Photo by RPM
Story by Chris Roy
Patrick Dillon of Portland, Maine is racing the #45 legend car in the MOAT Mountain Legend road course series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). “I raced the NHKA Racing Series (Karting) for two years. I loved the racing experience and the NHKA group, but at 240 lbs. I broke a lot of kart parts. After totaling my last kart, I decided to invest in a Legends car.”
The road course at NHMS has long straight aways’, hair pin turns, inclines and declines, so for the race teams setting up the race cars is a lot of work. Though Patrick has quite a bit of experience racing on the road course. “Time, team and the people in the paddock. Between NHKA, The 24 Hours of Lemons and The Moat Mountain Road Course Series, I have quite a few laps on the track, but I’m still learning the course. In five years on the track, I’ve been happy with my line through turn three only a handful of times.
I’m grateful to have Bob Weymouth and Jeff Gaudette set up the car.
I’m lucky to have a team that pulls together when there’s a problem.
When teammate Luke Hiebert’s motor blew, Luke, Steve and myself, were able to replace the motor in an afternoon due the support of the track and other people in the paddock. The competition on the track is transitioned into help and support off the track.”
The two long straight aways on the road course the drivers are able to use the draft off another race car to increase the speed of both cars. “I’ll always try to get in the draft. I don’t think the draft has ever made a pass easy, but you’re looking for any advantage over the driver in front of you.”
Last Sunday at NHMS the MOAT Mnt., drivers had to race in the rain, as the drivers had to adjust the setup and racing style from qualifying earlier that morning. “My only change in set up was rain tires. I love racing in the rain. It takes very little to disrupt the car in the rain. When you want the car to turn, it wants to go straight and when you want to go straight, it steps out on you. The rain ensures that you’re 100% focused for all twelve laps.”
One of the other problems of racing in the rain is the effect on the drivers’ vision. “I run a wire screen in place of a lexan windscreen. When the person in front of you goes through a puddle, you get drenched with water. Fogging inside your helmet is constant. You have to crack your visor on every straight away to clear the fog, but even then the rain inhibits visibility.”
One of the important things when racing on the road course is hitting your marks. “If you’re missing your marks, then you’re not catching the person in front of you and the person behind you is catching you. On the road course you go from flat out in 5th gear to hard braking and down to 3rd gear. If you’re late on your mark, it makes for a difficult corner.”
The MOAT Mtn Legends along with Sign Works legends return to NHMS this weekend for a double header on Saturday August 2nd. “I’ve recently started racing the Sign Works legends oval. Our road course set up isn’t bad on the oval and I can’t get enough seat time. Most weekends that I’m at NHMS, I’m able to race the road course Saturday morning, the oval Saturday night and then the road course again on Sunday morning. I’ll be racing in both races this weekend and any other weekend that I’m at the track.
NHMS announced earlier this week that the Sign Works Legends Series race on August 16th as well as the MOAT Mountain Legend Series race on August 30th at NHMS, will be National Qualifier races. “NHMS is a special track. I’m glad to see the National Qualifier being held there.
I won’t run the oval qualifier if the car count is too high. The oval isn’t my focus and I can’t afford to wad my car up in a chippy oval race and miss a road course race. .
I’m looking forward to the road course national qualifier. Our team will be at V.I.R. for the road course nationals in December.”