04/13/2009
Weekend Wrap-up
The first rounds of the 2009 Blizzard Series, Miller Lite Series, and combined Gulf Coast Championship has been completed starting off Mitch Cobb's racing season. During the weekend Mitch led laps, battled back from mishaps, and took a pole-position in what was an exciting weekend of action.
First on tap was the Amp Energy 100 at Pensacola's Five Flags Speedway. After undergoing an off season track grinding process, 30 Super Late Models took to the track to become the first big winner of the new season. Mitch started the night off solidly by qualifying in the 7th position for the 100-lap race. After losing one spot at the start of the race, Mitch patiently began to work his way through his competition. By the halfway point Mitch had worked himself into the top 5 and was shown to be 1-2 tenths of a second faster than the leader of the race.
After a few caution periods and some long green flag runs, Mitch had run as high as 3rd in the race by the time he was ready to make his one and only pitstop during the evening. Another car partially blocked Mitch in his pitstall during his stop costing Mitch a few spots before racing resumed. Once the green flag flew again Mitch was determined to make his way to the front. He passed several competitiors to make his way back into the top five until a three-wide battle in front of him in turn one resulted in contact. Mitch tried to make a move around the crashing cars but ran out of space and was collected in the accident. The crew went to work on Mitch's Ford Fusion, but the resulting damage was too much to continue. He was credited with a 19th place finish for the night.
The following evening the teams headed to Mobile, Alabama for the first race of the Miller Lite Series, and the second part of the Gulf Coast Championship round 1. Teams would have to work fast during practice for the nights event as a shortened schedule was forced upon the racers. Mitch had a good feeling after practice, he mainly worked with older tires to try and get a good balance on his racecar. Mitch had raced twice before at Mobile, both times he finished in the top 10. In qualifying Mitch took the track early on and went right to the top as he set a blistering 16.93, which is only 1 tenth of a second slower than the 4 year-old track record that was set when the track was freshly repaved.
Starting on the pole for the 100-lap race Mitch jumped out to an early lead to pace the rest of the field. As he settled into his race pace, Mitch dropped back to third trying to save his equipment for the rest of the night. Near the half-way point Mitch decided to make a pitstop during a caution period to get two fresh right side tires. Unfortunately mis-communication about when the pits were opened caused Mitch to lose ten positions while making his way down pit road. Unfazed by the problems he put it all behind him and started to drive back through the field. Mitch did well to avoid a few potential race ending problems including cutting a left rear tire on the front stretch and after the field had settled in for the final 20 laps he found himself in a four way battle for 3rd place.
Coming off of turn two Casey Smith and Augie Grill made contact which shot Casey sideways in front of the pack and sending Mitch into a spin into the infield. Minor damage to the racecar resulted and some small repairs in the pits were required to continue. After the green flag flew for the final run to the finish Mitch once again passed several other racers to once again come away from Mobile with a top ten finish after a wild night of ups and downs.
"I haven't been in the seat for four months. It's good to come back and know we are just as competitive as ever and have legitimate chances of winning races again in 2009!" Said the eighteen year-old Cobb when asked about his weekend.
Mitch and the team worked well together throughout the long weekend. Everyone was happy to be back at the track together after such a long layoff. Mitch Cobb Racing would like to thank Southern Waters Outfitters and Mitch's network of friends and volunteers who made the weekend possible.
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