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For Further Information Contact Scott Daloisio: mailto: [email protected] or (909) 226-7768
For Immediate Release
DAMION GARDNER REFLECTS ON 211+ AT BONNEVILLE!
(Concord, CA, September 17, 2014) One week after becoming the first driver ever to go more than 200-MPH in a sprint car, Concord, California racing star Damion Gardner took time out from his busy schedule to reflect on the accomplishment. He talked about what it took to get there, how having a year under his belt helped him prepare for this year, whether he will go back again and more. Read on to take in the thoughts of the “World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver.”
Q: You went over 211-MPH at Bonneville this week. What were you thinking of in advance? Did you have a specific speed over 200-MPH in mind?
Gardner: No, not really. I just wanted to go over 200. I was going to be happy with anything over 200. Obviously, I thought we could do that and once we went over 205, I don’t know, we wanted to make it a fuller number. Something in the teens or something like that. Not 205, so when we got 211, that was pretty good. That was very satisfying, but going up there anything over 200 I would have been happy with. Last year it was a goal to go there and be the “World’s Fastest Sprint Car” and we did that. This year it was to go 200.
Click on the following link to see a LoudPedal one minute clip on Damion Gardner’s 211-MPH run at Bonneville: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=870220872989787&set=vb.140447972633751&type=2&theater
Q: So are you satisfied with it?
Gardner: Oh yeah. I am fully satisfied.
Q: You made some modifications to the car for this year to stabilize it. Talk about what it was like last year going 194 and this year 211. Was it easier to drive at 211?
Gardner: Yeah, it was easier. Last year when we went 194, it was pretty out of control. I guess I did not really know out of control last year (at Bonneville). I more realized this year (how out of control I was last year) because last year I had never been to the salt and never knew it was kind of slushy like it was. It kind of reminded me of slushy snow. I did not really expect that. I thought there would be more grip than that. No one had really mentioned that (before he got there) and that kind of surprised me once I was there. They mentioned the aero stuff and different things, but no one mentioned to me that the salt was going to be that slick so when I got there, that kind of caught me off guard. This year when we got there the car was really stuck and went down the track really nice, but it only went 190 (on the first run). So, we kind of had to trim it out. Take some of the stuff that we put into it back out of it. We got it up to 211 and at 211, it was moving around a little bit and started to get some of the characteristics back that it did last year. It still drove very well for going that fast. That is kind of funny. That is what I enjoy doing. When you say, “Am I satisfied,” we went there last year and I did not know anything. I learned certain things. Certain people helping me like John Beck of Vintage Hot Rods helped me a lot this year. He is like the “World’s Fastest Roadster.” Those guys helped me a lot. Just going fast and being able to go faster. Going over 200, I have accomplished that. That is the process I like. Figuring it all out and applying what you learned. Obviously you hope that it all works. To me, that is the satisfying part. This year obviously we went back after putting a lot of work into it and it worked.
Q: As you said the salt and its slushiness caught you by surprise last year and you ended up spinning three times. Were you ever close to spinning it this year?
Gardner: I would say no. It started to move around like when it spun out last year, but nothing like at the end (last year) when I was spinning out like every lap. It was not moving around like that, but I could tell it was picking up the characteristics that it had when it was going to spin out. As far as I can tell, it was not even close to spinning out this year.
Q: It was pretty much smooth sailing the whole time you were there with the exception of a torsion arm after the first run, correct? Your crew did a magnificent job.
Gardner: Yeah, it went really well. The crew, I cannot thank them enough. I am so impressed with them. We all thrashed on it and it is kind of a side project you know? We all have to work on it when we can fit it in and these guys worked on it for three weeks straight at night after work. We got everything done we needed to get done. That (the torsion) arm may have been the only problem we had both years. We dealt with it pretty quickly and moved on. Those guys should be proud of themselves.
Q: Was there any moisture left in the salt from the rain that forced the cancelation of Speed Week in August?
Gardner: There was a little bit. I don’t know if it was as bad as last year. It was definitely a little bit slushy. I could tell. The day I went 211 in the morning, we tried to go again. We changed some things and I did not get back out there until the afternoon and definitely in the afternoon it gets slushier and the salt gets a little crumblier. It is kind of just like slush. Later in the day, the water comes up from underneath it and it is kind of like snow. It just keeps getting slushier and slushier.
Q: Last year or earlier this year when we talked, you said that after you reached 200-MPH, you probably would not be going back to Bonneville unless someone went faster than you in a sprint car. So, next August, will you be back in Bonneville?
Gardner: I don’t have any plans on being back. I was kind of surprised as I asked some people (possible sponsors) for a little help to do it and they were on the fence and then everything kind of fell through at the last minute. I was surprised. I thought it was going to be a big deal and I could get some guys to help me out with some money to do it. I am very fortunate and grateful that the product sponsors who I have had for years helped me out. Really the only reason I could do it was because of them. They lightened the load so all I had to do was some of the little things on the car. I already had the motor. The travel? Mike from All Coast Construction, he is “Surf N’ Sprint”, he took care of all the travel. Other than that, there would have been no way I could do it. If someone wants to pay me to go back or sponsor the car so we can go much faster, I would probably go back. I think with what I know now we could probably go back and go into the 220’s with no problem.
Q: Would you ever consider going back in another type of car like a streamliner?
Gardner: I don’t know. I don’t have any plans to go back on my own. If somebody want to hire me to drive their car, I will go do that for sure. I don’t have any plans to build anything on my own for right now.
Q: It is a big deal and when the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame calls and says they want to display that car when you are done with it, that kind of shows that it was something special to be the first to go 200-MPH in a sprint car, doesn’t it?
Gardner: Yeah, for sure. I think so and I think it is cool. You asked me if I am going to go back. It was important for me to do it for the first time and it was fun. It was important for me to be the first one to go 200-MPH in a sprint car. There is only one guy who steps onto the moon the first time, right? I wanted to be that guy. People were slow to come around to the idea of what it was. I have got a lot more feedback about it this year than I did last year. It is a big honor and I have had a few people contact me about the car and what I am going to do with it. I have not really given that any thought. It was a lot of hard work and I am just going to kind of sit on it right now.
Everything, including the historical 205-MPH pass is being shot for an exciting documentary titled, “The World’s Fastest Sprint Car.” The made for TV production is being written, directed and produced by Surf N’ Sprint and will be shot by the award winning racing specialists from LoudPedal Productions. Click on the following line to ride along with “The Demon” on his historical 211-MPH run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH_4EneW2Fc&list=UUuaxfAugSI-ByjFsyLD0K6g
Damion Gardner would like to thank the following for making this enormous task possible: Surf N’ Sprint, Frankland Rearends, J. Milano Co., Shaver Engines, Lucas Oil, ARP, FK Rod Ends, Weld Wheels, Yak Graphics, Schoenfeld, Waterman, Simpson, Willwood, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Advanced Racing Suspension, Maxwell Industries, Victory Race Cars, Beast Chassis, Maas Powdercoat, Kenny’s Components, Santamauro Racing, Lee Power Steering, Butler Built Seats, Schroeder, Brown & Miller, Champion Spark Plugs, System 1, Barne’s Systems, Eibach, TSR, Indy Race Parts, MPD, Beaver Stripes, K&N, Jessel, Comp Cams, Donovan, Seals It, LoudPedal Productions, KMD Racing.
Watch for more follow ups on this noble effort in 2014. You can also check out what is going on by visiting the surfnsprint page on Instagram and the Damion Gardner Fan Page on Facebook. The pages of Steve Watt and Loudpedal Productions will also offer their takes on all the high speed happenings.
To hear Damion Gardner’s 2013 interview about driving the “World’s Fastest Sprint Car” with Shawn Wood on the Dirt Track Channel, please click on the following link: http://thedirttrackchannel.com/Webcast/tscsAug1313.mp3
Media, to contact any of the principals in this endeavor, please contact Scott Daloisio at [email protected] or call 909 226-7768.
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