2004 Season Races #1 and #2
California Speedway 1/31-2/1/2004

Cones cones cones.... For sure the cones were a big story at first 4 Flight S2 Cup race of 2004, held at the California Speedway. From nearly invisible apexes in the infield to constantly changing apexes (as the cones moved or were removed), each lap was a challenge. Between the moving cones, the crowded field (about 50 cars in the group) and the dregs of the crash-fest going on around us, it was always interesting trying to find the right line.

We had two new drivers to the series on Saturday: Welcome Wayne Smith and Scott Brink. Both drivers debuted nice Swifts (DB2 and DB5 respectively) run out of Carl Correll’s prep shop.

Saturday started off with wet qualifying which usually stirs up the normal start orders...and did.

Guys on the right (Moran and others) got held up, and Ferguson benefited to slip through into the lead. Jeff Anderson had moved from 6 to 3 in one corner and was right under Joe Moran's rear tail section. Anderson hung with Moran for a few laps but Moran was eventually able to chase Ferguson down, and pass him with a good run leading on to the straight. Ferguson followed, but got get held up by a DSR. Moran eventually made it aound the slow D, but the D got him back on the next straight (argh). Moran tried to re-pass the annoying D, but spun in the outside marbles. This let Ferguson get by for a fortuitious win. Moran was second, Anderson third. Both Pettibone and Littrell were able to continue and climb back up the order, Pettibone with a damaged tail and Littrell with no nose.

It seemed as if at least half of the 4 Flight field had bodywork damage. When Anderson pulled behind a Formula Atlantic in hope of passing others, Ellen Ferguson looped her beautifull DSR causing the FA to check up and subsequently Anderson checked up about 3 inches too late thus opened a hole and a nasty FA tire mark across the nose. Bruce Allison got loose in T4 and a CSR had no choice but to slam solidly into Allison's nose, shattering it and breaking the latches. Allison dragged the wounded Lola to the next flag station and watched the remaining 29 minutes of the race.

Gary Holcomb put a GREAT pass on Bob Lovenson. Bob didn’t appreciate that move as much as Gary and by the next lap he was back in front of Holcomb where he remained until the checkered.

Ferguson, Moran, and Anderson were the first three recipients of the new-for-2004 4 Flight S2 Cup podium cap. Great design -- understated, clean, and sharp looking. You can wear this one on the golf course, not just the NASCAR infield.

Car No	Driver		Make	Qual Time	Qual Pos	Finish
57	David	Ferguson	Van Diemen	2:07.834	7	1
71	Joe	Moran	Carbir	2:04.093	2	2
24	Jeff	Anderson	Swift	2:07.224	5	3
11	Bob	Lovenson	Swift	2:16.638	9	4
84	Gary	Holcomb	Swift	2:07.820	6	5
1	Jeff	Littrell	Lola	2:05.820	4	6
94	Mike	Pettibone	Swift	2:03.508	1	7
98	Wayne	Smith	Swift	2:27.203	11	8
55	George	Dellinger	Swift	2:21.582	10	9
4	Scott	Brink	Swift			10
56	Fred	Michael	Reynard	2:15.084	8	DNF
8	Chris	Keating	Swift	2:04.321	3	DNF
87	Bruce	Allison	Lola			DNF

Mike Pettibone had some beautiful S2 poster/calendars made for his team and a pro photographer was on hand to gather material for another poster and more S2 promo materials in the future.

Sunday was clear and slightly cool. The 8:30 qualifying session found the cones re-arranged once again. This time, the section leading onto straight/oval was severly tightened up. A couple laps later, the apex cone (actually a plastic barrel) was moved out, taking the needed the extra foot at the exit. Only Ferguson was able to adapt and clipped off a cone and a 1:42.8 for the pole. Joe Moran and Jeff Littrell were separated from Ferguson by a few DSR/CSRs.

Sunday was more of a normal start. Qualifiers gridded up with like speed cars... so the turn into the infield was, well...crazy but with less carnage. Everyone got off ok except Pettibone who made the mistake of glancing away from the starter stand and the moment of sweet accelleration and got jumped... but that didn't take him out of his game and he was right back in a dog fight later. At the start, the DSRs in front pulled away, and the ones between Ferguson and Moran/Littrell went around Ferguson on both the left and right, and he was flat out!! Littrell passed Moran into second spot but his motor was flat and became worse and worse, finally retiring on the second or third lap.

Lovenson gave Allison an unexpected "love tap" on the sidepod in T13. A surprised Allison lifted a bit and Lovenson and Scott Brink went by in a flash. Brink was getting the feel for his new car, and Allison was impressed with his driving as it took him more than a lap to catch up. But when Allison finally did get close to Brink he way over braked into T9 and booted (big time!) Brink's Right-rear tire/body with left-front fender. Brink went sailing off into the infield grass, car and driver unharmed but shaken. Allison nose #2 was now damaged, but race-able... and he continued on, gathering 5th in the reduced field. Scott and Allison spoke afterwards and they're still friends, but we have the feeling that Allison should be watching his mirrors in the future!

Lovenson was taken out later by a spun open wheel car that tried to re-enter the flow too quickly. Contact shattered the left side of Bob's tail taking him out of the fray and the race. Pettibone got by Anderson in the speedway turns 1 and 2 and they were not more that a car length apart for the remainder of the event. Anderson tried making a move on the infield decreasing radius hairpin where he had passed others during the weekend, but Pettibone broke way deeper, causing Anderson to almost nip his tail. That failed attempt was all that was left as a full course yellow ended up as a yellow/checker finish. A 2004 and first (of many we're sure) hat to Mike Pettibone.

Car No	Driver		Make	Qual Time	Qual Pos	Finish
57	David	Ferguson	Van Diemen	1:42.791	1	1
71	Joe	Moran	Carbir	1:45.534	2	2
94	Mike	Pettibone	Swift	1:47.101	4	3
24	Jeff	Anderson	Swift	1:48.112	6	4
87	Bruce	Allison	Lola	1:51.042	9	5
55	George	Dellinger	Swift	1:49.723	7	6
11	Bob	Lovenson	Swift	1:49.785	8	7
8	Chris	Keating	Swift	1:47.177	5	8
1	Jeff	Littrell	Lola	1:46.039	3	DNF
4	Scott	Brink	Swift	1:53.592	10	DNF
84	Gary	Holcomb	Swift			DNF

Congratulations to Ferguson for his double wins and to Moran for his double seconds!

For more photos from this event, check out the Photo Gallery