Weekly Notebook presented by JRi Shocks
Notes: Michigan veteran off to quick start in '17
By Alli Collis
DirtonDirt.com staff writer
Bill Bray (Jim DenHamer/Katie Wright)
After a long winless stretch, 29-year racing veteran Bill Bray clicked off a couple of Super Late Model victories last summer to regain his confidence. Now the 48-year-old driver from Spring Lake, Mich., has a double-shot of confidence after his quick start in 2017.
Bray won back-to-back April weekends at Winston Speedway in Rothbury, Mich., putting the American Ethanol Late Model Tour regular atop DirtonDirt.com’s latest Weekly Notebook presented by JRi Shocks.
“The first night out, we had a good pill draw and we were able to start up towards the front,” Bray said. “We had a good running car and we were able to just stay out in front for the whole race. Then last week, the race was kind of … a lot of luck helped me out in that race. I ran around the middle of the pack for probably the first 25 laps. All the cars were running around the bottom of the racetrack and I was not going to just ride there, so I moved up on the middle top and started riding around up there, making my own groove.
“The leader was about a half a lap ahead of us and he cut a tire, so we had a caution and it put me in a good position. I lined up on the outside and going through one of the turns, the new leader got a little sideways and bogged down that whole inside line, and I was on the outside. I just cruised right on by all of them and got in the lead, stayed there, and got to the checkered first.”
While Bray has gotten off to a strong start in 2017, his racing nearly came to a halt last July when engine problems forced him to the sidelines. Teaming up with friend and car owner Caleb Bisacky, Bray was able to complete the year and end the season on a high note, winning a pair of races at Thunderbird Raceway in Muskegon, Mich.
“I bought a brand new car, a Rocket XR1, last year, and then I built a motor,” Bray said. “I had some machine work done and I assembled it myself. We were down to our big half-mile Hartford Speedway and I had a part failure, some connecting rods broke, and it sidelined me for the rest of the year.
“Then I ran across a friend of mine by the name of Caleb Bisacky. He had a car, looking for a driver. He tried driving it a couple times. I actually volunteered to crew chief it for him and help him get it set so he could do it, and he said, ‘Well, why don't you drive it for me first and get it set and then we'll switch to you driving it.’
“The first night out, we won the main event, so he said, ‘Well, I think we found a driver for the car.’ Then we ran about eight more races for the year and we had another couple wins, a bunch of top fives with it, so he was very pleased.”
Back in his own car this season, his recent trips to victory lane have been a big confidence booster for a Bray, who had gone several seasons without a win.
“What Caleb told me is, ‘Maybe we just had to get you back in one winner’s circle so you could remember,’ ” Bray said. “It's probably been about three years since I had a win. He said everybody knew I could do it, it's just I had to get my confidence back. Wins bring confidence. Right now, I don't know if I'm doing anything different than what I ever have, just getting some luck and just being fortunate right now.”
While he’s currently leading the Winston track points standings, Bray plans to chase the American Ethanol Late Model Tour this season. The home-state driver notched a trio of top-five finishes in 2016 series action.
“I just think it's some of the best competition in our state and you race against the best,” Bray said. “The promoter, Nick Rice, is doing a phenomenal job. He's put a lot of effort and monetary resources into making it a success, so he's given back to us quite a bit. I like to travel around a little bit, so it just fits good for me and the pay is really good, so there's no reason for me not to do it.”
Heading in to the rest of the 2017 season, Bray is hoping to build on what he did last season. His early season victories are a good starting point.
“I actually haven't set any goals, but to do as well as we can and improve on what we did last year with the Ethanol races,” Bray said. “I feel I can be a top-five competitor with them week in and week out. They’re a couple tracks that get the best of me, and I'd like to be able to conquer those tracks. If you can conquer the track, the racing part comes easy.”
Weekly highlights
• Extending a lengthy streak at Talladega Short Track, Jason Hiett of Oxford, Ala., won April 29’s Super Late Model feature at the Eastaboga, Ala., oval. He’s unbeaten in regular-season Super Late Model action at TST going back to July 3, 2014.
• Jeff Decker of Morgan Hill, Calif., won Antioch (Calif.) Speedway’s Late Model season opener on April 29, beating Shawn DeForest to the checkers. Richard Papenhausen led early but hit the wall after a tire went flat.
• In the season opener at Richmond (Ky.) Raceway, Derek Fisher of Olympia, Ky., earned $2,000 with an April 29 victory over Chris Combs.
• After falling out of the lead of three features early in the 2017 season at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway, Dylan Yoder of Selinsgrove, Pa., captured April 29’s feature. He inherited the lead when Jeff Rine’s engine expired, giving Yoder a $2,000 victory in the Moon Shine Camo Route 35 miniseries opener.
• Winning his fifth straight feature, Ashton Winger of Fayetteville, Ga., grabbed April 29’s Crate Late Model feature victory at Senioa (Ga.) Raceway.
• With his 14.714-second lap at Needmore Speedway, Rhett Carter of Blackshear, Ga., lowered the track record April 29 at the Norman Park, Ga., oval. Carter finished second in the Limited Late Model feature and won the Crate feature.
First things first
First-time occurrences at the dirt track:
• Making a last-lap pass, Caleb Ashby of Cunningham, Tenn., edged Stephen Breeding on April 29 for his first career victory at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, Ky.
• Winning his first career feature, Blaine Emery of Oley, Pa., survived overheating issues April 29 at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa. He led all but the first lap.
• Winning the 602 Crate feature April 29 at Swainsboro (Ga.) Raceway, Ahnna Parkhurst of Evans, Ga., picked up her first career divsiion victory.
Weekly news briefs
• Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown, N.C., has placed a bounty of Jason Deal of Copperhill, Tenn., who has captured all three of the track’s Crate Late Model features in 2017. Starting with the western North Carolina track’s May 12 event, a driver ending Deal’s winning streak will receive an extra $300. The bounty will increase $100 for the next two events if Deal continues to win.
• Hartwell (Ga.) Speedway will be dark most of May after Lavonia (Ga.) Speedway’s promotion group acquired the lease of Marty and Joyce Lance, who operated the 3/8-mile Hartwell oval for 10 years. Hartwell, which had previously operated on Saturdays along with Lavonia, is scheduled to run its first race under the new management on Sunday, May 28.
• Heavy rain the last weekend in April left Peoria (Ill.) Speedway under water. The track spent the early part of the week pumping water out of the racetrack with plans to clean up debris and prepare to race again, hopefully within a few weeks.
• With promoters apologizing for dusty and difficult track conditions at the season opener, McKean County Raceway is offered $2 discounts for the track’s May 25 event for fans holding a wristband from the April 22 event.
Weekly points chases
AMRA (Super Late Models): Kyle Thomas of Pennsboro, W.Va., tops the standings with 308 points over Freddie Carpenter (304) and Tyler Carpenter (301).
IMCA (Limited Late Models): Through April 23, Jake Neal of Omaha, Neb., has 169 points to lead Luke Goedert (168) and Matt Ryan (167).
ULMA (Limited Late Models): As of April 17, Dustin Hodges of Centralia, Mo., tops the standings with 264 points over Cody Holtkamp (264) and Justin Russell (212).
UMP DIRTcar (Super Late Models): Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., has 523 points to lead Rusty Schlenk (514) and Jason Feger (418).
UMP DIRTcar (Crate Late Models): Tommy Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill., has 473 points over Mike Staggs (458) and A.J. May (442).
Fastrak (Crate Late Models): Adam Smith of Carnesville, Ga., tops the standings with 158 points over Tyler Bare (134) and Colby Cannon (132).
NeSmith Chevrolet (Crate Late Models): Through May 2, Hunter Carroll of Columbus, Miss., has 277 points to lead Tim Dees (256) and Chase Washington (237).
Sweeney Chevrolet RUSH (Crate Late Models): As of May 1, Logan Roberson of Waynesboro, Va., has 853 points over Greg Beach (688) and Matt Tarbox (607).
Southeastern Crate Association (Crate Late Models): Dillon Brown of Gaffney, S.C., tops the standings with 280 points to lead Trent Ivey (243) and Colby Quick (216).
Upcoming weekly specials
Among non-touring and independent special events coming up for Late Models at dirt tracks around the country:
Talladega Short Track, Eastaboga, Ala. (May 5): During NASCAR weekend across the highway, TST hosts Friday's $2,000-to-win unsanctioned Super Late Model event. NeSmith Crates run Friday and Saturday with the Southern All Stars sanctioning Saturday's Super Late Models.
Skyline Speedway, Stewart, Ohio (May 5): The Throwback 30 serves as a qualifying race for the Jim Dunn Memorial paying $2,000-to-win for Super Late Models while former drivers are honored; May 7 raindate.
Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, Wis. (May 6): The Triple Crown features $3,000-to-win features for Late Models, sprint cars and modifieds. Steve Laursen is coming off an April 29 victory over a 21-car field.
Swainsboro (Ga.) Raceway (May 6): The Pine Tree 100 pays $5,000 for unsanctioned Crate Late Models with fast qualifier receiving $200 from GRW Competition Engines. Extra purse money for other divisions.
Oakshade Raceway, Wauseon, Ohio (May 6): The opening round of the Oakshade-Attica Challenge is the first of six races between the northern Ohio ovals for Super Late Models.
Princeton (W.Va.) Speedway (May 6): Super Late Models are special on the card for opening night at Princeton with a $2,000-to-win, $300-to-start purse if at least 10 cars enter; Crates are on the undercard.
Baton Rouge Raceway, Baker, La. (May 6): The track’s Crate Late Model division has posted a $1,000-to-win purse with six other divisions on the card.
