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| SPORTS - July 27, 2010 |
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| Local racer finishes 11th in Saskatoon |
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Ian Kucerak
Leader Staff
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Local racer Jon Teppin came in a respectable 11th place over the weekend at the Arca West Super Late Model (SLM) stock car race in Saskatoon.
While the team battled car stagger issues, due to problems with their competition-required Goodyear tires, they put in competitive times in their first race of the year.
"The car was good right out of the trailer," Teppin said about the vehicle’s setup, adding his team couldn’t get the 2.5-inch difference required to balance the car between its right side and left side tires.
"The right side tires weren’t matching up properly … they’ll grow by an inch when they heat up but these ones weren’t, they only grew by about half an inch," he said.
Teppin qualified 16th in his heat on Saturday, which gave him the pole position and he placed sixth once the dust settled. He started in the main race in the 15th position and crossed the finish line up four positions.
"Some of our lap times are the fastest that I’ve ever run there, so we’re happy about that," he said.
Teppin ran as high as eighth place for much of the race before a flattening tire slowed him during the 25th lap.
The Arca West SLM series has come out of the gate slowly this year after the Canadian government put a leaded-fuel ban into place for race cars, which only went into effect on Canadian tracks.
Since most drivers are now running with unleaded fuel, Teppin said the series is back to where it should be, whether they’re racing in Canada or the United States.
With good hot, dry weather and a new car, Teppin said he had a good time at the race with his pit crew.
Apart from the tire issue, which effects how the vehicle takes corners on the oval track, the car ran smoothly. He’s looking forward to racing in the next series event, which will be held in Saskatoon on Aug. 14.
Because the next race is on the same track and he will be using the same tires, the crew will be ready should the same stagger issue pop up, Teppin said.
Regardless, he’s excited to head out to Saskatchewan to do what he does best – go fast and hopefully get a top 10 finish.
"I was apprehensive about how the (new) car would feel compared to my other one but it actually was really good, there wasn’t a big difference in it other than this car is a little quicker," he said. "I had to gauge my marks a little different: where I had to drive into the corner and how fast I could drive into the corner. Once I got that sorted out in practice then it was good."
The number 38 stock car will be on display for the Blue Heron Fair Days’ Rotary Club fundraising pancake breakfast. It will be parked in the IGA parking lot and Teppin invites the public to come share his passion for racing.
Teppin’s crew consists of Heather Teppin, Ashley Monaghan, Emily Monaghan and Nicole Teppin. He finished in fourth place in last year’s standings and sixth place the year before.
The Arca West SLM series is held on tracks in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Montana. |
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