2nd and 4th For Ellingson at The Firecracker

Posted on July 22nd, 2008

Back running with the SCCA at the 2nd round of the East/West Challenge series. The famed Firecracker regional is where I first ran this car one year ago...and didn't do so well. Looking to redeem myself I was psyched up and ready to go. The first qualifying session was very wet, yet most of us decided to go out on slicks. It was quite slippery but we still managed to be the fastest in the Formula Ford class and 2nd overall. I really wonder how that guy would have faired had he not been on rain tires. At the end of the second qualifying session we were still second quick but seemed to have that electrical issue again. Finally traced it to a loose ground wire. With that fixed, it was on to the race. I dropped one position at the start but got it back quickly and went to chase down the leader. I wasn't able to track him down before the end of the race, but was very pleased with a second place finish.

Sunday came with better weather. I was excited that I was on new tires and had no known car issues. As I rolled out for the first qualifying session, I was stopped by a grid worker. Seems as the left rear wheel was wobbling a bit. I got out and with some help, took the wheel off and put it back on, thinking it didn't get seated initially. I take off again...still wobbly. I sent my dad for a new wheel and out we went. I got 4 qualifying laps but still managed P3. No wheel issues in the second qualifying. Faster lap times, but no position improvement. Race time and I drop a position on the start. No big deal...it's an 18 lap race and I can learn by watching the guys in front of me. After a few laps, I decide to make my move only to get chopped going into turn 1. I back off a bit and run the guy down again. I decide to make my move and get chopped again...nice. About 8 laps from the end, I feel that something isn't right in the back end so I back off a bit. At the checkered flag I am P4. Looking at the car after the race I discovered that I had broken a wheel stud. Probably a good thing the race ended when it did. Probably the end of the season for us as we are making our plans for next season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ellingson Finishes 2nd With Ailing Car

Posted on July 7th, 2008

The end of June saw us returning to where my racing career all started. I entered a race with the Midwestern Council sanctioning body. I started racing with them in 2003, winning Rookie of the Year. Midwestern Council runs their events as single day events. The first practice was spent getting used to the car again. I hadn't been in it since July of 2007. The weather had been questionable for a few days and this day was no different. After the qualifying session, we were P1 in Formula Ford by nearly 3 seconds.

As race time approached, the weather took a turn. On and off showers seemed to be the order of the day. These are the most frustrating of conditions as you don't know if you need to change to rain tires or stay with slicks. Talking with the guy who qualified P2 in Formula Ford, Allen Wheatcroft, I suggested a gentlemen's agreement that we go out on the same tires and fight from there. It ended up that we both rolled to grid on slicks. 5 minutes before the start of the race...another period of rain. It stopped before the end of the pace lap but it was enough to make people nervous.

The green flag dropped and off we went. I stayed with the lead 6 cars, fighting for P6 overall with Eric Sandsnes in his Sports 2000. By lap 3 we had pulled away from the rest of the field. I ended up passing Eric when he cooked it going into the last corner of the course. He eventually got back around me when I started to have electrical issues. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough of a lead on P2 to take the win but did end up finishing second. This was a good tune up for the next SCCA event, The Firecracker regional.

BIR Performance Driving School

Posted on June 7th, 2008

If you are looking for a place to take your car to see what it can do, let me recommend the BIR Performance Driving school. Located at the Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, MN., the school allows anyone to bring their street car or rent one of the school's Spec Racers. I was recently asked by my friend and former Indy 500 driver, Herm Johnson, to help instruct at the school. It was a 6+ hour haul, up there but well worth it.

Thanks to Lead Instructor Gary Curtis for allowing me to come help out. Thanks to Jon Belanger for putting me in a couple of the Spec Racers during the day and thanks to the BIR Performance Driving School staff for making me feel welcome. I had a great time! If you are looking for track time, to improve your driving skills or just see what your car is capable of in a safe and legal place, it's well worth the money. Check out their web site at www.birperformance.com.

Milwaukee Region National

Posted on June 7th, 2008

The first race of the season in in the books. We ended up finishing a somewhat disappointing 8th out of 11 cars. The weekend started with the Friday test day. Last season I was turning 1.15 second laps at Blackhawk Farms in the middle of July. I sort of expected that the lap times would be comparable. I was a little disappointed to see high 1.16 second laps more the norm. That certainly wasn't going to get it done at a National. Saturday was our qualifying day. The first session was a bit crowded as we were out with both the Formula Vee and Formula 500 classes. It was difficult for everyone to get a good lap. The second session saw the Formula Fords qualify with the Formula 500's in a shortened session. Thanks to the Chief Steward Mike Engleke for making a much needed change.

Sunday's race was eventful. I was in a pack of 4 cars and at the start the group of us was Reid Hazelton, John Luxon, John Vlassis and me. Hazelton spent the better part of about 8 laps trying to keep the faster cars of Luxon and Vlasis behind him. Eventually with an ill handling car and wrecked tires, they both got by Hazelton and drove away. Driving a rather ill handling car myself I was content to stay behind Hazelton. Eventually after a little pressure I was able to get by. We had a bit of a battle until Hazelton attepmted an ill-advised pass on the outside of the carousel and spun. I took it easy for the remaining laps and finished 8th.

The car is currently at Lindstrand Motorsports to check the set up and get it ready for our next event at the end of the month.

Let the Season Begin

Posted on May 10th, 2008

After a torturously long off-season we are itching to get back on the track. I've spent the last couple of weekends at Blackhawk Farms Raceway instructing and watching my competitors run. I picked the car up from Lindstrand Motorsports last weekend and brought it back home to put new decals on and shine'er up a bit. I have posted some larger pictures on the Photos page.

Thanks to the folks at Lindstrand Motorsports for prepping the car. Beyond this coming weekend we are planning to run a Midwestern Council event in June and the SCCA Firecracker Regional in July. Beyond that we aren't sure. Our racing fund has been frequently diverted to the diaper and formula fund with the addition of Anthony and Alex to our family. Hey...at least it has the word formula in it. See ya at the track!

Brad Ellingson

Posted on August 20th, 2007

Welcome to the new and improved bradellingson.com web site. I am planning to keep this site updated during the 2008 season. I am only planning to run 4 or 5 events this season but that could change should we find some funding. We will run a mixture of SCCA Regional and National events. We are grateful to the crew at Lindstrand Motorsports for helping to get the car in shape and everything else they have done for my family and me. Please take a few minutes to visit our ad partners sites.

We will be campaigning a 1984 Swift DB-1 professionally prepared by Lindstrand Motorsports. Once we've run an event or two, I'll update my Photos page with some action shots. Enjoy!