Wiscasset was the next track on the circuit and also new to many drivers on the circuit. It looks bumpier than it really is, and has a lot of banking. That meant for 3 and 4 wide racing, and the highest speeds our series has seen this year. There were a lot of gear changes, suspension adjustments, and just plain head scratching.
Again the #20 unloaded fairly fast, but was clearly better in the lower groove. Perhaps a higher gear may have helped it run on the outside, but it was quite competitive none-the-less. In the heat race, Mark was closing on the 4th place car in a hurry in the final laps, and had a chance to pass in turn 3 on the final lap. But it was tight, and the opening to pass closed in a hurry, so Mark thought better of it and settled for 4th. After all, the feature race is the one that matters the most.
In the feature, the #20 started 3rd on the inside - perfect considering the set-up and gearing. From the drop of the green, Mark kept the car down low, and only a couple cars slipped by on the outside, putting him back to 6th or 7th. As the race progressed on, the handling seemed to improve and he began closing on a couple cars. Then just past the halfway point, the engine sputtered going into turn 1. The car behind Mark couldn't help but bump him from behind, and everyone did a great job driving around the #20 car as it slowed and headed off to the pits. It had run out of fuel.
The car had been setup all day with a 1/2 tank of fuel to keep the rear weight at a minimum. And the team had simply overlooked topping off the used fuel between the heat and feature. Clearly a costly mistake - and one that will not be forgotten. The team has incorporated this into it's prerace routine to ensure it never happens again. Still, the #20 managed to refuel, and finish the race, salvaging a 16th place finish and only dropping back to 14th in the overall points standings. Mark is looking forward to coming back to Wiscasset later this year for some redemption.