One of the Biggest Indoor Races of the Year
We had great handling at Allentown but were missing a little speed, and we also ran without a right‑front brake due to an early‑weekend incident. Heading into Atlantic City, we’ve got the brakes ready and the power set to go.
We’ll kick off the weekend on Thursday with practice—another opportunity for me to get seat time and prepare for what’s ahead. On Friday, we move into time trials, where we hope to lock into the top 28 and go straight into the 20‑lap qualifier. If not, we’ll need to finish in the top seven in the “7 Come 11” qualifier races for those who time in 29th through 60th. From there, in the 20‑lap event, our focus will be on finishing in the top 10 to lock into the 21‑lap A‑Main for the night.
After Friday, we reset and move on to Saturday with a fresh round of time trials and heat races. Our goal is to finish in the top three in the heats to secure a spot in the 40‑lap Gamblers Classic. If we don’t make it through the heat, we’ll have one last chance in the B‑Main. It’s a full weekend of racing with one big goal: make both A‑Mains.
Last year, we locked into the A‑Main through the qualifier, but unfortunately dealt with an overheating issue and couldn’t gain track position on Saturday. This year, my full focus is on making both A‑Mains for my team—who have been working hard in the shop—and for all my partners who support me: Mertz Racing, Ashaway Performance Engines, New Hampshire Undercoating, Skilled Trade Partners, P1 Web Development, and Howes Products.
Stay tuned for the Saturday morning recap of how Friday went, updates on Facebook, and a new blog entry after the race covering the full weekend!
