We did it!!!! Qualified for the Indy 500

[rrrr]

I'm pretty excited tonight....our low-buck team has qualified for the Indy 500. Chastain Motorsports is owned by Indy resident Tom Chastain. He put together this deal three weeks ago. I had worked with the team engineer and the crew chief on a deal at Indy in 2005 and they called me to help. I took off work for pretty much the entire month of May......:D
Our original driver crashed the car on Thursday and was injured....we rebuilt the car and put Roberto Moreno in it. After we worked on the setup all day, Roberto went out and slammed the door on Bump Day hopefuls......
Here's some press stuff....
From speedTV.com:
Marty Roth ended up on the bubble, in jeopardy of being bumped out of the field if Kite could have reached 219 mph. On Saturday, Roth nearly re-qualified after being disappointed with his four-lap average of 218.922 mph. Instead, he held on to the 30th starting position.
"The price to pay is that you fall to the bubble," Roth said.
Roberto Moreno put Roth in that position by withdrawing his effort of 216.229 mph from Saturday and posting an impressive run of 220.299 mph in a Chastain Motorsports Panoz that had been rebuilt after Stephan Gregoire crashed on Thursday. Moreno, the 48-year-old veteran of Formula 1, Champ Car, IndyCars and sports cars, wept after Sunday's run.
"It's very difficult to describe," Moreno said, fighting back tears after qualifying. "You can't understand what this means without being in my position."
The effort didn't advance Moreno's position on the grid, but it gave him an extra 4 mph in protection against a bump attempt. It also was a better speed than Roth, putting him in the bubble instead.
Chastain, who’s funding the effort out-of-pocket, got help from Rahal Letterman Racing and other teams in the effort to rebuild the car. Chastain bought two Panoz chassis from RLR, which then helped him with setup and other aspects of getting the cars race ready.
"They could have turned their back on a smaller team, but they didn't," Chastain said. "They even painted the cars for us."
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/indycar/37521/
That's me in the corner of the photo....:D
http://www.speedtv.com/_assets/library/img/medium/152694_rmo.jpg
You can see more on Sportscenter tonight.....
My buddy John won an impressive award after qualifying ended:
Chastain Motorsports' John Jones Bestowed with Clint Brawner Award
May 20, 2007
John Jones, Crew Chief for Chastain Motorsports #77 entry in the 91st Indianapolis 500, is honored today with the 21st Clint Brawner Mechanical Excellence Award. Presented annually since 1987 by the Clint Brawner Foundation and underwritten by Firestone Racing, the award pays tribute to the memory of the late, great Clint Brawner, chief mechanic on six national champion cars in AAA- and USAC-sanctioned series. It rewards a chief mechanic at Indy each May who "exemplifies the mechanical and scientific creativity, ingenuity, perseverance, dedication, enthusiasm and expertise" of its namesake.
The Firestone Racing program sponsors the Brawner award for the sixth consecutive year. As the recipient, Jones will receive a $5,000 check and plaque, and his name will be inscribed on a permanent trophy housed inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.
Clint Brawner Mechanical Excellence Award Recipients
1987 John Buttera
1988 Phil Krueger
1989 Galen Fox
1990 Dale Coyne
1991 Darrel Soppe
1992 Bernie Myers
1993 Phil Casey
1994 Craig Baranouski
1995 Greg Beck
1996 Billy Bignotti
1998 Brad McCanless
1999 Kevin Hertle
2000 Paul Murphy
2001 Tom Bose
2002 Jamie Nanny
2003 Bill Miller
2004 Butch Winkle
2005 Rick Duman
2006 Brad Brewer

[Mandelon]

That's awesome! Congrats!

[Havasu1986]

Thats GREAT RRR. I know who I'm rooting for next Sunday. :) ;)

[photo chick]

Hey that's awesome!! Post more pics!

[Tom Brown]

That's awesome. I'm jacked up with excitement for you, rrrr. :D
I'll definitely be watching and cheering you on. You guys rock. :cool:

[Wheeler]

Quite an accomplishment, congratulations!

[rrrr]

More press, this one from espn.com.....
http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=1&id=2877135
I'm grinnin' big tonight....:D :D :D :D

[Jetboatguru]

THAT IS BAD ASS RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Congrats to you and your team! Good luck at INDY!
Tony

[boater72]

congratulations

[Marty Gras]

Few people outside of open wheel racing actually understand what YOU have done! You and your team have taken on the challenge of INDY. I am very happy to share in your joy of "being in the show"! My father build successfull Indy cars back in the 1950's along with Arlen Kurtis' father, and Andy Casale with his father Ernie. You are one of few people who can say, "I actually raced with my team at Indy". If you are "good enough to go once", you are good enough to go back AND WIN many more times. I wish you PEACE in your mind and body (I know it's very hard work), but your work this year, has proven that you are, "an exceptional man among men!"

[MRS FLYIN VEE]

:D Wow that is great news.. Congrats to the team..:D :D :D

[Old Man Havasu]

I will be watching on TIVO and cheering!

[76ANTHONY]

dam, thats awesome. i dont watch indy but i guess im gonna have to. kinda cool ta see that even the smaller groups get ta race. dam im gonna really have to watch this one......
i better see a hb sticker on that car:jawdrop: :D :D

[TheLurker]

Congratulations rrrr and the rest to the Chastain Motorsports team. To put it all together in just under a month and then actually qualify is incredible.
I was watching the qualifying this afternoon and it seemed like there was a lot of emotion when time was winding down just prior to Kite going out to try and qualify especially after what I think was his crew chief giving him the pep talk while he was sitting in the car just prior to him going out on the course If I remember right he said something like “know the position you are in and the hand you were delt” It looked like Kite wiped his eye.
Took some huge balls to withdraw the previously qualifying speed even though it had the team on the bubble. Your team must have a lot of confidence in everyone’s abilities.
Have to give credit to Rahal Letterman Racing also. They sure stepped up. What a class act.

[sanger rat]

Congrats!:) I wish you the best of luck.

[TheLurker]

Congratulations rrrr and the rest to the Chastain Motorsports team. To put it all together in just under a month and then actually qualify is incredible.
I was watching the qualifying this afternoon and it seemed like there was a lot of emotion when time was winding down just prior to Kite going out to try and qualify especially after what I think was his crew chief giving him the pep talk while he was sitting in the car just prior to him going out on the course If I remember right he said something like “know the position you are in and the hand you were delt” It looked like Kite wiped his eye.
Took some huge balls to withdraw the previously qualifying speed even though it had the team on the bubble. Your team must have a lot of confidence in everyone’s abilities.
Have to give credit to Rahal Letterman Racing also. They sure stepped up. What a class act.

[TheLurker]

Crap!!Double post. How did that happen.
What ever happened to the delete post button so I could hide all of my idiot moves?

[Chipster27]

Incredible, awesome job! To be competative in today's racing environment is a HUGE accomplishment. To be competative and qualify for Indy is something you and your team should be incredibly proud of. Good luck at the Brick Yard!

[RitcheyRch]

Congrats

[Redrider]

Nice job!
Gotta love that Honda logo on the cowl!
Ride (Drive) Red!!!
Good luck!
Bill

[My Man's Sportin' Wood]

Very cool, Ron. It's definitely exciting being part of a race team. Glad to hear you guys made it. :)

[Kim Hanson]

More press, this one from espn.com.....
http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=1&id=2877135
I'm grinnin' big tonight....:D :D :D :D
To the floor and let her buck baby..........( . )( . )...................:D :D

[24sleekenforcer]

Very cool, good luck next weekend.

[rrrr]

To the floor and let her buck baby..........( . )( . )...................:D :D
You can't see it on that small video, but Roberto was so pumped about the run he took both hands off the wheel and was waving them as he took the checkered flag.......this was at around 228 MPH......:D :D
Think he was happy?
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=31349&d=1179725947
This is Colby and Rusty Hurford, a great moment for father and son at the Brickyard:
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=31350&stc=1&d=1179726153

[boatsnblondes]

AWESOME RUN!!!!!!!!! Congrats bro!!! I look forward to rooting for ya in the race next weekend. Taken me 42 years, but I can now say I know someone in the race..too cool!!!!!!!!!:D

[Psycho Squid]

Barron is a friend of our family, his brother has a body shop in ramona Ca. Open wheel racing is bad ass. be safe boys ..........and girls. great job guys. We understand what it takes to qualify. :D :D

[Baja Big Dog]

Hopefully this will change the sponsor status......and take a little financial burden off the owner
Fricken great news:D
Turn it into a Cinderella story.!!!

[HokeySon]

Congratulations!!! Makin' it to the show is just unbelievable. I am jealous.

[jetboat]

fantistic ron,stop buy some time and show me some pictures of the race and the car.the boat is almost lake ready bud!have fun if your going to be there!

[rrrr]

Hopefully this will change the sponsor status......and take a little financial burden off the owner
Fricken great news:D
Turn it into a Cinderella story.!!!
When we got back to our hospitality pavilion, there was a guy waiting there wanting to be a primary sponsor.
Roberto's photo was on the front page of the Indianapolis Star this morning and there's a big article in the sports section about us......

[HalletDave]

Congats to you and the rest of the team Ron.:)

[Roaddogg 4040]

Congratulations on a fantastic job!!! The best of luck to you guys...
Steve

[Baja Big Dog]

When we got back to our hospitality pavilion, there was a guy waiting there wanting to be a primary sponsor.
Roberto's photo was on the front page of the Indianapolis Star this morning and there's a big article in the sports section about us......
Watched a buddy go through this years ago, Gil Losi, they pulled it off..Now it starts to become fun!! (or more fun!!)

[Brazos River Rat]

Way to go Ron . !!!!!
Good luck Sunday .

[lewiville]

who was the sponsor waiting for you?

[Froggystyle]

Have you seen Ricky yet?

[racecar.hotshoe]

Congrats I wonder what its like being at Indy:rolleyes: Good luck you are better off with RM than that other girl:D :D Have fun and be safe,Mark

[driverno8]

Good to see Roberto Moreno back in a car. Watched him when he was "Super Sub" in the CART series a few years ago. Seems like a real down to earth guy. Congrats on the entry.

[AirtimeLavey]

Very cool. Congratulations. I used to be around that world (open wheel racing - CART, etc.) in the 80's. Knew and helped Tommy Kendall and Jeff Krosnoff (who was killed racing :( ). Those were some incredible years. Nothing like the stress of being in the pits, waiting each lap for your guy to come around.
That's a huge achievement. Congrats, and enjoy it to the fullest. We'll be pulling for your team to do well. :D

[JustMVG]

Congrats to you Ron and a good Luck to you and all the team members, Moreno is a great guy, always has fun and takes care of business.
Ron, your one lucky Focker:D :D
See ya

[rrrr]

Have you seen Ricky yet?
Been looking for him......I'm going up to a friend's Tower Terrace suite tomorrow, Ricky's dad has a suite close by. I'll drop in and see if he's there.
Thanks for all of the good wishes, everyone. I'm having a great time.:)

[hoolign]

Congrats dude! Hope the future brings more good luck!

[Dan Lorenze]

Congrats... That's unbelievable...

[BILLY.B]

Congrats to you and the team rrrr. Hopefully you guys will have a great race and a safe one to boot. Good luck.

[Flyinbowtie]

Congrats to you! My father went as a crewman in 1959.
He talked about it for the rest of his life.
It is refreshing to see hard work being rewarded. I now have somebody to root for, too.

[Havasu1986]

Good luck today. Lets go racing. :)

[AZKC]

+1
:)

[Baja Big Dog]

Whats rrrr's car number?:confused:

[Havasu1986]

Whats rrrr's car number?:confused:
77 Roberto Moreno

[Baja Big Dog]

77 Roberto Moreno
gracias

[Baja Big Dog]

DAMN...THE FIRST ONE OUT............:mad:

[BoatPI]

Chastain's car just crashed and is out. Sad.

[27 Awesome cat]

Thats sucks..

[Baja Big Dog]

Can you believe this Casonevies(sp), what a cluster fock, the fricken car wont start, and then they can get fuel into it...its all in the preperation!!!
Someone should have told them there was a RACE today!!!

[OCMerrill]

Can you believe this Casonevies(sp), what a cluster fock, the fricken car wont start, and then they can get fuel into it...its all in the preperation!!!
Someone should have told them there was a RACE today!!!
This kind of thing amazes me as well. What are the odd's of being that ill prepared?:idea:
With all the computer tie in's they should figure out a no start in about 4 seconds I would think.

[racecar.hotshoe]

This kind of thing amazes me as well. What are the odd's of being that ill prepared?:idea:
With all the computer tie in's they should figure out a no start in about 4 seconds I would think.
There is a kill switch on the side I have seen a crew member hit it and the car didnt start.

[rrrr]

Well, phuck.......
As all you racers know, that shit happens.....:rolleyes:
We think a tire was going down, just about to tell Roberto to pit and he lost it.
But I had a great time......Got to fire the car when the "start your engines" command was given.....
I'll post up some photos in a few days when I recover a little....;)
Thanks again for the support, everyone.

[racecar.hotshoe]

Well, phuck.......
As all you racers know, that shit happens.....:rolleyes:
We think a tire was going down, just about to tell Roberto to pit and he lost it.
But I had a great time......Got to fire the car when the "start your engines" command was given.....
I'll post up some photos in a few days when I recover a little....;)
Thanks again for the support, everyone.
You always had a good time after its over......:D