Good run at Riverside turns bad late in race for the Dion Bros./Berlin City Team
I guess the most important thing for our race team over the years is to run good wherever we go and to accept the end results the best we can. We get asked all the time lately how much longer we plan on running and our answer is pretty straight forward. I always say "As long as we are competitive, get some enjoyment from racing, and don't create any hardship on our families we will stay involved in the sport". The reason I start the Riverside report with this statement is because of the first part of our answer, which is to remain competitive.
It has always been my (and my brothers) biggest fear to become "back of the pack racers" and not have enough sense to get out of the sport and leave it to the new kids. When we wandered into the "Super Late Model" type races at Oxford last year we knew we would be at a disadvantage with old equipment and old fashion beliefs but we needed a challenge moving forward. I knew my team wouldn't keep racing just to race so the success of that old late model would probably close the book on our career if we "couldn't stay up with traffic". Although we haven't won and seem to get a lot of bad finishes, our team has remained competitive everywhere we choose to race so the end isn't near yet.
When we decided to add Riverside to our racing schedule this year it wasn't because we had great confidence of a win but because it was a chance to support our long time sponsor and friends at Berlin City, located nearby. We spent the day at the dealership on Friday, had lunch with Danny, our long-time sponsor, and discussed what the future held for the team and all our families. In 1987 the Dion team had shut down because of the high cost of running competitively and were working with the Tate Bros. Paving Team just to stay in the sport. I met Danny through a mutual friend and as they say "the rest is history".
As Billy and I headed for the track Saturday morning, the dark clouds and weather forecast didn't offer much hope of a race any time soon. I have to give "PASS" and Riverside credit for going ahead with the show and for all the fans that turned out despite the predictions. We hit the track for the first practice and were relieved that despite the major damage at the last race the car was driving and handling really well. Once again I decided to drive the track like more familiar ones and that sent us in the wrong direction chassis-wise. We drew a good spot in the heat race and finished second but the car needed major adjustments to un-do the bad changes I asked for earlier in the day.
As I watched the crew prepare the car for the feature I realized why putting a time table on our retirement is so foolish and difficult to do at this time. This team is still one of the best in the sport and with equal equipment and younger driver could win anywhere they choose to compete. Over the years many opportunities have been available to my brothers and me individually but staying together as a family always made our mother proud and being successful at all cost was not an option.
As we got under way in the feature I realized once again that my brother Paul had preformed his normal magic and had given me a winning car to work with. I got by a few cars and then dogged the front runners waiting for them to weaken a little more before challenging for the win. The win never came due to a spin under caution with another car and later a right rear flat under green. I could see the disappointment on the crew's faces as I came in. Sometime wonder if I can ever get them their first PASS victory. When I drove their NASCAR short track car I always felt like I was one of the best but haven't got that feeling yet in our PASS car. I guess maybe my disappointment is coming out now four days later and I'm trying to deal with it by writing this report.
Despite the bad finish it was fun to race again in front of a great crowd and to represent Berlin City at their home track in Groveton. Thank you once again to all the fans that came out to support our series and their local short track. Once the team decides on their next race I will get all the info. on our site for everyone.
Yours truly,
Dave