Putting himself up against the best that California has to offer over the weekend at Placerville Speedway, Blake Carrick proved to be up to the challenge as he raced his way into the Nor-Cal Posse Shootout feature event on Saturday night before a mechanical failure ended his night early.
“It was a really fun weekend going up against the best we have in California,” Blake Carrick said. “Friday night we came up short in the ‘B’, but to get through out heat race on Saturday was a pretty big accomplishment.”
With 44 cars on hand during Saturday night’s finale, the Lincoln, CA youngster timed his CVC/Cemex/Interstate Oil backed No. 38B entry in seventh quickest in his time trial group which would place him in the fourth row for his heat race.
On a racy Placerville Speedway, Carrick was able to go toe-to-toe with some veteran drivers as he worked his way up to the fifth and final transfer position at the checkered flag and stamped his ticket into the 35-lap Nor-Cal Posse Shootout finale with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour.
Lining up 20th on the starting grid, Carrick adapted well to the extremely slick track conditions as went to work and began racing his way forward. Getting up inside the Top-15, Carrick continue to dig for more as he was in the 14th position as the race neared the halfway point.
On the 16th lap, Carrick would lose oil pressure and we would coast to a stop and head to the work area where his team would tell him to call night a night as he was scored in the 22nd position.
Friday night’s opener saw 41 cars check into the pit area as Carrick would get his night off to a so-so start as he timed in ninth quickest in qualifying time trials. With the SCCT format in play on this night as well, Carrick would find himself in the ninth starting position for his heat race.
Working his way up into sixth, Carrick would chase after the fifth and final transfer position into the feature event but would come up short and be forced into the ‘B’.
Starting fourth in a loaded semi, Carrick would slip out of a transfer position but held his own as he didn’t back down amidst some great battles with veteran drivers. Though he finished sixth and his night ended early, Carrick was extremely poised to better himself during the finale, which he was successful at.
“I have to thank my family and this team for all they do and all of their support,” Carrick said. “It has been fun running this year and hopefully we can have a few more good runs before the season ends.”
Blake Carrick would like to thank CVC, Cemex, Interstate Oil, Conti, Harris and Sloan, Emerald, Timberworks Construction for their continued support
ON TAP: Blake Carrick is unsure where he will be at next at this time.
2018 BY THE NUMBERS: Starts-18, Wins-0, Top 5’s-0, Top 10’s-5
STAY CONNECTED: Stay up to speed with Blake Carrick by following him on Twitter @Blake_Carrick21 or @CarrickMotorsp1.
