*End of Season Recap*

The 2010 racing season came to a close at the end of September.  There were two final non-points races scheduled after the season, one of which was held on October 2-3 in Yakima where the Metaboliq #6 Late Model raced in the Fall Classic.  Fifty cars were competing for 32 starting positions and unfortunately #6 did not make it into the main event.

The Metaboliq #4 Late Model and the Metaboliq #4 Modified will race at the Las Vegas Fall Classic on November 5 and 6 at the Las Vegas Speedway; this is a non-points race.  If you are in the area come support your Metaboliq race cars at the Las Vegas event.

Here are the results for the season plus some pictures of the cars.

Wes Rhodes in the Metaboliq #6

Dan Rhodes in the Qivana #9

Lynn Hardy in the Metaboliq #4

Sid McElreath in the Qivana #94 Modified

Click here to read past updates

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*September 19 Update*

The final race in the Late Model Rocky Mountain Challenge Series took place in Twin Falls, ID this past weekend. Lynn Hardy, the driver of the Metaboliq #4 raced on the short track oval at the Magic Valley Speedway.

During the Saturday afternoon practice, the #4 turned in the 3rd fastest time, but was forced out of the main event after discovering water in the oil (almost always means a blown head gasket). After further tests it was determined that water was being sucked out of the water jacket into the #5 cylinder—an easy fix, but not one that could be accomplished by race time.

In a tight battle for season points, it was important for the car to enter the race and avoid a “no start,” which could have caused the #4 to lose further ground in the overall standings. Gary Dastrup, the crew chief, directed Lynn Hardy to suit-up and enter the race on lap 73. Lynn took one lap and quickly pulled off. This secured an overall 4th place finish for the season.

It was not the ideal ending to a fun season, but a 4th place finish out of 29 drivers was a solid effort for the Metaboliq #4. The final race of the season is the Las Vegas Fall Classic (no points race) on November 5th and 6th at the Las Vegas Speedway.

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*September 12 Update*

The Metaboliq #4 Late Model driven by Lynn Hardy, was in Boise, ID on Friday, September 3 to prepare for the 11^th of 12 point races on the 2010 Rocky Mountain Challenges Series.  The race was held at the Meridian Speedway on Friday night.  Times were strong and at the end of Friday the crew felt that they had the car ready. On Saturday afternoon the #4 qualified third with a very respectable time.  Before the main event the #4 car finished 4^th in a 12 lap heat race which was a good warm up for the main event.

The main event featured a full inverse start with all the fast qualifiers starting at the back of the field,  putting Lynn Hardy in Metaboliq #4 on the outside of the next to the last row. After a clean start the #4 moved quickly through the field and by lap 54 was in 2nd place. The #11 was close behind and attempting to pressure the #4 car when it bumped the car causing both cars to spin out on the main straightaway. Both cars were forced to move to the back of the pack with the #4 ultimately finishing in 11^th place.

Heading into the race, the #4 car was sitting in 3rd position overall for the season.  In spite of the poor finish with a fast car at the Boise race, the #4 slipped into 4th place with one race to go. Lynn Hardy in the Metaboliq #4 car has been a threat to win all season with four top five and six top ten finishes in eight races.  The final point race of the season will be held at the Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, ID on September 18.

On Labor Day night there were three cars in action, all in the modified class. The #94 driven by Sid McElreath, the #41 driven by Michael Haddenham and in a quick turnaround after the Saturday race in Boise, the #4 driven by Lynn Hardy.

The #41 car finished 5^th in its heat race while the #4 and #94 cars finished 10th and 9th respectively. In the main event, Lynn Hardy in the #4 came from the back of the field in a short amount of time to move into 2nd place behind the leader, with the third place car in hot pursuit.  After a long duel, the car following pressed too hard and spun the #4 car into the infield.  A quick recovery allowed the #4 to eventually catch up with the field before coming to a slow stop at turn four in lap 43 with a broken drive-line.  Michael Haddenham in the #41 moved through the field, stayed out of trouble and finished a very respectable 3rd place.  Sid McElreath in #94 finished 12th.

The Metaboliq #9 Late Model driven by Dan Rhodes did not race this week.

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*August 22 Update*

The only Qivana car in action this past weekend was the #4 Metaboliq Late Model driven by Lynn Hardy. Lynn raced at the super oval at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City in what was the 8th race of the year in the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series.

Lynn came out strong and set the fast time for the night with a 15.27 second best lap, accruing season points, enabling him to move up in the standings.  His strong showing continued during the heat races where he finished second.

The main event was 125 lap race, but unfortunately Lynn’s engine began to overheat and Lynn had to withdraw early from the race giving him a 10th place finish.  His strong showing in the qualifying as well as the heat race allowed him to move from 4th place on the season to 3rd place and kept him in 2nd place in total points for the Rocky Mountain Raceway Championship.

The next race for Metaboliq #4 is at the Meridian Speedway in Boise, Idaho on September 4.  Metaboliq #9 races at Wenatchee, Washington on August 28 and the Qivana #94 races at Rocky Mountain Speedway on August 28.

Click Here to see season point standings.

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*August 1 Update*

On Saturday, July 31, the Stateline Raceway in Post Falls, ID was the site of race number seven in this year’s Rocky Mountain Challenge Series (RMCS). For the only time this year, both the Metaboliq #9 driven by Dan Rhodes of Olympia, Washington and the Metaboliq #4 driven by Lynn Hardy of Salt Lake City, Utah were racing together.

Both drivers qualified strong for the race and both won their heat races leading up to the main race. Their cars were positioned in the back of the starting field due to their fast qualifying, but each quickly moved through the field. The #9 car finished in 2nd place and the #4 car finished in 13th, maintaining 4th overall position on the  season. You can follow the season standings here.

On Sunday, August 1, Dan Rhodes in the Metaboliq #9 raced again, this time in the Idaho 200 on the same race track, and finished in 3rd place—rounding out a very successful weekend of racing for the entire Metaboliq team. See more information on the Idaho 200 here and here.

Sid McElreath in the #94 Qivana Modified was idle this week.

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*July 18 Update*

Saturday, July 17, the Rocky Mountain Raceway (RMR) in Salt Lake City was the site of race number six in this year’s Rocky Mountain Challenge Series (RMCS). It was an extremely hot day, with temperatures in the mid 90s, as the cars staged for practice and qualifying. Extreme heat makes the asphalt track very greasy and difficult to get proper traction.

After a few practice laps and some last minute adjustments, the #4 car was ready to qualify. Participants of the RMCS qualify for position in the order the drivers currently stand in season points, so Lynn Hardy, the driver of #4 (4th in the standings), was positioned 4th from last to qualify for the 75 lap main event. It is preferable to qualify later, as it gives the driver and the pit crew an opportunity to see how other cars are behaving on the track during qualifying.

The #4 car ran a very respectable time at 15.265, which was 4th fastest in the field of 18 cars. RMR uses an inverted start for its main events so that fast qualifiers start toward the rear of the field. It was a good night for Lynn in #4 as he carefully worked his way past the slower cars and up through the field, staying out of trouble the entire race and finally finishing 4th. The #4 ended up gaining only a single point for the race, leaving it in 4th place on the season, but now only 89 points out of first place.

The next race will be held in Post Falls, ID for a 100 lap race on July 31. This race attracts drivers from the Pacific Northwest including the Qivana #9 driven by Dan Rhodes out of Washington, setting the stage for the Metaboliq #4 and #9 to go head to head.

Sid McElreath in the #94 Qivana Modified also raced on July 17th. A combination of a slick track and a large starting field made for an exciting night for Sid as he was involved in a couple of crashes and one spin out. Fortunately no one was hurt and the #94 car survived the evening with minor damage. Sid qualified 14th and started in row three for this 50 lap race. He finished 4th in his heat race and 14th in a field of 18 cars in the main event.

No race was scheduled for the #9 Metaboliq Late Model/Super Stock this past weekend but on Saturday, July 10, the Metaboliq Late Model/Super Stock driven by Dan Rhodes finished 6th in his Main Event at the South Sound Raceway in Tenino, WA. Dan is now in third place on the season with 490 points which is just 86 points out of first. The #9 car races again on July 24th at the South Sound Speedway…Click Here to read the rest of the updates.

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*July 4 Update*

Sid McElreath behind the wheel of the Qivana Modified #94 raced at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City, Utah over the weekend and finished 15th in a field of 20 cars remaining 14th in points on the season. Sid did well during the event qualifying and started the race  in the middle of the pack. He stayed out of trouble throughout the race and continues in his rookie season honing his driving skills and patience. For complete results and season points information click here.

No race was scheduled for Lynn “the Hammer” Hardy in the Metaboliq Late Model #4. The next race on the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series is scheduled for July 17th and that race will be held at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City. For complete race results and season points standings, click on www.rmrracing.com and www.rmcsracing.com

No race was scheduled for Dan Rhodes and the Metaboliq Late Model #9 who races at the South Sound Raceway in Tenino, WA. Dan races next on July 10.  For complete results and season points information click on www.southsoundspeedway.com.

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*June 27 Update*

The Qivana Chevrolet #4 Late Model driven by Lynn “the Hammer” Hardy raced at the Meridian Speedway in Boise, Idaho this past Saturday night, finishing in seventh place (in a back-up car).  The crew traveled to Boise early Friday morning in preparation of the race to get in extra practice laps. During the practice session, the oil pump froze up and threw a drive belt. These cars utilize a dry sump oiling system which is much different than the typical family car—which has an oil pan.  When the oil pump stops, so does the oil, and within a fraction of a second an engine at 7200 rpms can seize.

The oil pump was removed and the crew discovered a metal piece inside the pump which had caused the problem. The pump was rushed off to a machine shop where it was repaired and re-installed on the engine. The engine was fired up but oil pressure dropped immediately meaning that engine was not going to be ready.

The crew chief, Gary Dastrup, quickly went to work on securing a back-up option—looking for another motor or another car. He was successful in obtaining a car from another driver who agreed to loan it out for the race. Coincidentally, the car carried the #40, so it was just a matter of covering the zero to have a new #4 ready to go. The entire transaction was complete about an hour prior to the race, leaving little time to get ready.

This #4 car qualified in the middle of the 19 car field.  Mid race another car turned into the #4, blowing a tire, resulting in two lost laps. Ironically, the car that hit the #4 was the same driver whose back-up car we were using.

Prior to this race the season points leader was Steve Jones, who hit the wall during practice, couldn’t repair the car in time for the race and dropped to fourth.  The second place driver moved into first. The fifth place driver moved to first (with a fourth place finish in this race) and the winner of this race moved into third, moving the Qivana Late Model #4 into fourth place in the season standings. There are now only 90 points separating first and fourth place, with many races remaining. Had the team failed to find a back-up car and not been able to race, the team would have slid to eighth place on the season and been 300 points behind the leader—thank goodness for back-up cars.

The damaged #4 car will be transported back to Salt Lake City where the motor will be dismantled to diagnose and fix the problem. The next race is in Salt Lake City at the Rocky Mountain Raceway (The car’s home track) on July 17—plenty of time to have #4 back in winning condition by race day.

The Qivana #94 Modified did not race this past weekend.

The Qivana/Metaboliq Chevrolet #9 Late Model did not race this past weekend.

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*June 20 Update*

The Qivana/Metaboliq Chevrolet #9 Late Model was rained out in Olympia, WA last Saturday night.

The Qivana Chevrolet #4 Late Model races at the Meridian Raceway in Meridian, ID this coming Saturday.

The Qivana #94 Modified races at RMR this Saturday.

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*June 13 Update*

The Qivana/Metaboliq Chevrolet #9 Late Model driven by Dan Rhodes on the Northwest ARCA Tour was idle this past weekend and remains firmly in second place in points for the season.

Sid McElreath in the Qivana #94 Modified was rained out last Saturday night at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City. Sid remains in 14th position on the season.

The Qivana Chevrolet #4 Late Model driven by Lynn “the hammer” Hardy traveled to the Magic Valley Raceway in Twin Falls, ID for a race on Saturday, June 12.  Lynn qualified with the 5th fastest time and set a personal best time on the much shorter than standard Twin Falls track.  Lynn finished 5th in his heat race and 5th in the 100 lap main event ahead of current points leader Steve Jones who finished 7th. This finish closed the gap in points on the season and maintained a strong third place points position.  The race was one of the cleanest of the year—it went 100 laps from green to checkered flag without a single caution.

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*June 7 Update*

Sid McElreath in the Qivana #94 Modified raced at the Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt lake City on Saturday, June 5, finishing 9th in a field of 18 cars. Sid remains in 14th position in season points.

Click Here to see race results.

Lynn Hardy in the Qivana Chevrolet #4 Late Model did not race this past weekend, but is preparing for the big race this coming weekend at the Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, ID. Lynn is in 2nd place in season points at the Rocky Mountain Raceway and 3rd in points on the season in the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series.

Click Here to see season point standings.

Dan Rhodes in the Qivana/Metaboliq Chevrolet #9 Late Model raced last Saturday, June 5 at the South Sound Speedway in Tenino, WA.  Dan finished 3rd for the race and held on to 2nd place in season points, just 28 points behind the leader.

Click Here to see season point standings.

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QIVANA RACING OVERVIEW:

For two years Qivana has sponsored three race cars that compete on race tracks in Washington and Utah. The Metaboliq Chevrolet #4—a new race car this year—competes on the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series (RMCS) in the Late Model division out of Salt Lake City, UT. The Metaboliq Chevrolet #9 competes on the Northwest Tour in the Late Model division out of Olympia, WA and the Qivana Modified #94 races in the Modified division, also out of Salt Lake City.

The Late Model Division consists of cars that look like those at Talladega or Daytona, except that they race exclusively on a short track oval such as the tracks at Richmond and Martinsville—both of which are on the annual Cup Series tour. The #4 and #9 cars race on tracks in cities including Salt Lake City, UT; Twin Falls, ID; Boise, ID; Tenino, WA; Post Falls, ID; Las Vegas, NV; Yakima, WA and Roseburg, OR, to name a few.

The Modified division features a car with an open wheel design that looks like a hybrid between a Late Model and a Sprint car. The Qivana Modified #4 competes exclusively on the Rocky Mountain Raceways 3/8 oval in Salt lake City, Utah.

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Qivana Chevrolet Late Model #4

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The Qivana #4 Chevrolet Late Model is driven by Lynn “the Hammer” Hardy who for the last 10 years has dominated Utah racing in the Modified class. Last year he agreed to join the Qivana Race team and move to the Late Model division. In mid-season 2009, the car collided into the wall on the 4th turn at Rocky Mountain Raceways and suffered some serious chassis damage, making it virtually non-competitive for the 2010 season. This car (to the left) received a dignified retirement to a nice garage in St. George, UT where it is used exclusively as a show car for Qivana events and meetings (contact CEO Derek Hall if you would like to use this car for an event). The car finished the season in 18th position out of 51 cars competing.

A new car was purchased in February from an owner in Ashville, AL. The first race of the 2010 season was held at the Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, ID on April 24. It was a good opportunity to work out the kinks in the new car, qualifying 6th and finishing the race in 10th position and 10th in points for the season.

The next race was at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 8. The car qualified 11th and finished a very respectable 4th in a field of 16 cars, but more importantly moved up to 6th in points on the season.

The third race was again at the Rocky Mountain Raceway on Memorial Day, with the car qualifying with the 2nd fastest time—14.952 seconds (just 1/100th off the track record). The RMCS uses an inverted start system that begins the fastest qualifiers in the back of the field—consequently #4 started the 100 lap feature event on the outside of row 8, but moved quickly through the field of 18 cars. After leading for a few laps, the car finished a very respectable 5th place, improving the season point standings from 6th place (after three races) to 3rd place with many races remaining.

Here is the remaining race schedule:

Sat. June 26 – Meridian Speedway – 100 laps
Sat. July 17 – Rocky Mountain Raceways – 75 laps
Sat. July 31 – Stateline Speedway – 100 laps
Sun. August 1 – Stateline Speedway Idaho 200 (non points)
Sat. August 21 – Rocky Mountain Raceways – 125 laps
Sat. September 4 – Meridian Speedway – 75 laps
Sat. September 18 – Magic Valley Speedway – 100 laps

Click Here to see the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series website.

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Qivana/Metaboliq Chevrolet Late Model #9

This car is driven by Dan Rhodes who comes from a pedigree of champion race car drivers. Dan’s father Wes, has virtually owned the Northwest ASA Tour over the past 10 years and Dan seems to be following in his dad’s footsteps. Dan was the 2006 South Sound Speedway Champion at the age of 20. This car will run exclusively on the South Sound Speedway this year in an attempt to repeat as track champion.

The first race was in Rochester, WA where the car qualified fastest and finished 3rd for the race, but accumulated points to move into 2nd place on the season. Race number two was held on May 1, resulting in a 2nd place finish, maintaining 2nd place position overall. Races three and four were held over Memorial Day weekend with 2nd and 3rd place finishes respectively, remaining 2nd overall in season points.

Here is the remaining race schedule:

June 26 – Saturday: Limited Late Model
July 3 – Saturday: Limited Late Model
July 17 – Saturday: Limited Late Model
July 31 – Saturday Limited Late Model
August 14 – Saturday: Limited Late Model
September 4 – Saturday: Limited Late Model
September 18 – Saturday: Limited Late Model

Click Here to visit the South Sound Speedway Website

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Qivana Modified #94

This car is driven by Sid McElreath who is in his rookie year on the circuit. Sid is progressing nicely and currently sits in 14th position out of 20 on the season.

Click Here to see the Rocky Mountain Raceways website