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Updates
Apr 14, 2001 - Tri-City Raceway
For the first race of the 2001 year Amber started on a very positive note! She qualified 16th out of a field of 21 cars with a qualifying time of 18.690 putting her 7/10th off the pole setter (1st place car). Darren and Al were extremely happy in her qualifying effort in her #30 "ZNETIX" Chevrolet Monte Carlo at the Tri-City Raceway. Amber finished in the 12th position after 75 laps of racing.
In the first few laps, Amber lost two track positions. Trying to move her "ZNETIX" Chevrolet Monte Carlo inside when she could. She was running conservatively to feel out the ability of her car, running consistent times, about 3/10th off the leaders. A few cautions kept the field bunched up, Amber's first altercation took place in lap 45 trying to make a pass on the inside in turn one and was hit spinning her around, bring out a caution. Without too much damage to the car, Amber was able to bring it around putting her down one lap. Crew Chief Al brought Amber in after lap 47 on a yellow trying to tighten up the car. After two attempts, it was obvious that it was successful. Between laps 47 and 60, Amber ran good consistent times. On a re-start on lap 61and a lap down, in the middle of the field, Amber with three to four faster cars right behind her, one being #18 John Bender, on her rear bumper, new she would have to pick up the pace. For the next 12 laps, Amber was running times as fast as the leaders and pulling away from John Bender and the others behind her. Then, on lap 73, another caution was thrown bunching up the field with Amber in the middle of the pack. On the re-start, there was going to be a two lap shoot-out. With two laps to go, Amber drove with enthusiasm yet conservatively protecting her track position and knowing that her #30 "ZNETIX" Chevrolet Monte Carlo would stick in the corners to race tough to the checkered. Then in the final lap in turn four, the #37 Mike Longton, drove into her left rear corner panel turning her around almost putting her into the wall. Amber, spinning in front of four cars, kept the car from any further damage, then crossing the finish line.
Comments from Amber:
"I personally thought my first race went pretty well. I made a lot of different changes which actually helped us later on in the race. I had a few minor incidents, but I still ended up finishing. I did drop a lot of time qualifying which was a big thing for me, since this is one of the fastest tracks in the Northwest. So overall, the weekend went well."
Comments from Dad (Darren):
"I thought Amber did a spectacular job in qualifying. Tri-City Raceway is the most difficult track to race in the Northwest. In the race, I thought Amber drove conservatively. She could have pushed the car harder than she did. Late in the race she felt more confident and was driving the car harder to its potential. She was running close to the same lap times as the leaders. Overall, I was very pleased with my daughters performance."
Comments from Crew Chief Al:
"Amber is getting better on making decisions on what adjustments need to be made on the car. She is also improving her driving skills in traffic situations. Amber is becoming more confident and better handling of the car. Later in the race, when she was clear of traffic, she was running the same lap times as the leaders. I am a little disappointed that other drivers are not running as clean as we are running them."
