(Photo: SR Driven Media)
Problems In Qualifying Lead To First Round Loss
Dubbin Motorsports returned to Summit Motorsports Park for the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals. True to form the weather in north central Ohio played a vital role in the race schedule and race strategy.
Kirk Wolf and the Dubbin Motorsports team would start from the 16th qualifying position with 2 qualifying attempts ending in tire smoke early in both runs. The third qualifying session scheduled for early Saturday was scrubbed due to continuous heavy rain that visited the area.
When the skys cleared Wolf found himself with a first-round matchup against Hunter Green who qualified in the number one position. Taking on Green driving a Randy Meyer car was a big task considering the qualifying troubles the Dubbin Team had experienced. But, the lower temperature and high humidity environment that greeted the teams following the storms was similar to the weather that the team experienced last year at the Norwalk Track.
We had issues with the clutch discs that caused us to shake the tires in our two qualifying passes,” said Kirk Wolf. “We made a nice run in round one, but was no match for Hunter Green and the Meyer team this weekend”
Car owner Dean Dubbin echoed Wolf’s comments, “We had some problems in qualifying. After shaking and smoking the tires twice we had to go to the line for round one more conservative than we would have liked. The car did what we asked it to do, but it just wasn’t enough against a Randy Meyer car.”
Wolf had a good reaction time and made a clean run but lost to Green who set low ET of the first round with a 5.236 second pass.
“If we were going to have the success we had here last year we needed that third qualifying session to get everything settled,” said Dubbin. “Mother nature had other plans and the run we made in round one would have really been a nice tune-up run for Q3. Then we would have been able to attack the track with better data in eliminations. But, everyone was facing the same conditions and we just missed it this weekend.”
After the first round loss Wolf remained upbeat, “We struggled – and racing does that sometimes. We got behind, and the way things played out we didn’t get the opportunities we needed to get caught up. Drag Racing is unforgiving – you have to be at your best almost every run. You don’t get opportunities to do it over. We’re ok, we have a solid group and a badass car. Dean is going into his two home races with a car that can win those races.”
By the Numbers:
Q1:
9.586 Seconds | 82.44 MPH –
Pulled the tires loose and and lifted
Q2:
11.112 seconds | 77.09 MPH – #16 Qualifier
Pulled the tire loose and lifted
E1:
Hunter Green — .061 5.236 266.53
Kirk Wolf — .050 5.399 268.22
What’s Next:
Car owner Dean Dubbin will take over the driving duties for the next two events at Brainerd International Raceway.
NHRA Regional Event – July 19-20
NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals – August 15-18
Dubbin Motorsports Is:
Dean Dubbin & Karen Dubbin – Team Owners and Driver (Dean)
Kenny Woods – Owner Of KENTEX Roofing Systems
Clay Copeland (with wife Lisa Copeland) – Co-Crew Chief
Chase Copeland (with wife Brittney Copeland) – Co-Crew Chief
Kirk Wolf – Driver
Trevor Jelinski
Scott Jelinski
Don Nolan
Brad Hiatt
Stay in touch with the Dean Dubbin & the DMP Awnings Team:
Facebook – @DMPAwnings
Instagram – @DMPAwnings_
Twitter – @DMPAwnings
Racer.media – @DMPAwnings
Stay in touch with Driver Kirk Wolf:
Facebook – @KirkWolfRacing
Instagram- @KirkWolf
Team Support:
DMP Awnings | Kentex Roofing Systems | Central McGowan | Noonan | NGK Spark Plugs | Goodson | Copeland Race Cars | Wright Brothers Consulting | Aluminum Cabinet Company | Mile High Crankshafts
Motorsports Media | Dubbin Motorsports | Photos: SR Driven Media
