(Photo by CJR Motorsport)
Inside Line Promotions – CHARLTON, Queensland, Australia (Feb. 12, 2014) – Andrew Felker wrapped up his three-week trip to Australia with his two best performances overseas.
Felker recorded a pair of top fives, including his first podium finish of the season, last weekend at Toowoomba Speedbowl driving for CJR Motorsport.
“Last weekend was definitely our best weekend overall,” he said. “I also felt like we left something on the table.”
Felker started the competition on Friday by advancing from fourth to second place in his first heat race and from eighth to fourth place in his second heat race. The feature was inverted based on the points drivers had accumulated, which started Felker 16th.
“The feature didn’t pay a ton of points,” he said. “Me and (teammate Michael) Pickens were the first two to push the issue. I dove to the bottom groove and Pickens went to the top where nobody else had been all night.”
Felker charged into third place within the first five laps and he maneuvered into the runner-up position around Lap 10 of the 25-lap main event.
“We didn’t have anything for our teammate, Michael Pickens,” Felker said.
Pickens ended up having a mechanical issue that forced him to the infield with approximately five laps remaining. However, Jerry Coons Jr. was credited with a pass on Felker for the runner-up position just prior to Pickens’ exit.
Felker restarted second and he finished third after a last-lap pass by a competitor.
“I tried to stay on the bottom in turns one and two to keep from getting slid and he ended up driving around the outside,” he said.
Felker returned to Toowoomba Speedbowl on Saturday, when the track took a turn for the worse.
“The track was extremely slimy,” he said. “In the heat races it was follow the leader and use up your tearoffs.”
Felker maneuvered from ninth to seventh place in his first heat race and he won his second heat race after starting on the outside of the front row. That advanced Felker to a dash time trial session, which he finished fifth.
“The time trials deal we’re out there basically hot lapping again for three or four laps and they line you up by time for the feature,” he said.
Felker was fifth quickest, but a driver ahead of him dropped out from the feature so Felker started on the outside of the second row. A bigger issue than starting position was setup.
“Hoosier ran out of tires by the end of the weekend and we had to roll out with less stagger than we wanted,” Felker said. “We kinda missed the setup and it went green to checkered and I didn’t have a chance to make any adjustments to the car. We never managed to get through turns three and four right until about 10 laps to go. I needed some yellows to make some adjustments. The car came to us at the end, but by that point everyone is so spread out it’s hard to make up any ground.”
Felker settled for a fifth-place result, which marked his second straight top five.
He returned to the U.S. earlier this week after a successful three-week journey to Australia.
“It was a good time and I appreciated the opportunity to go racing for CJR Motorsport again,” he said. “I think we had a better car than the results showed. We needed some lucky breaks to go our way. As of right now the game plan is to go back next year and run for them again.”
Felker’s next scheduled event will be the 1st annual Turnpike Challenge with the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series March 21-22 at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Oklahoma City, Okla., and March 23 at Port City Raceway in Tulsa, Okla.
QUICK RESULTS –
Feb. 7 – Toowoomba Speedbowl in Charlton, Queensland, Australia – Heat race #1: 2 (4); Heat race #2: 4 (8); Feature: 3 (16).
Feb. 8 – Toowoomba Speedbowl in Charlton, Queensland, Australia – Heat race #1: 7 (9); Heat race #2: 1 (2); Dash Time Trials: 5 (4); Feature: 5 (4).
SEASON STATS –
8 races, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 5 top 10s, 6 top 15s, 6 top 20s
UP NEXT –
March 21-22 at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Oklahoma City, Okla., and March 23 at Port City Raceway in Tulsa, Okla., for the 1st annual Turnpike Challenge with the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.AndrewFelkerRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndrewFelker11a
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndrewFelkerRacing
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.
Established in 1980, Engler Machine & Tool, Inc., builds fuel injection systems, custom made pulling chassis, gears, shafts, specialty CNC products, racing engines and some custom machining. For more information, visit http://www.EnglerMachine.com.
“I’ve been with Engler Machine & Tool for three and a half years now and you can’t get better customer service than Engler,” Felker said. “I wouldn’t drive a race car without Engler injection on it.”
Felker would also like to thank Auto Xpress, 66 Truck & Foreign Salvage, MelMark Pipe & Supply, CSI Shocks, Momo’s Racing Engines, Fontana Automotive, Schluckebier Farms, Pro Powder Coating, All-Pro Auto Interiors, Aggressive Graphics, KBR Performance, Weld Wheels, KMK Enterprises, Heath II, Wilwood, Maxim Racewear and Leading Edge Composites for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Feb 12, 2014
- Article Date: 2/12/2014 by Inside Line Promotions