Sorry it’s been so long since I have written a blog. My schedule has been slammed pack with racing. I was very pleased with the outcome of Gainesville. We arrived on Wednesday evening after a great day of testing my new Nitro Fish Suzuki. Steve and I made some changes Tuesday evening for the test session on Wednesday. The first pass I went a 6.91 and second pass a 6.90. The whole DSR team was pleased with those results, so we loaded up and headed to the Gators.

Friday was qualifying, and I was excited. This was my first race with my new team. My new team is awesome and top notch. DSR has everything organized and ready. This is also my first race without Angie being in the same pit area. We got to park beside one another, so that was really convenient. I showed Ang a lot of the fuel injection things with the Buell so I could focus on doing a great job for my new team. First pass, Ang was four pairs in front of me. No one had gone a 6 second pass yet. I really didn’t know how she would do. I saw a 6.96 at189 come up, and I was pumped up. She did a good job. Then it was my turn, and I went a 6.94 at 189, so I was No. 1 qualifier first pass. I was happy with that. Each session after that, the conditions got worse so not many people improved. Ang ended up qualifying No. 4, and I was No. 1. It was fabulous. That is the highest she has ever qualified at an NHRA race. I was proud of her.

Sunday was race day. I was ready for us to go some rounds. We both had fast motorcycles. Both of us got past first round. Second round was good for me but not for Angie. She had to race Andrew Hines, and I thought she had a pretty good shot at beating him. She did her burnout and couldn’t get the bike in first gear. She was really heartbroken, but she managed to be alright. Something broke in the transmission preventing it from going into first gear. I really wanted to race her in the semifinals. Instead, I raced Andrew Hines. I got the win, and I was happy. Last year, I was winless against him. My luck had finally turned around. I had Hector Arana in the final. Hector had a fast motorcycle all weekend. We lost lane choice in the final, so I had to race in the left lane. I didn’t think it was as good as the right lane. When I dropped the clutch I knew I left on him, and he just drove around me. Congrats to Hector!!! He did a great job.

All in all, we had a spectacular weekend at the Gatornationals. My new DSR Nitro Fish Suzuki was putting down some numbers. I want to say thank you to Don Schumacher, Kenny Koretsky, Steve Tartaglia, Jason Jones, and Tom Patsis. Those guys did an awesome job, and we are going to be a force to reckon with this year. Angie did well on the Nitro Fish Buell. Her next race might be Atlanta. We are still trying to decide at this time. Hope all is well with everyone and thanks to everyone that came by the pit area in Gainesville. I will write again soon.