ANTIGO KIWANIS RACE
PLACE: Antigo, WI
DATE: June 12-13, 2004
Saturday, Round 1: The Antigo weekend started with great weather and
great track conditions. With the weekend being a normal two-race format,
plus an additional make-up round from Dresser, WI, the crew was kept
very busy. The first race of the weekend was up and Johnny drew an
eighth place start. Johnny had a promising start and within no time had
moved his Tundra up to third position. In an attempt to make a pass on
second place Scott Baldwin, Johnny was hit abruptly from behind by an
over-aggressive Curt Leduc. This hit punctured Johnny’s rear
BFGoodrich tire and eventually the rear wheel drive went. Johnny
continued the race in front wheel drive finishing in 6th place.
Sunday,
Round 2: Sunday morning brought torrential downpour. The track went from
worse, to worse, to worse! Conditions were very bad. After the decision
was made to keep the race on, the Pro-4’s were told they were the
first race up. Very little track work was done so the track was very
slick with deep mud. Johnny with the help of his BFGoodrich tires pulled
a second place start. As the race continued, mud and water made vision
almost impossible. Johnny lost vision and inadvertently went sliding off
the course. With goggles off, and not being able to see, Johnny got back
on the track but was forced to keep a safe distance from the truck in
front of him. Driving it out and protecting his eyes the Tundra finished
6th again. Sunday, Round 3: As the day went on, the track started to dry
up and became somewhat drivable. Johnny, in his Tundra, pulled the hole
shot and didn’t look back. The Tundra was running strong, and Johnny
was making a comfortable lead for himself. However, luck was not on
their side this weekend, when the front drive axle broke leaving Johnny
with just front wheel drive. Continuing still in first and running
strong, eventually the rear drive shaft broke, and Johnny had to settle
for 7th place. All in all, the weekend was quite disappointing for the
Forest County Potawatomi crew.
They were happy with the Tundra’s performance however, and feel
very confident for the next rounds in Crandon, WI, June 26-27.
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CRANDON BRUSH RUN
Crandon, WI ~ June 26-27
Rounds 4 & 5:Crandon Raceway brought beautiful weather with lots of sunshine. The
weekend began with practice Saturday morning. The Toyota Tundra ran
strong, and Johnny and his crew were very confident with the Toyota’s
performance. The previous week the team was also at the Crandon Raceway,
where Johnny practiced relentlessly on his starts. This practice, Johnny
believes, with the help of a very strong Tundra motor and his BFGoodrich
tires, gave Johnny his two-hole shot weekend. Not to mention a double
win!! Saturday started with a Tundra hole shot, and within a few short
laps Johnny had made himself a comfortable seven second lead giving the
Potawatomi team their first win.Sunday was almost a repeat; the Toyota Tundra got its second hole
shot with Johnny again creating a comfortable lead early in the race.
However, three laps from the end, Johnny started having transmission
problems. Within a laps time Johnny had figured out what gears he had to
work with (2nd & 4th) and strategically used what he had to get him
to the finish line for the second win of the weekend! This weekend
brought the Potawatomi race team back into the points chase.
Thanks to all our family, friends, and fans that were in Crandon
supporting our team!
Next race is in Topeka, Kansas, July 9-11. Topeka will have a makeup
race from Dresser so they will be racing, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Make sure to check our website and get the SPEED TV schedule, if you
couldn’t make it to the track.
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TOPEKA HEARTLAND
RACEWAY
Topeka, KANSAS ~ July 9-11
Topeka’s weather was very hot and humid. The track was short, with
35-second lap times. A fun track, although it did have some technical
areas. A very good track for the Toyota Tundra!. Racing for Friday and
Saturday was late evening under the lights, with Sunday’s race being
mid afternoon. Friday, Round 6: Johnny, and his Toyota Tundra were 4th
on the line, second row. With a third place hole-shot, the Tundra
quickly started moving to the front. By lap three Johnny had passed for
the lead. However, with some light contact his tire was punctured
creating a flat. Johnny also experienced transmission problems late in
the race, losing third gear, but the Tundra did not give up. The Forest
County Potawatomi team took the checker for their third win this season!Saturday,
Round 7: Saturday night’s race, Johnny started in eighth
position. The Tundra, with it’s BFGoodrich Tires hooking up, took
Johnny wide running the far outside, the Tundra swept around the first
turn coming out of the hole-shot in second. By the second lap Johnny
passed for the lead. The Potawatomi Tundra ran smooth, and strong for
the duration of the race giving the team their second win of the
weekend!! Sunday, Round 8: Sunday afternoon brought 90 degree weather.
The Toyota team worked diligently to get the Tundra ready for it’s
third race of the weekend. Starting in the back, Johnny opted again to
go wide around the first turn, this time giving him a third place start.
Within 2 to 3 laps Johnny strategically worked his way to the front.
While passing the leader, Scott Douglas, Johnny was given a black flag,
for what the CORR officials thought was too much contact. The Toyota
Tundra came in for it’s penalty, but was then penalized double for
coming into the pits too hot. The Tundra pulled out of the box in last,
but Johnny wasted no time maneuvering his was thru the pack until again
he was behind the leader. With another attempt Johnny passed the leader,
but the Tundra bicycled. With Johnny regaining himself, now in second
again and on the last lap Johnny made one final attempt in the last
corner for the lead, but came up short, and had to settle for second
place! The weekend was very successful for the Forest County Potawatomi
Team. Coming into the weekend six points down, and leaving four points
up, has got the team very upbeat. Johnny, and his crew left Topeka, very
happy with the Tundra’s performance! Next race Bark River, MI on
August 14 & 15. Don’t forget to tune into SPEED for TV coverage.
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BARK RIVER OFF
ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP
Bark River, Michigan ~ August 14 - 15
Saturday, Round 9: Saturday brought beautiful race weather. Johnny
had to line up ninth because of the invert. Johnny and his Tundra went
into a very dangerous turn one very carefully, coming out of turn two in
seventh place. Gradually with some quick maneuvers Johnny picked off
competitors one by one to eventually put the Tundra in third place.
While making a pass on second place the vehicle lost control sliding
sideways, leaving Johnny unable to stop in time therefore causing the
truck to spin out. This incident gave Johnny a black flag. Johnny
continued the race on the leaders bumper for three laps, when he finally
had to take his penalty. The Tundra was still able to maintain second
place at the finish. The Forest County Tundra also had to finish with a
cut down tire from the contact.
Sunday, Round 10: Starting in last again, Johnny and his Tundra were
able to capture a fourth place start by lap one. While negotiating the
very difficult start and s-turns, the front right tire was cut down,
leaving an outer flat, but the inner liner was still holding at this
point. Charging hard the Tundra eventually found itself right on the
leader’s bumper. Trying to maneuver his way around the leader, and
taking advantage of all the lines on the track, the tire eventually
shredded and left Johnny with nothing but a liner. In order to hold his
points lead, Johnny opted to slow his pace down, trying to save what
liner he had left, and was able to finish the race, but had to settle
for a fourth place.All in all the weekend was quite successful, lengthening the
Potawatomi team’s lead up to nine points over Carl Renezeder!! Don’t
forget to tune into SPEED for TV coverage.
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CRANDON WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP BRUSH RUN
Crandon, WI ~ September 3 - 5
Saturday, Round 11: Leaving Friday’s Borg Warner Qualifying as
hot-lap winner, the Greaves team was very optimistic for the weekend.
Johnny’s hot-lap was nearly two seconds ahead of the next fastest
qualifier. The Toyota Tundra was running great! When racing began on
Saturday things, however, did not fall into place for the Greaves
Potawatomi team. Johnny had a real poor start coming out of the first
turn third from last. By turn two Johnny had serious eye vision
problems. The roll-off system was completely jammed up making vision
almost impossible. Trying frantically to pull them off, Johnny finally
had to remove his glove in order to tear the shield off completely. With
no shield or eye protection, Johnny had a hard time passing the
competition. It wasn’t long after, Johnny received the word over the
radio the Tundra had a rear flat. Johnny opted to save the tire in order
to protect his points position. Johnny drove around the track quite
cautiously finishing the race with a fifth place.
Sunday, Round 12:
Sunday brought a whole new day, but the teams luck had not changed.
Johnny this time pulled off a great start, side by side around the first
turn with Jason Baldwin, they diced for the lead. Getting as far as the
scoring tower, Johnny came to a halt, when his front and rear drive
shafts broke. Johnny had not completed a full lap, so he was not given
any points for the race. This will drop the Potawatomi team from first
to third in the points, thus making a 25 point switch from ten up, to
fifteen down. The team has one last race in Unadilla, New York on
September 14-15. Johnny loves the Unadilla track, and is very confident
that the Toyota Tundra will do well.With the points races behind them the team was waiting for something
good to come out of the weekend. Johnny and his team worked diligently
repairing the Tundra for the prestigious $100,000 Borg Warner Shootout.
The weekend ended with Johnny being crowned the new "2004 King Of
Off-Road Racing" winning the Borg Warner by 15 seconds over Curt
Leduc.
Thank you to all our sponsors that gave us the opportunity to win
this prestigious award!!Thanks everyone for the superb fan support, we could not have done it
without you!!!
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UNADILLA VALLEY
SPORTS CENTER
Unadilla, NY ~ September 18 & 19
Upon arriving on Friday, the rain had moved into the beautifully,
rolling hills of the Unadilla track in upstate New York. This storm
continued with multiple downpours until Saturday morning. The Unadilla
Motorsports team were up bright and early working the track and were
able to make the conditions quite raceable. In fact, by the time the
Pro-4’s raced the track was great! Saturday, Round 13: Saturday Johnny
decided to be patient on the start, and stay out of trouble. Coming out
of the first turn in last place, Johnny eventually worked his way
through the traffic up to fourth place. While trying to avoid a crash in
front of him, Johnny checked up on the brakes, resulting in a hit from
behind which forced him off the track. Johnny merged back onto the
track, not gaining a position, but entering in a safe spot.CORR officials gave their customary black flag to the Tundra, this
time for missing a jump in the entry. Johnny took the black, and
continued to race hard, pushing the Tundra above limits, which
eventually took its toll when the output shaft broke.
Saturday, Round 14: Johnny started with a sixth place start in Sunday’s
race. Maneuvering thru the pack, by lap four the Tundra was up to third
place. The racing became quite intense with bumper to bumper racing
between the first and fourth positions, everyone waiting for the
opportunity to make a move. Scott Douglas leading, and then Jason
Baldwin, Johnny Greaves, and Carl Renezeder respectively. This continued
for the duration of the race, up until the last quarter lap. Leader,
Scott Douglas, coming into the sharp turn at the bottom of a down hill,
spins out and causes the pack to bunch up and jockey for positions.
Jason Baldwin emerging first, with John and Carl coming out of the
situation side by side. While approaching the jump on the top of the
hill, Carl’s truck became sideways, and contact was made. With the
trucks airborne, there was no control, and the trucks collided. Carl
rolled his truck while Johnny was able to keep going, finishing in
second place. We regret the fact that this incident had to happen, with
Carl losing his championship, but we need to remember that every race is
a race from Round 1 to Round 14, and Johnny was in fact just racing!
After the race, much chaos unraveled, as the CORR officials decided that
Johnny had no business racing with the "points leaders"! We
feel CORR should be partially responsible for this incident, in that
they failed to inform Johnny, and the rest of the field, that the race
that day, was meant just for the point leaders. They then proved again
their inconsistency with the rules, which they have throughout the
season, giving a new "Johnny G Last Lap Penalty " of an
unreasonable amount of 20 points!!! Johnny has always taken any decision
or penalty that CORR has given him without complaint. However, this time
Johnny was very disappointed in CORR officials as this decision was
given all out of emotions, rather than a time of rational thinking!
Johnny’s comment on the weekend, "I race because I love to
race. I love the enjoyment I get from the fan contact, and the enjoyment
I have with other competitors. I race because I love the ENTIRE sport,
and the fact that I can have fun doing it! However, the combination of
events that have happened throughout the 2004 season have taken all the
enjoyment out of CORR racing for me. This year has made me indecisive of
my 2005 plans. I may have to find a new form a racing that can be fun
again for my family, crew, and sponsors!!"
Johnny Greaves