Taylor Shows Speed at Crandon

Belvidere, IL (September 6, 2011) – Over his career Scott Taylor has had a great deal of success at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway, and the Belvidere, Illinois native was looking to add to his list of accomplishments during the forty-second edition of the Labor Day Classic. In recent weeks, Taylor has been working hard to get back to the basics on his #8 Miller Welders RoushYates BFGoodrich Tires Ford F-150. The team’s podium finish at Charlotte was the first indication that their philosophy was on the right track, and after rebounding from a hard practice crash at Bark River, Scott Taylor was looking forward to the familiar setting of Crandon.

 

The “Fall Crandon” event had four races on the schedule for the PRO-2WD trucks. Friday afternoon had the rained out Round 4 on the schedule, as well as Saturday’s Rounds 9 and Sunday’s Round 10, and the AMSOIL Cup finale on Sunday. If would be a busy weekend for Taylor Racing.

Friday afternoon’s Round 4 saw Scott racing in and out of a podium finish for the entire round of racing, eventually finishing fourth.

The regularly scheduled Round 9 saw Scott make a few minor changes to the chassis set-up and was confident that a top three finish would be in his future. Once again the Miller Welders Ford was in the running for a top finish when the right rear tire lost air pressure a couple laps from the finish reducing the truck’s speed.  At the checkered flag, Scott came across in sixth place.

After replacing the transmission and performing other driveline maintenance, the #8 Ford F-150 was ready for Sunday’s Round 10. Then intermittent rain showers tried its best to stop the day’s race program. After a thirty minute delay, the rain subsided, but the 1.75 layout was a quagmire. TORC race control deemed the show must go on, so Fay Statenzy waved the green flag and Scott Taylor was the first truck to Potowatomi Turn One. The BFGoodrich Tires put all the RoushYates horsepower right to the ground and along with Scott Taylor’s driving skills, the Miller Welders Ford opened up a seven second lead. The gap to second place stayed constant all the way to the halfway mandatory yellow flag lap. When racing resumed, Scott once again distanced himself from the rest of the field.

Then with two laps to go, his right rear tire lost air pressure. Then the tire eventually disintegrated, leaving the Miller Welders Ford to finish the final lap on three tires.  This greatly reduced the truck’s race pace and after losing several positions on the race track, Scott Taylor finished in fifth place.

Once the mud covered truck reached the Taylor Racing pit area, the team thoroughly evaluated the maintenance needed to get the truck ready for the AMSOIL Cup. The biggest concern was the time needed just to clean the race truck in order to inspect the vehicle before any serious work could begin.

With only three hours before the AMSOIL Cup, the team realized it would be impossible to make the start.

“We really had a good truck this weekend,” noted Scott Taylor. “After Friday’s finish, I knew what the truck needed to get to the front. We were on our way Saturday and especially on Sunday when we had a tire failure. Then one of the hardest decisions I’ve made in a long time was not to run the Cup race. That race you and your truck better be at 100% or it’s not worth racing. I knew if we got to the lineup in time, the truck wouldn’t be properly prepped.  It was a tough decision, but it was the right decision.”

Next Race: September 14-15 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.

Taylor Racing thanks all their supporters including:

Miller Electric – RoushYates Engines – Mastercraft Safety – BFGoodrich Tires – Automatic Transmission Designs – AMSOIL, Ford Trucks, Russ Wernimont Designs, King Shocks, Walker Evans Racing, MSD Ignition, Autometer, K & N Filters, Justice Brothers, Boatec, and Phil’s Inc.

Taylor Racing has marketing opportunities available for the 2011 and upcoming 2012 TORC season. To contact Taylor Racing please email: kellietaylor8@comcast.net

- Race Report – Mike  Reusche