You know it's late when you're driving home from a track and Coast to Coast AM is playing on most of the AM radio stations. For those you not familiar with this program, it's been on the air, late nights for the past 25 years or so and deals with the paranormal, conspiracy theories, etc. Tonight's subject was alien abduction and the callers' experiences with UFOs. Most of the callers range somewhere between slightly delusional and completely unhinged. Although sometimes I fall within those parameters, I wasn't eligible to be a caller on this night. Because I had spotted a flying object earlier in the night, but it wasn't a UFO. It was an Identified Flying Object. And it's identity was Bryan Clauson.
The night, all the time from when the heat races were complete had "Throw the green flag and watch the #39 car check out" written all over it. He was just that fast. Especially since his main nemesis, Brad Kuhn, was obviously having problems. From a sour sounding engine in the last few laps of his heat. To only making it out for the feature because of several yellows, that happened before a lap was officially scored. To an early exit. It appeared to be clear sailing for BC. Until the unthinkable happened. An unforced error. Coming out of turn two, no problem and then he just turned it around. All by himself, with no help. This may have been bad for Bryan and his team, but at that point, I think most of us who had purchased a ticket realized that the ticket just got worth a little more. A few seconds before that, we were anticipating this same guy taking off and checking out. And as much of a Clauson fan as I am, that's not what I came to a show that was headlined by wings, to see. I saw a Race of the Year candidate the last time I was at this track. And anything else would be a disappointment. But, in one fail swoop, we went from a potential snoozer, to a race where you had a very fast driver, who made an uncharacteristic blunder, but had 28 laps and a very fast racing surface to atone for his mistake.
Early in the race, Brad Loyet drove to the front. Which was pretty popular, since we were right in the middle of POWRI country and one of their guys was on the point, with big national hitters in the field. Within three or four laps, Clauson had already flown by the bottom third of the field, but they were getting tougher as he ascended through the field. And the cushion was inching closer and closer to the wall, as the race progressed. It was fast up there, but risky. Several went up there and decided to pick a less dangerous place to make a living. Bobby East was a real tough out, but BC's progress wasn't really slowed appreciably until he reached the second place runner, Brett Anderson. Anderson wasn't faster, but he was running a line that interfered with the rim riding Clauson's momentum. So it took quite a few laps to dispose of Brett and claim the runner up position. And when that happened, the question wasn't "Is Clauson fast enough on the wall to out run the bottom running Loyet?" Because he was noticeably faster. But how many laps were still left? And by this point, BC had won most of the crowd over, as they almost always side with the guy screaming around the top, risking it all, trying to catch the guy racing on the bottom. Unfortunately for the leader, the faster car caught him on the 27th lap and was gone like the wind.
If I told this story to other race fans, they'd believe it. They could even picture it. But if I would have called Coast to Coast AM and told this story, they would have labeled me as a crackpot, with a story that was just too improbable.
The only other thing I can say is when the Gold Crown Nationals rolls around, if you can be there, make it point to be there. You'll be glad you did.
Jerry
A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.
Winston Churchill
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A great job by "The Bullet" in the Midget.