P&W Sales SUPR Notebook
Notes: Sitton sitting pretty after Battleground
By Bryan Wimberley
P&W Sales SUPR Series
Kevin Sitton (20) works on leader Jay Brunson (23B) at Battleground. (ronskinnerphotos.com)
HIGHLANDS, Texas — Looks aren’t everything. That’s something Kevin Sitton was reminded of in victory lane Saturday night at Battleground Speedway after his P&W Sales Southern United Professional Racing victory worth $2,500.
On his way to the 50-lap victory, heavy contact with a lapped car with eight laps remaining banged up the right side of Sitton's Barry Wright Race Car, but the leader survived the incident and made sure his pink and blue graphics scheme was displayed on the driver’s side in celebratory photographs.
“I was upset that the new wrap didn't even last one night, but I'm happy we won,” said the 31-year-old driver from Baytown, Texas. “We came to win and that's what we did. The car still looked good in victory lane, and we can fix the sheetmetal. It's like the guy that hollered from in the stands: 'It's just sheetmetal, baby!’ ”
Sitton, second in series points, notched his first SUPR victory of 2013 and 10th of his career. He started on the pole but slipped back as far as fourth before going past Tyler Erb, reigning series champion Rob Litton and finally leader Jay Brunson.
“We all went racing for a while and came up to some lap traffic, I slid back by Tyler and caught back up with Rob,” Sitton said. “Once we got to some more lapped traffic, I slid by Rob and ran down the No. 23 (Brunson). We got a good run coming off of turn four and was able to give a slide job to the No. 23, to gain the lead. I knew if I stayed on the top, they were not going to be able to pass me back up.”
Brunson’s coming out
Jay Brunson of Dubberly, La., may not have grabbed a victory at Battleground, but he enjoyed a coming out party with an eye-opening performance that saw him lead 30 of 50 laps. While he faded to a seventh-place finish, Brunson led the most laps he ever has in a series event.
"I think our biggest deal before is that we didn't make enough adjustments on the car for the difference of us running in mid-pack as oppose to near the front,” Brunson said. “I believe we were skeptical or either scared we would go overboard with what we done. Of course we realize now that we should have went a little bit more (on adjusting our cars), but you learn every race you go to and every race is different.
“We have Childress Racing helping us out on some engines and we have us a new MasterSbilt Race Car with us this year and so far we are pleased with the way it is working for us. I certainly like to thank the sponsors that make it possible, C-squared, Childress Racing and Carl Rhodes. We appreciate them bringing us to the racing and help out, so we can have fun. This is the first real good run we have had this year. We just want to learn and intend to run some Lucas Oil Series events; you can definitely learn from those guys.”
Stuart’s efforts pay off
Robbie Stuart of DeRidder, La.,� and crew members Richard Rougeou and Tommy Moses had a lot of work to do before Saturday’s runner-up finish at Battleground. An April 6 accident in Lucas Oil Series action at Lone Star Speedway caused damaged that required a trip to chassis dealer Stuckey Enterprises in Shreveport, La., to make repairs.
Moses and Stuart went to Ronnie Stuckey’s stop on Tuesday and worked on the car all day, then Stuart and Rougeou returned Thursday to put in a night shift.
“We put it back together (Saturday) morning and was wondering how good the car was going to be after having to do some welding to it. It seems now that it is going to be just as good as it was. It had torn the four-bar mounts out of the right side J-bar and the right-rear shock.”
Starting in the fourth row, Stuart made deliberate progress toward the front in the 50-lap feature at Battleground.
"I know we fell back to seventh or eighth early in the race,” Stuart said. “I kept my cool and told myself, ‘Just drive like you need too and pay attention to were you are at.’ I was able to see where guys had their weaknesses and tried to capitalize on one to where I could either slide up or whatever it took without being overly aggressive.
It's all split-second decisions you have to make. You just have to decide to go for it and do it, then hope that it all works out — sometimes it does and sometimes it don’t. Tonight we were fortunate it went our way when we made that split-second decision. It was fun, we had a good run, but it was getting a little bit rough sometimes around that cushion.”
Odds and ends
Battleground winner Kevin Sitton's Barry Wright Race Car is powered by a Jay Dickens Racing Engine and sponsored by Pro Plumbing, Ed George Racing, Sitton Racing, Best Auto Parts and Erb Racing. ... Battleground fourth-place finisher Shane Hebert of Lafayette, La., retained the SUPR points lead by rallying after an early flat tire. ... Steven Whiteaker Jr. of Corpus Christi, Texas, had a scary moment in his heat race at Battleground when his No. 89c nearly flipped, riding dangerously on two wheels. Although Whiteaker finished last in the prelim, he rebounded with a 17th-to-10th run in the feature. ... Doug Begnaud of Cypress, Texas, hopped off a 26-hour flight from Australia and into his No. 1 car brought to the track by his crew. Begnaud frequently works overseas, but he took on the challenge of racing near his hometrack on the same day he arrived back into the country. "My arms were like spaghetti,” said a weary Begnaud, who broke an axle in the feature. “In our heat race while I was running third, (Robbie) Stuart got by us and I was too tired to try to battle back. I just waved him on and said we will get'em later!” ... Jim Bryant of Natchitoches, La., is expected to be out of action for a while after suffering engine problems early in the feature. ... After three SUPR races, the track has drawn 53 drivers from seven states. ... SUPR competitors head to Greenville (Miss.) Speedway on April 27 for the first of three visits to the high-banked gumbo oval co-owned by James Clolinger and Wesley Washington.
