Todd Putnam
February 28th, 2008, 12:08 PM
February Freeze "Putnam's Perspective"
I write a weekly blog after each of our club races, "Putnam's Perspective," similar to Bruce Ellis' column "Nobody Asked Me But..." that he used to write for Open Wheel magazine.
Some asked me why I don't write one up after the big races, and they brought up a good point...so here goes-
-We missed not having Fred, Pete and Sam with us at the Freeze.
-If Sam was there, we would have had 3 times the tire dust at the truer.
-It was great to win the EDM Mod A-main with our new brushless motor-
-David Dick had a problem surface that I had never seen...I guess you never stop learning.
-The General and Frank Tucker beat 95% of the racers to the track each morning, and neither one were racing. Thanks guys!
-Frank Polimeda has lost nothing at the transmitter, even though this was his first race in years.
-Jolene bakes one helluva mean chocolate chip cookie, and is more of a racer than most men I know.
-Thanks to Kevin Stine and John Wohnus for keeping me fat-The treats were killer!
-Thanks to Dan and Rene Gill at Atomic Signworks- Not only do we have the fastest cars, but now the best looking as well-
-I went back and re-read our playbook, and I still can't find where it says, "Everyone crash once in the beginning of the stock A-Main..."
-I can't believe Solly pitted over my right shoulder-I barely heard him or got to talk with him all week-and no traces of beer cans?
-Our Nitro Program is coming along faster than I ever expected, and all the pieces aren't in place yet...;)
-We were able to TQ the USOW with our Pro-Nitro EDM, but the Freeze was our first major win with our new Nitor program...Thanks Terrrrr.
-Terry Schmitt is still the best closer in the bullpen.
-Kevin Ridley can do more with a helmet ride than most others do with their entirely own program.
-Speaking of Kevin, I was impressed that even though others deliberately tried to cost him his TQ runs, he never had anyone by the throat or distributed black eyes...
-Jeff Hotaling speaks softly but carries a BIG stick. I like that his actions speak louder than words.
-It is a crime that at the last two races, Scott Hotaling hasn't grilled any food. He deserves the time off ofter the USOW though..
-I would have liked to see the number we put up if Kevin and Shannon ran the Stock A-Main clean.
-It feels as if Jason Blum has been part of our team for years.
-Joe Polimeda's announcing in practice certainly was 'colorful'.
-Phinney had a better car than the results showed. Just needed a little luck...
-Our two resident custom bike builders, Ken Miller and Rich Roy pitted across from one another-I wonder what they talked about all week?
-Rich Roy raced his way into the A-main after a 10? year hiatus...
-There is a big difference between "manufactured" and "remanufactured."
-Mike Valentine never turned a lap before heat 1, and raced his way into the A-Main by winning the B-nice job.
-Valentine drove home with only one sock-the other is still in Bumps parking lot.
-Shilo gets the award for tearing up the most stuff of the week, and learned a lesson-Nitro cars are no fun when the receiver pack stops working while you are on the track.
-John Schulz fought off illness to stuff it in the B-Main. Like I always say, champions play hurt...
-The NYSE showed a huge spike in caster block Stocks on Monday morning.
- I can now add a page to my setup notebook on "traction rolling" on dirt.
-The same car that traction rolled ran a tenth quicker than any car in the A-Main-all in the same run. Time to play with C of G..
-PA clay is the best-hence the great 1:1 sprint tracks.
-Little Ed Strada is unbelievably impressive, on and off the track-
-Dave Loughead is now known as the Roger Penske of R/C.
-It was great to see Jake Flurer, and more so, Janet.
-Johnny Wohnus is still helping me, 16 years later.
-I miss being at a dirt oval race in PA and not having Brian Breckenridge pit next to me.
-Sydney weaseled more ice cream out of Frank Tucker in a weekend than she weasels out of me in a month.
-If Sydney and Carter ever walk down the aisle, Dan is designing the invitations and announcements. Our families sure would make for an interesting Thanksgiving day gathering...:o
-I don't think Chris and Jackie combined weigh 200 lbs... Do these two ever sleep?
-It was good to see all my PA brothers...but I missed Coop.
-Where was Arnie?
-It was great to see Ryan Korek-
-It was great to see Mom Cutman, where you are still greeted with a hug.
-Rob Cutman is still one of the greatest dirt wheels of all time.
-The coffee and food genie kept visiting my pit when I wasn't looking- thanks guys!
-Sydney jogged around the track after the mains and never hit a thing...maybe she should wheel my Nitro rides.
-Reggie works harder than it ever shows. I gained a lot of respect for anyone who keeps the same hours I do.
-Saturday night, we had the entire place to ourselves. It was Kevin Stine, Steve Salvas, Reggie, Shilo, John, the General and myself- working into Sunday morning.
-Our wind tunnel paid dividends already.
-Naming Nitro Engines is cool.
-I have about 4 legal pages of new things I want to test.
-How did we beat Nick Rank and George packing up Sunday?
-I wish I could have stayed to test Sunday night.
-I feel sorry for any team who doesn't have The General or Frank Tucker in their camp. :thumbsup:
I write a weekly blog after each of our club races, "Putnam's Perspective," similar to Bruce Ellis' column "Nobody Asked Me But..." that he used to write for Open Wheel magazine.
Some asked me why I don't write one up after the big races, and they brought up a good point...so here goes-
-We missed not having Fred, Pete and Sam with us at the Freeze.
-If Sam was there, we would have had 3 times the tire dust at the truer.
-It was great to win the EDM Mod A-main with our new brushless motor-
-David Dick had a problem surface that I had never seen...I guess you never stop learning.
-The General and Frank Tucker beat 95% of the racers to the track each morning, and neither one were racing. Thanks guys!
-Frank Polimeda has lost nothing at the transmitter, even though this was his first race in years.
-Jolene bakes one helluva mean chocolate chip cookie, and is more of a racer than most men I know.
-Thanks to Kevin Stine and John Wohnus for keeping me fat-The treats were killer!
-Thanks to Dan and Rene Gill at Atomic Signworks- Not only do we have the fastest cars, but now the best looking as well-
-I went back and re-read our playbook, and I still can't find where it says, "Everyone crash once in the beginning of the stock A-Main..."
-I can't believe Solly pitted over my right shoulder-I barely heard him or got to talk with him all week-and no traces of beer cans?
-Our Nitro Program is coming along faster than I ever expected, and all the pieces aren't in place yet...;)
-We were able to TQ the USOW with our Pro-Nitro EDM, but the Freeze was our first major win with our new Nitor program...Thanks Terrrrr.
-Terry Schmitt is still the best closer in the bullpen.
-Kevin Ridley can do more with a helmet ride than most others do with their entirely own program.
-Speaking of Kevin, I was impressed that even though others deliberately tried to cost him his TQ runs, he never had anyone by the throat or distributed black eyes...
-Jeff Hotaling speaks softly but carries a BIG stick. I like that his actions speak louder than words.
-It is a crime that at the last two races, Scott Hotaling hasn't grilled any food. He deserves the time off ofter the USOW though..
-I would have liked to see the number we put up if Kevin and Shannon ran the Stock A-Main clean.
-It feels as if Jason Blum has been part of our team for years.
-Joe Polimeda's announcing in practice certainly was 'colorful'.
-Phinney had a better car than the results showed. Just needed a little luck...
-Our two resident custom bike builders, Ken Miller and Rich Roy pitted across from one another-I wonder what they talked about all week?
-Rich Roy raced his way into the A-main after a 10? year hiatus...
-There is a big difference between "manufactured" and "remanufactured."
-Mike Valentine never turned a lap before heat 1, and raced his way into the A-Main by winning the B-nice job.
-Valentine drove home with only one sock-the other is still in Bumps parking lot.
-Shilo gets the award for tearing up the most stuff of the week, and learned a lesson-Nitro cars are no fun when the receiver pack stops working while you are on the track.
-John Schulz fought off illness to stuff it in the B-Main. Like I always say, champions play hurt...
-The NYSE showed a huge spike in caster block Stocks on Monday morning.
- I can now add a page to my setup notebook on "traction rolling" on dirt.
-The same car that traction rolled ran a tenth quicker than any car in the A-Main-all in the same run. Time to play with C of G..
-PA clay is the best-hence the great 1:1 sprint tracks.
-Little Ed Strada is unbelievably impressive, on and off the track-
-Dave Loughead is now known as the Roger Penske of R/C.
-It was great to see Jake Flurer, and more so, Janet.
-Johnny Wohnus is still helping me, 16 years later.
-I miss being at a dirt oval race in PA and not having Brian Breckenridge pit next to me.
-Sydney weaseled more ice cream out of Frank Tucker in a weekend than she weasels out of me in a month.
-If Sydney and Carter ever walk down the aisle, Dan is designing the invitations and announcements. Our families sure would make for an interesting Thanksgiving day gathering...:o
-I don't think Chris and Jackie combined weigh 200 lbs... Do these two ever sleep?
-It was good to see all my PA brothers...but I missed Coop.
-Where was Arnie?
-It was great to see Ryan Korek-
-It was great to see Mom Cutman, where you are still greeted with a hug.
-Rob Cutman is still one of the greatest dirt wheels of all time.
-The coffee and food genie kept visiting my pit when I wasn't looking- thanks guys!
-Sydney jogged around the track after the mains and never hit a thing...maybe she should wheel my Nitro rides.
-Reggie works harder than it ever shows. I gained a lot of respect for anyone who keeps the same hours I do.
-Saturday night, we had the entire place to ourselves. It was Kevin Stine, Steve Salvas, Reggie, Shilo, John, the General and myself- working into Sunday morning.
-Our wind tunnel paid dividends already.
-Naming Nitro Engines is cool.
-I have about 4 legal pages of new things I want to test.
-How did we beat Nick Rank and George packing up Sunday?
-I wish I could have stayed to test Sunday night.
-I feel sorry for any team who doesn't have The General or Frank Tucker in their camp. :thumbsup: