RICH TOBIAS LOST HIS BID FOR A WIN AT SYRACUSE

AFTER A GAMBLE ON FUEL MILEAGE DIDN'T PAY OFF...

 

Rich shown above early in the feature on Sunday would later

make his way into the top 5 on the Moody Mile.

 

October 15th, 2010, Syracuse NY:  It just wasn't to be in 2010 for the Team duo of Lineman and Tobias at Syracuse, as all Rich Tobias could do in the final laps was wait for a push truck after he had just ran out of racing fuel coming out of the 2nd turn. That wait took an awful long time, and personally I can't understand why, since there were a host of push trucks that sat idle for almost a lap before one made it's way onto the speedway to push the USA-1 all the way around the track and into the pit area for a splash of fuel. Tobias would become 2 laps down because of the slow response from the push trucks, and on this race day at Syracuse he was not the only driver who incurred this same thing happening to them.

 

Recapping the week long events at Syracuse started out with the team taking the USA-1 through tech inspection on Tuesday, while it was pouring. Luckily the tech area is under roof so that was a blessing. Tech Officials made their way around the car and found no problems and so the next step would be wait for Wednesday to get some track time. Practice was very productive, and at one point Tobias ripped off the fastest times, and speeds among the star studded field of big block modified drivers. The crew went to work late Wednesday and had the USA-1 Troyer Chassis ready for pole position qualifying.  Though Rich wasn't near as fast as the day before, he still managed to time in the 29th position, which was far better then the previous season when he posted 42nd.

 

Rich started 10th in the 2nd triple 20 lap heat race and knew where he had to finish in order to advance right into the main event on Sunday and not have to race in the last chance race which is held Sunday morning. Tobias got himself into contention and used the power from the Enders Big Block to get him into the 7th place position, which was all the further he needed to make the main event Sunday afternoon.  Using the time wisely the crew used the rest of the day on Saturday going over every nut and bolt on the car.

 

Sunday would see Tobias taking the start from the 20th position out of 40 plus entries. Early on in the advent Tobias used the high and low side to get around slower cars, much like he did during last years race. As the laps went by though the handling on the car started was starting to become to free in the middle and off of the corners. Like many other teams, Lineman and Tobias decided to take a risk and play the fuel mileage game and hope they had just enough to make it to the end of the event. One by one, other drivers were dropping out of the event, victims of playing the same game, but they were coming up short and running out of fuel.

 

With only a handful of laps left in the event, the gamble came to an end for Lineman and Tobias when Rich was coming out of turn 2 he ran out of fuel. If one of the 2 push trucks would have come onto the track right away  they could have easily made it back to the pit area and had Tobias back on the speedway without going down a lap. But, it just wasn't meant to be, by the time the crew had the car filled and Rich was on his way off of pit road Tobias was being logged as being 2 laps down. Tobias still managed to finish in the 15th spot, and only 14 cars finished on the lead lap ahead of him. All in all, the car was once again loaded up in one piece and that is always a big plus when your leaving the Moody Mile, where cars can become nothing but piles of junk within seconds.

 

Bob Lineman Sr, Bob Jr., and Ann Lineman would like to extend many thanks to Enders Racing Engines, Troyer Racecars, Baker Carburetor, Wall Truck Tire, and of course to the entire Crew of the USA-1 who busted their butt all week long. I for one am looking forward to 2011 and seeing Rich and Bob coming back to the Moody Mile for more great racing action, and picking up that big win.