would finish 5th. The feature lineup was set and once again I was scheduled to start last (16th). The green flag would drop and I would slowly start picking off cars one by one. The track was rough and the other competitors would have some difficulty due to their car being too tight. I would take my time but still move forward. By lap 8 I was up to 9th place. A red flag on lap 8 would restart me in 9th and after the restart I would move up to 6th place. A yellow flag on lap 11 would make it a green, white, checkered dash to the end. On the single file restart the leader would blow up when he got on the gas and it would collect the 2nd and 4th place running cars bringing out another red. Once again there would be a green, white, checkered dash to the end. I would give it my all but come up just short of 2nd place by just a few feet. L & J Automotive employee Mitch Alexander #6 would prevail as the winner. It was his first feature win and my team and I would like to congratulate him on a job well done. Overall a third place finish after the way the night started was a win in my book. Having a bad night and still being able to sacrifice a 3rd place is great. We will go back to the shop this week and fine tune a few things so that we are prepared for the 360 show Friday and 305 show Saturday, both at the Knoxville Raceway.
The next time that White Lightning Motorsports plans to race is on Friday June 3, 2011 at the Knoxville Raceway in the 360 sprint car class. I will be racing the 360 class and LBJ will be racing the 360 class as well.?Keep an eye on my progress this week and beyond at www.jamieball.com?If you would like to receive the weekly releases, send an email with the subject line “Jamie” to jamie@jamieball.com ?White Lightning Motorsports would like to thank L & J Automotive, L & J Enterprise Inc., AIB College of Business, Timber Line Tree Service, JJ Kane Auctioneers, Sweet Manufacturing, Iowa State Savings Bank, Fragola Performance Systems, VP Racing Fuels, Bell Helmets, Keizer Wheels, Driver Websites, Vortex Wings, Hoosier Racing Tire, DMI, King Racing Products, BR Motorsports, Wilwood Brakes, and all other family and friends for their support.