David Weaver
07-29-2008, 05:54 AM
Well, I am making this entry about Denny not because he is "old history", as he is still very much involved in PRO racing. But, Denny announced during Sunday's awards ceremony at the PRO Nationals that his victory in 250 hydro marked the end of his driving career. I know that Denny is like a lot of us in that he probably cannot remember a point in his life where he was not involved or interested in boat racing.
Back in April, Denny and I played a round of golf in Alpharetta, had dinner and a lunch. We talked a lot about golf, boat racing , work, life and just about everything else. Denny mentioned that he was ready to cease driving, but he also mentioned that he thought about retiring from driving for years and always came back to it. This time, I thought that he might mean it, as he seemed very content with life and seemed comfortable with the notion of hanging-up the helmet. Of course, I also thought to myself that I could imagine Denny being prepared to retire for another 10 years without actually doing so.
At Constantine, I ran into the first turn slightly behind Denny and to his inside. I had a good run on him and Chris Hellsten (to my inside), but Denny had position and I owed Chris a safe lane. So, I took my shower through the first turn, but somehow came out of the turn still running strong. Chris and Denny were 10 boat lengths ahead of me and I began the chase with a little more top-end than they had. I got real pumped when I began to quickly reel in Denny. I was flying and catching one of th best drivers in 250, ever. But this was too easy and I realized that Denny had a problem and then saw that he had a broken stack. I beat him, but not in a "square" fight. Denny's day improved from there and mine declined with a stuck piston in the following heat.
At DePue the following week, I debuted a brand new 2008 VRP 250. This engine is beautiful and looked promising. Within a lap of testing, we experienced a violent piston stick that badly damaged a cylinder. For the balance of the afternoon, Denny and his main pit man Richard Frye helped me to clean the cylinder ( 6-8 hours of work) and to completely disassemble the carbs and measure everything. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity of time and willingness to teach a competitor. These guys live sportsmanship.
Sunday's 250 national championship race played out in wierd ways. First, the man to beat had to be considered Brandon Thirlby based on his performances the last two years. But, Brandon's boat was badly damaged in Monday's storm and he could not locate a replacement. Heat 1B included me and Denny. I thought this could be my day and I knew that I had to get a ahead of Denny. There is no way to run him down, but I have had top-end all season. As the seven of us in our heat approaced the starting line, the clock just seemed to take its sweat time. I backed way off, as did several others and finally thought that I had to go. Going into the first turn, I was stuck in the inside and just behind Denny. No where to go, but I thought there many gun jumpers. And there were. Only one legal boat out of seven, I heard Ray announce when I came in. I thought that I won the heat, but then heard the announcement that Josh Davis was the only legal boat.
Well, I would have thought that Denny and I were out of luck. A few scratches meant that heats 2 and 3 would include all that could still run. Denny and I motored up to the second turn during the 1-minute period side-by-side. This time I would come around his outside, as I still thought he was the guy to beat. We stole the start, Denny in the middle and me on the extreme outside. It was a drag race to the first pin and I guessed that Denny had no idea that I was coming from his right side. I kept pipes up through the first turn and closed his lead quickly with my momentum. But, once again as many times before, Denny made a flawless first turn. I could not get my nose ahead of him and he accelerates so well. I could only chase and try to hold off a fast charging Billie Allen on my inside. But, then a break arose ahead of us. Rob Erbel completely took out the middle pin of the second turn. There was no trace of it and we now had a two pin turn. Denny seemed to be suprised and ran the turn as if there were 3 bouys. I cut inside hard and straight to the second (now exit) pin. I cut his lead to almost nothing, but shed a lot of speed coming off the tight turn. Acclerating away, I saw Billie continuing to close on me fast. I had to try to either continue to catch Denny or protect my position against Billie. I opted to secure the three hundred points.
In heat 3, Denny's only hope for the National Championship was to win the heat and hope that Josh Burton did not get a good finish. Denny and I came-up together again and Icharged around the pack to the outside, but quite so far outside. I was determined to beat Denny and the others to the first turn and I knew that Denny wanted to be there first badly. When I "punched it" at the start something went wrong the boat began to acclerate hard and I thought "got them". Then it quit acclerating. It was like being stuck in 3rd gear. My pipe puller cable broke....out of luck. And of course, Denny simply made another beautiful start and totally ran away with the race. Josh could not get the finish he needed to win the championship. Denny prevailed with two heats wins. In the end, I probably helped his cause with my good finish in heat 2. Billie, Bruce Summers, Mike Schmidt and Josh all had good point totals. My 2nd place gobbled up 75 points that might have swung things another direction.
I am pleased for my friend, but saddened that he is hanging-up his jacket and helmet. You always want to compete against the best and Denny is certainly among the best of the best. The 15-T will continue to compete, as Denny and Todd Brinkman will groom a young gun. For now on, I will have to content myself with competing against Denny on the golf course (where the fight is a little more equal!!).
Denny, it was a pleasure to race against you. You set the bar high for the rest of us and tought us many lessons on and off the race course. Congratulations on this year's 250 National Championship and a fine racing career.
DW
Back in April, Denny and I played a round of golf in Alpharetta, had dinner and a lunch. We talked a lot about golf, boat racing , work, life and just about everything else. Denny mentioned that he was ready to cease driving, but he also mentioned that he thought about retiring from driving for years and always came back to it. This time, I thought that he might mean it, as he seemed very content with life and seemed comfortable with the notion of hanging-up the helmet. Of course, I also thought to myself that I could imagine Denny being prepared to retire for another 10 years without actually doing so.
At Constantine, I ran into the first turn slightly behind Denny and to his inside. I had a good run on him and Chris Hellsten (to my inside), but Denny had position and I owed Chris a safe lane. So, I took my shower through the first turn, but somehow came out of the turn still running strong. Chris and Denny were 10 boat lengths ahead of me and I began the chase with a little more top-end than they had. I got real pumped when I began to quickly reel in Denny. I was flying and catching one of th best drivers in 250, ever. But this was too easy and I realized that Denny had a problem and then saw that he had a broken stack. I beat him, but not in a "square" fight. Denny's day improved from there and mine declined with a stuck piston in the following heat.
At DePue the following week, I debuted a brand new 2008 VRP 250. This engine is beautiful and looked promising. Within a lap of testing, we experienced a violent piston stick that badly damaged a cylinder. For the balance of the afternoon, Denny and his main pit man Richard Frye helped me to clean the cylinder ( 6-8 hours of work) and to completely disassemble the carbs and measure everything. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity of time and willingness to teach a competitor. These guys live sportsmanship.
Sunday's 250 national championship race played out in wierd ways. First, the man to beat had to be considered Brandon Thirlby based on his performances the last two years. But, Brandon's boat was badly damaged in Monday's storm and he could not locate a replacement. Heat 1B included me and Denny. I thought this could be my day and I knew that I had to get a ahead of Denny. There is no way to run him down, but I have had top-end all season. As the seven of us in our heat approaced the starting line, the clock just seemed to take its sweat time. I backed way off, as did several others and finally thought that I had to go. Going into the first turn, I was stuck in the inside and just behind Denny. No where to go, but I thought there many gun jumpers. And there were. Only one legal boat out of seven, I heard Ray announce when I came in. I thought that I won the heat, but then heard the announcement that Josh Davis was the only legal boat.
Well, I would have thought that Denny and I were out of luck. A few scratches meant that heats 2 and 3 would include all that could still run. Denny and I motored up to the second turn during the 1-minute period side-by-side. This time I would come around his outside, as I still thought he was the guy to beat. We stole the start, Denny in the middle and me on the extreme outside. It was a drag race to the first pin and I guessed that Denny had no idea that I was coming from his right side. I kept pipes up through the first turn and closed his lead quickly with my momentum. But, once again as many times before, Denny made a flawless first turn. I could not get my nose ahead of him and he accelerates so well. I could only chase and try to hold off a fast charging Billie Allen on my inside. But, then a break arose ahead of us. Rob Erbel completely took out the middle pin of the second turn. There was no trace of it and we now had a two pin turn. Denny seemed to be suprised and ran the turn as if there were 3 bouys. I cut inside hard and straight to the second (now exit) pin. I cut his lead to almost nothing, but shed a lot of speed coming off the tight turn. Acclerating away, I saw Billie continuing to close on me fast. I had to try to either continue to catch Denny or protect my position against Billie. I opted to secure the three hundred points.
In heat 3, Denny's only hope for the National Championship was to win the heat and hope that Josh Burton did not get a good finish. Denny and I came-up together again and Icharged around the pack to the outside, but quite so far outside. I was determined to beat Denny and the others to the first turn and I knew that Denny wanted to be there first badly. When I "punched it" at the start something went wrong the boat began to acclerate hard and I thought "got them". Then it quit acclerating. It was like being stuck in 3rd gear. My pipe puller cable broke....out of luck. And of course, Denny simply made another beautiful start and totally ran away with the race. Josh could not get the finish he needed to win the championship. Denny prevailed with two heats wins. In the end, I probably helped his cause with my good finish in heat 2. Billie, Bruce Summers, Mike Schmidt and Josh all had good point totals. My 2nd place gobbled up 75 points that might have swung things another direction.
I am pleased for my friend, but saddened that he is hanging-up his jacket and helmet. You always want to compete against the best and Denny is certainly among the best of the best. The 15-T will continue to compete, as Denny and Todd Brinkman will groom a young gun. For now on, I will have to content myself with competing against Denny on the golf course (where the fight is a little more equal!!).
Denny, it was a pleasure to race against you. You set the bar high for the rest of us and tought us many lessons on and off the race course. Congratulations on this year's 250 National Championship and a fine racing career.
DW