Wife's view from the pits - by Lynda Makinson (July 2021)
Disclaimer: This is my view and opinion, not the view or opinion of Bruce Makinson or anyone else.
July 31, 2021
Hi Everybody,
Sorry I’m late with this week’s update.
This past weekend was a busy one at the track. They had the usual races plus two rain-out races from the week before. And to boot there was rain in the forecast for some time after 9pm and the 358’s were the last race of the night (I really didn’t think the full show would get in).
So, let’s get started before it rains…
The Heat: Bruce started 8th and finished 8th. The car is looking good, the group he was in didn’t pull away from him, because of track conditions it was pretty much a parade. But it’s all good, we’re all liking what we see.
The track was dusty and by the time Bruce had his Feature it was black, shiny, and slick. But somehow, we still got our sandblast facial in the pits.
The Feature: Bruce started 16th out of 17 cars. The usually jostling around at the beginning of the race and it was running pretty good but eventually Bruce was getting lapped by the 2 leaders. Bruce didn’t know but he was about to lap a car himself, so it was moving along very well. But just before Bruce could lap the other car a caution came out. I guess it was good timing, it allowed the pack to line up again and off to a good restart. Bruce was finding that the tires were giving out, he said his restarts felt good, but he was soon losing traction. Which is understandable since we don’t have new tires ever race (due to price and availability). After another caution Bruce got the “lucky dog”, which means he was no longer a lap down.
To appreciate how well the car and Bruce are working you’d have to be there. The 2 leaders were pulling away pretty good from everyone, but the main pack of cars weren’t pulling away from Bruce, he was keeping with them. This is good in our eyes. Bruce isn’t happy with being lapped but he respects the leaders in a way that he will make sure he stays out of their way and doesn’t give them a hard time (Bruce has been there before and has lost a race or two because of lapped cars not giving room). And this is exactly what happened to the 1st and 2nd place cars. They were coming to the checkered and a lap car screwed the leader, and the second-place car was able to take advantage and squeaked by. So, guess what everyone?!?!? I have a maroon! I told you it was coming! I could identify him early in the season. He wasn’t our maroon but trust me, if you ask the 2nd place car…he was a big maroon!
In the end, Bruce finished 13th.
Again, we were all very happy and excited in the car set up and Bruce’s performance.
For being the last race of the night and rain looming all racing were finished by 9:58pm! A few rain drops but it held off. As Mike Kelly (Race Director) said in his FB post: “2-Rain out features. 11 heat races, 5 features with 1 being a 40-lap and 1 being 50-lap, 2 20-laps and a 15 lap: started at 7pm show completed at 9:58”. That was an amazing feat on its own!
It did rain on the way home but that didn’t matter to us. It was a good night!
The drivers and the BOS crew really kept it going. It was a great night of racing! Don’t tell anyone but I’m enjoying racing at BOS 😉.
This coming weekend is the previously postponed Fan Appreciation night along with one of the rain delayed races from 2 weeks ago. So, it’s looking like 8 Features, at least the 358’s won’t be the last one racing (we’ll be the 5th Feature).
Well, that’s it for this week. Things are looking up. Will Bruce win a Feature this year? Not unless we can infuse a lot more money into our program. But that’s ok, it’s his first full year of racing 358’s. It’s a learn and seat time season which is going very well in my eyes (and remember this is my write up and opinion!).
Hope to see you at the races, have a safe and good week.
Take care,
Lynda
Sorry I’m late with this week’s update.
This past weekend was a busy one at the track. They had the usual races plus two rain-out races from the week before. And to boot there was rain in the forecast for some time after 9pm and the 358’s were the last race of the night (I really didn’t think the full show would get in).
So, let’s get started before it rains…
The Heat: Bruce started 8th and finished 8th. The car is looking good, the group he was in didn’t pull away from him, because of track conditions it was pretty much a parade. But it’s all good, we’re all liking what we see.
The track was dusty and by the time Bruce had his Feature it was black, shiny, and slick. But somehow, we still got our sandblast facial in the pits.
The Feature: Bruce started 16th out of 17 cars. The usually jostling around at the beginning of the race and it was running pretty good but eventually Bruce was getting lapped by the 2 leaders. Bruce didn’t know but he was about to lap a car himself, so it was moving along very well. But just before Bruce could lap the other car a caution came out. I guess it was good timing, it allowed the pack to line up again and off to a good restart. Bruce was finding that the tires were giving out, he said his restarts felt good, but he was soon losing traction. Which is understandable since we don’t have new tires ever race (due to price and availability). After another caution Bruce got the “lucky dog”, which means he was no longer a lap down.
To appreciate how well the car and Bruce are working you’d have to be there. The 2 leaders were pulling away pretty good from everyone, but the main pack of cars weren’t pulling away from Bruce, he was keeping with them. This is good in our eyes. Bruce isn’t happy with being lapped but he respects the leaders in a way that he will make sure he stays out of their way and doesn’t give them a hard time (Bruce has been there before and has lost a race or two because of lapped cars not giving room). And this is exactly what happened to the 1st and 2nd place cars. They were coming to the checkered and a lap car screwed the leader, and the second-place car was able to take advantage and squeaked by. So, guess what everyone?!?!? I have a maroon! I told you it was coming! I could identify him early in the season. He wasn’t our maroon but trust me, if you ask the 2nd place car…he was a big maroon!
In the end, Bruce finished 13th.
Again, we were all very happy and excited in the car set up and Bruce’s performance.
For being the last race of the night and rain looming all racing were finished by 9:58pm! A few rain drops but it held off. As Mike Kelly (Race Director) said in his FB post: “2-Rain out features. 11 heat races, 5 features with 1 being a 40-lap and 1 being 50-lap, 2 20-laps and a 15 lap: started at 7pm show completed at 9:58”. That was an amazing feat on its own!
It did rain on the way home but that didn’t matter to us. It was a good night!
The drivers and the BOS crew really kept it going. It was a great night of racing! Don’t tell anyone but I’m enjoying racing at BOS 😉.
This coming weekend is the previously postponed Fan Appreciation night along with one of the rain delayed races from 2 weeks ago. So, it’s looking like 8 Features, at least the 358’s won’t be the last one racing (we’ll be the 5th Feature).
Well, that’s it for this week. Things are looking up. Will Bruce win a Feature this year? Not unless we can infuse a lot more money into our program. But that’s ok, it’s his first full year of racing 358’s. It’s a learn and seat time season which is going very well in my eyes (and remember this is my write up and opinion!).
Hope to see you at the races, have a safe and good week.
Take care,
Lynda
July 24, 2021
Hi Everybody,
This past weekend was another victory for Mother Nature.
The night started out well, it was a bit cloudy, and we were all watching the weather radars to see when it would start to rain. I was hoping at least the 358’s would have gotten their race in…they didn’t. The Sprints did get their race in but nobody else.
The races may have gotten cancelled, but we were happy with the car’s performance. Bruce did receive the part he needed and had a nice new set up to try out.
Now for the events of the evening. In the Mod 358 class only 15 cars showed up. They had two heats and Bruce was in the first one. There were 8 cars in his heat, and he choose to start last. His heat was stacked with some of the best cars in the Mods and he didn’t want to ruin their race since he wasn’t sure about the new set up yet. Bruce is a nice guy that way. In the end he finished 7th.
I have to say, I was impressed with the car. He may have started last, but he was keeping up with the line of them (until near the end when he messed up a bit and lost some ground). But other than that, the car and Bruce looked great out there. I was kinda excited about the Feature. I know he isn’t ready to go out there and win but he would have been competitive and that’s our goal right now.
For the Feature, it had started to lightly rain. The Mods lined up and went out. I have to say again, I like the way the track rolls now. The race director told the guys not to worry he wasn’t going to start the race until all the drivers felt it was safe to do so. He had them drive around a couple of laps to check it out and when they drove by the tower they were to give a thumbs up or down. They gave a thumbs down the first time. He asked them to go around again, and they gave a thumbs down a second time. Mike then told them to go back to the pits. I really do like the way he talks to the racers (yeah Mike, I do have a race receiver as well so I’m listening 😉). I feel he does care about their safety and respects their opinions.
The sprinkles got heavier then lighter, then heavier, then lighter. The BOS finally made the right decision to cancel the races. The radar was showing some nasty stuff coming and it just wasn’t worth trying to wait it out. I don’t know if it did rain bad after we left but I know in Richmond it did rain pretty hard at times. Good decision on their part I think.
BOS will be making up the Features in the coming weeks. I believe the 358’s makeup Feature will be Aug 14th. Fan night has been moved to August 7th.
This coming Saturday will be a 50-lap race for the Mods and 40-lap for the Sportsman plus a couple of double Features. So be prepared if you’re coming out, it’s going to be a busy night of racing.
Well, that’s it for now. It was a good night because we got to see the car working properly and no reports on any Maroons
(lol, I know you guys miss them, but I’ve spotted one potential Maroon so stay tuned in the coming weeks for possible sightings).
Have a great week and hope to see you at the races!
Lynda
P.S. there's a few pics from the pits, sorry not much action happened on the track.
This past weekend was another victory for Mother Nature.
The night started out well, it was a bit cloudy, and we were all watching the weather radars to see when it would start to rain. I was hoping at least the 358’s would have gotten their race in…they didn’t. The Sprints did get their race in but nobody else.
The races may have gotten cancelled, but we were happy with the car’s performance. Bruce did receive the part he needed and had a nice new set up to try out.
Now for the events of the evening. In the Mod 358 class only 15 cars showed up. They had two heats and Bruce was in the first one. There were 8 cars in his heat, and he choose to start last. His heat was stacked with some of the best cars in the Mods and he didn’t want to ruin their race since he wasn’t sure about the new set up yet. Bruce is a nice guy that way. In the end he finished 7th.
I have to say, I was impressed with the car. He may have started last, but he was keeping up with the line of them (until near the end when he messed up a bit and lost some ground). But other than that, the car and Bruce looked great out there. I was kinda excited about the Feature. I know he isn’t ready to go out there and win but he would have been competitive and that’s our goal right now.
For the Feature, it had started to lightly rain. The Mods lined up and went out. I have to say again, I like the way the track rolls now. The race director told the guys not to worry he wasn’t going to start the race until all the drivers felt it was safe to do so. He had them drive around a couple of laps to check it out and when they drove by the tower they were to give a thumbs up or down. They gave a thumbs down the first time. He asked them to go around again, and they gave a thumbs down a second time. Mike then told them to go back to the pits. I really do like the way he talks to the racers (yeah Mike, I do have a race receiver as well so I’m listening 😉). I feel he does care about their safety and respects their opinions.
The sprinkles got heavier then lighter, then heavier, then lighter. The BOS finally made the right decision to cancel the races. The radar was showing some nasty stuff coming and it just wasn’t worth trying to wait it out. I don’t know if it did rain bad after we left but I know in Richmond it did rain pretty hard at times. Good decision on their part I think.
BOS will be making up the Features in the coming weeks. I believe the 358’s makeup Feature will be Aug 14th. Fan night has been moved to August 7th.
This coming Saturday will be a 50-lap race for the Mods and 40-lap for the Sportsman plus a couple of double Features. So be prepared if you’re coming out, it’s going to be a busy night of racing.
Well, that’s it for now. It was a good night because we got to see the car working properly and no reports on any Maroons
(lol, I know you guys miss them, but I’ve spotted one potential Maroon so stay tuned in the coming weeks for possible sightings).
Have a great week and hope to see you at the races!
Lynda
P.S. there's a few pics from the pits, sorry not much action happened on the track.
July 16, 2021
Hi Everybody,
Due to mechanical difficulties we will not be racing tomorrow night. Bruce assures me he will be up and running for next week.
Don’t ask me what’s wrong, I stop listening after he said we wouldn’t be able to race this weekend.
Sorry for any inconveniences this may have caused.
Have a great weekend,
Lynda
Due to mechanical difficulties we will not be racing tomorrow night. Bruce assures me he will be up and running for next week.
Don’t ask me what’s wrong, I stop listening after he said we wouldn’t be able to race this weekend.
Sorry for any inconveniences this may have caused.
Have a great weekend,
Lynda
July 10, 2021
Hi Everybody,
I'd like to start with welcoming back to our racing family Sandy Vanier, CPA, CGA and King's Your Independent Grocer.
Thank you so much for your support. Couldn't do this without you!
Now for the racing update for this past weekend. Not much to report. Bruce is still trying to figure out the set up for the car that works best. Last weekend it worked. This weekend past it did not.
The Heat Race: Bruce was in the first Heat and to start in third place. But to respect his fellow drivers he chose to start last and keep working on his set up. He started 7th and finished 6th.
The Feature Race: I should mention 20 358’s showed up and Bruce was starting 16th. I was very hopeful because of what I saw last weekend. The car was working pretty good, and Bruce was on it. As most of you know in DIRT racing that doesn’t always carry to the next week. The car was not behaving the way Bruce would have liked and after 9 laps he parked her. I guess I forgot to have that talk with him before the race about if it doesn’t work just stay out there and clock some seat time.
I must admit, I will not miss these types of nights. The car isn’t working because we missed the set up for the night and Bruce isn’t very happy. When he’s not happy, I’m not happy.
I am enjoying our time at BOS though. We get to visit with our race friends, this year we have a pad, and they have made improvements at the track (I’m sure after a loss from COVID last year that’s at a stand still but that’s very understandable). My favourite improvement is the washrooms in the pit area…lol…this is a woman’s view from the pits after all 😉.
I am also enjoying the Race Director, Mike Kelly. I have a one-way radio and can listen to what’s going on on the track. He talks to the drivers when necessary and says nothing when silence is golden. He warns drivers if they’re pushing their luck and gives a nice little bit of calming encouragement before the start of a race. Thanks Mike, you are making our BOS experience very pleasant (despite set up issues on our part…lol).
Well, this coming weekend is Fan Appreciation night. Will we be going out on the track?…not too sure. Unfortunately, due to the regulations of having to wear a mask at all times when out there, I can’t see me doing it. And Bruce is at the end of his patience with the mask wearing thing too. I can’t due to health reasons but with him it’s more fed up with it.
On another note, this coming weekend Bobby isn’t able to go due to family obligations so we will be down an important member of the crew. So…if anyone named David happens to be doing nothing this weekend….just sayin’….I know two David’s that would be great stand ins. You know who you are!?!?
Have a safe week and hope to see you at the races.
Cheers,
Lynda
P.S. enjoy some pictures in the Gallery from last week, not much but some nice pics of what my face looked like when he pulled in and a nice one of Dale Earnhardt and Bowie.
I'd like to start with welcoming back to our racing family Sandy Vanier, CPA, CGA and King's Your Independent Grocer.
Thank you so much for your support. Couldn't do this without you!
Now for the racing update for this past weekend. Not much to report. Bruce is still trying to figure out the set up for the car that works best. Last weekend it worked. This weekend past it did not.
The Heat Race: Bruce was in the first Heat and to start in third place. But to respect his fellow drivers he chose to start last and keep working on his set up. He started 7th and finished 6th.
The Feature Race: I should mention 20 358’s showed up and Bruce was starting 16th. I was very hopeful because of what I saw last weekend. The car was working pretty good, and Bruce was on it. As most of you know in DIRT racing that doesn’t always carry to the next week. The car was not behaving the way Bruce would have liked and after 9 laps he parked her. I guess I forgot to have that talk with him before the race about if it doesn’t work just stay out there and clock some seat time.
I must admit, I will not miss these types of nights. The car isn’t working because we missed the set up for the night and Bruce isn’t very happy. When he’s not happy, I’m not happy.
I am enjoying our time at BOS though. We get to visit with our race friends, this year we have a pad, and they have made improvements at the track (I’m sure after a loss from COVID last year that’s at a stand still but that’s very understandable). My favourite improvement is the washrooms in the pit area…lol…this is a woman’s view from the pits after all 😉.
I am also enjoying the Race Director, Mike Kelly. I have a one-way radio and can listen to what’s going on on the track. He talks to the drivers when necessary and says nothing when silence is golden. He warns drivers if they’re pushing their luck and gives a nice little bit of calming encouragement before the start of a race. Thanks Mike, you are making our BOS experience very pleasant (despite set up issues on our part…lol).
Well, this coming weekend is Fan Appreciation night. Will we be going out on the track?…not too sure. Unfortunately, due to the regulations of having to wear a mask at all times when out there, I can’t see me doing it. And Bruce is at the end of his patience with the mask wearing thing too. I can’t due to health reasons but with him it’s more fed up with it.
On another note, this coming weekend Bobby isn’t able to go due to family obligations so we will be down an important member of the crew. So…if anyone named David happens to be doing nothing this weekend….just sayin’….I know two David’s that would be great stand ins. You know who you are!?!?
Have a safe week and hope to see you at the races.
Cheers,
Lynda
P.S. enjoy some pictures in the Gallery from last week, not much but some nice pics of what my face looked like when he pulled in and a nice one of Dale Earnhardt and Bowie.
July 3, 2021
Hi Everybody,
Well, the racing season has begun for us. This past Saturday we were at Brockville Speedway. This is one of two seasons left for Bruce Makinson Racing, yes, you heard it here first. We will be racing this year and next and then it’s time to hang up the ole steering wheel.
Now for this past weekends’ race.
It was a perfect night for racing, it was clear and not too hot. For the 358’s it was a 50-lap race with only 19 cars showing up. (don’t forget, Bruce moved up to the 358 Modifieds).
You may not know this, but Bruce really hasn’t had much time in the seat of this newer ride. Last year he raced a few races but not enough to cut his teeth in this seat. And if you think it’s not a big deal moving up to a 358…well…you don’t know what you’re talking about. We’ve talked to a few other drivers that have made the move and they all agree, it is not what they expected. It’s a totally different beast. You have a heck of a lot more horses under you and the handling is very different. It takes time to get the feel of it (this is all from talking to Bruce and other drivers).
Time Trials – Bruce was in the last set of the time trial groups (yes, he makes me draw and I never get a good number) but it doesn’t really matter, you are not racing against others, but just trying to set a good time so you can get a good starting position in the Heat Race. His times weren’t the greatest. (Remember, this is the first time he raced this season, and he only had one day of practice two weeks ago).
Heat Race – His times were good but not good enough and considering he is racing against more experienced drivers in this class he started last in his heat. It was a good race, the car looked good, and you could see Bruce starting to get the hang of it. At one point he was about to pass the car ahead of him but suddenly backed off. I later asked what happened he said it was so dusty down the back shoot he couldn’t see so he thought it would be safer to back off (yes, BOS hasn’t changed). He started 7th and finished 6th.
Feature – Out of 19 cars Bruce was starting 18th. Honestly, until he is completely comfortable in this car, I’d prefer he starts there to stay away from trouble and out of the way. But we didn’t have to wait too long to see him getting faster and faster. I have to say, I loved it, I could see that the cobwebs were disappearing throughout the race. There were a few cautions; a few cars going off the track on their own, one accident that took out a couple of cars, they mostly left on their own not towed out. Bruce at one point made it up to 12th, then back to 17th but in the end he finished in 12th place. Trust me, if you haven’t watched a 358 race, you won’t understand what the competition is like. There are a lot of strong cars out there (experience and money). We do realize that it will be a tough class to compete in, but Bruce said he didn’t care, he just wants to finish his racing career in a 358!
All of us (Bruce, Bobby, Donny, and myself) were VERY happy with the outcome. We all saw him wheeling it and getting faster. Like I like to tell him – “you didn’t embarrass me out there” LOL. He also knows I’m his biggest fan and biggest critic so if he has done good, I will tell him; if he’s done bad, I’ll tell him.
He has done good!
I think the next two seasons will be fun to watch as Bruce will become more and more competitive. If this past weekend is an indication, it should be fun to be there. So, if you haven’t been to the races but always wanted to, the time is now. You can come as pit crew (I won’t make you work too much) or in the stands (you have to book ahead, see the BOS website for details - http://brockvillespeedway.com/).
I’d also like to the thank the track photographers for some great pictures on track and off. Thank you John Lyng and Rick Young. Check out the gallery to view them.
This past weekend our team wore our retro yellow 81 Racing team shirts to pay a tribute to Bruce’s dad who passed away last October (see photo in gallery, Donny was out socializing so didn’t make it into the picture but he had his shirt on too).
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope y’all have a safe week and hope to see you at the races.
Take care,
Lynda
**NOTE: if you plan on coming out this weekend, please contact us on Saturday morning. I’m getting my second vaccine shot on Friday and it will all depend on how I feel. Bruce doesn’t want to go racing without me 😊.
Well, the racing season has begun for us. This past Saturday we were at Brockville Speedway. This is one of two seasons left for Bruce Makinson Racing, yes, you heard it here first. We will be racing this year and next and then it’s time to hang up the ole steering wheel.
Now for this past weekends’ race.
It was a perfect night for racing, it was clear and not too hot. For the 358’s it was a 50-lap race with only 19 cars showing up. (don’t forget, Bruce moved up to the 358 Modifieds).
You may not know this, but Bruce really hasn’t had much time in the seat of this newer ride. Last year he raced a few races but not enough to cut his teeth in this seat. And if you think it’s not a big deal moving up to a 358…well…you don’t know what you’re talking about. We’ve talked to a few other drivers that have made the move and they all agree, it is not what they expected. It’s a totally different beast. You have a heck of a lot more horses under you and the handling is very different. It takes time to get the feel of it (this is all from talking to Bruce and other drivers).
Time Trials – Bruce was in the last set of the time trial groups (yes, he makes me draw and I never get a good number) but it doesn’t really matter, you are not racing against others, but just trying to set a good time so you can get a good starting position in the Heat Race. His times weren’t the greatest. (Remember, this is the first time he raced this season, and he only had one day of practice two weeks ago).
Heat Race – His times were good but not good enough and considering he is racing against more experienced drivers in this class he started last in his heat. It was a good race, the car looked good, and you could see Bruce starting to get the hang of it. At one point he was about to pass the car ahead of him but suddenly backed off. I later asked what happened he said it was so dusty down the back shoot he couldn’t see so he thought it would be safer to back off (yes, BOS hasn’t changed). He started 7th and finished 6th.
Feature – Out of 19 cars Bruce was starting 18th. Honestly, until he is completely comfortable in this car, I’d prefer he starts there to stay away from trouble and out of the way. But we didn’t have to wait too long to see him getting faster and faster. I have to say, I loved it, I could see that the cobwebs were disappearing throughout the race. There were a few cautions; a few cars going off the track on their own, one accident that took out a couple of cars, they mostly left on their own not towed out. Bruce at one point made it up to 12th, then back to 17th but in the end he finished in 12th place. Trust me, if you haven’t watched a 358 race, you won’t understand what the competition is like. There are a lot of strong cars out there (experience and money). We do realize that it will be a tough class to compete in, but Bruce said he didn’t care, he just wants to finish his racing career in a 358!
All of us (Bruce, Bobby, Donny, and myself) were VERY happy with the outcome. We all saw him wheeling it and getting faster. Like I like to tell him – “you didn’t embarrass me out there” LOL. He also knows I’m his biggest fan and biggest critic so if he has done good, I will tell him; if he’s done bad, I’ll tell him.
He has done good!
I think the next two seasons will be fun to watch as Bruce will become more and more competitive. If this past weekend is an indication, it should be fun to be there. So, if you haven’t been to the races but always wanted to, the time is now. You can come as pit crew (I won’t make you work too much) or in the stands (you have to book ahead, see the BOS website for details - http://brockvillespeedway.com/).
I’d also like to the thank the track photographers for some great pictures on track and off. Thank you John Lyng and Rick Young. Check out the gallery to view them.
This past weekend our team wore our retro yellow 81 Racing team shirts to pay a tribute to Bruce’s dad who passed away last October (see photo in gallery, Donny was out socializing so didn’t make it into the picture but he had his shirt on too).
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope y’all have a safe week and hope to see you at the races.
Take care,
Lynda
**NOTE: if you plan on coming out this weekend, please contact us on Saturday morning. I’m getting my second vaccine shot on Friday and it will all depend on how I feel. Bruce doesn’t want to go racing without me 😊.