Drake using loaned car at Cocopah
When Scott Drake left Canyon Raceway Park in Phoenix on Saturday night, he had the Winter Challenge series point lead firmly in hand.
The only problem was, he no longer had a race car.
And with no race car, his chances of wrapping up the series title here in the Cocopah Speedway IMCA Modified Winter Nationals presented by Sun Graphics tonight and Saturday were non existent.
Then just hours away from boarding a plane in Phoenix and heading home to Webb City, Mo., another driver offered Drake the opportunity to come to Yuma and drive his car.
Now with his trip home on hold, Drake will roll out onto the Cocopah Speedway oval tonight in the Modified owned and usually driven by Jason Briese, from Cleghorn, Iowa.
The plan is for the 40-year-old Drake, a seasoned dirt track racing veteran, to do well and win the series title, which in turn will be a learning experience for Briese.
“This is going to benefit me,” said Briese Thursday afternoon in the pit at Cocopah Speedway. “I want to race, don't get me wrong, but this guy is a walking encyclopedia. He knows everything about these cars, he's a rocket scientist. And it's just going to benefit me.
“He's going to run Friday and Saturday and get the car to where he likes it. Then we'll see how I compare, how it feels to me, see if I can drive it how he likes it.”
Drake showed up at Canyon Raceway Park as a hired gun, brought in to drive the car usually driven by Hazleton, Iowa, driver Darin Duffy, who could not make the trip due to employment obligations. In six starts, Drake won one feature event, finished second in two and fifth in two others.
In his estimation, he should have won three features, “but that's racing,” he said.
Drake said he knew going in that he would not be driving the car after the series left Canyon Speedway Park and headed to Cocopah Speedway. That's because Duffy would be able to make the trip to Yuma.
And Drake had no objections to going home without winning the series crown.
“When someone calls and says I'll pay the plane ticket and it won't cost you a dime to come play a little bit, and it's 80 degrees and 20 at home, I don't have very many opportunities like that,” said Drake.
“I knew that coming out here I wasn't coming (to Yuma),” said Drake. “I was supposed to go home Sunday morning.”
Then over dinner Saturday night, he and Briese came up with the idea for Drake to drive Briese's car.
During the six races at Canyon Speedway Park it just so happened that Drake's car was pitted next to Briese. The two had never met, but Drake took an interest in Briese and his car.
“I struggled the first couple of nights (at Canyon Speedway Park),” said Briese. “I was ready to go home. And he was over, just questioning some things, asking some questions, and he gave me a lot of pointers.”
“I was trying to help him a little bit,” said Drake. “We just started talking and now I'm going wheel his car around here and try to win the points deal.”
WINTER NATIONAL NOTES:
• Scott Drake, from Webb City, Missouri, enters the Winter Nationals as the Winter Challenge Series point leader with 210 points. No. 2 is Chris Abelson, from Sioux City, Iowa, with 205; and No. 3 are Dylan Smith, from Osceola, Neb., and Tim Ward, from Mesa, tied with 201 points.
• Dylan Smith, the 2009 IMCA Modified National Champion is on hand for this weekend's Winter Nationals.
• Cars for the Winter Nationals began arriving Tuesday.
• Scott Drake, who will drive Jason Briese's No. 3 car at Cocopah Speedway, does not own a pair of shorts. He said catching some rays during his stay is out of the question, not to mention wearing any type of sandal. “I don't own any shorts. I could just wear my underwear, I guess,” he said. As for wearing a pair of sandals, “I don't want the dust in my toes. No thank you.”
• 2009 IMCA Modified National Champion Dylan Smith's great Dane “Diesel” has his own autograph card.
• Fans can get live racing lineups during the races and results afterward by going to www.cocpahlive.com
• Cocopah Speedway is located at U.S. 95 and County 15th Street; general admission gates open at 5 p.m.; tickets are: adults – $13; adult military with ID – $11; seniors (55 and older) – $11; children 12 years old and under – free; family pass – $30. For more information call 344-1563 or go to www.cocopahspeedway.com.
