News
06/22/2008

Dallas Melby Wins WOMS feature at Berlin 06/21/2008

Dallas Scores his first feature win with the Wolverine Outlaw Midget Series and his first Mid-West win in front of 5,000 fans at Berlin Speedway a half mile track. Replacing the crank triggers cured the engine malady of laying over, and Dallas was fully back on track. Second  fast qualifier, Dallas won his heat race and started the main in the fifth position. Wasting little time Dallas passed the leader on lap five and set sail for a dominating win. Hitting his marks, Dallas drove a smooth meticulous race, when with nine to go a competitors spin put the pack back into contention. For the final nine laps Dallas was twice pressured by Adam Kramer, twice drawing to within a car length of Dallas, however, not able to make the pass. The fans completely enjoying a great end to a great midget race.

All was not good news a mere ten days ago, when Dallas competed at Anderson Speedway at Anderson Illinois on June 11th. A good qualifying run and a near dominating heat run started slipping away in the heat of the day. A late heat race caution allowed just enough cooling of the engine to enable Dallas to hang on for the heat win. However, the same engine woes of when the engine builds up heat the engine begins to lay over, losing significant power returned. The engine malady reared its ugly head in both of the double mains. In the first main Dallas started third row and on the opening charge at the green flag cars tangled, one sliced down into the infield and right back up onto the track directly in front of Dallas, collecting Dallas with a straight run on impact, your basic T-boning of an opponent. Minor front bumper damage, however, being part of the yellow, Dallas was sent to the back of the field for the restart. Eight laps into the race, the engine now at temperature, the power plant simply laid over. Dallas pulled the 51 into the infield and accepted a 17th place finish. To his disappointment efforts to correct the problem failed, and Dallas would need to retire early from the second main with the same faltering engine problem. It is highly suspected that the problem rests with the engine crank triggers.

Adding salt to the wound, on Monday morning, the team discovered that their hauler was broken into, and most all of the tools and generator had been stolen. The thieves went straight for the items that could be easily sold or pawned, leaving the car, and quad, tires untouched. Still, you can't make a race car turn laps if you don't have the tools to wrench the car with. A very disappointing and difficult mid June.

05/31/2008

Dallas returned to South Sound Speedway to guest drive the Tom Maples Fontana Powered Midget in a local night WMRA race. Strong in practice, pushing off for his assigned heat a fuel leak led to Dallas' being blacked flagged. Unable to fix the leak in time for the heat, Dallas would next join the main at the end of the field. Epoxy stopped the tank leak and Dallas was moving up through the field when on lap five the engine started laying over (making no power) and Dallas had no choice but to retire to the pits. Post race trouble shooting are pointing fingers to what appears to be a faulty fuel pump. "We are pretty sure," said Dallas, "that the fuel pump is the suspect failure, as that everything in this car has been rebuilt, with the exception of the pump." Dallas returns back to the Midwest where he will compete in upcoming races at both Anderson and Mount Lawn speedways.

05/20/2008

The Melby Racing Team headed back to the heartland of midget racing. the mid-west and took up the challenge of three USAC National Midget races in three back to back days of racing. At its conclusion, Team Owner and Manager Chris Melby wasted no time in pulling their engine and sending it back to the shop for low end changes. Chris Said, "Dallas had tons of top end speed, however, Dallas made it very clear to myself that if we couldn't pull harder, with greater torque off the corners we just aren't going to be a front runner." Chris further said, "It is very clear that at the National level, and running quarter mile and three-eights tracks, the bulk of the tracks we are going to be racing on, that we just have to have the ability to have our power curve be on the bottom end rather than on the top end of the engine's power curve. To that end, we are immediately sending our power plant back to the engine shop to switch from high end power to a more lower end torque power curve."
The first race was Lacross Fairgrounds Speedway, Wisconsin on 5/16/2008. Dallas qualified 24th out of the 35 car field, won his heat race and finished thirteenth in the main. It would be their best run of the three races. The following day, 5/17/2008 the field moved to Slinger Super Speedway, Wisconsin. Dallas qualified 32nd out of the 36 car field, finished 8th in his heat race, and finished 17th in the semi, not transferring to the main. Next up on 5/18/2008 the field was at Rockford Raceway, Illinois. Dallas qualified deep down the ladder at 31 out of the 35 car field, ran 5th in his heat, just missing the fourth place transfer to the main, and ran 9th in the semi, just missing the transfer spot to the main. Dallas said, "Am I disappointed? Yes, of course in our results. Am I discouraged? No, not at all. At the National level its a whole different game. To be one of the best, you have to race the best, and you have learn how to race at this level. That is what we are doing. Learning." The Melby team will take a few week break, awaiting the power plant work over, and when the engine is done, the team will be back on the track, continuing to run USAC National Midget events.


04/08/2008

Chris Melby, car owner and crew chief said it in a few words - "Its a brutal start to our season." Although at times Dallas was able to turn laps in practice prior to the start of the April 6th USAC National Midget Race at Anderson Speedway, Anderson, Indiana posting laps times in the top ten,  those laps would be the high light of the day. Fuel pick up problems, and a major problem with keeping the rear stagger saw Dallas qualify 35th, missing the top 31 who transferred into heat races. Dallas was now required to run the non-qualifiers race in which the top two would than transfer into an assigned heat race. Starting in the back, on lap three Dallas tangled with a competitor, jumping a rear wheel and sliding up and into the retaining wall. Serious damage to the front axel ended any chances for further competition. Dallas said of their day, "Naturally we are very disappointed to start our season this way. Fortunately, we have several weeks before our next scheduled race and we will be able to rebuild the damage and test before going back into competition."


Dallas is also currently attending college in Ohio studying Automotive Performance Management.