I usually ask you to sit back while I tell you about Matt’s race. This time, what I tell you is:

Gonna make you wanna SHOUT,
raise your hands up and SHOUT,
come on now and SHOUT!!
Yeahhh!!!

Phoenix turned out to be one surprise after another---all pretty good and all great fun! I love my new life and Matt has turned into one PROFESSIONAL driver. Yes, I am charged up, and I still have the same batteries from last week!!

Matt ended up in TWO races. On Friday the G and W team was introducing a new car (#01) in the Grand-Am Cup Street Stock Series. Matt was teamed with Steve Marshall, as Steve’s brother, who is his usual teammate, could not drive this day. In qualifying, Matt took the pole, which is race talk for, the position of lead car in the grid!!

#01 sat on the pole only briefly, losing that spot due to "non-regulation" exhaust issues. The car was moved back to 8th position. It was running really well until about 10 minutes before the end of the race---that’s when it lost the transmission and did not finish. Matt still felt good, first about being asked to ride and then about taking the pole.

On to the Sun Automotive 200. Thirty-one cars showed up to qualify. Of the twenty-eight that did, they were by class, SRP 7, SRPII 4, AGT 4, GTS 4 and GT 9. Drendel/Law took the 18th position in the grid.

Phoenix is usually pretty dry and dusty. Just for fun, I did some research on the kind of weather we might get. Average rainfall for the month of April is .29"—less than 1/3 of an inch. The average for a full year in Phoenix is about 8"---well, you guessed it---the race started at 7:00PM and by 8:30PM it was POURING! I think that the half the annual rainfall happened that night.

Matt’s in first for warm up laps. This is a 1 1/2- mile road course and the race should take about two hours to complete. Matt radios to crew chief, "It’s slick as all get out! Am having real problem with windshield fogging up." Crew chief says, "Slicks look like suicide right now. Even though some others have committed to slicks, we’ll stay with rains for now. Turn on the fan to clear windshield."

"I would rather have a stick with a towel attached, as the fan is not helping much," Matt radios. Crew chief answers, "Sit tight, we’re on the way. Turn the wipers off, use only when necessary. We’ll bring more anti-fogger. Try a few lines on the banking to see which works better for you."

The National Anthem has played and the race is about to begin. Matt is sitting in the 9th row on the outside. Crew Chief calls before the start "Have a good time out there, bub. Remember, no passing until you cross the start/finish. Take a deep breath and be careful, as you will not be able to see much."

"Green. Green. Green. Great start, good job, buddy" The class leader is right next to you, don’t worry about him, run your own pace. Leaders are running 11’s, so are you! Track drying out at all?" Matt says, "Not much." Crew Chief says, "You’ve moved up to 15th from 17th. Looks like you are about to lap Jennings. He is running 1:20, you are 1:15. Matt, "Position in class?" Chief, "4th - you got 3 prototypes behind you - gonna be a busy lap."

Matt, "I’m going to slow to clean the windshield. Where are we overall?" Crew Chief radios, "You’re 10th, don’t push it, we’re about half way now. You are back into the 15’s.Good job." Matt says, "Track is drying." Chief says, "No problem, no problem. Hang on for 10 more laps, prototype behind you." Matt, "When I come in we’ll be ready for slicks." Chief, "Copy, thank you."

Seven more laps for Matt. Car #54 is chasing him. Crew Chief says, "Let him by, he has one whole lap to make up." 5 more laps, 4 more laps, 3 more, 2. "Matt keep your concentration, keep it safe. Call me when you’re at the bridge" "Bridge." Chief, "Copy, loosen belt and shoulders. Slow for the pit"

Matt and Darren make the driver change. Darren radios, ‘Give me time to warm up." Chief says, "Don’t worry, we’ll be patient" Then the race is "red flagged" because of all the water on the track. Jet engines are brought out to try to clear some of it. All the cars come in and line up in pit lane. Then the restart, and Darren is able to finish 2nd in GT class. And, that means PODIUM!!!!!!

Another trophy for #81, and that firms the championship position for the #81 TEAM!!!!!!!!!

If that makes you want to SHOUT again, go for it…. everyone here is!!!!!!! Can’t wait ‘till Watkins Glen, our next stop. With Matt and Darren, that means another possible podium and trophy. See you at the Glen!!!!!