Driving the No. 2 Ruby Tuesday/Chrome Hearts Toyota, George Jr. first hit the track for a practice run, and though it was his first trip to Mansfield, George Jr. adapted quickly to the short track, settling into the 12th position on the speed chart out of 32 cars. With a consistent racecar underneath him, George Jr. next laid down the 13th fastest lap in qualifying in preparation for the Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA RE/MAX 200.
After practicing and qualifying in the heat of the day, George Jr. shifted his focus on the nightfall and 100 miles of racing.
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"The track had very little grip. I started out loose and then got turned around early. When I got hit I lost my rear wing, making it tougher,” |
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Once the green flag fell however, it didn’t take long before the field unleashed the door-to-door contact short tracks are known to produce. With contact in all four corners around the track, racing was already on the edge but George Jr. had his hands full on his own, radioing crew chief Jon Wolfe that he was battling a loose condition on his No. 2 Ruby Tuesday/Chrome Hearts Toyota.
Before the race hit he halfway mark, George Jr.’s woes continued, getting caught up in a racing incident which also involved the Chris Buescher entry. George Jr.’s No. 2 Ruby Tuesday/Chrome Hearts Toyota suffered right side and rearend damage after contact with the outside retaining wall.
"The track had very little grip. I started out loose and then got turned around early. When I got hit I lost my rear wing, making it tougher,” George Jr. said of the contact.
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"ARCA reminded us that the race was mostly a lot of take. They weren't giving much out there. Next time I won't be so nice" -Tim George, Jr. |
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George Jr. returned to the race after spending some time on pitroad under the attention of Wolfe. The team assessed the damage and sent their hungry racer back on track.
Unfortunately, the Mansfield short track wasn’t too kind to George Jr. and the tight racing continued until lap 128 when the No. 2 Ruby Tuesday/Chrome Hearts Toyota came to a stop on the racetrack.
George Jr. was unable to finish the event and was scored in the 22nd position.
"ARCA reminded us that the race was mostly a lot of take. They weren't giving much out there. Next time I won't be so nice. As it was, I was handling a loose car. Everyone ran real strong and hard. The cars lack of handling finally got to me, and I ran up in the marbles. I ended up hitting the exit of turn 4 pretty hard. That ended my day,” he said.
"The crew worked hard. I appreciate them hanging in there, as I go through my growing pains. I'm just now looking forward to Iowa." |
George Jr. participates in health conscious test at Mansfield
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"Between practice and driver introductions I wanted to connect with the fans. I went over to show my support at this new, quick type of AIDS testing, and they had a turnout of over 150 people tested. I think this is great, and I wanted to show people that racecar drivers are human too," |
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Last weekend's Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA RE/MAX 200, held at Mansfield Motorsports Park, was about more than just racing. It was also about honoring the memory of the late Richmond. Named in his honor, the race was not only a tribute to his on-track talent but also provided an opportunity to bring awareness to the HIV/AIDS disease that claimed his life in 1989 at the age of 34
Though Richmond was a proven racer on track, winning an Indianapolis 500 and 13 Sprint Cup (then the Winston Cup) Series events, his legacy is bestowed not only in his racing accomplishments but also by bringing awareness to the disease that claimed his life.
In doing so, Mansfield Motorsports Park, in conjunction with G-Force Motorsports Marketing and Goddard Marketing, partnered with OraSure Technologies Inc., the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Rural AIDS Advisory Group and other local health departments, to hold an HIV/AIDS awareness and testing booth at the track prior to the race last Saturday.
The testing was held free of charge to fans and those who participated were entered a random drawing with the reward of a Richard Petty Driving Experience Ride-Along.
In showing his support of the cause and promoting self health awareness, Tim George Jr., who drives the No. 2 Ruby Tuesday/Chrome Hearts Toyota for Eddie Sharp Racing in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, stopped by and participated in the event, also getting tested.
"Between practice and driver introductions I wanted to connect with the fans. I went over to show my support at this new, quick type of AIDS testing, and they had a turnout of over 150 people tested. I think this is great, and I wanted to show people that racecar drivers are human too," George Jr. said of his participation.
After the health testing event, George Jr. participated in the Tim Richmond Memorial 200 race later that evening, finishing 22nd, falling victim to the perils of short track racing. |
Tim George Jr. will next hit the track in the No. 2 Ruby Tueday/Chrome Hearts Toyota on July 11th at Iowa Speedway for the Prairie Meadows 200. He currently sits 10th in the ARCA RE/MAX Series point standings in his rookie year of competition. |
