Kansas Speedway Notebook: Drivers complain about slick tires

KCK's Cobb steers clear of trouble, qualifies for ARCA RE/MAX race

? They’re called slicks and that seemed to be the problem Friday at Kansas Speedway.

Drivers in both of today’s races the NASCAR Winston West Series KansasSpeedway.com 150 and the ARCA RE/MAX Series BPU 200 had trouble keeping their cars straight during Friday’s qualifying sessions, and the tires took the blame.

Kansas City's Jennifer Jo Cobb, center, and her crew push her car to the pits after qualifying. Cobb made the field for today's BPU 200 with a 22nd-place run Friday at Kansas Speedway.

“Hoosier (tire company) is just trying to bring the safest product they can to try and keep us guys all in one piece and be able to race all day without a problem,” said John Metcalf, who finished second in Winston West qualifying with a speed of 159.316 mph.

Last year, drivers said the tires were too soft when some blew out on the track.

On Friday, drivers said, it seemed the tires were too hard.

“I learned a new word today. It’s called chatter. It’s what the tires do when the car is pushing,” said Kansas City, Kan., native Jennifer Jo Cobb, who qualified for the first time at the Speedway.

Cobb, who came in 22nd for the BPU 200, didn’t race last season during the Speedway’s inaugural event. She said she hoped today’s conditions were better than Friday’s.

“I was babying it,” she said of holding back because of the adverse conditions. “I felt like we were going to be slow as heck. It was crazy-slippery.”

While the tires were the main cause of six crashes on Friday none of which resulted in injury other factors also were to blame.

Some drivers said the tires provided too much grip, causing oversteering in the turns. Others said that the 90-degree-plus heat caused the track to become oily. And still others said they were just pushing too hard and spun out in the corners.

“When you push the envelope, sometimes it’ll bite you in the rear end,” said Austin Cameron, who seemed to have little problem with tires or anything else for that matter when he won the Winston West pole in a speed of 160.171 mph. “We just pulled one out there. It was a perfect lap and I’m happy with it.”

Hertz Rent-A-Car?

John O’Neal Jr. didn’t quite need to go to that extreme, but he did seem to be the day’s biggest crash victim when his Pontiac Grand Prix was rendered useless after he spun out in turn No. 3.

However, the Kansas City, Kan., native, who qualified 13th, will race today thanks to Bill McAnally, owner of Orleans Racing, who will rent one of his cars to O’Neal.

“We’re glad to help him out,” said McAnally, who sponsors the pole-winning Cameron. “With John being the local guy, we were excited to get him back out there.”

O’Neal, who will have his Price Chopper/Spirit of Kansas City car repainted this morning, might want to watch out for that tricky turn No. 3, though.

Last year he had a tire blow out on him in the same spot where he bit it on Friday, and he says he knows why.

“I think it’s a curse,” said a joking O’Neal, who used to live in the vicinity of where turn No. 3 now is located before his house was demolished to make way for the Speedway. “I think the neighbors who didn’t want to sell put a hex on me.”

O’Neal, who will have to start at the back of the pack, also has another load riding on his shoulders a bet between Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Carol Marinovich and Fontana, Calif., Mayor David Eshleman. Eshleman’s driver in the first “Spirit Race” will be David Gilliland, who resides in Chino, Calif.

“This will be another incentive for me to compete and do my very best,” said O’Neal.

KC’s Cobb erases webs

Just making the race has Cobb pumped up.

And why not?

Today’s race will be the first career start for Cobb in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, plus it offers a chance for to make up for last season’s disappointing outing at the Speedway in which Cobb failed to qualify.

“We’re qualified, we’re in the race!” said an exuberant Cobb, minutes after jumping out of her No. 0 car. “I’ve made my rookie mistakes. Now it’s time to race.”

But everything hasn’t been peachy for the red-headed Cobb this weekend.

Another car backed into her car during Thursday’s practice round and she missed pit road on Friday. When she saw all the other accidents she became even more anxious.

“I haven’t been very nervous at all, but it seemed like every other car was wrecking,” Cobb said. “But my team told me to go out there and race smart and slow and it worked.”

“Man in Black” history

Jerry Glanville, former NFL coach of the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Oilers, won’t be participating in today’s BPU 200.

For the second straight day, Glanville had problems at the Speedway. But Friday’s wrecked back end was a far more serious setback than Thursday’s blown tire.

“I haven’t had a wreck in two years,” said a dejected Glanville, who currently sits in 23rd place in the ARCA RE/MAX point standings.

Glanville does have a backup car, but said there wasn’t enough time to get it ready.

“I think so,” he said sadly when asked if he was done for the weekend.