Gleason Bros. Racing

A little late with this post, sorry. I was soaking up the sun in Spain for the last week.

A phone call changed everything. Sure, it was from a good friend, but who hasn't dreamed of being called up and offered a ride in an upper-level NASCAR division? That's what happened when my good friend Moose Douton offered me a ride in a Late Model for the August 12 race.


So I went down to his shop the Wednesday before the race to get fitted into the car and scaled. I'm a pretty big person, and it took a little squeeze, but I fit in ok. Not width-wise, but rather length-wise. We had discussed what we were going to do for the race, and we didn't want to get too serious about it. I hadn't been in a car at all in over a month, much less a faster and heavier car. So we decided on no infield pitting and I was content to just ride and get situated with the car. 


When I took it out for practice I had no idea what to expect. I know that what I do in my mini stock would NOT work in this car. So they throw the green and I stand on it, knowing that I have good brakes and I'll just baby it until I get an idea of what to expect. I get to turn one and I think to myself, "Holy crap, this thing's got balls, and the brakes aren't anything to sneeze at either." I get to the apex and forget that I'm in a 450 hp late model. I stood on it like a mini stock and I spun the thing out. Huge cloud of smoke, I nailed it when it started coming around. But it righted itself and I kept going. The car was really loose under throttle anyway, so I held onto it and got practice over with. I missed the second practice because we went out to find tires and change the stagger so I could manage it. The second practice went a lot better and I was starting to get the feel for it.


I started 15th, which was last in the feature. I really don't mind starting last, because you can't do any worse, you can only move ahead. I sat in the back riding, learning what tire chatter felt like, hoping my radio would magically turn itself up so I could hear Moose spotting for me more clearly. But as the race went on, the car started coming to me. I was getting quicker and quicker, and since I was putting more laps in, more used to the car. I missed a couple little skirmishes, and when a caution came with 4 to go, Moose comes on the radio and says "Hey, you're in 6th place!"


Huh? Did he just say 6th? I counted the cars ahead of me, and it was definitely 6th. I started to think about how the hell I got there, then Moose comes over the radio yelling something about the green flag being out. Luckily I stood on it and didn't get run over, but I had a new problem. What I'm about to admit to you, the public, is embarrassing beyond belief, but I'm an honest person. I don't give excuses, I admit my faults. But I committed a cardinal sin in racing: I doubted myself. I thought for a split second that I was totally out of my league, and that's when I entered turn one too high. I got sideways and I stuffed the car in the fence hard. That wreck hurt. It's been almost 2 weeks since that happened and I'm still bruised. 


I wanted to hide. I not only just crashed all by myself, but it was someone else's car. I should have gotten in the ambulance and had them cart me away to hide the shame. But I had to face it head on, whether I wanted to or not. They weren't too mad once I said I couldn't really hear over the radio. Which was true, I could only really hear under yellow. I'll be helping them fix it, I doubt I'll get to race it again, but it was an unbelievable experience. I'll never forget it.


Brent

So it's come to this: crew status. I've been sidelined since early July because of a blown motor and it's sucked every minute of it. Oh, and it is pretty much a total loss, the block cracked and the crank snapped, which took a piston with it. so there's a lot of work to do. 


Hope is not entirely lost, however. My father, who owns the #81 car my brother drives is helping me financially with the cost to have the motor rebuilt. It means a lot to me because I don't have really any help on this car. I work on it, I tow it, I fix it, I drive it, and I pay for it. Sure, what I do with BG Discount Grafx does help a lot when I get the work, but I need more than that to make it through a year. Hopefully I'll get the engine back before or just after I return from vacation in 2 weeks and I'll be at the track for a couple more shows. Here's hoping.

Just a quick update here:


My motor is far more damaged than I previously thought. What happened that I didn't see earlier was that the crank had snapped clean at the last main cap, where the bobweight attaches to the rod journal. This is what caused the piston hit the valve, and would explain why the ear broke off the side of the piston. This should pretty much tap out all of my funds for the season, so I'm planning on racing just a few big shows when I can afford to. Luckily I don't think the whole engine is ruined, but the rest of the season is shot. 


See you down the road,
Brent

So its been a couple weeks since I've posted last, so I figure its about time I updated everyone (although if you read the front page of the site, it would save you time).


After I put the carb on from my last post, the car really woke up. Like, holy crap... I wasn't ready for that, kind of woke up. I've never been "throttle loose" in a mini stock before, and it was pretty invigorating. I've never had that much fun in a race car before. So anyway, that day went pretty well except for the wreck coming out of 4 and the oil. See, the #23 got turned around coming out of 4, and I couldn't go anywhere but high. They kept skidding up the track and I thought "ok, this may hurt", but I managed to squeeze by. I had nothing but open track in front of me, so I nailed it. Then, out of absolutely nowhere, the #52 goes spinning right in front of me broad side. I had no where to go and I t-boned him. It was pretty solid contact, it knocked him out of the race. I thought I was going to look up and see steam coming out of the hood and the front was going to be a mess, but it was fine.


Anyway, this week was more of a reality check. I NEED to update the setup on the car again. I had it set up to run with no power before, and it handled great, but now it handles totally different. I carry more speed coming in, and I need grip to keep the speed going coming out. I need to adjust it quick because if I keep racing, I'm going to be handicapped up front, and I intend on staying there. But right now I have bigger troubles to contend with. 


When I went off into turn one in the feature and the engine lost power and started smoking, I immediately shut it down. I thought "Thats terminal, thats not a module or silly electrical problem. That was inside the motor." I was emotionally crushed until about 3 hours before writing this Friday night. Why, you ask? Why would someone who finishes mid-pack be so upset over losing a motor and being unable to race for any time in the foreseeable future? Because I'm making strides forward. I'm improving not just as a driver, but as a competitor. I feel I have just as much talent as any race winner out there, and I really feel like I have something to prove. My brother is a talented driver with many wins under his belt and I feel like I can do it. I've been doing this basically on my own since the start, I freaking built that car by myself! But to lose a motor now without funding is crushing. I felt like I had that competitive edge for the first time, and it was taken away in one corner. 


Here's the catch. I didn't lose the motor. I said before that I was becoming a better driver and at the first sign of a problem I shut the car down. I brought the car home and pulled the head expecting to see the yellow engine soup, but there wasn't anything. I took the head over to the bench to inspect it and I turned the cam over until I could inspect the valve seat with a feeler gauge. I found a bent exhaust valve on cylinder #4. The low compression was what shut the motor down, and I'm lucky I caught it quickly because if that valve had any more time to rotate, it would have broken and taken the lower end with it. So instead of replacing an engine, I'll be replacing a valve. I will have to inspect further to see if there is any more damage to the engine, but I couldn't see anything yet. If you see me on Thursday, it'll be because a serious stroke of luck, and quick switch play.


We'll see if I get it back next week, keep your fingers crossed.


Brent

So yet another race is in the books, with yet another lackluster finish. I didn't realize slumps could last this long, but I guess they can. 

So I decided to take the car out the second I got the new head on the car. Hey, with new parts, it's good to bring it out and work any bugs out. I certainly worked bugs out, but not in the predesignated areas.


I went out for the 2nd practice, because I was late and missed the first. But I ran around under caution and everything seemed normal. As soon as the green waved, I took off like I've done tons of times before. I went off into turn one, got to the gas point, and the car dies. It shuts right off, starts backfiring, the whole bit. I shut it down, push the clutch in, and coast it back to the pits. We get it back to the pit, I'm looking all over it for something visibly wrong. I don't see anything, so I decide to try and start it. It fires. So now I'm confused, why would a car shut off for no apparent reason.


Panic mode set in almost immediately. The cam timing hasn't slipped, the carb is working, and I suck at diagnosing electrical problems. So I changed out the module, the coil, even the distributor at one point. I even went as far as disconnecting the tach. For some reason, I got it running again, but the problem was, I still didn't know what was wrong. I missed all of the remaining practices, but I was starting last in the heat. Good enough.


The heat race would have to serve as a competitive practice, and I wasn't short on aggression early. I was going without a tach (which was not working properly at the time), so shifting was a little subdued. But, the green flag dropped, and the #70 cut out of line in front of me. I followed, pushing that car down the front stretch. I thought to myself, "pushing people is far more fun than being pushed around". But heading through turn 4, I got punted and spun through the infield. Needless to say, I wasn't too happy to be spun out running for almost last place... in a heat race... in the mini stocks. But I did the gentlemanly thing and refired to save a caution. On lap 4, the car shuts off again. I shut it down and coasted into the pits again. 


Now I'm just as confused as I've been all day. I tried a few more things, but nothing worked. I decided that I had enough and loaded up the car. There wasn't anything I could do. Once back at the shop, it took me 3 days of work to find and address all of the problems. First, the wiring harness was an absolute rat's nest, so I rewired and loomed the ignition system. Next, I bought a new ignition module to remove that variable. Then, I searched the remaining wiring in the car and found multiple wires bad, including the power lead to the ignition switch. Apparently the lead wire to the switch was rubbing on the interior of the car, and had worn through the insulation, causing the power lead to ground, killing the motor. I fixed all these things, and tested it. The car fired first shot. I reset the timing, and we're ready for next week, hopefully without all the headaches.


See you then.
Brent

So since I have quite a few people who read this site, I figured it was about time I got off my duff and wrote something pertinent. And updated the site. That usually helps.


I had plans to run a full season and really give it a serious try this year. I had a new motor put together, half of which I used in the Icebreaker, and the new head is done but not put on yet. One week before we went back to weekly racing, I signed a lease on my new apartment. Racing went away. I did what was best for myself at this time and although I may only bring the car out once or twice this year, I have no plans on selling it. Which means, obviously, that I'm not done racing... but for this year I pretty much am. 


I apologize to those of you who may have enjoyed watching me race, and to those I enjoy racing against, but there's always another year. Unless someone wants to give me a ride? Just because my finishes were junk doesn't mean I can't drive, it just means my car is slow. And not handling slow, motor slow (or it used to be, I haven't tried the new head yet.) Please?


So anyway, you'll still see me in the pits helping my brother quite often. I'll be sure to visit and walk around in my off time from leaning up against the truck. Or wrenching, whichever comes first. Just know that I love racing, it's more apart of me than the air I breathe, and that I will return some day. I hope you're all still there when I do.


Also, this isn't the end of the blog. I'll just be doing it less.


Brent

So I'm going to keep this brief, since there's not a heck of a lot of news or drama, or interesting stories for that matter! 


I showed up on Saturday, and was freezing my ass off from the get go. I scaled the car a few days before and wasn't too worried about my setup. I had the bottom end of my engine rebuilt by Engines By Andy, and everything there was working well, but we didn't have time to get a good head together because I got my motor to him late. So I was down on power to start, using the head from last year, but I knew I had something going with the handles.


I went out for the first practice and I knew I was on to something. I was confident going in, but this reaffirmed it. I said I was going to send it in at full speed the first corner, instead of easing in from having a winter off. And I can say I'm glad I did. The handles only needed small adjustments all day as the rubber wore into the track, but it's never been more spot on. I've never had a car that's handled so well. I could pick up a full car length in the corners, but down the straights, I'd get run over. It's so frustrating to do so poorly, when I know I can do so much more.


I pulled a 41 when I signed in. That set my weekend in motion pretty quickly. I knew that even with my excellent handles I'd have a hard time getting by anyone without the top end. The car was good in the heat race, but I couldn't go anywhere. Thompson is a power track, and I can't blame my engine builder for it, we ran out of time. I started 19th in the feature, and as with any feature I checked out the lineup and worked out a game plan. I wanted to get around all the riffraff and make sure I put myself into a safe position and try to stay out of trouble. I knew I was down on power and I just wanted to finish in good condition. Obviously I went full out, but I had to be real about the situation.


I picked off the cars I wanted to get in front of, and I'm glad I did, because those cars ended up wrecking a few laps later. The only problem I had with the car besides the lack of speed was the amount of cars wrecking in front of me. Luckily we were pretty well behaved and kept the race going well. I ended up finishing 15th. 


While I'm disappointed with the finish, I'm not disappointed with how the weekend went. I found the sweet spot in the setup and I don't plan on changing that any time soon. I'm glad I did because I somehow lost my setup book. At least my notes will start off with what works.


I've told people this already, but watch out for the #4 mini this year. I'm working on some really important stuff in the weeks we have off. I know it sounds ridiculous to hear someone who finished 17th in points last year to say "watch out for me", but I'm really getting my organization together. I've had a lot of help over the past year and it's all starting to come together. So I'm serious, keep an eye on me this year. I think you'll be surprised. 


See you in May,
Brent

This is basically a response post to my last blog. 


Yes, the #4 mini will be at the Icebreaker. That is to say if the engine is complete by then. I got it to Engines by Andy late, and he's swamped with other work. So, let's hope he can work miracles and have it done, no thanks to me. 


The car is completely finished except for the power plant and I have to say, it looks good. I hope it runs as good as it looks. If I know Andy, he's going to put some power down, so I need to hold up my end with the setup.

I'm not posting any pictures of the car because I'm actually proud of how it looks, so you'll have to look for it. I put a paint scheme together that can't be mistaken for another car. I think there were like, 3 cars that were red and black last year. I had to do something different. 


See you at the Icebreaker, off to finish prep on the car. Lets hope for a better finish than last year, which was a DNF because of a lack of prep. Then again, as with Murphy's Law, the one thing I forget to check will go wrong, so lets see what happens.


Brent

Ok, so with the banquet done and over with, it's time to focus on the car and getting ready for the season. 


Oh, and yes... I realize they didn't give out a "sportsman" award. They do at Waterford and I forgot they don't at Thompson. And yes, all of my predictions were wrong. Sue me.


My car is still able to roll, but it needs the new door plates put on, the rear end examined, the body hung, painted, and the engine refreshed. Not a huge amount of work, but I have a confession. I still have NO IDEA if I'll be back this year in any form. I don't want to reveal why just yet, but it comes down to this: either I will be back or the car will be sold. There is no middle of the road. Depending on my future in the next coming month or two, I will know if I'm racing or selling out entirely. I'll keep you posted. 


I don't know what Jess is doing, but I'm sure he'll be back in some form. Don't know if he'll be back for a full season, but the crew is working some stuff out. 


I have to say I learned a hell of a lot last year, and I would like to put a lot of that knowledge into use, but to be completely honest, if certain things happen and I sell everything, it will be because something very important in my professional life fell into place. So, although I enjoy racing with you all (and hopefully putting on a good show for you fans), I would much rather be selling out before the start of the season, if you catch my drift. Even though I won't release the details yet, I hope you all understand.


I'll be sure to let everyone know what's going on, but until then, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Prayers are welcome...


Brent