As the trucks went out onto the track, Jason didn't hear anything from his spotter. The cord for the radio receiver had wrapped around the steering wheel and pulled loose. Randy's attempts to contact Jason indicated something was wrong and the truck was stopped during warm-ups. It was just one of those racing deals, fixed quickly before the field took the first green.
"When they threw the green flag, I was just concentrating on trying to stay comfortable," Jason said. "They had cones out on the track to show us the way around and it was kinda tight. After a couple of laps, I started to get a little more confident, but I don't think I ever really got up to full speed the first time out there. I was going fast, but not as fast as I probably could have."
Having the right attitude helped. After all, this wasn't for purse money.
"I wasn't there to prove anything to anybody," added Jason.
Learning the RopesThe program was structured to allow the participants to watch two other drivers take 10-lap trips around DeSoto Super Speedway. Watching, in this case, was learning. "When I wasn't in the trucks, I was watching the way the other guys were driving. I was watching the grooves and seeing the difference in the way people were handling the truck."
The positives of watching were offset by the hardest part, waiting. "When you're out there, your 10 laps seem like 2. When you're watching, their 10 laps take forever." The time came for a second go-round, ending the agonizing wait. "I was really ready to get back out there. They moved the cones out to give us a little more room and that really made me feel more comfortable with the track."
Jason's crew put him out first, so he followed Bobby Diehl's pace truck until it was time to go green. At the drop of the green, it was clear sailing. "This time, it felt faster. It was better that I didn't have someone directly in front of me. I didn't have to worry about them slowing down and then wondering why or thinking about them. This time, the way I was driving was all because of what I could do and not because I had to stay back off another truck or anything. Randy was talking to me and helping me get the best line. He was asking me how the truck was doing. It really helped the focus. We had a lot more room to work with since the cones were moved up."
The interlude between the second and third session was a repeat of the earlier regimen. When the third and final 10-lap session came around, Jason was second out, but only for a few laps. The truck in the front spun on its own.
"He just dumped it really," said Jason of what he saw. "He went straight down the track and I was in a position where I didn't have to take any kind of evasive action. I didn't have to do anything to miss him."
Now What?Not surprisingly, that session ended with the enthusiasm level still very high. As the remaining groups finished up their time, Jason watched and helped out, knowing that his seat time had ended ... for now.
"I just kept thinking, 'We've got to get one,'" he added. "I definitely need something. The truck is what I'd like. I'd like to go racing with these guys in Fastruck. Really, I just want to get something to get started and get back out onto the track."