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The latest update as of June 25, 2010
Where'd all the good stuff go?
Time and updates wait for no one, and we've had to move the last few days of what's new into the what's old archives. Just click on the link to the What's Old page and all the latest stuff will be there near the top of the page. Not lost, not forgotten, just gone to a better place. Now we've got room to fill this space with a whole new load of rubbish.
Most of our postings this weekend will appear on the Edmonton event coverage pages, so don't expect to see this section filled with the latest news other than to quickly report on what's happening in other places and at other races, like the Woodburn, Oregon Division Six Lucas Oil series race that starts today. Also, in the "N" division is the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals from Bader-land, Norwalk Raceway Park in Ohio.
But our attention is mostly directed to the 9th annual River Cree IHRA NitroJam Rocky Mountain Nationals at Edmonton's Castrol Raceway Park. Keep checking out the latest updates, posted throughout the weekend, (as long as we can get wireless access at the track) by clicking on the Edmonton button on the upper left side of this page, or going through the front door by clicking on the Features button a little lower down.
Time to close this page for now, upload a few photos from yesterday and get ready to head for the track this morning. Until later: stay tuned.
9:30 AM Update: We've just posted the first installment of today's report on the Friday Report page. What a coincidence: Friday report posted on the Friday Report page on Friday. Will wonders never cease? Even more wonderful, there's no bandwidth issues here anymore so we're free to get yesterday's photos posted as soon as we can process them, then get busy taking more today so we can get that page going.
10:30 AM Update: We've managed to get all the photos processed and uploaded and now it's time to start going through the pits and working on today's reports and pictures. We'll bring them to you as we are able. That's all for now from sunny Edmonton.
2:45 PM Update: The first batch (only 16) of photos from today's action (actually, pit shots) have been posted on the Friday "Foto" page and we're adding a few paragraphs to the Friday Report page. If there's time to do it, we'll have a few dozen more pics uploaded before the action heats up on track in a little over two hours. Somehow we've got to find time to insert some lunch into the equation too.
4:45 PM Update: We've just received word that we're down for a few (more) hours. There hasn't been any on-track action for over an hour while the track crew has been dealing with a small but persistent amount of water percolating up through the track on the top end. Even though the amounts are small, safety is paramount and the IHRA Nitro Jam officials have taken the proper route of suspending the event until the heat in the track moderates and the water stops coming up. The tentative start time for the Night of Fire is now 7:30 pm. As soon as we have further or different reports, we'll post it here.
6:45 PM Update: After a two hour "weeper" delay for water percolating up through the track surface, the announcement was made that we were possibly only a few minutes away from resuming action. The officials, cars and fans were called back to their positions and even the anthem singer was brought out, then the weather closed in very quickly. What had been merely threatening for the past hour turned into downright nasty as the wind came up and the thunder showers are expected to start any minute (or second) now.
In a matter of minutes the grandstands emptied, the track crew deflated the Budweiser and Castrol balloons and everyone is scrambling to find cover from the impending storm. Oh well, back to photoshop and more photo processing while we wait for the next development(s). Which may well be a hasty retreat to the nearest Keg and a large tasty steak. And a spicy caesar. Maybe a second one too.
From the looks of the sky, at least what I can see of it through the blackness outside the window, our next update may be from the hotel after dinner. But never say never, as this fourth trip to Edmonton is continuing an all-too-familiar pattern shown by the previous three editions of this event that I've attended. As always: STAY TUNED!
8:30 PM Update: The rain is coming down, and we're heading back to the hotel and dinner. Not enough time to get the track dry enough to race on tonight so we're coming back tomorrow morning to do it all again. Good night from Castrol Raceway in Edmonton.
To see previous updates go to the What's Old page