(Image: Ben Thrasher)
26 Promotions – Show Low, AZ – (September 6, 2018) – Colton Hardy recorded his fourth ASCS Southwest victory on Saturday night and his fifth podium finish on Sunday to go along with two runner-up results in the micro sprint over the Labor Day weekend at Show Low Speedway Park.
“After getting the chance to hot lap a wing car up in Show Low last year, I was hoping we would race there this year,” said Hardy. “Once the schedule was announced, I couldn’t wait to get up there and race.”
Hardy kicked things off in the sprint car going third to second in his heat, earning enough points to make the feature redraw where he would pull the one to start on the pole for the scheduled 25-lap feature.
“Sounds like a broken record, but the sprint car wasn’t running 100%,” he explained. “We got the jump on the start and just kind of hung on. The stability of the car definitely helped us stay out front. After a car flipped, the power went out, and the race was called five-laps short. It was by far the weirdest way I have won a race, but I’ll take it.”
After working on the car throughout the morning, the Bandit Racing team was back at Show Low Speedway Park for night two of racing.
Hardy advanced one spot from his fifth starting position in his heat, making the feature redraw for the second straight night, he would pull the seven to start on the inside of the fourth row.
“The race just didn’t want to get going. After a red and a few yellows, we finally got some green flag laps in and settled into sixth or seventh,” he said. “Everyone was running the bottom and left the top open, so that’s where I went. The top really came to life around halfway, and we started to move forward slowly. After a couple of good battles, we took second coming to the white and ended up finishing there.”
Hardy now has four wins, five top-five and nine top-ten finishes with the ASCS Southwest Region this season.
“The track was a blast all weekend, bullring racing is always fun, and I’m hoping Show Low Speedway Park has us back,” he said.
On the micro side on Saturday, Hardy picked up a heat race win, lining him up on the outside of the front row for the start of the 20-lap feature.
“After making some changes to the car from the last time we raced a month ago, the results don’t show it, but we flat struggled the first night,” he said. “The car just wasn’t running in the feature, we were down RPM’s and power, but somehow managed to hang onto a second-place finish.”
On Sunday, Hardy finished second in his heat, placing him fourth on the grid for the micro feature.
“My dad worked his butt off on Sunday to get the motor running better,” he explained. “In the feature, the motor by far ran the best during the weekend. We ended up second, and it gives us something to build off for the next race.”
Following his two second-place finishes this weekend, Hardy has two wins, 12 top-five, and 16 top-ten finishes in the micro sprint this year.
“All in all, it was a decent weekend in the micro, but I was hoping to be a little more competitive for a win,” he said. “Tip the cap to Jarrett; he’s the car to beat in the state right now. Definitely looking forward to racing with him for the win in the few micro races I have left this year.”
“I know I am going to miss some people because so many people help out when I get to run double duty. I can’t thank my mom, dad, Nate, AJ, Randy, Flint, Jake, Aaron, Ted, and anyone I missed enough for keeping the cars clean and making sure they’re ready to hit the track,” said Hardy. “Also hats off to everyone at the track for everything they had to deal with to make sure we were able to get the races in both nights.”
Hardy is back in the micro this weekend at Central Arizona Speedway with the Power 600 Series.
Colton Hardy would like to thank Diamond Mechanical, A & C Remodeling, Engler Machine and Tools, CSI Shocks by Factor One, Schoenfeld Headers, Marks Bolts, Nuts & Surplus, M & J Trophies and Apparel, Bandit Racing, Borello Race Engines, and Highline Clothing Co. for their support of the Sprint Car.
He would also like to thank A & C Remodeling, Engler Machine and Tools, CSI Shocks by Factor One, Schoenfeld Headers, Marks Bolts, Nuts and Surplus, M & J Trophies and Apparel, Bandit Racing, Diamond Mechanical, Hyper Racing, NPS Race Engines, and Highline Clothing Co. for their support of the Micro Sprint.
Saturday’s ASCS Results
Heat: 3rd -> 2nd
Feature: 1st -> 1st
Saturday’s Micro Sprint Results
Heat: 4th -> 1st
Feature: 2nd -> 2nd
Sunday’s ASCS Results
Heat: 5th -> 4th
Feature: 7th -> 2nd
Sunday’s Micro Sprint Results
Heat: 4th -> 2nd
Feature: 4th -> 2nd
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