BUTTONWILLOW WEATHER REPORT RYAN

MOORE

Hello, Dear Reader, and welcome to the post-event BUTTONWILLOW WEATHER REPORT. Although Buttonwillow is no stranger to rain nor humidity, we were treated to an especially subtropical weekend for our March race this year. Traveling to the track on Friday was quite the journey fraught with heavy rain showers, visible snow, and bemused SoCal motorists. Passing through the track gate we were greeted by the aroma of tar and fresh pavement as we navigated around the roadwork in progress.

Friday night, after enjoying a few beverages with friends, Katie and I were treated to something special. Trudging through the mud to our trailer, we were greeted by an absolute chorus of frogs that had moved into the newly formed pond directly behind our home for the weekend. Was this a race weekend or a Princess and the Frog moment? Were we in Buttonwillow, or Florida? Are there even frogs in Florida?

After sleeping in what sounded like the Bayou section of the Pirates of the Caribbean, Saturday was a perfectly humid day to complete the experience. That humidity combined with heavy rains from the day prior formed what I would consider the title sponsor for the weekend - MUD. It was everywhere, at all times. An ever-present force both on and off the track. Trackside, the inclement weather provided some new forms of entertainment. Many of the runoff areas were now fully formed lakes, which was a beautiful sight while driving on track and provided some extra incentive not to overcook your brakes into Cotton Corners. Still, many cars had to be extracted from axle-deep mud. In Race 1 of the BSR series, we got the green flag under dry conditions but the heavens opened up on lap 1, providing the competitors with an exciting set of mixed conditions. As the rain fluctuated, so did the grip on track, creating a challenging but exciting race. At one point, more than half the field lost the rear on the final corner - there’s a video of it out there!

Sunday rewarded us with beautiful, sunny weather. There’s nothing quite like enduring rain to make one appreciate the balmy weather we are so used to here. Until next time, Buttonwillow.