Pickups Plus at Atlanta Motor Speedway
October 7, 2000: Hampton, GA

Atlanta Motor Speedway, famed for its exciting NASCAR Winston Cup racing, played host to round 10 of the PARTS Pro Trucks Series. The Pickups Plus Racing F-150 was on hand to battle with the best short track truck racers in the country for the only road course race of the year. 36 race trucks were on hand to compete with guest drivers from Trans-Am, SCCA road racing, and ARCA competing.

LOOKFAST! Racing prepared the Pickups Plus Ford F-150 specifically for the demanding and fast 2.55 mile road course at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Weight bias, shock absorber rate, and spring rate changes were made to balance the truck for the left and right hand turns. Caster and camber were adjusted to provide positive steering feel in either direction. Because a road course places high demands (more braking than on an oval) on the brake system, ducting was designed and installed to cool the Pickups Plus F-150 brake rotors and calipers.

The road course at Atlanta Motor Speedway uses a large portion of the famous 1.5 mile super speedway making for some very impressive top speeds. Turn 1 lies at the end of the tri-oval on the front stretch and has entry speed of at least 130mph. Flat and fast, turns 1 and 2 sweep to the left in a 180 degrees arc sending the race tucks down a short chute into the right-hand double apex turn 3. Exit turn 3 at full throttle, crest the hill (truck gets very light here), hit top gear and head into the first chicane – a right-left flick heading into turn 6 which is a vary slick and flat left hairpin exiting onto the banking in NASCAR turn 1. Transitioning from the infield to bank must be done gradually as the 26 degrees of banking will upset the truck at full throttle. Head through the NASCAR oval's turns 1 and 2 and rocket down the backstretch at speeds in the 140mph plus range. The chicane at the end of the back straight actually routes the race trucks back down into th! e infield briefly for a left-rig ht-left series. Then it is back out onto NASCAR turn 4 for the run to the finish line.

Practice was limited to two timed sessions for the Pickups Plus team. Driver, Cary Cole, reported the truck to have a vibration on the second lap out. Bringing it in for inspection, a right front lower shock mount was discovered broken. The failure was due to the abrupt transition from the infield to the high banks. Repairs were made in the garage area before the # Pickups Plus entry resumed practice in the second session. The second session saw Cole begin to reduce the lap times with each practice lap.

PARTS Pro Truck Series officials set up a modified European style qualifying format. The trucks would be separated into four groups each receiving three timed laps, the best of which counted. Cole brought the Pickups Plus F-150 home in the 10th qualifying position and the fastest Ford in the field. Said Cary, "We had a good run considering our limited practice time. The crew put a solid truck underneath me for sure. I actually made a big mistake on the first lap getting into turn 1 too hot and spinning. But we recovered with two solid laps that will put us within striking distance of the top. It's not what we had in mind but I can work with it. "

Race time saw temperatures in the high 60's under sunny skies. The Atlanta area fans were enjoying the sunshine readying them for the PARTS Pro Trucks brand of racing excitement. The Pickups Plus entry would provide a large share of that excitement on the first lap. As the green flag flew, Cole brought the F-150 into turn one in the tenth position. Exiting the blind corner number 2, the trucks of the third and fifth place qualifiers became entangled. In an effort to avoid the spinning and crashing trucks in front of him, Cole eased out of the throttle and moved the middle of the track.

According to Cole, "The track was basically blocked when I exited turn 2. I saw a truck climbing the wall ahead – I thought the #37 was going to go over the wall! The #12 was sitting sideways less than 50 feet in front of me so tried to slow and go around the outside. Then I found myself pointing straight for the wall – I knew I was going to hit hard. One of the trucks following must have hit me in the rear as I backed off the gas. We were going fast, about 100 mph, and there was no room. I hit the wall and the next thing I saw was the racetrack surface going by out of the side window!"

The #8 Pickups Plus entry made contact with turn 2 wall with the right front tire causing the rear of the truck to slide up the wall and into the air. The Pickups Plus logo on the hood was clearly visible from the side. Coming to rest about 200 feet down the track, Cole emerged from the battered race truck, his day done. In all, 5 trucks were involved in the lap1, turn 2 melee. Three of the trucks were knocked out of the race in that incident.

After emerging from the care of track physicians, Cole commented, "I feel bad for the team who worked hard and didn’t get to see the potential of their truck or driver. Our race was cut short. After watching the race I know we had a shot at the top three and to be taken out in the first lap is just terrible. I should mention that all of the safety equipment as supplied by Best Racing Safety Equipment - the helmet, seat, and seat belts - really worked well. Without them I would have been really hurting much worse right now."

The F-150 race truck sustained substantial driveline and body damage but is repairable. Cole was treated for a mild concussion and sprained shoulder at the track. Medical evaluations scheduled one week from now will determine Cole's fitness for participation in the next scheduled race.