2004 Season Highlights
All photos by Tom Gallo

Dion Wins Busch Pole Award Championship

Congratulations to Dave Dion and the Dion Brothers Racing team for capturing the 2004 Busch Pole Award championship for the Busch North Series!   Dion finished the season with 3 Busch Pole Awards, raising his Busch North career total to 22, and was one of only two drivers to win more than one Pole Award this season.    The team demonstrated their short track expertise by capturing the pole award at three of the series five short track events.   The cancellation of the final 2 short track events was a disappointment for the team as they were hoping to use those races as an opportunity to score some points and perhaps a win in 2004.  Despite missing both the Dover and Watkins Glen races, the team finished 17 in the series point standings.

 

Tough day at NHIS 9/20 - The Dion Brothers Racing team had a strong qualifing effort at NHIS to start 12th on the grid. During the race the car was running well and the team was looking for a good finish when Dion was caught up in a spin that happened in front of him.  The incident left Dion's car with suspension damage that caused the team to lose several laps to make repairs.  Dion finished the day in 25th place.

 

Disappointment at      Adirondack

7/31 - The Dion Brothers short track car was so damaged after Waterford that all crew chief Roger Dion could do was cut off everything behind the driver's seat and start over.  After many long nights in the race shop, the Dion Brothers had the car back together and running well at Adirondack.  The car was fast in practice and handling well during the race.  The Dion Brothers race strategy was to pit late or not pit at all so Dave stayed on the track during an early caution while others pitted for tires.  Unfortunately, just two laps after going green while the leaders were lapping cars, Andy Santerre put his car in a hole that wasn't really there, sending a lapped car spinning into Dion's Taurus.  The force of the impact damaged the front end of the car, breaking a wheel spindle and ending Dion's day.  The 24th place finish drops Dion to 12th in the series point standings. The next race for the Dion Brothers racing team is BeechRidge on Aug. 21

Friends and family join Dion at Adirondack

 

Dion Finishes 19th at NHIS 7/24 - Dion Brothers finish 19th at NHIS after fighting a tight condition all day and pitting several times to fix a tail pipe problem.  According to Dave "I guess I was a little too conservative after wrecking the car at Waterford and didn't give Paul the right information on the setup.  The car felt good in happy hour but got tight when the race started and when you're tight at Loudon, there's not alot you can do."  The Dion Brothers finished on the lead lap and retained 10th place in the series point standings.

 

Short Day at Waterford 7/17 - Race day at Waterford ended early for the Dion Brothers as a crash in practice destroyed their short track car.  According to driver Dave Dion, "The car was really dialed in, just about perfect, and then it just snapped around into the wall.  We can't find anything mechanically wrong - maybe I was a little out of the groove - I just don't know."  With only a few days before Loudon, the team decided to leave their speedway car in the hauler and focus on their next race rather than chase points and risk losing two cars at Waterford. Dion was awarded 24th place points and is now 10th place in the series point standing, but looking forward to a better day at Loudon.

 

7/10 - Late race penalty gives Dion 14th place at Erie After pitting late in the race due to a tire problem, Dion was working his way back up through the field and was in position for a good finish when the caution flew with just a few laps to do.  Dion and  another car touched during the caution as they both tried to avoid the cars spinning on the track.  The other car spun and  was able to continue while Dion was called in for a stop and go penalty.  With Roger discussing the penalty with officials and the race ending with a green-white-check finish, Dion continued on to cross the finish line in 7th.  He was dropped to 14th, the last car on the lead lap, after the race for not taking the stop and go penalty.  The 14th place finish dropped Dion to 6th place in points.

 

6/26/04 - Dion wins Third Pole of the Season at Holland Finishes 8th to maintain 5th place in points

 

6/18/04 - Dion Brothers Racing team works for 6th place finish at Stafford

 

6/11/04 Dion wins Seekonk Busch Pole Award, finishes a strong 5th

Dion Bros. 10th in points after
satisfying run at Lime Rock Park