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– PEORIA, Ariz. (Oct. 25) – Missed opportunities was the theme of last weekend at Canyon Raceway Park for Logan Forler.
The 18-year-old from Lake Havasu City, Ariz., was in contention for a pair of victories – or at least top-five finishes – before engine woes plagued him in his first two events at the 3/8-mile track in Peoria, Ariz.
Competing with the ASCS Southwest Region on Friday, Forler drove from sixth to fourth on a narrow track. That earned him enough points to make the redraw and he pulled the No. 6 to start on the outside of the third row in the feature.
“I was running third on the fourth or fifth lap,” he said. “We were running down first and second place. Then the yellow flag came out and my car just shut off. I was sent to the back and the engine wouldn’t idle, but it ran fine wide open.”
Forler worked his way into the top 10 and ultimately finished eighth, which was a disappointment because he felt like he could win prior to that early caution.
“We should have won,” he said. “It was just hard to get through lapped traffic because there was just one lane around the race track.
“I figured out that the box went bad that first night.”
Forler returned to Canyon Raceway Park on Saturday to compete with the ASCS Canyon Region and race without a wing for only the second time in his career.
“You’ve just got to remember you’re in a winged car when you’re in a winged car and the same when you’re in a non-wing car,” he said. “The biggest difference is how you drive the car through the corner. In a winged car you just hold it down. In a non-wing car you have to feel what the race car is doing.”
Forler, who started on the pole of his heat race, led all eight laps to secure the win. It also earned him a bid in the redraw, when he again plucked the No. 6.
“Right when they pushed me off I could tell my engine wasn’t running well,” he said. “But I thought maybe it’ll go green-white-checkered and I can get a good finish out of it.”
The first 10 laps played out that way as Forler picked up two spots on the start when two guys got sideways. He maintained fourth place until a caution around lap 10.
“If I could keep my momentum up and didn’t have to lift, I was ok,” he said. “My engine was running on six cylinders. I’m not sure what happened, but I think something with the magneto and box.
“When we went green again I was half a straightaway behind third before we even got to the first corner.”
Forler lost a position on that lap and entering turn one on the ensuing lap, another driver slid into Forler. The impact forced him off the track and Forler went to the pits with a 19th-place finish.
“I was pretty mad,” he said. “There were some great race cars and we were running right there with them. I think we would have given them a run for their money.”
Forler will take this weekend off before another wingless race on Nov. 5 at Arizona Speedway at E.T. Motopark in Apache Junction, Ariz., with the Wild West Open Comp Sprint Car Series.
QUICK RESULTS –
Oct. 21 – Canyon Raceway Park in Peoria, Ariz. – Heat race: 4 (6); Feature: 8 (6).
Oct. 22 – Canyon Raceway Park in Peoria, Ariz. – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 19 (6).
SEASON STATS –
59 races, 53 features, 5 wins, 13 top fives, 25 top 10s, 35 top 15s, 48 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Nov. 5 at Arizona Speedway at E.T. Motopark in Apache Junction, Ariz., with the Wild West Open Comp Sprint Car Series
FAVORITE NUMBER –
6: The position Forler started in each feature last weekend at Canyon Raceway Park in Peoria, Ariz.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.rushracingenterprise.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ForlerRacing
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Logan-Forler/190774707612190
ON THE AIR –
Click on the link below for video of Forler’s victory at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., on July 9:
Here is a video of Forler’s runner-up performance at Grays Harbor Raceway on Aug. 13:
Here is a link to video of Forler’s win on Sept. 4 at Grays Harbor Raceway:
Check out the link below for his first ASCS Northwest Region victory, which was Sept. 16 at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore.:
Here is the video of his interview after his inaugural ASCS win:
APPAREL –
Forler has t-shirts, girls crew neck shirts and sweatshirts for sale. The sizes range from small to 3XL and prices are $15-20 for shirts and $30 for sweatshirts. For more information, visit www.rushracingenterprise.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Steve Forler Trucking
Steve Forler Trucking is a trucking company with a focus on the transportation of hazardous and dangerous waste. Established in 1987, Steve Forler Trucking is hazmat trained and pollution insured, primarily operating in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Nevada. For more information, visit www.stftrucking.com.
“My dad started Steve Forler Trucking when he was 19 and it has played a big role in my life,” Logan said. “It’s pretty neat to see how my dad has built that into one of the leading businesses in that industry.”
Forler would like to thank his sponsors, including Shark Racing Engines, Line-X, RN Smith Harvesting, Des Moines Industrial Products, Atomic Designs and PGH Excavating for their continued support.