Eric Gunderson Finishes 6th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Photo Courtesy of Jim Stewart
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring – March 20, 2010 Eric Gunderson raced his Legends car at the LVMS Bullring.After qualifying 3rd, Eric decided to start at the back of the 28 car field for fun.He raced forward to finish 6th in 25 laps.
The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 3/8 mile track located in Las Vegas, Nevada.The track features steep banking and is very fast.The race drew a strong field of 28 Legends cars. Eric continued his campaign of early season races in his old Legends car from the 2008 season.“We are getting close to having our new car ready to race,” said Eric during practice on Saturday.“We will race it here in early April if it is ready and if not a week later in Texas.In the meantime we are beginning a program of upgrading our old car to serve as a backup this summer.We will be introducing those changes in our next race.” Eric was among the fastest cars during practice on Saturday, and qualified for the main event in 3rd position.“The top 3 cars are separated by only a few hundredths of a second,” said Eric after qualifying.“So we should have a good race tonight.But I am going to start at the back of the field tonight to make it more challenging.I only have 25 laps so it should be exciting.” When the green flag dropped Eric wasted no time getting starting moving up.He moved steadily through the field to finish in 6th position at the end of the race.“That was a lot of fun racing tonight,” said a happy Eric after the race.“This really is one of those times I wish I had a few more laps to run.But our tires were pretty much gone by the end anyway.” Eric’s next race will be a return to Las Vegas for a triple header weekend – with racing on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.“Our goal is to have our new car ready when we return here in a few weeks,” said Eric after the race on Saturday.“I know everyone on our team is working very hard to make that happen.In the meantime, we will be making some major changes to our current car to prepare it for racing in Charlotte this summer.” Eric thanked Michael Harper and car chief Jarod Carpenter for their support throughout the race weekend.“Michael and his team take Legends racing to a new level,” said Eric.“We will be modifying our car with their guidance in the coming weeks to improve its performance.And, of course, I can’t wait to get my hands on the new car they are building in April.” Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, Organic Food Bar, and Koolin’ Klothz for their support. He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and working so hard throughout the race weekend.
Eric Gunderson Finishes 3rd at Blythe I-10 Speedway
Photo Courtesy of Keith Jarvis
Blythe I-10 Speedway – March 13, 2010 Eric Gunderson returned to I-10 Speedway in Blythe California this weekend, and recorded another podium finish.
The I-10 Speedway is a 1/3 mile track located in Blythe, California.The race drew a field of 15 Legends cars.“My crew has been working hard on my car the last few weeks working the bugs out,” said Eric on race day.“We look forward to a competitive race tonight with some strong competition.” Eric qualified 3rd for the 50 lap main event.The race officials inverted the starting positions of the top six qualifiers, so Eric started the main event in 4th position. “The key to doing well in tonight’s race for us will certainly be tire conservation,” said Eric before the start of the main event.“We have tires left over from 2008 to add to our challenge tonight.But we showed good speed in practice and qualifying today so I think we can do well in the race.” Shortly after the green flag dropped, Eric moved up to 3rd place.He held that position up to the first caution of the evening.On the re-start Eric was able to move up to 2nd.The race settled into a long green flag run, and the age of the tires began to show.Eric held on to finish the race in 3rd. “I think we got the best finish possible out of our equipment tonight,” said Eric after the race.“My crew really helped me get the most out of the car and tires in this race.I am really looking forward to working with these guys when our new car is track ready.They have the reputation of building the best Legends cars in the country, and after working with them I believe it.” Eric’s next race will be at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring.“I have never raced a Legends car at the Bullring,” said Eric.“But we did well there last year in the Focus Midget car.That track is really fast and should be a lot of fun in one of these.” Eric thanked Michael Harper and car chief Jarod Carpenter for their support throughout the race weekend.“I truly enjoyed working with Michael and Jarod this weekend,” said Eric after the race.“Their knowledge of Legends cars is very impressive.This experience has really made me look forward to racing with them this season.” Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, Organic Food Bar, and Koolin’ Klothz for their support. He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and working so hard throughout the race weekend.
Eric Gunderson Finishes 2nd at Blythe I-10Speedway Begins 2010 Season with Podium Finish
Blythe I-10 Speedway – February 6, 2010
Eric Gunderson began his 2010 race season with a return to Legends car racing at I-10 Speedway in Blythe, California.Speedway Legends is building a new car for Eric to drive this season.In the meantime Eric will be driving his 2008 season Legends car. “It feels great to be here in a Legends car again,” said Eric.“We will be racing our old 2008 car for a few races until our new car is ready.”
The I-10 Speedway is a 1/3 mile track located in Blythe, California.The race drew a field of 17 Legends cars.“We are struggling with a car that has not been raced in a long time,” said Eric during practice.“The car is very tight, and we are running on very old tires.But we are getting the car better with each practice.”
Eric qualified 3rd for the 25 lap main event.The qualifying order was not changed for the start of the race, and there were no heat races so Eric started the main in his qualifying position.
Shortly after the green flag dropped, Eric passed for 2nd place.He held that position throughout the race to the finish.“We just didn’t have the speed to catch the first place car tonight,” said Eric after the race.“He had the field covered.We used the race to get time on the car to help us sort it out for the next few races.”
Eric also talked more about his plans for the 2010 season after the race.“I recently tested at Irwindale Speedway in a late model stock car,” said Eric.“This was preparation for testing later this spring in an ARCA car.That will be a big challenge that I am really looking forward to.I enjoyed the late model test and am looking forward to more stock car experience in the near future.”
Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, Organic Food Bar, and Koolin’ Klothz for their support. He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and working so hard throughout the race weekend.
Eric Gunderson Racing Announces Plans for 2010 Season
San Diego, California – January 15, 2010
Eric Gunderson Racing announced today that Eric would be driving for Michael Harper’s Speedway Legends Team during the 2010 racing season.“I am very fortunate to have this opportunity to be a part of Michael Harper’s team,” said Eric.“Michael’s team is one of the most competitive Legends car teams in the country and has the track record over many years to back that up.”Speedway Legends is based in Rhome, TX and Charlotte, NC.
“I will be living and racing in Charlotte, NC this summer,” Eric went on to say.“The Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the premiere Legends series in the country.Michael’s team has a history of winning in that series.It is an honor to represent the team as one of its drivers.”
Speedway Legends is building a new Legends car for Eric to race in 2010.Eric will begin the season using his Legends car from the 2008 season.He will drive that car in a series of races in the Southwest, until his new car is ready.“Our new car should be ready in April,” said Eric today.“Until it is ready we are dusting off our 2008 season car.I will be racing that at tracks in California, Arizona, and Nevada until the new car is ready.We also intend to upgrade our old car to Speedway Legends specs where practical, and use it as a back-up car this summer in Charlotte.”
Eric Gunderson Racing also announced its new association with Roulo Brothers Racing based in Chicago.“We will begin a testing program in a Roulo Brothers Racing ARCA car in the spring,” said Eric.“Roulo Brothers Racing has decades of experience in the top ranks of stock car racing and has worked with many of the top Cup drivers.I know how lucky I am to have this fabulous learning opportunity.”
Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, Organic Food Bar, and Koolin’ Klothz for their continued support.“My sponsors have been supporting my racing efforts and encouraging my progress in racing for years now,” said Eric in closing.“I am proud to represent all of them.I look forward to bringing their messages to new audiences at new tracks in parts of the country I have not raced at before.”
Eric Gunderson Finishes 3rd at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Brings 2009 Race Season To An Early End
Eric Gunderson and his crew had a strong performance at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Photo Courtesy Marc Sanchez)
Las Vegas Motor Speedway – August 29, 2009
Eric Gunderson won his heat race in the USAC Focus Midget race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and finished 3rd in the main event.He is bringing his 2009 race season to an early close in order to complete shoulder repair surgery and recovery in time for the start of the 2010 season.
The Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring is a 3/8 mile track located in Las Vegas, Nevada.The race drew a field of 17 Ford Focus cars.It is the longest and fastest track visited by the Focus Midgets during the season.All the teams battled the heat throughout the race day.The temperature in the pits peaked at 117 degrees just before qualifying began.
The Focus field was split into two heat races.Eric started his heat race in 5th position and moved forward to win the 8 lap event.“We have a pretty good setup considering the heat,” explained Eric after the heat race.“We don’t have the fastest car here tonight but we should be competitive for one of the top spots in the main event.The heat has been really awful. Our team has gone through a lot of Vitalyte today”.
When the green flag fell to start the main event, Eric immediately took the lead.The top three cars moved away from the rest of the field, but among those three the battle for the lead was intense.Eric led the first 20 laps of the 30 lap event.On lap 21 he was hit from behind by the 40 car, nearly spinning him out.He gathered the car up to find himself in 3rd, and held that position throughout the rest of the main.“We had a good race going until lap 21,” said Eric after the race was over.“Unfortunately the 40 car hit the back of my car coming out of turn 2.It really upset the car and I was lucky to keep it from spinning.The battle for the lead was so tight that I was immediately passed by the 40 and 42 cars and came out of the incident in 3rd.I closed the gap with those two cars again but just couldn’t get around them.”
Reflecting on the incident after the race, Eric thought it was just one of those things that happen when racing is so close.“The top three cars were only inches apart for the first 20 laps,” said Eric.“That type of contact is inevitable under those conditions.It was really nobody’s fault.”
Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, Organic Food Bar, and Koolin’ Klothz for their support. He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and working so hard throughout an incredibly hot race day.
Eric’s 2009 Race Season Comes To An Early End
In November 2007, Eric suffered a dislocation of his right shoulder in a karting accident during the California State Karting Championship races.At first his doctors were hopeful that an intense program of physical therapy and rehabilitation would lead to a satisfactory recovery.Eric completed the rehabilitation in time for the start of the 2008 season and continued his physical therapy and strength training into that season.But in May, 2008 his shoulder dislocated again and it was clear that a surgical repair procedure was required.
“We have been living on borrowed time since May of 2008,” said Eric recently.“I continued to race in 2008 but my doctors made it clear that another dislocation could happen at any time, and if it did surgery would immediately follow.The 2008 season wasn’t over until the end of November which left insufficient time to have the procedure, recover, and be ready for the start of the 2009 season.”
Eric and his team considered finishing the 2009 season and postponing surgery yet again.In the end, they decided against that option because there will never be enough time between the end of one race season and the start of the next to recover and prepare for racing to resume.“It has not been an easy decision,” said Eric.“But I need to get this fixed and behind me once and for all.We are timing this now so I have plenty of time to recover and regain strength before the 2010 season begins.”Eric will have the surgical repair done on September 21, and immediately begin rehabilitation.
“We are considering several options for the 2010 race season,” said Eric.“As soon as our program for next year is clear we will communicate that in a press release.In the meantime my job is to recover and prepare for next season.”
Eric Gunderson Finishes 3rd in Main Event at
Perris Auto Speedway
Eric Gunderson finished third in the main event at Perris Auto Speedway
Perris Auto Speedway – July 4, 2009 Eric Gunderson finished 3rd in his heat race in the USAC Focus Midget race at Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, California.Starting from 5th on the grid for the main event, he raced forward to finish in3rd position.
This was the sixth race of the 2009 USAC dirt track season for Eric Gunderson Racing.Perris Auto Speedway is a 1/4 mile track located at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds.The race drew a field of 16 Ford Focus cars. The Focus field was split into two heat races.Eric started his heat race in 3rd spot on the grid, and maintained that position throughout the race.“We set up the car for a dry-slick track just before the start of the heat race,” explained Eric after the heat race.“Unfortunately – just before our race the officials watered the track and changed the conditions completely.Our car setup was not right for the conditions, but there was nothing we could do about it given the circumstances.We know we are fast and will be OK for the main event later tonight.” After the heat races were over the starting grid was set for the main event.Eric was placed 5th on the grid for the start.Eric’s main event was the last race of the evening.The track interrupted the running of the main events to put on a great fireworks display.This delayed the start of Eric’s race until about 10:15 pm. When the green flag fell, Eric began moving forward quickly.He worked his way forward to3rd position by mid race.“Jeff Wahl really got the car setup perfect tonight,” said Eric after the main event.“During a green flag run the car got better every lap. I was able to use that to move forward throughout the race.Near the end of the race we were the fastest car on the track.I closed on the 88 car running in 2nd place just as the race ended.This was one of those races I wish had lasted just a few more laps.”
Eric and his team have completed repairs on his pavement car.“We tested our pavement car at Orange Show Speedway last week,” said Eric after the race.“We fixed a couple of minor problems and the car ran flawlessly after that.We are looking forward to getting it back into a race this month at Madera.”
Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bar for their support.He welcomed his latest sponsor “Koolin’ Klothz, Etc.”He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and on race day.
Eric’s next race is a Ford Focus dirt track race at Ventura Raceway on Saturday, July 11th.
Eric Gunderson Wins Heat Race; Finishes 5th in Main Event at Ventura Raceway
(photo courtesy of David Wolf)
Ventura Raceway – June 6, 2009
Eric Gunderson won his heat race in the USAC Focus Midget race at Ventura Raceway in Ventura, California.Starting from 7th on the grid for the main event, he raced forward to finish in 5th position.
This was the fifth race of the 2009 USAC dirt track season for Eric Gunderson Racing.Ventura Raceway is a 1/5 mile track located at Ventura County Fairgrounds.The race drew a field of 13 Ford Focus cars.
The Focus field was split into two heat races.Eric showed his speed by immediately gaining the lead and pulling away throughout the heat race.“My team has given me a good car to drive tonight,” said Eric after the heat race.“The track was dry-slick and challenging to drive, but the set up calls my team made were just right.We expect track management will groom the track at least once before the main event.We will need to wait to make adjustments for the feature until just before it starts.”
After the heat races were over the starting grid was set for the main event.The lineup was established by first placing the cars in the order of points earned during the heat races.This would have placed Eric 2nd on the grid.However, the first 8 cars were then inverted in position for the main.So, Eric’s good performance in the heat race was rewarded with a 7th position starting slot on the grid for the feature!
When the green flag fell to start the main event, Eric wasted no time in moving forward.He worked his way forward to 5th position by mid race.“Once I got in 5th position I was stuck,” said Eric after the main event.“The 71 car was right behind, waiting for me to make a mistake.I was limited in what I could do to get by the 59 car in front of me without opening the door for the 71 car to get by me in the process.The 59 car drove a great race and made no mistakes.So, we had to settle for 5th tonight.”
Eric and his team are completing repairs on his pavement car and expect to have it back in action next month.“Our pavement car chassis is back from Beast Enterprises looking as good as new,” said Eric after the race.“Virtually every part except for the seat and steering wheel needed to be repaired or replaced after Madera.My team is working very hard to get it back together and we will be on the track again soon as strong as ever.My thanks to everyone who has expressed their best wishes to our team while we have been going through this.”
Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bar for their support.He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and on race day.
Eric’s next race is a Ford Focus dirt track race at Perris Auto Speedway on Saturday, July 4th.Come on out to celebrate the 4th and enjoy the fireworks and racing action.
Crash Ends Eric Gunderson’s Race at Madera Speedway Eric Maintains First Place in USAC Series Points
Madera Speedway – May 9, 2009 Eric Gunderson suffered a hard crash in the USAC Focus Midget feature race at Madera Speedway in Madera, California.He was uninjured but his car sustained major damage.It is not known how many weeks will be needed to repair the car to race again. Gunderson maintained his lead in the point standings in the USAC California Pavement Ford Focus Series.
This was the fifth race of the 2009 USAC pavement track season for Eric Gunderson Racing.Madera Speedway is a very challenging 1/3 mile track that is rough but offers racing room.The race drew a field of 15 Ford Focus cars. Eric and his team struggled to get the car up to speed during practice.“We are close to the fastest car,” said Eric before qualifying.“But we don’t have the tire combinations to get as much rear stagger in the car as the conditions today demand.We are trying something different to compensate for qualifying so we will see how that works.”The setup experiment caused a severe push in the car, and Eric ended up qualifying last on the starting grid.His team set the car back to the way it was before qualifying and Eric easily won his heat race.“That qualifying experiment didn’t work out very well,” said Eric after his heat race.“We are back to where we were earlier in the day but now we really have our work cut out for us in the main event.” When the green flag fell to start the main event, Eric began moving forward in the field.Trouble began when a car ahead spun, quickly collecting the car immediately behind.This blocked the track.Eric and yet another car were close behind when this happened.“I was right on the bumper of the 95 car when he slammed on the brakes, trying to avoid the wrecked cars stopped on the track right in front of him,” said Eric after race.“I tried to turn to the right to avoid contact but unfortunately that lined up my left front tire behind his right rear tire.That launched me over the 95 car and very hard into the wall.My car snapped around and struck the wall again, this time on the left side.I am not hurt, but my car is very badly damaged.We won’t be racing again for a while.”
After returning to the shop Eric’s crew began immediate work on getting the car back to running condition.“The chassis is being shipped to Beast Enterprises for repair or replacement,” said Eric mid week.“We have a long list of replacement parts on order.The engine will be run on the dyno next week to check it out.My crew is working very hard to get us back into action as quickly as possible.”
Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bar for their support and Dr. Vreneli Wilson for her support.He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and on race day, and getting his car ready to race again.
Eric’s next race is a Ford Focus dirt track race at King’s Speedway on Saturday, May 16.
Eric Gunderson Finishes 3rd at MaderaSpeedway
Retakes First Place in USAC Series Points
Eric setting quick time at Madera Raceway (Photo courtesy of Jessica McAnelly)
Madera Speedway – April 25, 2009 Eric Gunderson finished 3rd in the USAC Focus Midget feature race at Madera Speedway in Madera, California.He set quick time in qualifying.Starting from 6th position on the grid, he raced forward to finish in 3rd position. Gunderson now leads the points standings in the USAC California Pavement Ford Focus Series. This was the fourth race of the 2009 USAC pavement track season for Eric Gunderson Racing.Madera Speedway is a very challenging 1/3 mile track that is rough but offers racing room.The race drew a field of 15 Ford Focus cars. Eric set the quick time in qualifying at 14.875 seconds.Because of the very full race schedule that included the NASCAR Camping World West Touring Series, there were no heat races for the Focus midgets.“We will line up for the main event in qualifying order, except that the fastest 6 cars are inverted in starting position,” said Eric before the main event.“So I get to start the main event on the outside of the 3rd row.There is room to race on this track and my car is very quick so we should have a good race.” When the green flag fell to start the main event, Eric wasted no time in moving forward.He worked his way up to 3rd by half way through the race.At that point he began to chase down the two leaders who had started on the front row.“We were closing on the leaders as the laps wound down,” said Eric after the race.“I ran out of time and finished 3rd.It was a good finish for our first race at this track.We learned a lot about setting up the car for this track that will help us when we come back in two weeks.” With his3rd place finish Eric regained the lead in the points standings in the USAC California Pavement Ford Focus Series.“For the rest of the season we will be splitting our time and resources between the Focus pavement series and the Focus dirt track series,” said Eric after the race.“That will keep us from running all the races in either series.It will be very difficult if not impossible to run for the series championship when we skip races, beginning next week with the race at Stockton.But we will concentrate on the best possible results in the races we do run.” Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bar for their support.He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and on race day. Eric’s next race is a Ford Focus pavement race at Madera Speedway on Saturday, May 9.
Eric Gunderson Finishes 9th at I 10 Speedway
Slips to Second Place in USAC Series Points
Eric Gunderson finished 9th at I-10 Speedway (photo courtesy Keith Jarvis)
I 10 Speedway – April 18, 2009
Eric Gunderson finished 9th in the USAC Focus Midget feature race at I 10 Speedway in Blythe, California.Starting from 4th position on the grid, he was in 3rd position when the race was red-flagged.He made a procedural error that resulted in his placement at the back of the field.He then moved forward to finish the race in 9th position.
Gunderson is now second in the points standings in both the USAC California Pavement Ford Focus Series and the USAC Utah Pavement Ford Focus Series. This was the third race of the 2009 USAC pavement track season for Eric Gunderson Racing.I 10 Speedway is a very challenging ¼ mile track that is both rough and narrow.The race drew a field of 13 Ford Focus cars.
Eric set the 3rd fast time in qualifying at 13.896 seconds.He started his 8 lap heat race in 6th position and finished 3rd.The main event field was set after all the heat races were completed, and Eric was placed 4th on the grid for the start.“My car is very fast here tonight,” said Eric before the start of the main event.“But this track is very narrow and offers little racing room.It will take a lot of patience to safely move forward here.”
When the green flag fell to start the feature, Ericfell to 6th in the opening 2 laps before the field was single file. “I got hung up on the outside row during the first couple of laps,” said Eric after the race.“That happens sometimes when starting on the outside.There was hard racing in the lead group of cars and I had just passed for 3rd position when the red flag occurred.
“During the yellow flag period before the re-start the race director moved me back to 4th position,” said Eric after the race.“I thought more than one lap had been completed with me in 3rd spot so I stopped to talk to a race official to clarify my position.I learned the hard way that stopping for any reason on the track during a USAC event results in being placed at the back of the field.I should have read and understood the USAC rules more carefully.It was my mistake and most likely cost our team a podium finish tonight.”
With his 9th place finish Eric slipped to 2nd position in the points standings in both the USAC California Pavement Ford Focus Series and the USAC Utah Pavement Ford Focus Series.
Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bar for their support.He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and on race day.
Eric’s next race is a Ford Focus pavement race at Madera Speedway on Saturday, April 25.
Eric Gunderson Wins at Las Vegas
Takes USAC Series Points Lead
Eric Gunderson won in his first race at "The Bullring" at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (photo courtesy Marc J. Sanchez)
Las Vegas Motor Speedway – April 4, 2009
Eric Gunderson won the USAC Focus Midget feature race in his first appearance at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.Starting from 4th position on the grid, he moved to the lead in lap 11, then opened up a straightaway lead and cruised to victory.
Gunderson is now the points leader in both the USAC California Pavement Ford Focus Series and the USAC Utah Pavement Ford Focus Series.
This was the second race of the 2009 USAC pavement track season for Eric Gunderson Racing.The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a very fast 3/8 mile facility.The race drew a field of 19 Ford Focus cars.
Eric set the 3rd fast time in qualifying at 15.277 seconds.The 25 car was fastest at 15.267 seconds, with the 42 car 2nd at 15.273 seconds.
His team made minor adjustments to the chassis to compensate for the falling track temperature as evening set in.He started his 8 lap heat race in 6th position and quickly worked his way to the front for the win.The main event field was set after all the heat races were completed, and Eric was placed 4th on the grid for the start.
“I know we have a very good car here tonight,” said Eric before the start of the main event.“I was able to drive the car anywhere on the track during the heat race.We are only making small changes in preparation for the main event.”
When the green flag fell to start the feature, Eric wasted no time starting his move to the front.By the end of the first lap he was in 3rd.He took the lead on lap 11, and quickly built a straightaway length lead.“My crew gave me a nearly perfect car to drive tonight,” said Eric after the race.“I was able to pull away from the field quickly and cruise to the finish.The car stayed good through all 30 laps.”Eric set the fast time of the weekend in lap 23.
Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bar for their support.He also thanked his crew for their efforts preparing his car and on race day.“I never saw this place until this weekend but we prevailed over all these teams that have been racing here for years,” said Eric after the race.“I think we have put together the best team in the series right now.These guys are great.”
Eric’s next race is a Ford Focus pavement race at I-10 Speedway on Saturday, April 18.
Eric Gunderson Suffers Last Lap Crash at Perris Speedway
Photo courtesy of Doug Allen
Perris Auto Speedway – March 28, 2009 In his second dirt track race, Eric Gunderson got caught up in a multi-car wreck that happened on the Perris track in front of him.He couldn’t avoid the wreck, which caused substantial front end damage to his car and ended his race day with a DNF. Eric continued progress on his dirt track racing learning curve at Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, California.The race drew a strong field of 17 Focus cars. “I am picking up speed here as I get in more laps,” said Eric after his heat race.“But my lack of experience on dirt tracks is showing itself tonight.We will be starting the main event in mid pack, and I will treat this race as a learning experience about running in traffic in this new (for me) environment.” Eric worked well with his crew to get the car tuned for the track conditions.He was confident going into the main event that the car would be strong, and would allow him to experiment in the main on moving to different lines on the track to find the fastest way around. Trouble struck on the last lap while Eric was well on his way to reaching his goal of a top 10 finish. “I saw the 55 car slide up the track and turn another car in front of me.That collected a couple of other cars,” said Eric after the main event.“I steered toward a point on the track where I thought I would be able to get through and pick up a few more spots.Unfortunately, I misjudged where the cars in the wreck would end up on the race track.By the time that became clear I had nowhere to go. The car took a hard hit that ended my race on the spot.” The accident destroyed the front axle and associated running gear.It also bent two right side frame members adjacent to the engine.“The car definitely took a hard hit,” said crew chief Jeff Wahl after the race.“We will have the car back together good as new in a week or so.This kind of thing is just part of dirt track racing.” Eric thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bar for their support.He also thanked his crew for their effort both on race day and in the days to come getting the car ready to race again.Eric’s next race is a Ford Focus pavement race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 4.
Eric Gunderson Places Second in Dirt Track Racing Debut
Eric Gunderson led the majority of the 20 lap race in his debut in his dirt Ford Focus Midget (photo credit Tom Macht, Photo Finish Photography)
BakersfieldSpeedway – March 21, 2009
This was the first race of the 2009 USAC Ford Focus Dirt Track season.It was also Eric’s first race on a non-pavement track.Eric showed he is on a fast track learning curve in this new type of racing. Bakersfield Speedway is a 1/3 mile high banked clay oval track known for fast racing action.The season opening race drew a strong field of 13 Focus cars.
Eric finished 4th in his heat race and by the end of the race was turning laps as quick as the race winner.“I just treated this heat race as a learning experience, going to school by watching what was going on around me,” said Eric after the heat race.“I felt more comfortable in traffic with every lap.I experimented with running on different parts of the track, looking for the best grip available.Towards the end I found a line around the track that was much faster.Now I need to work with my team to make some car adjustments.”
Eric worked with crew chief Jeff Wahl to get the car dialed in for the main event.When the green flag dropped for the main event, it was immediately clear that Eric’s car was fast. He jumped into an early lead, and he the number 19 car began to pull away from the field.There were numerous cautions. It soon became apparent that Eric had the faster of the two lead cars when racing action resumed after a caution, but his car slowed slightly in comparison to the other lead car as the right rear tire heated up.
Eric maintained the lead until he was passed with 3 laps to go, finishing a close second to the number 19.“The last 6 laps of the race ran caution free,” said Eric after the race.“As soon as we got going again after the last yellow flag, I could feel the right rear tire heat up and start to lose grip.I held the number 19 off as long as I could, but he finally got by me on the inside.”
After the race, Eric thanked the crowd of 3000 for their support.He dedicated his race to the memory of Bob Landreth.“Bob passed away last week,” Eric told the crowd.“He helped me throughout last year when I was first learning oval track racing.He was a dedicated racer who still found the time to help newcomers to the sport.”
Eric also reflected on the season ahead.“This is so different from any other racing I have done,” said Eric.“The complexion of the race can change completely from one lap to the next.The track changes constantly and the tires are extremely sensitive to changes.Jeff and Wally are the best in the business. I am very lucky to have them helping me.They are great teachers, which is good because in many ways this is like starting over again in racing.”
Eric also thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, MLP Imaging, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bars for their support.Eric’s next race is at Perris Speedway on Saturday, March 28.
Eric Gunderson Claims First USAC Ford Focus Midget Podium Finish in Season Opening Race
Eric Gunderson finished third in his first Ford Focus Midget race of the 2009 season
Havasu 95 Speedway – March 14, 2009
This was the first race of the 2009 season for Eric Gunderson Racing.Havasu 95 Speedway is a very nice ¼ mile short track facility located in the resort town of Lake Havasu City, Arizona.The race drew a strong field of 20 Focus midgets, and they put on a great show for the fans.
Friday night practice revealed that the beautifully prepared 98 car was mechanically sound, but also that it had a push that could not be tuned around.Eric’s team began to look for the reason, and the racing and setup experience that Wally Pankratz and Tres Van Dyne bring to the team paid major dividends.They discovered that the front axle offset was incorrect, and had probably been run in this incorrect position by the car’s previous owner.
An early Saturday morning call with Bob East Enterprises confirmed their reasoning, and the crew set about correcting the situation.When the car went out on the track for the first practice run at mid day Saturday, it was loose.“Now we have something we can work with” said Eric after the first practice.“We have a lot of tuning variables we can use to control how we setup the car from now on, whereas yesterday it seemed nothing we did had any effect on the push problem.”
As practice continued, the car setup was refined and the correct stagger for qualifying and the main event was determined.Eric qualified 7th, and knew the car could have done better once qualifying was over.“I was still trying to find the limits of the car,” said Eric after qualifying.“I didn’t want to push it too far as loose as it was, but as I get more time in the car I am realizing I was not as close to the limit as I thought I was.The car could have qualified much better if I had pushed it a bit harder.”
Eric turned his heat race into a learning event, by pushing the car up to its potential and moving up to finish 2nd in the short 8 lap race.He also learned how the track was changing as it cooled off as the sun was setting, providing valuable feedback to his crew as to how to adjust the car for the upcoming main event.
Eric started the main event in 7th spot, and immediately began to move up.By the end of lap 5, a breakaway group of the 5 fastest cars had formed and drew away from the rest of the field.Eric patiently worked his way up to 3rd in that group, finishing behind the winning 55 car of Alex Bowman and the 60 car of Michael Lewis.The final laps of the race were a great show for the fans, as the lead cars aggressively moved through lapped traffic.
“We had a great run tonight,” said a happy Eric after the race.“We proved our car is as fast as any car out here, and successfully diagnosed and solved a major setup problem earlier in the day in the process.I think we are going to have a great season ahead of us.
The dedication of Van Dyne Engineering really showed for Eric’s team in the flawless operation of the car.“Right out of the trailer the car ran flawlessly,” said Eric after the race.“We worked well as a crew this weekend.I am really looking forward to the next race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.”
Eric also thanked his sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, Oakley Inc, Vitalyte, Mechanix Wear, Nomad Slot Racing, and Organic Food Bars for their support.
Getting Ready for the 2009 Season
December 2008 through March 2009,
I apologize for not writing for so long. We have been very busy getting ready to begin Focus Midget racing.We are changing almost everything about our racing program as we prepare for our most ambitious racing season yet.Here are the highlights: ·USAC Ford Focus Midget Pavement Series Racing ·USAC Ford Focus Midget Dirt Track Series Racing ·INEX Legends Racing ·New Race Team Members ·Getting Ready For Some Serious Travel ·Sponsorship 2009 ·Preliminary 2009 Race Schedule I will go through each element of our new program in detail in this pre-season report.
USAC Ford Focus Midget Pavement Series Racing
Last year at this time I was reporting our move to Legends car racing, sanctioned by INEX.We will be doing limited Legends car racing this year, but the big news for our team is our move into the world of USAC Ford Focus midget racing.USAC stands for United States Auto Club, one of the oldest racing sanctioning bodies in the United States. Midget cars have been around since the 1930s, and are one of the highest performance types of race cars in existence.There are many things that affect the performance of a race car, but one of the most important is the power to weight ratio.This is simply the weight of the car divided by the horsepower of the engine.A USAC midget car weighs 900 lbs, and has 400 horsepower.To put that in perspective, consider my mom’s Toyota Camry Hybrid.It weighs 3637 lbs and has 147 horsepower.To have the same power to weight ratio as a USAC Midget, it would need 1600 horsepower. Ford Focus midgets use the same chassis and technology as full midgets, but are powered by the core engine from the Ford Focus passenger car.It is modified with mechanical fuel injection to operate on methanol fuel (instead of gasoline).It makes about half the horsepower of a full midget car engine.So now my mom’s car only needs about 800 horsepower.This class of race car was created by USAC to provide a more affordable means of racing than full midget cars, which use extremely expensive engines that require frequent overhaul. It turns out that the power to weight ratio of a Focus midget car is the same as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car.But the stock cars are very aerodynamic, and run on tracks up to 2 ½ miles long.This allows them to reach speeds well over 200 miles per hour.Focus Midget cars are about as aerodynamic as a brick and run on very small tracks of 1/3 mile or less.These factors keep the top speeds to just over 100 miles per hour.But they are always rapidly accelerating, slowing for turns, and accelerating again lap after lap. Focus midget cars are highly optimized to turn to the left. The engine, driveline, and driver are all offset to the left of the car centerline.(I will talk more about this in the dirt track Focus midget car part of this newsletter.)They make extensive use of lightweight materials, such as gun-drilled titanium bolts where a standard steel bolt could do the job.Overall, they are highly engineered sophisticated cars optimized to turn to the left at the highest possible speed, and are an absolute blast to drive.
Introducing the New Pavement Car: The Number 98 is Back!
Eric with his new Ford Focus Midget
This is the car I will be driving in the 2009 USAC California Ford Focus pavement track series.It features a chassis made by Bob East Enterprises, known in racing circles as a Beast chassis.It is appropriately named.It has been meticulously prepared by Van Dyne Engineering of Huntington Beach, California (more about them in the New Team Members part of this newsletter).Some of you reading this report will remember that my kart featured number 98.It is good to have that number back. The cockpit of the car has just the controls I need to operate the car on the track.It features a Kirkey full containment seat as shown in the photo below.The control knobs in the upper left of the photo are the shock adjustors – one for each wheel.This allows me to adjust the rebound on each of the shocks independently when the car is on the track.I also have a brake bias adjustor which allows me to adjust the relative effectiveness of the front vs. the rear disk brakes while on the track. The car does have an on-board starter and a clutch, so it does not need to be push started like a full midget car.There is no transmission; just a straight through driveline to the rear end.The rear end features quick-change gear sets.We choose the gear ratio to suit the individual track where we are racing.The body of the car is made of carbon fiber panels. The tires are Hoosier racing slicks.One of the major car tuning variables is the size of the rear tires.The right rear is larger than the left rear; this helps the car turn to the left.The difference in tire size is referred to as the car’s stagger.We need to keep many tires of slightly different sizes in the trailer so we can adjust the stagger (increase or decrease it) as the track conditions require. As I am writing this, we have just completed our first race of the year in the Number 98.After we worked through some chassis tuning issues that had us struggling for most of the race weekend, we got the car sorted out in time for the main event.I started 7th and finished third in a very strong field of 20 cars.I will send out a full race report press release shortly to go into more detail.
USAC Ford Focus Midget Dirt Track Series Racing
In addition to running our pavement Focus car, I will be driving a similar car for Wally Pankratz in the USAC Ford Focus Midget dirt track series.This car is similar in many ways to the pavement car I have been describing, but has some important differences.The most critical difference is the tires.It uses Hoosier treaded tires for added grip on the dirt track surfaces. This will be my first experience in racing on dirt tracks, and I expect a steep learning curve.Pavement tracks do change from one race to the next from the driver’s perspective, but the changes are small compared to those happening on dirt tracks.Dirt tracks are “groomed” by track officials during race events.This includes watering them down, grading and compacting them, and changing the contour.But as soon as the grooming is done, the track starts changing again.The weather can change the track from one lap to the next; cars dig ruts in the track and that changes where and how you can drive the track, etc.This is the big challenge to dirt track racing:you can’t “learn” the track, because it is constantly changing.Rather, a racer needs to learn the skill of constantly adapting to the changing track conditions.
Introducing the Dirt Track Car: Car Number 37
Eric Gunderson with The Number 37 dirt Ford Focus Midget
This is the car I will be driving in the 2009 USAC California Ford Focus dirt track series.It features a chassis made by Edmunds Auto Research.The car is prepared by owner Wally Pankratz and car builder Jeff Wahl, who is the owner of Edmunds Auto Research (more about them in the Putting Together a New Team part of this newsletter). The cockpit of the car is similar to the pavement car I already described.Adjustability of the chassis is very important in this car because of how rapidly the track changes.My crew can get the car as good as it can be for the track conditions at the start of a race, but by the 5th lap the track may have changed completely.This requires constant car adjustment by the driver, as well as constantly changing driving line and looking for the best traction on the track. The offset nature of the car is easy to see with the Number 37, as shown in the next photo.This also shows a good view of the treaded dirt tires.Dirt tracks can be even more abrasive than asphalt tracks.Under the right conditions, it is easy to wear all the tread off these tires down to where the cords in the tire are showing just in the course of a 30 lap race. I have been testing and practicing with this car on dirt tracks at Bakersfield, Ventura, and Perris.I am learning a lot of new things I never had to worry about in my previous racing, such as steering the car with the throttle and adapting to the track conditions. To a spectator, it appears the cars are turning to the right to turn to the left.To the driver, it is constant inputs on all of the controls in the car.This is going to be fun, but a big challenge at the same time.Our first dirt race of the year will be at Bakersfield Speedway on Saturday, March 21.
A view that illustrates the magnitude of the offset of most of the car
INEX Legends Car Racing
After a tough year of rough and tumble racing, our number 97 Legends car was ready for some serious maintenance in the off season.We started this process by tearing the car down to the bare frame as you can see in the next photo.We had the frame rebuilt on a frame jig, and replaced the front and rear clips.Many welds were cut out and redone in the process of making the chassis better than new. Next, we installed a new engine from builder Hank Scott.We had the carburetors rebuilt by Ken Joyce Racing.We replaced every bearing and Heim joints and all other wear-out items.We repaired the body damage accumulated throughout the 2008 season. We have tested the car at Irwindale Speedway, and found it to run extremely well.We plan to run a few races in between dirt and pavement Focus midget races, but the car will primarily rest up until the winter Legends road racing season at the end of the calendar year.
The Number 97 Legends Car was stripped to the bar frame, trued up and repaired, and then reassembled with all new componentry.
The #97 Legend fully reassembled and ready to take to the track
New Race Team Members
John London will continue to keep our Legends car in top condition.We keep that car at our shop in Chino, California. We also keep our trailer and tool boxes and pit carts at this shop. My pavement Focus car is prepared at the Van Dyne Engineering shop in Huntington Beach, California.The car, along with its associated spares and tire rack are stored in their shop between races.Van Dyne Engineering is owned by Stewart Van Dyne.Stewart began his career building race engines at Traco Engineering in the 1960s.He built the engine that powered car owner Roger Penske and driver Mark Donohue to win the 1972 Indianapolis 500. His engines have won races and championships in Trans-Am, Can-Am, Formula 5000, Indy Car, IROC, and all USAC divisions.He purchased Drake-Offenhauser in 2002, and still keeps many Offenhauser powered Indy and midget cars on the track in vintage racing.His company built the fuel injection systems on my pavement and dirt track Focus cars. His son, Tres Van Dyne, is my crew chief on the pavement car.Tres is a pavement track and dirt track midget car owner, and has much experience tuning Beast chassis cars at the tracks where we will be racing this year.The pride and skill of the Van Dyne staff shows through in the immaculate preparation of my car. My dirt track Focus car was built by Edmunds Auto Research in Corona, California.Jeff Wahl is the owner of Edmunds, and serves as crew chief on the dirt track car.The car is prepared in his shop and at Wally Pankratz’s shop. Wally Pankratz is my driver coach, helping me learn the complexities of these new (to me) forms of racing.Wally began his racing career in the 1970s, and is still an active driver today.He has won races and championships in many types of cars, including all USAC divisions.He is also a very talented teacher, and has really helped me understand what a car is doing on the track and how to help my crew make the car better by explaining in detail how the car needs to be adjusted to improve performance. I am obviously very young to be involved in so many types of racing, but the crew members on my cars bring literally decades of championship experience to our racing programs.I am very, very lucky to have such experience helping me. My parents coordinate all these activities and keep everything running.Our racing program has really grown in complexity this year, with three cars prepared at three different shops, three different race series, and both dirt and pavement tracks.There is always a whirlwind of activity going on – it never stops.And of course they work on everything, fix everything, coordinate everything, drive back and forth all night, and do all the other hours of hard work that allow me to race a few minutes on the track.They also both work full time to finance all of this. There are also many people that have worked with me in the past and helped me get to where I am today.Seth and Terry Nash from my karting days, Tom and Bob Landreth from Legends racing, and Joel Miller, Jason Bowles and Derek Zimmerman who helped me on the track – all contributed knowledge and work that helped to build my racing program. All in all, this is simply an amazing adventure.These are the people who devote their time and energy
Traveling To New Racing Venues
We will be visiting many new tracks this year, as well as all the tracks where we raced my Legends car last year.The average distance from our home to the tracks we will be visiting is several hundred miles.And we don’t travel light – each trip includes a car, spares, tools, fuel, people, luggage, etc.The cars are bigger this year, and so are the tires and spares.These cars use more fuel and require more tools and equipment. So we have moved up to a bigger trailer, and outfitted it to accommodate our needs.It is our rolling workshop, parts department, equipment hauler, snack bar, and air conditioned retreat on hot days. In January, when we started on this project, it was an empty shell.It is now ready to support our activities in the configuration shown in the photo below.
The new trailer is 22' long, and fully equipped to transport the car to the track, and support it once it gets there
Our Sponsors
All of the sponsors we had in Legends have agreed to stay on and support our Focus midget program and we are working hard to recruit more. Maxima Products is located near San Diego, and makes Maxima Racing Oils and many other products designed for racing and high performance vehicles.The company’s focus is really on motorcycle racing.They sponsor some of the top riders in motorcycle racing today, racers like Rickey Carmichael.We used Maxima products on our karts right from the start of our program.But now, Maxima has become our lead sponsor with the introduction this year of their new 530RR synthetic racing oil.This is a great match for our Legends and Focus cars.We are proud to introduce Maxima products to new markets, and will represent them to the best of our ability.Learn more about Maxima products at:www.maximausa.com. Another sponsor moving to our Focus program is Vitalyte.The company recently changed its name from Hydralyte.With a new look, new website, but the same great products the company is embarking on a new marketing program.My mom, Dr. Miriam Bloch, is a member of Vitalyte’s advisory board.Racing is very hard physical work, and race days are long and hot.Vitalyte electrolyte replacement sports drinks were developed for serious athletes in long distance running and cycling competition.Vitalyte products are essential equipment for our team.Learn more about Vitalyte products at:www.vitalyte.com. Oakley Inc. is a leading manufacturer of sports eyewear, apparel, and protective racing gear.Oakley racing gloves, shoes, uniforms, and accessories lead the industry in durability, driver protection, and appearance.Fire safety is a very serious concern in all our race cars.I use Oakley professional grade fire retardant racing suits, shoes, gloves, and undergarments to help protect me on the track.Learn more about Oakley products at:www.oakley.com. Nomad Slot Car Racing continues to support our racing program.Nomad Slot Racing brings real racing to your home or event. Model Car Racing can be a day’s entertainment with Nomad’s portable rental tracks or a lifetime hobby with their huge selection of products. Either way, it’s Fast Fun at an affordable price. Nomad has racers under 5 years old and others who have been in the hobby for 40 years. Slot Car Racing is back and it’s better than ever. In the 1960’s slot car manufacturers supported racers like Jim Hall and Dan Gurney, today Nomad is backing our racing program! Visit Nomad’s shop or website today! www.nomadslotracing.com.
Preliminary Race Schedule
March 2009
Saturday, March 14 Focus Pavement RaceHavasu 95 Speedway
Saturday, March 21 Focus Dirt Track RaceBakersfield Speedway
Saturday, March 28 Focus Dirt Track RacePerris Speedway
April 2009
Saturday, April 4 Focus Pavement RaceLas Vegas Motor Speedway
Saturday, April 18 Focus Pavement RaceBlythe I-10 Speedway
Saturday, April 25 Focus Pavement RaceMadera Raceway
May 2009
Saturday, May 2 Legends RaceIrwindale Speedway
Saturday, May 9 Focus Pavement RaceMadera Raceway
Saturday, May 16 Focus Dirt Track RaceHanford Speedway
Saturday, May 23 Focus Dirt Track RaceVentura Speedway
Saturday, May 30 Legends RaceIrwindale Speedway
June 2009
Saturday, June 6 Focus Dirt Track RaceVentura Speedway
Saturday, June 13 Focus Pavement RaceMadera Raceway
Saturday, June 20 Focus Pavement RaceLas Vegas Motor Speedway
Saturday, June 27 Legends RaceIrwindale Speedway
July 2009
Saturday, July 54 Focus Dirt Track RacePerris Speedway
Saturday, July 11 Focus Dirt Track RaceVentura Speedway
Saturday, July 18 Focus Pavement RaceMadera Speedway
Saturday, July 25 Legends RaceIrwindale Speedway
August 2009
Saturday, Aug 1 Focus Dirt Track RacePerris Speedway
Wednesday, August 5 Focus Dirt Track RaceVentura Speedway
Saturday, Aug 9 Legends RaceIrwindale Speedway
Saturday, Aug 22 Focus Pavement RaceOrange Show Speedway
Saturday, Aug 29 Focus Pavement RaceLas Vegas Motor Speedway
Saturday, Oct 17 Focus Dirt Track RaceVentura Speedway
October 24 Focus Pavement RaceMadera Speedway
November 2008
Saturday, November 14 Focus Dirt Track RaceVentura Raceway
Thursday, November 27 Focus Pavement
In Memoriam
Just as I finished writing this newsletter, I learned that Bob Landreth died of a heart attack earlier today (Monday, March 16) while working at his business.Bob and his son Tom were pioneers of Legends racing in Southern California, and were of great help to us last year as we struggled to master a new racing landscape. The intensity and commitment required to win motor races is something that only those involved could possibly ever understand.Bob had that commitment, and in spite of needing to run his business and his own racing program he found the time to help me.Thank you, Bob.I won’t ever forget what you did for me.
Bob (in the Orange #3) racing with Eric for position. He was a friend to many in the racing community, and a great mentor to other drivers. He will be dearly missed.
