Update on me

[Geoff Briggs]

Well its been over 8 months since I made this life changing adventure, and I sure do miss Colorado a little right now. Especially when its 104 degrees outside LOL. I am loving my job, have met some great people, and am enjoying life.

Once again, for the most part, I have put down the notebook and pen and started crewing again. Back in the late 90's and early 2000's, my family was good friends with the Wood family in Phoenix. Well before I moved back I had reunited with their daughter LeeAnn on FaceBook. When I moved back, the whole family, even LeeAnn's husband Chris and son Chase who Ive never met before welcomed me and made me feel like family.

I decided to help LeeAnn's husband on his Modified, over the winter they converted it to a X Mod (AKA Sport Mod). LeeAnn's brother also races, and with Chris moving down to X Mods, we would be able to get help from LeeAnn's dad who is a setup master.

The first race of the year was at Canyon Raceway. We started in the back of the heat and placed 5th, started 9th in the main and was runnin fourth when something went wrong in the motor and we pulled off and was credited with 7th.

The second race of the year was at Arizona Speedway in Apache Juntion. The track was a muddy mess and it took a while to get all the mud scraped off the car. He looked good in the Hot Laps, and we started 4th in the Heat. We moved into second and on the last lap, Chris saw an opening for the lead and got a little to antsy and spun so we finished in the back. The car was running hot so we cooled it down, added fuel, and got the car ready for the main. Well, we started 13th in the main, and Chris worked his way up to 6th and was working on 5th when LeeAnn and I saw something coming out of the back of the car.....LeeAnn looks at me and says "Did you tighten the fuel cap", I remember putting it on, but it must not have been tightened. A lap later, there was a caution for a fuel cap in turn 2. We took off running thinking they will send him in, but the official put it on, and sent Chris to the back. After dodging cars and passing a few more, we finished 7th. We loaded up and Chris and LeeAnn could tell, I was upset with myself, they stopped me and said "Dont worry about it, were not mad", Chris was actually glad it happened because he got the feel of the car more and got to pass a few more cars and see what the car can do.

The third event of the season saw us back at Canyon. We started second in the heat, and pressured for the lead the entire race, before finishing about a 1/2 car length short. We started third in the feature and jumped into second, the track was dry slick so everyone was hugging the bottom. The leader got sideways and spun and we had nowhere to go and Chris clipped him to finish spinning him. They let Chris keep the lead. On the restart, third place got next to chris and slammed him into the infield to take the inside. Chris fought back but settled into sixth by the time we came out of the infield. We finished 6th, and were happy with the way the car performed.

Memorial Day saw a 2 day weekend show, On Saturday, we finished second in the heat, and started 5th in the main. We were running 4th when Chris felt a vibration and came in. The track was so muddy on the bottom, mud had packed inside the wheel, so we got it out and he restarted 15th and finished 11th.

On Sunday, once again second in the heat race. We had several chances to take the lead, but top 2 redrew and Chris didnt want to press the issue, and 3rd was 1/4 lap back. We drew a 3 for the main and was third early on, The 27 got under Chris and knocked him up the track, and Chris knicked him in turn 2 spunning him out. The next lap, the leader spun and we were sitting in second. We got under the leader pushed high and he shot down across the track coming across Chris's front bumper. The officials put both of them to the back, and by that time there were 4 laps left. We ended up 7th, very happy with the car. Chris was upset at being sent to the rear, as it could have been our first win.

One of the best parts about helping them, is they are so laid-back. We are out to have fun, and do the best we can possibly do. If we load it on the trailer and do our best, thats a victory. LeeAnn is one of my friends on FaceBook, and has seen my good ol friends giving me s**t about tires. Well, she couldnt make the races last weekend and got a picture on Sunday of me putting on a tire sent to her. Lets just say I got a threatening phone call from her saying if he looses a tire, shes coming out to kick my butt LOL, lets just say I tripple checked the lugs LOL.

Our next event is June 16th at Arizona Speedway. We currently are 7th in points at Arizona Speedway and 5th at Canyon after 5 races. There is also a combined points between track and we sit second in the combined points.

Hoping you all hear me scream soon, cause that will be when we win a race!

[Geoff Briggs]

Saturday was a subpar performance for the 19w team at ET Speedway. We pulled into the track around 4:30 into 105 degree weather. As soon as we started to get unloaded, I hear Chris yell, Geoff get in the truck. I jump in the truck and a minute later a huge a** dust storm came blowing through. You couldnt see 5 inches in front of you. We were sitting in the truck rocking back and forth for about an hour. Finally it braved down enough for us to get out.

We got out and ventured over to the drivers meeting, where we were told we were running no matter what. So i walked back to the truck and started getting the car ready to unload, and start unloading the truck.

Chris got suited up for packing, and i sprayed the car with mud-off. We sat there for 15 minutes, and saw XMods come in so muddy that you werent able to identify what they were. I started getting all the mudscrapers round up because I knew what was coming. Sure enough, here comes Chris, with mud everywhere. The screen on front to keep the car cool was covered in mud and with it being over 100 degrees the car overheated. So we skipped hot laps, trying to get all the mud off the car.

We started 4th in the heat, and were fighting for 3rd when the 43 slowed, it took Chris a lap to pass him and during that time the 3z got by us. We finished 4th, and started 8th for the main. We made an adjustment and changed jets.

We lined up 8th for the main and was working on 6th when the car just started going away. With abotu 5 to go, Chris was in 8th and pulled off the track. I went running over there and it got too hot. We ended up 12th.

We should still be in the top 3 in overall points between ET and Canyon and top 10 at ET. The boys have work to do on the motor in the next 2 weeks.

Next race: 6/30/12 @ Canyon

[TrackSide]

Sounds like you are fitting in just fine, Geoff. Happy for you.. BYW, is it 104 here in Loveland right now.

One more thing, Happy Birthday.

[Geoff Briggs]

Well...............I couldnt make it to the track Saturday as I was taking care of my girlfriend and her daughter.

LeeAnn was giving me updates on Chris as they got the overheating issues fixed.

He started 7th in the heat, and passed 5 cars in a lap and ended up second.

In the main he started on the front row and I got the "WE WON" text about 11:45. I was in tears of joy, bummed I couldnt be there, but still I am part of a winning team!

The feeling is awesome, now I have crewed for a Pro Truck Rookie of the Year and now an X Mod Main Event winner!

My new goal is to get Chris in Victory Circle with me there!

[Bill Kolb]

Excellent Primo!

[Geoff Briggs]

Well Saturday night was another fun night at Canyon. We pulled into the pits about 5:00 and started to get unloaded. Chris went and drew his pill while I unstrapped the car and the quad. We unloaded everything and got ready for packing. At Canyon, they make the Sprint Cars pack since they have the biggest tires, and the XMods finish it off.

We went out to pack, and after a few laps, they wound up the cars for Hot Laps. Unfortunately with the threatening rain and the high temperatures, the car count was down to 8 cars. The 55 car lost his transmission in hot laps to knock us down to 7 cars.

We started inside 2nd row for the heat race, and we stuck to the bottom and raced into second. We followed the c11 and Chris stuck to the bottom and ran a good race. On the last lap, the 2 car went flying by on the outside and took second. We finished third which was good enough for the redraw.

Chris came back after the redraw smiling, cause he had drawn the 1 pill, meaning we would be on the pole for the 15-lap main. Problem, the 2 car who flew by us in the head, would be on the outside pole.

We made a few changes to the car based on how the track was reacting and went to staging for the main event. We were the second main event, and it was starting to sprinkle, so the track was starting to get slick. We went out to the Hot Pits in the infield and got everything setup, then the cars rolled out.

After a couple pace laps, they took the green, it was starting to rain a little more, but they kept the show moving. The 2 car took the lead and Chris followed in second. After a few laps, Chris had dropped back a couple car lengths, but he was putting distance on third.

After about 5 laps, we could see him reeling in the 2 car as we guessed the setup pretty good. Each lap we were reeling in the 2 car more and more. Then it happened, with about 5 to go, Chris got under him in turn 1, and opened up a slight lead as we never looked back. Chris got the white flag and we all were shaking our fists, screaming......something I will never forget.

Then it came, the checkered flag. He won with me there! Then it started sinking in........IM PART OF A WINNING PIT CREW! There's nothing like that feeling! It's incredible! We did a few pictures and by that time the rain was falling more. I ran off the track and we started loading the truck because we didnt think they would get the show in, well they did.

The rest of the night was full of good times, its a much better night after a win!

I need to thank Chris and LeeAnn Weimer for letting me be part of such a great team. This opportunity is incredible, and I cant wait to see what happens next.

We are second in combined points, 14 out of the lead.

PS IM STILL SMILING!

[BobbyJr]

Great Job.... The feeling of winning never gets old.

[Geoff Briggs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCZaOmshfVo&feature=plcp

Yes thats me in the infield on several shots and holding the checkered flag after the race. Like I said it was sprinking so the photographer didnt come out, so we used the video camera for our pictures LOL

[Geoff Briggs]

Victory Circle!!!!

[Geoff Briggs]

We had a two day show last weekend at Canyon for the Back to School classic.

On Friday night, we had a whopping 6 cars. Friday night racing during the summer does not work, and the counts in all classes were down and there were about 80 people in the stands.

I got to the track about 5, and it was only about 114 degrees. DJ (LeeAnn's brother/Chris's Brother In Law) was racing too since IMCA Mods were on the schedule as well as long as our friend Steve Stultz in his IMCA Mod.

The cars were unloaded when I got there and the girls were in the truck with the A/C on and the guys out under the EZUp drinking as much water as possible to stay hydrated. The water truck was making circles around the pits to keep it wet and it would dry up about 5 minutes later.

Like I said there were 6 cars, Chris started 5th in the heat and finished 4th. The track was a sloppy mess.

We lined up 4th in the main and thats where we finished, we were working on 3rd when they threw the checkered on the 10 LAP main!.

DJ finished 4th as well with lots of body damage and Steve broke in the heat.

We loaded up and went home to scale the car and try to make it better for Sat.
=========
Saturday, same story, were camped under a EZ-Up in 114 degree weather with water bottles in out hands. We had 9 cars this time. We started 3rd in the heat and the bottom was a slopfest, Chris got pushed into it a few times and ended up 5th. Started the main 5th and we were on the move, We were fighting for 2nd and 3rd with the leader right in front of them when coming out of turn 4, the puff of white smoke came out of the car and suddenly the car lost power.

Chris pulled off and I knew what it was, and began the slow walk back to the pit area. The engine in the 19w had expired.

We loaded up and went to watch DJ win, so that was a highlight.

When Chris and LeeAnn got home, they went through the motor and theres a nice big hole in the block and a piece of the piston was stuck in the header. This thing went kaboom lol.

Were done at Canyon, was 5th in their track points. The final 5 races are at ET. I believe were still 2nd in combined points.

[Geoff Briggs]

Well here is my 2013 update.....

I have accepted a job as the Head Flagman for Cocopah Speedway in Yuma, AZ (20 miles from Mexico). Maybe I can find me a seniorita or two LOL... I am so happy to be back on the officials side of things. On the off weekends, I will be helping Chris on his X Mod at Arizona Speedway and Central Arizona Raceway, which is opening back up under the hands of Benji Lyons and Art Lacy.

Then I may take a few weekends off, or help Ryan Roath on his IMCA Modified.

Im gonna make 2013 memorable!!!!!

[Joe Starr]

Originally Posted by Geoff Briggs

Well here is my 2013 update.....

I have accepted a job as the Head Flagman for Cocopah Speedway in Yuma, AZ (20 miles from Mexico). Maybe I can find me a seniorita or two LOL... I am so happy to be back on the officials side of things. On the off weekends, I will be helping Chris on his X Mod at Arizona Speedway and Central Arizona Raceway, which is opening back up under the hands of Benji Lyons and Art Lacy.

Then I may take a few weekends off, or help Ryan Roath on his IMCA Modified.

Im gonna make 2013 memorable!!!!!

Working under your "Pen Name" or your real name?