Florence Speedway
Notes: Jameson makes due in 12-year-old car
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
Jason Jameson piloted a 12-year-old car at Florence. (rdwphotos.smugmug.com)
UNION, Ky. (March 30) — Feel-good stories about drivers who return to tried-and-true cars crop up now and again. This isn’t one of them.
At Florence Speedway for Saturday’s Spring 50, driver Jason Jameson of Lawrenceburg, Ind., was fielding a 2001 Rocket Chassis, the first car he drove when his Late Model career started seven years ago. It didn’t necessarily stir any emotions or nostalgia for the 27-year-old driver who is also crew chief for reigning World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Darrell Lanigan.
“I didn’t go back because it was good or anything,” Jameson said. “I just went back because that’s the only thing pretty much I had.”
Actually, the 12-year-old car no longer belongs to Jameson but to Ohio driver Chad Oberson, who was in Florida in vacation. Jameson couldn’t get the car handling like he wanted and finished a lap down in 13th.
Jameson first drove the car in 2006, winning a non-qualifiers’ race at Eldora Speedway and having success in it for a few years before it ended up sitting in the weeds at a farm where Jameson's father raises soybeans and corn.
“Actually, there’s two or three other cars still out there,” said Jameson, who eventually retrieved the 2001 model. "That’s the retirement home for ‘em.”
Jameson “just threw it on the trailer and brought it to the garage and started sandblasting on it and cutting bars out. ... I ended up stripping it all down, put different X-ing in it, different four-bar mounts, sandblasted it, re-powdercoated it — pretty much made it look like a new car," he said.
With all the updates and changes Jameson made to the car now owned by Oberson, it’s hardly recognizable as a 2001 car. “I’d just call it a mutt,” Jameson said. “It’s got a little bit of everything on it.”
It may be up to Oberson to get it back up to speed, though. While Jameson will stay plenty busy crewing 50 races for Lanigan on the WoO circuit, he hopes to do some driving in a different piece during his free time. Hopefully a “Late Model” in name and age.
“I’m going to get me a new one here soon,” he said.
Johnson’s third again
Greg Johnson of Bedford, Ind., finished third Saturday at Florence, giving him his second straight third-place finish after last week’s Lucas Oil-sanctioned Indiana Icebreaker at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway. His Gary Engle-owned team had another successful run in the Revelution Chassis they debuted at Brownstown, but Johnson thinks it can get better.
“This is the first time I’ve had hard tires on the car. I’ll know what better to do the next time,” the 45-year-old Johnson said. "It’s just trial and error right now. We’ve just gotta get out there and get it. These (other competitors) have already probably got 15 nights on me, so we’re doing all right.”
Johnson led the first 17 laps of the Spring 50, but winner Scott James banged past in turn one as he and Johnson ended up going for the same real estate.
“We was just racing there and I didn’t know he was down there and when I went down there, he kinda hit me a little bit. It messed my front end up and I just couldn’t steer after that. It took the drive out of the race car. I guess it’s toed out, or whatever,” Johnson said. “It’s just one of them racing deals. I don’t think he meant to do it or anything. I just think what happen was, I seen the lapped car and I dove to the bottom, and he was committed to the bottom. It was just one of those things.”
Respect for Warrior
Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., would’ve loved to win the Spring 50, but he was happy for the winning team after running second to Scott James in the Warrior Race Cars house car. After all, Marlar spent part of the 2011 with the Sanford Goddard-led team out of Knoxville, Tenn.
“Congratulations to Sanford and Scott getting them a win there. Sanford, I really think a lot of him, so I’m tickled (for) him to get a win there,” Marlar said. “Hat’s off to them guys. They won the race and I had every opportunity in the world to pass him and didn’t get it done. So they done a good job.”
James follows Marlar and a long line of talented drivers including Dale McDowell, Ronnie Johnson and Freddy Smith who have taken turns in the ride. He’s appreciative of the opportunity in an association that came up just before Georgia-Florida Speedweeks.
“I can’t thank Sanford and all the guys at Warrior for everything they’ve done to make this just a really smooth transition to start the race season,” said James, who plans a full-tie run on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. “This team has so much potential, and with (former James car owner) Ron Powell back on board, going after this Outlaw deal, I know there’s going to be maybe a little bit more of a learning curve being that we’re back on the road, but so far so good, and I look forward to going to Farmer City (Ill.) next week.”
While conflicts his Outlaws schedule will prevent James from running some events around home, he’d like to return to Florence on June 1 for the Lucas Oil-sanctioned Ralph Latham Memorial. “Hopefully we can come back here for the Ralph Latham and get after it,” he said.
Odds and ends
The Spring 50 drew a whopping 57 cars in 2009, but that number has slipped in recent years with 42 in 2010, 28 in 2011, 33 last year and 26 on Saturday. ... Feature runner-up Mike Marlar’s quick time earned him the fourth starting spot in the first heat race, thanks to the four-car inversion he’s not crazy about. “Starting fourth in a heat here is just too hard,” Marlar said. “They’ve got a really, really, really racy track in the feature, but in the heats it’s usually not very racy. I’d be more OK with them inverting in the feature, because the heats are just not that racy.” ... Co-promoter Josh King spent part of the drivers’ meeting discussion Florence’s plans to adopt a tire rule identical to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. There will be a transition period in the first half of the season so drivers can prepare and use their current inventory of tires. ... Florence goes back into action April 6 with a $3,000-to-win Late Model feature.
