|
Gerald Racing Team
Crandon World Championship Race Report 2007!
Matt and his team arrived at Crandon Thursday evening so they where able to participate in the Friday morning parade that’s held in down town Crandon. Thousand’s of people and almost every team participates in the event. Gerald and his team wanted to be apart of it to show off their beautiful race car for all their sponsors.
Crandon’s Saturday race is also the World Championship race. This means there is a lot more pressure added to the drivers when they’re battling for the World Championship ring. When the green flag flew Matt came around turn one three cars wide with Jamie Kliekamp and Josh Hintz. All three went side by side over the first two jumps Matt emerged with the lead after the sky box hill coming into the gravel pit. Matt lead the entire first lap with Kliekamp hot on his heals fighting for the top spot. Matt and Jamie already had pulled a big lead over third and where basically racing each other for the win coming in to the finish line turn Matt’s day ended prematurely. While Matt was still leading Jamie and Matt made contact and the end result was a broken brake drum on the #195 Goodyear/King Shocks buggy. “We’re quite disappointed! I feel bad for my team. I have no idea what else I could have done being in the lead. We really had a good run going and I feel I could have won the world championship. There’s nothing really we can do except live to fight another day. We’ll get a world championship sooner then later.” Explained Matt after his crew towed his broken race car back to his pit.
After working on the car all night the team got the car put back together. Matt and his team really wanted the win and wanted it bad. After Saturday’s race the team didn’t think that there luck could get any worse. When the green flag flew Matt came around the first turn in 5th Matt passed last years points champion and world champion Craig Metz, also passed a slower car in the gravel pit and moved into 3rd Behind Kurt Metz and Matt’s good friend Mike Vanden Huevel. On lap 2 going into a turn Matt got inside of Metz and it was a drag race to the first turn. Matt went side by side with Metz into turn one. The two had minimal contact mid way through the turn at about 70mph and Matt ended up with the worst of it. Contact with open wheel race cars in that turn is very dangerous. Matt ended up going up on two wheels and ended up hooking and rolling about five times before landing. The Goodyear/King Shocks buggy was destroyed. Matt was parked in the first turn while cars are racing by for four laps. It didn’t take long for paramedics and track workers to arrive. Whitey from WSORR and the paramedics did a great job in keeping Matt calm and relaxed as he pulled himself out from his car. Matt was pretty upset and knew something was definitely wrong with his knees. Matt broke a third of his steering wheel off during the roll over from the force of his legs bouncing around. Matt ended up going to Rhinelander hospital and after x-rays it showed he has a broken knee cap. Matt went to see an orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday and surgery is scheduled on Thursday. They gave Matt an air cast and crutches. “It was really unfortunate what happened. We had another good run going and had some more bad luck. My team did a great job all year and it’s a shame we’re going to have to sit out the last weekend of the year. Our car is destroyed but it did its job and my safety equipment did its job. I can’t say enough about Sparco seats it kept my head and neck in good shape. I’m pretty lucky to have come out this good for the tumble I took!” Explained Matt after arriving back from the hospital.
“I’d really like to thank every one who helped me Sunday. Especially the Flying Dutchman team, Seefeldt Racing, Chad Reyford, Mike Notary, Dave Egle and most importantly my crew and family, Tyler, Cory, Megan, Ashley, Dan, Mikey, and my Mom and Dad”
Gerald Racing Team 2007 Partners include
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, King Shocks, Spy Optics, Gerald Racing Engines, Power Mist Racing Fuel, Fast Signs, m2r Helmets, and Flying Dutchman Off-Road
Gerald Racing Team
1066 Meadow Lane
Neenah, WI 54956
(920) 858-6561
www.gerald-racing.com
|