Flowdynamics Racing drivers Matt McCarthy and Logan Williams hit the road to Northern California over Labor Day weekend. The duo qualified for five of the six possible main event starts on the tracks in the upper portion of the state.
Driving from Southern California, the Flowdynamics crew first journeyed to the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico for two rounds of racing at the “13th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic.” A fine field of 35-cars showed up for the first of the three nights of racing. Williams, who lives in Yorba Linda, California, turned in the 10th fastest qualifying time of the night on the ¼ mile oval with a lap of 13.464. McCarthy clocked in at 13.847, which was 21st quickest.
The first race of the weekend was the 10-lap Flowdynamics sponsored heat. McCarthy, who calls Riverside, California home, started on the pole and led every inch of the way. He was challenged on the freshly groomed racetrack over the first six-laps but pulled away when the track started coming in around lap seven. He won the heat by over a half straightaway. It was his second heat race victory in the USAC/CRA Series in 2021 and it put him straight into the main event.
Williams was up a few moments later in the second heat race of the night. Starting fourth, he slid back to sixth, but came back through the pack and was up to third. However, disaster struck when he got clobbered and knocked out of the race in turn one on the fifth circuit. That sent him to the 12-lap B Main where he had to finish 6th or better to transfer into the A main. Unfortunately, he placed seventh, but he was able to get into the 30-lapper by using an available provisional.
In the main, Williams came from 23rd to finish 17th. McCarthy, who started 16th, was one spot behind Williams when the checkered flag signaled an end to the race.
The second night of action at Chico saw Williams turn in the 15th fastest time of the 30 cars on hand with a lap of 14.220. McCarthy was just a tick behind at 14.342, which was 19th best on the night. The teammates were matched up in the third heat race and things did not go the way they hoped. After a spirited battle between themselves for the final transfer spot, McCarthy ended up sixth and Williams placed eighth. That meant a trip to the B Main for both.
An early tangle in the B Main saw McCarthy’s night come to a premature end. When two cars in front of him tangled and stopped, he slid sideways to avoid them. After he came to a halt, another car arrived late and drilled the #28M. His front end was damaged, and he was taken off the track on the back of a tow truck.
Things went a lot better for Williams in the B as he finished second and earned a ticket into the main event. The young driver ran around the 11th spot for most of the race before ending up 17th at the finish.
The final night of the Northern California trip came at the Petaluma Speedway on Monday, September 6th. Williams ended up being the sixth fastest qualifier when he toured the 3/8-mile banked clay oval in 14.420. McCarthy was eighth fastest at 14.503. They squared off against each other in the second heat and placed third and fourth in the 10-lapper. In the final main event before hitting the highway south for home, McCarthy recorded the team’s best finish of the trip when he placed ninth. Williams took the checkered in 13th.
The Flowdynamics drivers had last weekend and this weekend off. They will be back to slinging clay when the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars hit Perris Auto Speedway for the Glen Howard Memorial on Saturday, September 25th.
McCarthy and Williams would like to thank the following sponsors for making the 2021 season possible. Flowdynamics Inc., JFK Design Build, Drink-Pac, Preferred Insulation, DRC Chassis, Kistler Racing and Benic Enterprises.
Flowdynamics Racing PR
