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Photos by http://www.johnsracingphotos.com
Flat tire costs Bud Kaeding positions at the Thunderbowl
By Gary Thomas
Tulare, CA – March 30, 2008…Competing for the first time this season at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding tallied a tenth place finish despite suffering a flat tire near the end of the main event.
Kaeding came into the fifth night of the Golden State Challenge Series season fresh off a seventh place effort the previous Saturday in Placerville. The event this weekend at the Tulare Thunderbowl saw a field of 32 cars in attendance and the two-time and defending USAC Silver Crown champ timed in 13th quickest to begin the night aboard the BK Motorpsorts, Alviso Rock, K & N Filters No. 29.
The field was split into four 10 lap heat races and Kaeding found himself starting third in the opening contest. At the waving of flagman Willie Williams’ green flag the 28 year-old shot into the third position before a caution came out on lap two. The restart saw Kaeding get his elbows up and gas his Kaeding Performance Maxim around the 1/3 mile clay oval to move into second where he would go on to finish.
Kaeding then lined up 12th in the 30 lap Golden State Challenge Series main event and battled a race track that had remained hooked up all night. He worked his way forward early and was able to get up to the eighth position by the time a caution waved on lap eight. He then held his ground and battled with various drivers around the top five over the next 14 laps before a red flag period on the 22nd circuit.
Kaeding however, had a right rear tire going down and elected to move to the rear on the restart, but it eventually went flat with just five laps remaining in the feature. He was able to pit and get back out before charging back to finish 10th by the checkered flag. “The tire was actually going down during one of the early cautions and I tried to stay out hoping it would build up some pressure, but later on I couldn’t get the wheels to spin and had to stop to get it changed,” the Campbell veteran said.
“We were pretty decent in the feature and were hanging in there with some of the guys towards the top five, but the tire definitely didn’t work to our advantage tonight,” he concluded. Next up for Kaeding will be this Friday’s Ocean Speedway Wright One Construction 360 Series season opener. For the night he will sit behind the wheel of the Werbach Motorsports, Los Gatos Construction No. 20, which is the same machine he drove near the end of last year.
On Saturday he will be back in action aboard the BK Motorsports No. 29 with the Golden State Challenge Series at the Antioch Speedway bullring, which is located at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch. Last season Kaeding made one appearance at the track and it saw him qualify fourth fastest before claiming a ninth place finish in the feature.
For more news and info on Campbell’s Bud Kaeding log onto http://www.budkaedingracing.com
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www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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