The Proving Grounds, 1st Annual Northern Nationals (Grand Rapids, Michigan)


Reporting from December 12, 2009...

The Proving Grounds
Grand Rapids, Michigan   USA
(actually Jenison, just a hop skip and a jump west out Chicago Drive)

Leave it to the folks from Team Virus Racing and The Proving Grounds to not only put together a first rate racing venue, (and put together a first class racing facility, they did)...

But also, they aren't so shy to put the big challenge out there.  Invite the best of the best to come and show what they've got.  And the invite didn't just just go out in Michigan, the challenge also went out to the pros in the traditional racing circles in California too.

(this author personally invited Michigan native Adam Drake to come and race back at home)

Maybe none of the Pros from California showed up to the blustery cold stereotypical Michigan...

But Kevin Myers from Stateline Raceway in Indiana made the trek.  Dakotah Phend and Allen Horne traveled clear across the state.  Jackson native Fred Baumgartner and local Grand Rapids favorite Jason "Boatman" Jakubczyk were there.  And countless other familier faces too many to mention making up the best of the best from the hottest racing community in the country came out for a whale of a good race day.  The racing action was as good as it gets.

Guys showed up in some of their finest new racing colors...




There was a lot of driving through traffic to keep up with, let alone stay ahead of the pack...






Many of the races went the full 6 minutes of neck and neck battling it out for the lead from start to finish.  In at least one A-Main race, one stumble half way around the last lap was the difference between first and second after 5 minutes and 45 seconds of literally a few tenths of a second apart the whole way...




That little kicker up in the back corner just before the over the hill and turn down to the back straight ruined many a lap for many a driver, all day long...

Every now and then someone pulled ahead and looked like a rabbit too, way ahead of the pack and in dominating fashion...




While often a slight miss of the fast line, or missing the soft touch timing on the throttle caused someone to fall just a little bit short, the guy with the soft touch always prevailed..  Sometimes by only thenths of a second.  And that deep Grand Canyon of a pit placed perfectly for the landing zone of the triple?  Some folks just couldn't quite land it clean, while some made it look like art work.

Yes folks, like folks have been saying for years, smooth is fast.  And that day, on that track, it was proven loud and clear.  Proven, yes.  Proven at the Proving Grounds...

Thanks to everyone who ventured out, the weather was threatening, but turned out great, and a great time was had by all...




Don't just settle for my (beginners) pics, local (professional) photographer Jim Stafford stopped by and literally took hundreds of really great shots.  His work can be seen @ JSPhotography  and warrant a close look.  Many of his pics would be worth the price of a re-print.  Tell him Glenn @ HandyRacing sent you.  : ) 

But, since the real action was fast moving, the real play by play can only be experience with moving pictures...  special thanks to the Proving Grounds Race Directors as they called the shots...


Following are the racing action vids... 

Stock Buggy A-Main:




Mod Buggy A-Main:




Stock SCT A-Main:




Super Stock Truck A-Main:




Mod Truck A-Main:




4WD Buggy Open A-Main:




Electric 1/8 Buggy A-Main:




Special thanks to Chris Peterson for helping with the video editing.  With Chris' help, we're able to bring our racing action coverage to a higher level.

And if all that wasn't enough, Steve Kaminski from the Grand Rapids Press not only stopped by for a quick look at what this RC racing thing was all about, but also spent several hours talking in depth with a lot of folks.  He genuinely took an interest in what was going on, making special note of the family friendly aspect, noticing young folks and seasoned veteran racers alike, all racing together and having a ball.  And the whole thing pretty much cheaper than a day at the movies.  He wrote a very nice article for the Grand Rapids Press, and its carried on the web via MLive here.  Thanks Steve, we appreciate the extra time you gave on a Saturday, and the kind words.


Thanks to everyone for a great day, and for visiting the HandyRacing blog.

Glenn "Handy" Remington.





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Posted by HandyRacing at 12/27/2009 1:48 AM
Categories: General Racing Action
Tags: proving grounds handyracing handy racing rc offroad
 

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