Californian looking to upset in Gainesville

By Shane Tecklenburg FASTMotorsports.com

April 19, 2001

Gainesville, Fl – Yorba Linda California Pro-Modified racer Kirk Kuhns, is a man with a plan going into this weekend’s rain delayed Mac Tools Gatornationals. When the rains came pouring down on Sunday March 18th the Redline Oil sponsored driver was set to do battle with Quain Stott, after qualifying in the number 4 position in the 8 car exhibition with a career best 6.283 e.t. Since that time, Kuhns and his ’63 Corvette competed at the IHRA Season opener in Rockingham. There the 1999 West Coast Pro-Modified Champion qualified in the number 12 position in the quickest field in Pro-Modified history. To his dismay, Kuhns and his General Plumbing backed team were unable to secure a win despite outrunning first round opponent Chip King with a fine 6.302 e.t. at 219 mph to a winning 6.322.

“We had been having trouble getting a hold of the racetrack,” explained Kuhns. “We had been shaking the tires. It shook on the first run, and I backed it down. Then we ran a 6.31 and were in the show. I decided to put a new trick of the week blower and a new clutch on the car and go for broke. From then on it kept shaking and for the first round I finally had the clutch right after I went back to the old one, by then the motor was so weak it didn’t want to run.”

Kuhns is excited about his chances in Gainesville despite his troubles in Rockingham. “We were never able to give the racetrack too much,” noted Kuhns. “We think we can get away with running the good blower at Gainesville and with a little more clutch, we can go out there Friday during the test and tune and go a low 6.20. It is just a matter of getting the horsepower to the ground. I guess that’s always the trick.”

Kuhns is set to square off with Quain Stott during final eliminations on Saturday. There seems to be some uncertainty as to whether or not the two will actually race each other. “IHRA is having an event in Virginia this weekend also,” said Kuhns. “In fact they wanted me to be there. Virginia is about a 10-hour haul in our truck to Gainesville. It would be a situation where we qualify in Virginia Friday, drive all night to Gainesville, race Saturday and return to Virginia for Sunday. For me it just doesn’t make logistic or financial sense. I have a volunteer crew and I’m already pushing my budget because of the rain delay. I hear some of the other guys are going to try it and others may not be in Gainesville at all. Hopefully, if we have some success here we can gain the attention of a major backer. That would allow us to promote them at all of the events this year and beyond and would bring this team to the next level. We have a competitive racecar and the ability to provide some good exposure for a prospective sponsor.”