5/13/2013
Joshua Hodges
HMS Update - NCRA @ 81 Speedway
This weekend the rain stayed away and we were able to race with the NCRA at 81 Speedway in Wichita, KS on Saturday night. I pulled the #50 pill to kick off the night which put me starting 5th in the 2nd heat race. However, when I rolled onto the track I was stuck behind the pace car and passed it which you are not allowed to do with the NCRA so I was sent to the back for the start. On the initial start I was able to get two cars down the front stretch and another in turn 2 but it was called back. On the next one I only got one down the front stretch but got by two more off of turn 2. I could tell the car was working good, when I could get it to the moisture and within about 5 laps I made my way into second. There was a caution with a few laps to go and I thought I had a shot at the win but my car got tight and a gap opened up between me and the leader. The last lap or so I was able to make up some ground but by then it was too late. With passing points from my original starting spot, 5th, I was 4th in points and so I started 4th in the A feature. By then the track had dried out to a narrow strip of moisture on the bottom and a small cushion at the very top of the 3/8 mile oval. On the start I was able to jump into second off of turn 2 and set sail after that. The first few laps my car was good but I could tell that the track was going away and that was not going to help me later in the race. I was able to hold my ground with the leader for about 5 laps but after that there was not enough for me to grab ahold of with our setup and I started trying new things. I was able to get rolling around the top in turns 3 and 4 and then the bottom in turns 1 and 2 but I had nothing for the leader who opened up a sizeable lead. I ran second the whole race through a few restarts until a caution with 3 laps to go. At that point I was really loose, especially on restarts and I was unable to hold that spot and slipped to 3rd for the finish. All in all, it wasn’t a bad night and it was our best result of the year but I still think there’s room for improvement, especially towards the end of the feature. Our next race looks like it will be in Hays, KS with the NCRA on May 24th and then Jetmore, KS with the ASCS National Tour the next day.
Submitted By: Jack Hodges