An Offer We Can't Refuse

No sooner had we posted last month's update in which we mused about the demands that running one kart for two drivers would place on the team, did we receive an interesting offer that would alleviate those concerns.

Butch McCall of McCall Motorsports surprised us with an offer to build a kart specifically for Dana and maintain it for her throughout the season. Butch has been mentioned on this web site before, offering advice at our various disoriented times last season as well as being our engine builder since last July. Butch has years and years of sprint car and kart experience and has spent the last several years as a hired "tuner" for teams serious about their karting results. Butch's credentials are widely accepted and more than a few seasoned drivers would drop everything to drive a kart prepped by Butch.

But apparently Butch likes the idea of showcasing his engineering and tuning skills with aspiring drivers and the fact that he sees potential in Dana is immensely flattering. In considering Dana, Butch said he had reviewed her laps times (right here on the Conlin SpeedSports web site) and felt she was not far off a competitive pace. He also said he was impressed by her consistency - an indication of her control and high level of concentration at those speeds. The fact that she wouldn't be bringing a helmet full of bad habits probably didn't hurt either.

Dana will still be a card-carrying member in good standing of Conlin SpeedSports and will only be on loan to McCall Motorsports. And I plan to continue to coach and work with her every time she climbs into the kart. But while she's racing with Butch, she'll have resources the rest of us have only dreamt about: a fully outfitted 26' enclosed trailer to base out of at the track, a chassis built and balanced around her, six motors for a constant supply of peak power and four clutches to choose from to always use that power. Not to mention a full race fabrication shop back at McCall Motorsports HQs in Grove City.

But the mechanical and intellectual resources at her disposal will allow her to assess her abilities with topnotch equipment. And that in itself may be the greatest aspect of this arrangement. The opportunity for a driver to demonstrate true potential without the question of whether the car or kart is prepped and set up properly is one that is rarely realized. The Motor Racing World is teeming with frustrated drivers who, had they only had better equipment, would have been champion by now. Several times over. (Yes, I do speak from personal experience.) (No, I'm not bitter. Although I did tell Butch to ignore me if he ever catches me looking at Dana's effort like a sad, hungry dog watching somebody eat a steak.)

The only downside to this arrangement seemed to be having Dana around the Conlin SpeedSports compound a little less on race day. To resolve this McCall Motorsports and Conlin SpeedSports will be pitting together whenever possible allowing Dana to keep an eye on us and us on her.

This promises to be interesting and exciting regardless of how it turns out. Check back often to keep posted.