Another racing season has come to a close. It’s the time of year to review the accomplishments of this season and update you on the plans for next year.

The 2004 season was Shurmatz Racing’s best year yet! From the drop of the first green flag, the car was very competitive. The team captured three feature race wins and seven heat race victories. We posted 14 top ten finishes with 10 of those in the top five. In fact the #3 car finished outside the top 10 in just two races. The consistency and hard work paid off and we finished 4th in the battle for the street stock track championship. The race team did miss two races this season. The first, when my son Jason got married (some things are more important than racing) and the second one when the hood pins were left out and the car’s hood flew up as the field was coming to the green flag! Sure, every race team has its share of bad luck each year, but I can’t help but think that if we would have made those two races, and just posted average finishes the Shurmatz Racing team just might have won the 2004 street stock championship.

The racecar made it through the year in good shape. Over the winter, there will only be minor bodywork to do. The bigger effort will involve rebuilding the motor and transmission, updating the safety equipment and making modifications to keep up with the expected rule changes. There will be a lot of debate over the off-season, but it’s likely that the familiar white and red paint scheme will be back again next year. The car looked great all year and we got many complements from other race teams and from the fans in the stands. The fans recognize the car and know that we’ll be racing for the win each week and the other drivers know that the driver will race hard but race clean.

The success that was realized this year wouldn’t have been possible without the support from family and friends and the financial help and assistance from our sponsors. Thanks again to my family who make so many sacrifices each summer. Many thanks to our team’s long-time sponsors; Lighthart Sales, Genesse Automotive, Performance Video, and Castle Banner & Signs for their continued support. And special thanks to this year’s new sponsors; Able Insurance Agency and O’Donnell Heating and Air Conditioning. I sincerely hope that your association with auto racing has been both enjoyable and rewarding.

I anticipate that the first practice for the upcoming 2005 season will be on Saturday, April 16, 2005, and as with each winter, I’ll be counting the days. Based on the strong showing this year I’m confident that the Shurmatz Racing team will be one of the early favorites to contend for the next year’s track championship.

Please check back often during the off season for updates on the race team, pictures, news, and racing commentary.

Go Fast! Turn Left!
John "the GENERAL" Shurmatz