After selling virtually his entire team following the 2001 season due to financial reasons, Nick Joanides is left with just one car and a pit cart. Nick hitched a ride to the race track thanks to Steve Carvajal.
Jackson Race Cars made significant changes to the car during the week leading up to the race and it really paid off. The team posted their best qualifying effort in over two years and with the invert, earned the outside pole position.
Nick battled the pole sitter side by side for three laps before taking the lead. Nick has always been a patient driver and wanted save his tires for the end.
"I ran slightly conservative at the beginning of the race, but just hard enough to stay in front" Nick said.
On lap 22, a brake line cracked causing Nick to lose the rear brakes, however he still easily maintained the lead through lap 58, until a cut tire caused the right rear tire to lose air, getting the car very loose. During the next caution flag, the tire went flat and on the restart, Nick was forced to make a green flag pit stop, losing several laps in the process. While Nick still managed a 13th place finish, the team was heart broken, knowing they had the car to beat.
All this from a team with no sponsor, no trailer, just a car, some tools and a team with all heart. The team hopes this run will help in finding a sponsor to be able to finish out the season.
