(Image Credit: Ron Gilson)
26 Promotions – Las Cruces, NM – (April 4th, 2017) – Colton Hardy took a string of podium finishes, including a win last Saturday at Central Arizona Speedway and a 41-point lead in the ASCS Southwest Region standings into Las Cruces, New Mexico for the two-day Southwest Shootout at Southern New Mexico Speedway.
The action began Friday night with Hardy starting 4th and finishing 2nd in his Heat race. Finishing 5th in passing points at the conclusion of the Heats, Hardy would draw the 8th starting position for the 25 lap Feature.
Expecting a hooked up, rough race track, Hardy, and crew made a few adjustments prior to the start of the Feature. Within a few laps of the green flag waving, Hardy worked his way into the top 5 by running a lane or two higher and in the rough. Hardy would challenge for the 4th position but was never able to successfully complete the pass.
“I felt like we had a car to compete for the win,” said Hardy. “But every time we got a run on 4th, he’d wash up and I’d get tight and lose a spot.”
With the track hooked up and single file, Hardy would have to decide to be patient and wait for mistakes or force the issue to make up the lost ground.
“Following a tail tank isn’t my style,” explained Hardy. “So we tried to make something happen and it worked.”
Hardy would fight his way back up to a 5th place finish in the green to checker Feature.
Night 2 would see Hardy start and finish 2nd in his Heat, accumulating enough points to finish 8th in passing points and drawing the 5th place starting position for the Feature.
“The difference between the track from the first night to the second was huge,” he said. “It was dry slick with a little bit of moisture on the very bottom and very top. We didn’t think it was going to take rubber early in the Feature.”
Unfortunately, the track did take rubber about 10 laps into the Feature leading to the field running single file. A slew of cautions with under 9 to go would lead the 74 machine to go over its fuel window.
“With 3 to go we had to stop for fuel and it turned into an open red. Under red, we made a swing on the adjustments. We knew we were either going to gain a spot or two or lose them but being content with running 5th wasn’t our style.”
The adjustments would work as Hardy would move into 4th coming out of turn four with two laps to go. Heading into turn 1 on the final lap another car would make contact with Hardy knocking out his front end.
“It’s disappointing knowing our adjustments worked and we could pick up a spot while the field ran single file around the bottom.”
The 17th place finish would end Hardy’s streak of four consecutive top 5 finishes to start the year, but he does maintain a 34-point lead in ASCS Southwest Region standings.
“I can’t thank Ted and Stayce Williams enough for the opportunity to drive for them,” said Hardy. “I can’t thank Nate, Aaron and AJ enough either for spending long hours in the shop getting the car maintenance up in a short week so we were ready to race on Friday.”
Hardy will have a week off from racing before returning to Micro Sprint action on April 14th and 15th at Canyon Speedway Park.
Colton Hardy would like to thank Diamond Mechanical, M & J Trophies, Mark’s Nuts & Bolts, Elite Technical Coatings, CSI Shocks, F.S.C, NAPA Auto & Truck Parts, Borrello Race Engines, A & C Remodeling, Engler Machine & Tools and Simpson Race Products for their continued support.
Friday Results:
Heat: 4th -> 2nd
Feature: 8th -> 5th
Saturday Results:
Heat: 2nd -> 2nd
Feature: 5th -> 17th (DNF)
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colton.hardy41
Twitter: https://twitter.com/colton_hardy41
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colton_hardy41/
Website: http://www.coltonhardy.com/
Article Credit: 26 Promotions