It was a great day for racing at Lennard High School with 14 cars from 10 teams in 3 divisions.

The schools name sake, Dr. Earl Lennard, former Hillsborough County School Superintendent dropped the green flag a 10 A.M. on a bright and sunny day.

The course was just short of a half mile around the drivers ed. range, a parking lot and as an added treat around the dumpsters.  The fastest lap of the day was just over 54 seconds by Drew in the 72 car.  He also turned in the top lap count of the day at 111 for both races.

Our ranks are growing.  USF was back with their Lithium Ion battery powered car.  They were here for testing and only ran the second race.  As fast as they were going the other cars in the Experimental Battery Class better look out when they are 100%.

Strawberry Crest was back and put in a good showing with a 3rd place finish in both races for 3rd overall.

The home team did a fantastic job getting the course ready for the races.  There were a lot of hay bales and tires to sling.  The Lennard 86 car was having a great day in the first race, right up to the point where their rear drive wheel had a slight problem when it lost its ball bearings.  Any time there is a problem with the drive wheel on any of these cars it makes for a real bad day.  Lennard missed 3rd place while sitting in the pits at the end of the race.

In the second race Brandon High School took 1st and 2nd in the High School Class.  The #14 car edged out the #9 car on time with the same lap count.  Strawberry Crest beat the Middleton #365 car by 13 seconds for 3rd place over the one hour.

Brandon took 1st in both races for their 1st overall of the year.  Something about new batteries in old cars.  They are working on a new car to start replacing the 8 year old cars they are using.

In the Open Class, in the first race Tiger Racing and Robinson Racing were neck and neck the whole race with Robinson Racing edging out Tiger for a 1st.  In the second race it was Tiger Racing all the way when Robinson Racing had to withdraw with mechanical problems.

In the Experimental Battery Class we want to welcome back Team USF.  They should give the Electrocutioners and ProEv a run for it when the are fully operational.  They only ran the second race but were very fast.  ProEv had some chain problems in the first race but kept it together in the second for a close 1st place heat win.

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE PITS

Some teams need to work on their mirrors.  Way to much duct tape could cost you next race.  Check the rule book.  You can not continue racing if any safety device or ballast item fails during a race.  YOU MUST fix it or be DQ.   Our cars are electric/battery powered, everyone who works on them should know how to hook up a battery or electrical item properly and the wiring should be either red for positive and black for negative.  Positive = RED, Negative = Black.  One of the cars was having a problem getting their transmitter to register at the start of the race.  The transmitter was fried/killed/dead when it was hooked up when the ground side was connected to the positive side of the battery.  $50 plus transmitter fried.  This is the third or fourth one in two years.  All team should keep 9V batteries in their kit to use with the Red transmitters or if there is a problem with the wiring harness on the white ones.

We want to welcome Jefferson High School.  They are working on a car and had a team at the race to get a feel for how its done.  Word is Plant High School might have their car ready for the January Race at Wharton High School.

RACE RESULTS

High School  1st Brandon #14, 2nd Middleton #365, 3rd Strawberry Crest #30, 4th Brandon #9

Open Class 1st Tiger Racing #4, 2nd Robinson Racing #94, 3rd HCC #13

Experimental Battery Class  1st Electrocutioners #72, 2nd Electrocutioners #8, 3rd Pro Ev #39, 4th USF #132

Vic