BYRD BREATHES EASY

After waiting two day’s for what seemed like the race that might never happen, Dave Byrd and Bob Strandwold’s Performance Electric Racing Team finally got after it.

Qualifying was postponed the day before due to inclement weather. Saturday morning, the decision was made by SRL series directors to completely cancel qualifying in the interest of putting on the best show possible. The SRL management decided practice would be more valuable than qualifying to the teams of a traveling series, especially with so many drivers that had never visited All American Speedway before this weekend.

Competitors were to be lined up for the feature event with a combination of using a lineup according to the 2007 final championship point standings and lap time based on practice with Dave, as the 2007 SRL championship driver, expected to draw for how many cars were to be inverted at the start of the race. Dave drew for a six car invert, putting himself sixth at the start.

The race started off fine with Dave advancing a couple of positions to fourth, then on lap 14 of a scheduled 100 laps, it started looking like something was a miss on the #1 car of Byrd. There was some uncharacteristic banging around with other cars, miss firing of the engine on the restart and then under the yellow on lap 42 the engine went silent and the car coasted through the turn with the other competitors cautiously passing Dave’s disabled car.

Dave’s struggling voice finally came over the radio explaining, “The car’s been full of exhaust fumes for the last 30 laps! Where’s the switch for the fresh air?” Dave ask. “I’ve been trying to flip switches while I’m racing! I can barely see and I’m having trouble breathing! I guess, I just accidentally killed the motor!” Dave explained.

After getting the engine to refire, Dave tried to fit back in where he was running, but the officials would have none of that, Dave was put to the rear of the field for not maintaining pace car speed.

The next 58 laps were spent toughing it out. With a driver that couldn’t get air in and a motor that couldn’t get exhaust out.

After the race, the crew discovered the end of the exhaust pipe almost completely closed off.

“With the strict sound restrictions All American Speedway is under these days, the track officials told us we had to do something to quiet the sound of the exhaust. We installed an adjustable baffle at the end of the exhaust pipe. When the baffle door was knocked completely closed, the exhaust backed up in the car.” the crew explained.

“The hardest part, after I started getting some air in the car to breathe, was not quite having enough power to complete a pass. I could get inside or outside of a car, but the choked up motor wouldn’t have quite enough of what it takes to really get after it and finish the pass." Dave shared. "But after not racing all winter, then all this rain, it was a blast just to be out there racing." Byrd added.

The team salvaged a 7th place finish to start off the season in what is to be a year long defense of the 2007 series title. The next race in that title defense is to take place April 26th at the newly renamed Toyota Speedway at Irwindale in Southern California.

For more information, race over to www.davebyrdracing.com

Dave Byrd is partnered with: Performance Electrical, Strandwold Properties, Jack McCoy Enterprises, Freight Train Peters Racing Engines, Ringers Gloves, Team Chevrolet, Foletta Bros, Inc., Swendeman Hardware, and Bob Strandwold Racing.

About the FLASHCO SRL Southwest Tour Series: Celebrating its eighth season in 2008, the FLASHCO SRL Southwest Tour Series is a regional stock car series competing on paved ovals in the southwestern portion of the U.S. The series utilizes cars based on the former NASCAR Elite Division Series rulebook.

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