A night in the pits

CEDAR RAPIDS - Much of the preparation for race night is done well before race night, but that doesn't mean drivers and their crews aren't busy once they reach the race track. 

Measurements, adjustments, and a lot of communication identifying how the car is handling and what it needs to race at an optimal level. 

Tim Plummer and his team, which consists of his father, Doug Plummer, his uncle Martin Schulte, good friends Shaun Myers and Tyler Schumacher and Ron Day, who joined the team when Plummer started driving Dudley Fleck's late model car at Hawkeye Downs Speedway, put in a day's worth of work at the race track Friday nights. 

5:45 p.m. -Two trailers pull into the pits at Hawkeye Downs. One pulls in Plummer's No. 66 modified. An enclosed trailer carries Fleck's No. 74 late model that Plummer has been running full time. Crew members hop out of the trucks. 

They get the cars down, using a mechanical system to help get the late model down. Early setup gets done with Schulte adjusting a belt underneath the modified. 

Plummer is quick to point out that if you're making a lot of adjustments on race night, especially this late in the season, then you're not doing very well.  So, the crew's biggest task is staying on top of the stagger, which is the size difference between tires on the right side and left side of the car. 

Earlier in the year they tinkered with the setups a little more, but are dialed in at this point of the season. It shows in the points standings. Plummer is the leader in both late models and modifieds, winning four late model features and two modified features, entering Friday's race. It's rare for someone to be able to lead two different divisions, nevertheless two classes on the 1/2-mile oval. 

Staying on top of the modified division after winning the last six season points championships has led to complacency. Plummer and his crew, which comes with three decades of experience from both his dad, Doug, and Schulte, know they're being chased and if they don't keep improving they could get caught. 

"You have to stay trying new things," Plummer said. "You're never done learning." 

6:20 p.m. -The cars sit, waiting for the start of hot laps, but Plummer and Day first make their way to the driver's meeting. The pair pulls up to a table at the rear of the bingo hall used for the gathering to discuss rules, protocol, awards  and other sponsor information. Kevin Korsmo hands out awards and makes a mention of Plummer while handing an award to another modified driver. Veteran Johnny Spaw addresses the drivers, informing them one of his sponsors, Perkins, is kicking in extra money to the late model winnings that night. Becker then talks to the drivers before they head back to the pit area after 10 minutes and get ready for hot laps. 

6:35 p.m.- Hot laps are scheduled to begin. Plummer soon gets suited up and hops into his modifed car. He makes his way to the track. He determined the car was too loose on corner exit and the stagger is too great. The team has to adjust the tire pressure in an attempt to correct the car. Just about every member of his team complimented Plummer on his ability to analyze how the car is handling and suggest what needs to be changed in order to improve. 

"It all boils down to the guy behind the wheel," said Schulte, who has worked in racing for 29 years, resulting almost 20 track championships. "He can really break it down and then know what to do about it." 

Plummer isn't idle long after his modified hot laps. Shortly after his return to the pits, he's suited up again and loading into the late model. Then it's off to the track again for more trips around the asphalt race track. The crew begins work making changes to the modified. 

"You have to listen to him and what he says about the (modified) car while he's jumping into that (late model) car," said Myers, who used to race in the hornet and hobby stock classes at Hawkeye Downs. "If everything runs OK, then he'll be able to think about what he wants to do. 

"He's good about analyzing." 

Schulte supported Plummer's claim that if you're doing a lot of major changes between runs on Friday night then you're probably not doing too well. 

"Hopefully, we aren't doing too much," Schulte said. "You have to keep your routines." 

7:05 p.m.- The crew gets some down time. They are joined by brothers Scott and Chad Siems, who also race various divisions at the track, for a chat. 

7:15 p.m.- Doug Plummer, Schulte and Schumacher switch the front right tire with the rear right tire to help correct the stagger. 

7:35 p.m.-  Plummer returns to the modified car prepared for the heat races. Now, it all counts. Schumacher helps Plummer gets loaded in before telling Schulte to make one more adjustment concerning a rev chip in the engine. Schulte gets under the hood and Plummer is in line for his modified heat race two minutes later. 

He wins the modified heat race as his crew watches from the stands. Not only is Plummer trying to get a feel for the car. They take the chance to enjoy some racing while attempting to identify any problems that may need to be fixed before the feature. 

"A little bit of both," Schumacher said of watching for enjoyment or business. "We can visualize how the car is handling." 

For the most part, the team did all the work on the car during the race night. That isn't always the case. 

"Some things I trust other people to do," Plummer said. "Others are things I want to do (myself)." 

7:45 p.m.- Plummer pulls back into the pit area. Schulte and Schumacher measure tires and record them. They make pressure adjustments based off that information. The car is jacked up to prevent a flat spot forming on the tire. 

Plummer talks with his crew and loads up on some water. This Friday is pretty warm. It can take a toll on someone driving in two divisions, but Plummer jokes that the modified has air conditioning. The kind that comes from not having a windshield. 

7:58 p.m.- Plummer remarks, "I'm going to be up in two minutes" as he suits up before climbing in his late model for the division's second heat race. It's also his second heat race of the night. Soon the team is pushing the late model out of its parking area so Plummer can pull around the track's tech barn and get in line for the heat. 

"Some nights you get some down time," Schumacher said. "Others, depending on the schedule, he gets out and hops right in that car. Some nights are pretty chaotic." 

8:05 p.m.- Doug Plummer and Schulte add fuel to the modified car. It will be the last thing they do to the modified before he races in the feature. 

8:15 p.m.- After what seemed like an endless wait because of a prize giveaway, Plummer competes in the late model heat race. He wins, placing ahead of the Spaw. Plummer rolls back to the pit area where the crew immediately gets it jacked up off the ground, where it will sit until they get ready for the late model feature. 

The team has the opportunity to relax a bit. Some get a bite to eat. Doug Plummer enjoys a cheeseburger. Schulte downs what appears to be potato salad. It doesn't take long for things to migrate back to racing as Day, Myers and Schulte discuss the late model heat race. 

8:55 p.m.- Plummer gets back into his modified car and is flanked by Myers and Schumacher. He pulls out of the pits looking for his seventh feature victory this season and to extend his 31-point lead in the season standings. The crew heads to the stands to watch the race. Myers and Doug Plummer stand along a railing. Schumacher and Schulte sit about 10 rows up with other fans. 

9:02 p.m.- The green flag drops for the modified feature. It doesn't take Plummer long to move to the front of the field, capturing the lead going into Turn 4 with 10 laps to go. He pulls away from the field as the race progresses. 

9:08 p.m.- Plummer captures the checkered flag and that seventh feature win of the season. A minute later Plummer emerges from the car in victory lane for an interview, trophy presentation and for a quick photo opportunity in front of nearly 5,000 fans that packed Hawkeye Downs on 100.7 The Fox race night. 

The crew doesn't seem too interested in the post-race celebration or they just have more things to do to prepare for the late model feature. They leave the stands and head to the pits. They end up meeting Plummer near the tech barn, helping them him onto a scale and be cleared by race officials. 

Once the modified is driven back to the pit area, the team still measures tires and records their findings. Then the tires are replaced by an older set to avoid the good tires from developing flat spots on the trailer. 

9:20 p.m. - All that appears to be left to do is hit the track for the late model feature. Adjustments seem to be done on the car. 

Doug Plummer takes a seat on the modified trailer. He's 58 years old. Doug Plummer has been working in racing for 30 years. He and Schulte also worked for Plummer's uncle, Mike Schulte, who is a well-known former Eastern Iowa race car driver who won a number of championships at Hawkeye Downs. He still enjoys it, even though he told Plummer when he started racing at age 18 that he'd have to find people his own age to help out. 

"It's fun," Doug Plummer said of working on his son's team. "It's challenging. We've seen it all." 

Doug Plummer said many young people these days don't want to commit to all the work during the week, echoing a recurring theme that the majority of the work is done during the week and not on race nights. He said the excitement of the races is the only attraction for most. Despite telling Plummer he'd have to find younger workers for his team when he started driving, Doug Plummer will continue to help out as long as his son lets him. 

"As long as I'm able I will," Doug Plummer said. "It's up to him." 

9:35 p.m.- That father-son dynamic kicks in right before the late model feature when Plummer orders a change to the rear tires right before he gets ready to head to the track. A couple crew members huddle around Doug Plummer with a flashlight as he makes the late adjustment. 

9:40 p.m.- Plummer gets lined up for the late model feature. He's starting in seventh position. Day takes his spot with the other spotters. The rest of the crew watch with Schumacher, Myers and Doug Plummer at the same spot they watched the heat races. 

 9:49 p.m.- The late model feature begins and Plummer is looking to double-up on race victories and claiming his seventh late model feature win this summer. Day, who has worked with Fleck since they graduated high school in 1979, serves as Plummer's spotter for the race. It took a little bit for the two to get on the same page, mainly due to the age difference, but they seem to work well together. At least their senses of humor mesh well, as the pair exchange barbs after the races conclude. A routine for most on the team. 

"He'll definitely listen," said Day, who exchanges emails with plummer about possible car modifications. "Everybody enjoys each other. That's the biggest thing with this team." 

Plummer started driving Fleck's late model toward the end of last year. He was going to focus primarily on the late models this year, but driving both the late model and modified division hasn't slowed him down. The marriage with Plummer and his team and Day and Fleck's ride has been a success. 

As the feature progresses, Joey Gase seems to be running better than the field. Plummer is engaged with a tough battle with other drivers, including Kyle Hinrichs and Justin Jennings, who are second and third in the points standings behind him. They jockey for second and third place. 

Myers makes a well-timed comment about Plummer needing a restart in hopes of catching Gase. Then, as if on command, Spaw, Jill George and Jay Jaspers are caught up in a wreck that calls for a yellow flag. The accident forces George and Jaspers to be towed from the track. 

10:15 p.m.- The green flag for the restart drops and it sets up Plummers chance to take the lead with nine laps. 

"He got a good run," Myers stated as they approached the first turn after the restart and then when he took the lead with seven laps left claimed, "You're clear." 

It didn't last long as Gase reclaimed the lead with five laps left and Plummer falling behind Hinrichs for second. 

10:18 p.m.- Another caution comes out with four laps remaining and sets up another restart with four to go. Plummer isn't able to repeat his feat from the previous restart. 

10:21 p.m.- Gase earns the feature win, but Plummer gets second, edging Hinrichs and adding to the 19-point lead in the late model standings over the youngster. Again he goes to victory lane for post-race events, which included the extra award from Perkins for placing in the top four that Spaw mentioned in the driver meeting. 

10:22 p.m.- Day approaches people from opposing teams after the race and chats about the race. The crew huddles around the tech barn, discussing the events in the late model feature waiting on Plummer to pull around for almost 10 minutes. 

Plummer wasn't very happy with the way he performed in the late model feature, al though plenty of drivers would gladly switch positions with him on a night where he came very close to winning a pair of features on the 1/2-mile track. 

"I was horrible," Plummer said after the team helped him pull into the tech barn, be cleared by race officials and then pull into the pit area. "I was like a pig on ice the whole time." 

10:50 p.m.- Plummer's crew is changing tires on the late model. Plummer has already donned street clothes. All that's left for work is tearing down the trailers, put away tools and load the cars onto the trailers. 

11:08 p.m.- The crew is still tearing things down as family, friends and race fans file into the pit area. Plummer's crew hand out various items, including tape measures, and leave a stack of autographed pictures of Plummer for people to take. 

11:15 p.m.- Plummer is found helping Jaspers load his late model onto his trailer. The car was damaged so badly it couldn't be loaded without the help of a tow truck. 

At this point in the evening, it's now a social hour for the team. As Myers said they were one step closer to enjoying beverages. They eventually do, visiting with a large group of people. 

12:50 a.m.- Almost an entire day's work is complete. Both the modified and the late model cars are loaded onto their trailers and the team is ready to head home to Norway. Then the cycle will start all over again back in the shop at home, preparing for another night at Hawkeye Downs. 

"We won't touch it until Monday," Doug Plummer said. "That's when all the fun begins."