Bates' family-owned team borrowed a new Super Late Model from Jeff Taylor at Distance Racing and an engine from fellow PASS North Series competitor Kelly Moore and got here for the Bastille 200. That's saying a lot, because three days ago Bates' night at Thompson International Speedway ended with a destroyed race car in the third turn wall. LEE, N.H. -- I made it to Lee USA Speedway today and, more importantly, so did Adam Bates.
"Oh yeah, I was definitely sore," Bates said.
Immediately after that race at Thompson, Bates said he worried he wouldn't even get to this event tonight. He'd entered as the series points leader, and within minutes of loading up the car he said he had numerous offers from teams to help him out.
"So many people offered stuff, it's too many to name," Bates said.
Bates trails Johnny Clark by 21 points entering this, the eighth race of the season.
Bates' new car is just a loaner, and he said it feels remarkably similar to his old No. 98.
"It didn't feel that much different, to be honest," Bates said. "The inside's a little different, but it's the same chassis as my car."
In other news, there are 29 PASS North Series cars entered tonight.
John Dabrowski smacked the turn two wall to open practice and then local Steve Johnson also and an encounter with the infield guard rail.
Because this is a 200-lap event, teams will be allowed a two-tire change during the race.
Cup Series driver Aric Almirola is here, though he missed the first practice session of the day and had to run just the second 15-minute session.
-- TRAVIS BARRETT, GWC Editor
You have to love the outpouring of support for Adam Bates's after his bad wreck at Thompson....
Jeff Taylor provided Bates with a top notch Distance Racing loaner... and Kelly Moore supplied the horse power to make Bates' bounce back effort at Lee a very good one...He was very competitive, considering he was using the borrowed equipment....
I had to thank Kelly after the race for helping young Bates...
Racing people have such a heart of gold...even when it comes to their chief competition...You gotta love it!
Kelly's reaction was... "We are all one big family here."
That's the true racing spirit that binds all of us together in the racing community....the willingness to help a fellow compeditor keep going for the sake and the benefit of all of us....it's just another chapter of another great racing story that you here of from time to time!
Moore, as it turned out, didn't have such a good night, as he broke a timing chain that caused his car to suddenly lose its power while at speed, setting off a chain reaction wreck behind him...
Such a fickle thing.... this racing luck!....You would have thought the karma would have been better?.....considering?
But so it goes!....It's on to the next show!
Posted by: Norm | 15 July 2009 at 01:01 PM