**** From now on Lindsey will explain how her race weekend went and other events in the new blog section ****
Irwindale, CA., 6/21/08 Auto Club Late Models- Two weeks after that "interesting weekend" Lindsey was able to make a come back. In practice Lindsey was one of the fastest cars and when it came to qualifying she was still right there. She ended up qualifying 6th out of 20 cars, but Lindsey admitted after that she overdrove the car in the first lap. In the main Lindsey was trying to pass, but she was only a little bit faster than the cars in front of her. Since she was pushing, every time she got under them she had to back off or she would hit them. So Lindsey stayed right where she started finishing 6th.
Irwindale, CA., 6/7/08 Auto Club Late Models- The #59 Drive for Diversity/ High Point Racing/ Checkered Flag Zone Chevy Monte Carlo had an interesting weekend. Lindsey was right there with everyone again in practice.
When it came to qualifying Lindsey went out and on her warm up lap and a car spun out in front of her and she had to return to the back and wait some more. So she went back out a little later on warm tires and motor and still qualified 6th out of 22 cars.
In the main Lindsey was running in the same spot for a while and the longer she went the tighter the car got until one time coming out of turn two she smacked the wall and the car just got worse from there. That same lap coming out of turn four Lindsey did all that she could to keep it out of the wall but she still hit. Then hit it again coming out of turn four the following lap. After that the only thing Lindsey could do was hold on and she ended up finishing 15th.
Irwindale, CA., 5/24/08 Auto Club Late Models- The #59 of Lindsey King hit the track at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale again this weekend. With unusually cold temperatures and scattered thunderstorms on Friday, a wet race track made for a long night of testing on Friday as the team couldn't seem to get mother nature to cooperate with them.
As Saturday approached, drivers lap times during practice were significantly faster than prior weeks and King was right there with them. The NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver laid down an impressive 19.08 second run, which left her starting in the ninth position. Lindsey battled current series points leader and Camping World Series veteran Andrew Myers for all forty laps.
They ran side by side for several laps but she could not get a run off the corner to get by him. Lindsey's ninth place finish out of twenty four cars has earned her a current sixth place position in the points standings. Look for the Justice Brothers / Checkered Flag Zone Chevrolet to be in the winner's circle at the next race on June 7th at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.
-Kevin Stevens
Irwindale, CA., 5/1/08 Auto Club Late Models- Lindsey went out to the first practice and ran for a little bit and noticed a huge change in the sound of the motor so she came in. The team checked everything and found that a hole about an inch wide and and two inches long had worn through the headers. So they welded it back up, but didn't get it done in time to go out for the second practice. When qualifying came around Lindsey went out and ended up qualifying 6th out of 24 cars. Then they had the trophy dash and Lindsey started on the pole. Once the trophy dash got going Lindsey could tell that the car wasn't right, but made the most of what she had and finished fourth. A little later was the Late Model main event and Lindsey started in the third row on the outside and after a few laps the green flag was thrown. More than the second half of the race consisted of Lindsey and the #85 battling it out. When the checkered flag came out Lindsey was able to stay in front and finished 5th. After the races the team realized that they made a mistake with the tires for the trophy dash and main, which explained why the car was off, but at least we figured it out.
Irwindale, CA., 4/26/08 Auto Club Late Models- In the first practice Lindsey was the fourth fastest and when it came to qualifying she ended up 6th. In the main Lindsey started fifth because someone got disqualified. On the second lap Lindsey got messed up by a car coming down on her and not realizing she was there and sent her spinning. Luckily no one hit her and after the yellow came out and everyone went by she went to the rear of the field. Little by little she started working her way back to the front, but since there were so many yellow laps it made it very difficult to complete a pass. There were so many wrecks that the officials decided to start counting the yellow flag laps. Lindsey ended up finishing 11th out of 32 cars.
Irwindale, CA., 4/12/08 Auto Club Late Models- She made track history again! In the first practice Lindsey was the fastest one. When it came to qualifying the car was really good, but Lindsey left a little out there and still qualified 3rd out of 28 cars. That is the first time a female has qualified in the top three at Irwindale on the half-mile! Then after the national anthem they had the Late Model trophy dash of eight cars and six laps. Lindsey started sixth and finished sixth. Also where you finished in the trophy dash was where you started in the main. So Lindsey ended up starting 6th. In the race Lindsey got messed up on the start and lost a couple of positions. Then she stayed where she was until on lap thirteen Lindsey noticed a big change in the motor so they decided to pull the car to the infield and park it for the night. Lindsey finished 27th and only completed 13 laps.
Irwindale, CA., 3/29/08 Auto Club Late Models- Today Lindsey had her Late Model career best finish again and made Toyota Speedway history! Lindsey got her first podium finish and became the first female to finish in the top three on the half-mile track. King turned the fastest time in the second practice and when it came to qualifying the car wasn't quite right. She ended up qualifying 6th out of 28 cars. In the main event Lindsey did very well and ran in 3rd the whole race all the way to the checkered flag.
Irwindale, CA., 3/22/08 Auto Club Late Models- Today was a hot, but very exciting day. There were a lot of people there and the stands were sold out. Also to be there for the renaming of Irwindale Speedway to Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. In the first practice Lindsey was fastest, and in qualifying she was still fast and qualified 7th of 30 cars. In the first couple of laps Lindsey got by one car and ran in 6th place the rest of the race. The car had a push coming out, so she couldn't get a run on anyone coming out and stayed where she was the whole race. She ended up finishing 6th.
Lindsey is one of eight to drive for the 2008 NASCAR Drive For Diversity Program
The 2008 Drive for Diversity class was announced today by Access Marketing & Communications, marking the start of the fifth season for the NASCAR industry's on-track driver development program. The eight drivers on the 2008 roster, including three first time program participants, will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
"We are thrilled to continue our partnership with NASCAR in 2008 with this talented group of young drivers," said Greg Calhoun, chief executive officer of Access Marketing & Communications, which manages the Drive for Diversity program. "These drivers have demonstrated their talent, and we look forward to watching them compete in NASCAR's developmental series."
The Drive for Diversity program is entering its fifth season and is NASCAR's leading on-track diversity initiative. The program is designed to give minority and female drivers an opportunity to compete with established NASCAR teams. In 2008, four drivers will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Series and four drivers will compete in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Over 200 drivers submitted resumes to participate in the program this year. Twenty-four of those drivers were selected to participate in the annual Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine held at South Boston (Va.) Speedway last October. At the Combine, drivers were evaluated based on their on- and off-track performance.
On January 22, 2008 Drive for Diversity announced that Lindsey King from Cherry Valley, CA was one of eight drivers chosen to drive for Drive for Diversity. She will drive for Tim Huddleston of High Point Racing at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale California.