The rain came and then it went away and then it came back again.
Valient effort by the I-96 Speedway team to try and get this race in as they waited and waited for conditions to improve, but one final heavy squal late in the afternoon was more then the track could take and this week’s event had to be postponed.
We took the opportunity from this rain out to talk with Ultimate Champions Late Model Series driver Kris Patterson.
Some might be surprised to hear that Kris Patterson is racing in 2009, as most folks know, Kris had announced his retirement last fall and hadn’t planned on racing this year.
“I love racing, I’ve done it for quite a few years and its pretty hard to get away from. I announced my retirement last year and I really did plan on hanging it up. But Mike (Mouch, Owner of I-96 Speedway) stopped into the shop this winter and offered me an opportunity to try the Ultimate Champions Late Model Series so we decided to give it a try.”
For folks that don’t know, the NeSmith Ultimate Late Model Series run at I-96 Speedway features probably the best collection of driver’s from top to bottom in the state of Michigan. These drivers run identically prepared motors, putting the ultimate performance of the car in the driver’s hands.
The list includes Rick Stout, Stanton, MI; Jeff Kohn, Sheridan, MI; Roger Wing, Middleton, MI; Gary VanderMark, Lowell, MI; Alvie Haynes, Mt. Pleasant, MI; John McClure, Lowell, MI; and other big names.
One of the things which convinced Kris to un-retire was the cost effectiveness of the Ultimate Champions Late Model Series.
“I think its going to be an upcoming thing. Its a good class to get into. Its real affordable, you can buy a motor for $5200, if you want to get into Late Model Racing, you can.”
Kris was quick to point out that he never said he was quiting racing. “I never said I’d get out of racing, I just wasn’t planning on driving myself. I planned on having soemone drive the car, plus I have a son who is 17 years old who is running a factory stock here at I-96 Speedway. I have a couple of other guys who I’m going to mentor a bit and get some seat time in the Late Model.”
Having Kris Patterson be a teacher is an amazing opportunity for a young driver to learn the trade from one of the best that every buckled into a race car.
“Donny McClure is a young man who is doing a good job and is a good young driver and I want to give them the opportunity to get some experience in this class. This class is a great class, they’ve been running it down south for quite a few years now and its going to grow. I know quite a few drivers whom I have talked to who wish already that they would have gotten in on this deal.”
One of the knocks of any Crate Engine series is that the racing isn’t pure or the action isn’t everything you would get from an open motor series.
“I’ll tell you what, you look at the stop watch and tell me that these things aren’t fast. They might not go down the straights quite as fast as an open motored car, but they are faster through the corners. We are making over 400hp with these power plants and you can put it all on the ground. You don’t spin the tires and instead of babying the pedal, your getting it going. At this point, its about the driver.”
One of the things which surprised us talking to Kris was that he was a paper boy for the MARC Times Racing News and Dick Beebe back when his dad was a car owner and Kris was at the track as a youth.
Kris is one of the geniune nice guys in racing and quite simply one of the best. This might be your last chance to see him, so get out to I-96 Speedway.
