Todd Putnam
February 26th, 2008, 7:12 PM
The 2008 Bumps and Jumps "February Freeze" is in the books, and it was another incredible weekend for Team Putnam. Here's a rundown:
ELECTRIC:
STOCK EDM: 5 of the 8 A-Main cars were 2008 6/2 Putnam Pro Cars, with 7 out of 8 utilizing Putnam Propulsion Stock Motors.
Congrats to Kevin Ridley for TQ'ing all 3 rounds of qualifying, putting up a faster time with each round. It looked as if his dominating performance from qualifying would continue in the main, as he was leading until getting collected by a lap car that was involved in a wreck.
3rd- Dan Gill: Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
4th- Jason Blum: Putnam Pro-Car / Putnam X-Stock
5th- Shannon Pitcher: Putnam Pro Car / Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
6th/TQ- Kevin Ridley: Putnam Pro Car / Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
7th- Rich Roy: Putnam Pro Car / Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
8th- Mike Valentine: Putnam Pro Car / Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
MOD EDM: This was the first race we were able to utilize our newest Putnam Propulsion "TODDZILLA" Brushless Mod Motors, and the results were amazing! It took some tuning and R&D to figure out all the variables we were faced with our new brushless motors, but we got if sorted out in time for the mains. The top 3 cars were all Putnam Pro-Cars powered by Putnam Motors!
1st: Kevin Ridley: Putnam Pro-Car / Putnam Brushless / TQ Cells
2nd: Jason Blum: Putnam Pro-Car / Putnam Mod / TQ Cells
3rd: Jeff Hotaling: Putnam Pro-Car / Putnam Brushless / TQ Cells
NITRO:
Nitro EDM Our Putnam Pro-Nitro program has gained a ton of momentum since it's release at the US Open Wheel Champs in December. Pete D'Agnolo TQ'd the US Open Wheel in our first ever Nitro Race.
At the Freeze, a Putnam Pro-Nitro car was TQ by 2 laps after the 2nd round, with a 4.3 second fast lap - 3 tenths faster than the next quickest car, which was also a Putnam Pro-Nitro!
I was really looking forward to the 3rd round as the track kept getting faster - and it was the "rocket round" for qualifying. Unfortunately, a marshall walked out on the track during our 2 minute warmup session prior to the start of the Nitro EDM A-heat, claiming 3 cars in the process...two of which were mine and Frank Polimeda's.
Here are the EDM Nitro results for the Freeze:
1st: Terry Schmitt: Putnam Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 25%
3rd: Frank Polimeda: Putnam Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 16%
6th: Jeff Hotaling: Putnam Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 25%
8th: Todd Putnam: Putnam Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 25%
Limited Late Model: I decided to run this class in an effort to work on a setup for the Late Model classes. We have sold many cars to customers that are running them in the Late Model classes, so we needed to develop a solid baseline setup for the Late Models. Since we just started running the Late Model classes, and the setup is so different from the EDM's, it was a great opportunity to do some R & D to develop a setup.
I was able to qualify 3rd in this class, and really learned a bunch through trial and error. Late Saturday night in practice I put a setup on the car that I was extremely happy with- it was fast and comfortable. I went out in a practice run with Steve Salvas who was qualified 3rd in Open Late Model, and was able to stay on the same straightaway with him for 20-25 laps.
I was confident for the A Main, rolled off 3rd on the start, and was all over the top 2 for the first couple of laps...until my car traction rolled. I have never had this happen on dirt, so I was a bit dumb founded. I ran a few more laps, the car felt really good, and then it traction rolled again, so I pulled it off. I was able to turn the fastest lap of the A-Main with a 4.7, which was a tenth quicker than any other car in the main, so the main wasn't a total loss. At least I had found the speed, now we just need to work lowering the car next time to keep it dirty side down... :thumbsup:
8th/(DNF): Todd Putnam: Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 25%
ELECTRIC:
STOCK EDM: 5 of the 8 A-Main cars were 2008 6/2 Putnam Pro Cars, with 7 out of 8 utilizing Putnam Propulsion Stock Motors.
Congrats to Kevin Ridley for TQ'ing all 3 rounds of qualifying, putting up a faster time with each round. It looked as if his dominating performance from qualifying would continue in the main, as he was leading until getting collected by a lap car that was involved in a wreck.
3rd- Dan Gill: Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
4th- Jason Blum: Putnam Pro-Car / Putnam X-Stock
5th- Shannon Pitcher: Putnam Pro Car / Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
6th/TQ- Kevin Ridley: Putnam Pro Car / Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
7th- Rich Roy: Putnam Pro Car / Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
8th- Mike Valentine: Putnam Pro Car / Putnam X-Stock / TQ Cells
MOD EDM: This was the first race we were able to utilize our newest Putnam Propulsion "TODDZILLA" Brushless Mod Motors, and the results were amazing! It took some tuning and R&D to figure out all the variables we were faced with our new brushless motors, but we got if sorted out in time for the mains. The top 3 cars were all Putnam Pro-Cars powered by Putnam Motors!
1st: Kevin Ridley: Putnam Pro-Car / Putnam Brushless / TQ Cells
2nd: Jason Blum: Putnam Pro-Car / Putnam Mod / TQ Cells
3rd: Jeff Hotaling: Putnam Pro-Car / Putnam Brushless / TQ Cells
NITRO:
Nitro EDM Our Putnam Pro-Nitro program has gained a ton of momentum since it's release at the US Open Wheel Champs in December. Pete D'Agnolo TQ'd the US Open Wheel in our first ever Nitro Race.
At the Freeze, a Putnam Pro-Nitro car was TQ by 2 laps after the 2nd round, with a 4.3 second fast lap - 3 tenths faster than the next quickest car, which was also a Putnam Pro-Nitro!
I was really looking forward to the 3rd round as the track kept getting faster - and it was the "rocket round" for qualifying. Unfortunately, a marshall walked out on the track during our 2 minute warmup session prior to the start of the Nitro EDM A-heat, claiming 3 cars in the process...two of which were mine and Frank Polimeda's.
Here are the EDM Nitro results for the Freeze:
1st: Terry Schmitt: Putnam Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 25%
3rd: Frank Polimeda: Putnam Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 16%
6th: Jeff Hotaling: Putnam Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 25%
8th: Todd Putnam: Putnam Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 25%
Limited Late Model: I decided to run this class in an effort to work on a setup for the Late Model classes. We have sold many cars to customers that are running them in the Late Model classes, so we needed to develop a solid baseline setup for the Late Models. Since we just started running the Late Model classes, and the setup is so different from the EDM's, it was a great opportunity to do some R & D to develop a setup.
I was able to qualify 3rd in this class, and really learned a bunch through trial and error. Late Saturday night in practice I put a setup on the car that I was extremely happy with- it was fast and comfortable. I went out in a practice run with Steve Salvas who was qualified 3rd in Open Late Model, and was able to stay on the same straightaway with him for 20-25 laps.
I was confident for the A Main, rolled off 3rd on the start, and was all over the top 2 for the first couple of laps...until my car traction rolled. I have never had this happen on dirt, so I was a bit dumb founded. I ran a few more laps, the car felt really good, and then it traction rolled again, so I pulled it off. I was able to turn the fastest lap of the A-Main with a 4.7, which was a tenth quicker than any other car in the main, so the main wasn't a total loss. At least I had found the speed, now we just need to work lowering the car next time to keep it dirty side down... :thumbsup:
8th/(DNF): Todd Putnam: Pro-Nitro / General HP / Tornado Fuel 25%