[Kirk Spridgeon]

Originally Posted by Motormasher I think I would leave Hagen at the "house", put BaBa Balough in that car, make sure I had Darel Tate to "wrench" nothing against Jim Whiteside but these 2 together with Bland and Balough driving just might bring home all the money!!! Dog gone what a combination that would be!!!! Go Truckers Team... I support your decision behind letting T-Mez go also.

Hagen has won races at Perris. Ballou has yet to make a feature event during the Oval Nationals. His success at Manzanita has been limited, too (although largely due to a big crash and subsequent broken arm last year). Bland has yet to race these tracks, and doesn't have much big-track experience....it's very difficult for Indiana guys to go out there and do well - ask Dickie Gaines, Jon Stanbrough, Brady Short, Scotty Weir.

Should be an interesting trip out West...it will also be Hunter Schuerenberg and Brett Burdette's first trip to Perris.

[1BIGracefan]

Bland may not have BIG track experience in a Sprint car. He does have tons in a Modified I understand the difference but it is BIG track time none the less.

[CRA91]

Originally Posted by 1BIGracefan Bland may not have BIG track experience in a Sprint car. He does have tons in a Modified I understand the difference but it is BIG track time none the less.

Big track experience isn't as much of an issue, it's more like west coast track experience that is much more of a determining factor on how well some of these guys have run out here.

The drivers that Spridge mentioned and Bland are all very good drivers in their own right but it takes a little different driving style and car set up to be really fast out here,Perris is a tough track to learn how to drive it and the set ups are quite a bit different than what most of these guys are used to doing with their cars.

Most of the the guys from the Midwest that have run well out here have either been coming out here for years,have a mechanic that's been out here many times or know a local driver or mechanic that will give them straight facts on how to drive the place and set their car up accordingly.

Manzy I feel is a little more comfortable for your guys since they can relate it to Terre Haute or Eldora(without the banking) and the racing surface is a lot closer to what they are used to running on normally and that all helps them to figure it out much quicker.

In Blands case it will definitely help him having Hagen as a teammate since Darren has won races at Perris and can help him with his driving style as well as car set up which will definitely shorten his learning curve out here.Good luck to him.:thumb

[dirtfan98]

someone put this guy in a ride.. he can drive the wheels off anything. Good Luck Robert... you deserve a ride with someone.

Robert -

Just wondered how it was going? Also, what's your status for next year? Will you be back in the 81 car or are you looking for a ride next year too?

Hoping to see you land something!