Bare Bones Racing

Click on the link below to see some intense wheel-to-wheel racing from our most recent 8-Hour Enduro with Lucky Dog Racing League at Sonoma Raceway

Sonoma Raceway Lucky Dog 8-Hour Enduro, June 16, 2024

Race Weekend Re-Cap: Sonoma Success!

Test & Tune (Friday):

After the long 10-hour drive from home, Friday's Test & Tune was set to be a great opportunity to get reacquainted with one of our favorite tracks, but with less than an hour into our session, we lost 3rd gear and our transmission sounded like rocks spinning inside of a tin can. was towed back to our paddock location and the team immediately jumped into action to extract the blown transmission and install our spare that we brought along. After the replacement gearbox was in place, we had just over an hour left of track time to get our drivers some seat time and everyone reported that Half Pint was "hooked up" and was handling phenomenally well on the recently resurfaced track that was ultra smooth and with loads of grip.

Race #1 (Saturday):

Our goal for this race, and the entire weekend, was to race "clean", which entailed No Contact, No Flag Violations, and Precise Pit Stops. We executed our plan just as we hoped. Lap times began to fall, track awareness was heightened, and pit stops were well-executed.

Back out on-track, Half Pint was blazingly quick coming out of Sonoma's "S's" corner complex where she would either close-up or extend any gap she encountered. Her brakes inspired confidence and braking zones became a place to gobble up and advance track position with over-take after over-take. Half Pint's cornering speeds were top tier among the field, which was super important considering we give up so much straight-line speed in straightaways since we are down on power compared to the competition. When the checkered flag dropped at the end of the 7-Hour Enduro, we had taken a 3rd Place podium position in Class and 17th overall out of a field of 105 cars.

Race #2 (Sunday):

We were bolstered with confidence after the podium finish the day before. We took the lessons learned and incorporated them again into our mantra of racing Clean. When the Green Flag dropped to start the race, Half Pint was able to cling on to a break-away pack that separated from the 100+ car field. This was beneficial but only for a short while. The day was filled with may lay as numerous cars suffered hard hits into Sonoma's unforgivving walls or massive impacts with one another. We were able to maneuver our way through the field with no incidents or contact.

At Sonoma, there is no time for Drivers to rest. Corners come at you fast. Corners, however, is where Half Pint earns her worth and the new track surface at Sonoma provided that little extra degree of grip that made her feel like she was on rails. We clocked our Hot Lap on the day (1:55) that was just 4 seconds off the pace from the fastest car in the field (1:51). An impressive feat for a Miata running a 1.8L Mazda power plant. During the race, a determination was made by Race Control to move our team up into a faster Class. When that occurred, we immediately dropped back into 12th place in our new Class. Our team was not deterred in the slightest and took it as a challenge to see how we could fare in a Class loaded with 6-cylinder BMWs, where we had the least horsepower of anyone.

Stint after stint, we were able to advance within our Class, and overall across the entire field. We finished the 8-Hour Enduro, just off the podium, in 4th Place in Class and 11th overall out of the 105 car field.

This race weekend will go down as one of our best. Although it began with a transmission failure, the good news was it failed on a Test Day instead of during a race and that was a blessing. When it was time to race, our car, our drivers, and our crew were ready and performed at a high level with consistency and precision. Our first race of the 2024 season here at Sonoma has hopefully set the tone for what's left to come for the rest of this exciting season.

Thanks to:
Lucky Dog Racing League
Trackside Motorsports

Our professional racing idol, and all around grass roots good guy, Randy Pobst, stopped by to say Hello to our team and check out .

Looking forward to a great Race Weekend here at Sonoma Raceway.

You know when you see up on the alignment rack that Racing is close at hand. This upcoming weekend, we'll be competing in our first race of the 2024 season at Sonoma Raceway. This marks our team's 9th year of endurance racing and we are looking forward to a great weekend ahead!

Fresh fluids going into , along with a new set of brake pads, in preparation for a Test & Tune Track Day at Portland International Raceway this Thursday.

It's been several months since our last race at Sonoma Raceway back in February, so it's time to shake the car down and get things rolling again.

Sonoma Re-Cap:

Our 1st visit to Sonoma was a great experience. We raced, we broke, we fixed, and we finished. And throughout it all, proved that her pace and performance can deliver strong Class results if we maintain reliability and can avoid contact and penalties.

Test & Tune & Qualifying (Friday): Was a great opportunity for all our Drivers to take what they learned back home in the Simulator and apply it to the real track. Lap times dropped throughout the day. We dealt with both electrical and leak issues for a new surge tank that was installed ahead of this race which was a nice baptism for Kyle, our new crew member, who jumped right in and got 'er done. We were back out on track and qualified for B Class.

8-Hour Enduro (Saturday): Keith started the race for us and was working his way through the field in the early going when he got hit by fellow competitors in the rear and passenger front wheel. We were able to send back out but only after a lengthy stay in the pits. Keith did a great job with a strong recovery drive and all 3 remaining drivers hustled to finish the day and take the Checkered Flag in 30th place Overall, out of a field of 86 cars, and finish 12th in B Class.

7-Hour Enduro (Sunday): Once again our leadoff driver got hit within the first 5 laps after the start and was unable to get started and was towed back to our Pit. The team immediately jumped into action and bent the rear driver's side quarter panel off the rear tire. Other teammates started to diagnos the no-start symptom. We had blown a fuse to what we thought was our surge tank. We replaced the fuse and it ran and we sent our driver back out. But while heading down the hot pit, quit and wouldn't start. Crew members sprinted to the hot pits and replaced another blown fuse. Our driver headed back on track and 2 corners later was dead again. This time it required a tow back to our Pit. We were obviously dealing with a bad ground that was shorting out. After searching numerous places, the short was found in the rear driver's side quarter panel where we were hit. A raw brake light wire was hitting bent sheet metal and would short out the entire ignition when the brakes were engaged. Fixed the brake light wire and we were back out on track. Every single driver did an amazing job to pass dozens of cars. We finished the race at the Checkered Flag having achieved 29th Overall and 10th in B Class. An amazing Recovery Drive after being down in 75th place when we finally got our issue fixed and back out on track.

Delayed Recognition: Back in November, at the season finale at Thunderhill, our team had won the Haag Performance Mazda Excellence Award, which is given to the team who uses Mazda Power to achieve the highest number of completed laps. We racked up 205 laps of the 5-Mile Thunderhill course but unfortunately the race organizers had left behind the trophy. So at the Trophy Ceremony at Sonoma, at the end of the race, our team was honored and recognized with the Mazda Excellence Award. This means a lot to our team as we take great pride in being one of the fastest Miatas on-track while using Mazda power. It's a great looking trophy and Niall used the occasion to pop some champagne and hose down the crowd.

Overall a fantastic experience at Sonoma for our team and a great first race of the season that will now set the tone as we look to improve and make our way to the Podium!

One Car... One Goal... One Team who pull it all together with dedication, commitment, and most of all Fun!

Some of our favorite Racing shots from last weekend's 8+7 Hour Enduro with Lucky Dog Racing League at Sonoma Raceway.

Our first-ever visit to Sonoma Raceway for the kick-off to the 2023 Endurance Racing Season was a success. A full Re-Cap of our race weekend is coming soon but in the meantime, you can get familiar with the track and ride along with as she makes her way through race traffic.

Sonoma Raceway, Lucky Dog 8-Hour Enduro, Feb 18, 2023 The Team makes its first appearance at Sonoma Raceway to kick-off the 2023 Endurance Racing season. Watch along as Half Pint slices her way through race traf...

Today's Test & Tune allowed us to work out some mechanical kinks and get in lots of laps for our drivers on a new track. is running great and is resting tonight in preparation for tomorrow's 8-hour Enduro.

We make our 1st visit ever to Sonoma Raceway this weekend to kick-off the 2023 race season!

This marks our 8th season of Endurance Racing and we've got an exciting 2023 schedule planned. We hope you'll join along and continue your support as we compete at historic tracks across the west coast... and beyond (Hint, Hint!)

Last stop was a visit to Garth's for a Track Alignment and to mount up our fresh Hankook Motorsports RS4s. We're now all packed up and ready to roll south early this Thursday morning. Test & Tune and Qualifying on Friday, followed by an 8-hour Enduro Saturday and a 7-Hour on Sunday. Looking forward to a new track, a great race, and an amazing new season ahead!

What a Race to end the season!

continues to punch above her weight. Out of a Field of 90 Cars, and after 14 hours of racing, we logged 205 laps, 1,025 miles, set the 19th fastest lap time, and finished 13th Overall. We competed within a Class of 26 other cars that was filled with countless E36 & E46 BMWs and managed to overcome the horsepower and displacement advantage to finish 8th in Class.

This Team has worked so hard to improve our reliability, efficiency, and performance this season and these results have made the year one that we will cherish and celebrate. Thanks to all our extended family members, fellow competitors and friends, and those who have supported our efforts along the way. We couldn't have done it without You!

Photo Credit: Drew Shepardson
Lucky Dog Racing League

Last Saturday at Portland International Raceway, we gathered to honor the patriarch of our racing family, Jess Heitman. Jess's many talents, skills, and passion for racing were on full display in the race cars he helped build and the people on-hand who he helped inspire.

Jess's V-8 powered "Monster Miata" was honored with a ceremonial first lap to commemorate his life and memory before the opening of the Cascade Enduro. Jess is a hero in the racing community here in the Northwest. His talent as a racer, builder, and giver of his time and energy to the local community will not be forgotten. The racers he has helped will do our noble best to continue his legacy.

The man who set the bar for racers across the Pacific Northwest, and who gave Bare Bones Racing its start, will be remembered on October 23rd. A huge influence and mentor to our team and to so many others, Jess will be missed but never forgotten. will be one of a handful of race cars on display next weekend at Portland International Raceway to honor Jess. These cars all benefited from Jess's amazing skill and craft to become race winners across the region. All of us are better racers and people because of Jess.

Race In Peace!

Celebrating the life of Jess Heitman on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at the Holiday Inn Portland - Columbia Riverfront, schedule: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Join us to share stories & remember a life lived to the fullest......race car driver and builder, yachtsman, aerobatic pilot, community activist, friend to all, and animal lover.

7 years ago, on this very day, we took out to Portland International Raceway for her first shake-down after buying her from Jess Heitman at Woodstock Motorsports. We had spent a month bringing her back to race-ready status and this was the day to put our work through the paces. This one-time Spec Miata was now a new platform for grassroots endurance racing for a newly formed team that called themselves Bare Bones Racing.

In that 7 years, our team has ebbed and flowed, reached amazing highs as well as painful lows. Through it all, this little car helped a collection of amazing people form lasting friendships and lift each other up. There have been so many people that have been part of our Story both past and present. Racing has meant so much to each of us and this humble car has been the focal point of our passion and commitment to each other.

Thanks to all of our teammates, supporters, fellow competitors, family, and organizers who have allowed us to compete, have fun, while constantly learning how to evolve as racers, friends, and human beings.

We will see you all at Thunderhill Raceway this November. Half Pint has changed quite a bit over the last 7 years. But then again, so have we all.

is extending her lead on the field on our way to a 2nd Place in Class finish at the 7-Hour endurance race with



Photo Credit:
Dakota Snow