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Everyone says one's first try at the 3/8mile Rocky Mountain Raceway, is a learning experience. That is definitely what it was for Laura Hayes and her team.
Right off the trailer, Laura was a fast as anyone, even the local racers who are extremely fast. But as the day progressed, most everyone, but Laura, seemed to get faster as she was still trying to figure out the tricky track and get the car working properly. Stagger and tire pressures turned out to be critical issues for obtaining a good setup. Laura would qualify in the 15th position.
While waiting for the main event for the Firecracker 100, Laura was interviewed by local newspapers and got a chance to talk with the crowd. She was one of six females who participated that weekend; the record for a USAC race is seven females. (check out the article in the "press" section) The Utah people were extremely friendly and helpful, making everyone's trip there very enjoyable.
This was Laura's first 100 lap race which meant she had 100 laps to get from her 15th starting position to the front. After being held up behind a slower car for many laps, the leaders were beginning to catch her. Laura finally got underneath the slower car but it was too late and the leader (Jimmy Wysong) passed her, putting her a lap down. Laura was finding that as the laps ran down, she was figuring out the track, but as the tires heated her stagger would change and the car would go loose. A yellow came out and Laura found herself between the leader and the second place car. Her tires cooled and on the restart she was able to run with the leader and run away from second place. But after 7 or 8 laps the tire temperatures increased and the stagger changed, the car went away and she again had to battle a very loose car. On her 79th lap Laura ran her fastest lap of the race, almost ½ a second faster than her qualifying time. Unfortunately on lap 80 the race would come to an end for Laura when another car made a banzai move on her entering turn 1, taking them both out of the contest. Laura would end the day in 13th, the highest finishing female.
Laura did learn a lot that weekend, especially from following Wysong for a number of laps and learning the proper line. The team plans on returning to Utah on August 12th to run a Rocky Mountain Series race so Laura can get some more experience and seat time on the fun, yet tricky Rocky Mountain Raceway.
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