(Bill W) May 28, 2013 – A pair of top four finishes with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series highlighted the weekend for Brad Loyet and the Loyet Motorsports #o5 team. A third at I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Nebraska, and a fourth from the back of the pack at the Steve King Memorial in Jetmore, Kansas eased the pain of a DNF last Wednesday at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Missouri. This weekend, the series hits the Salina Speedway in Kansas and the Eagle Raceway in Nebraska.
Brad drew the stoutest heat of the night at Valley Speedway on Wednesday, but he would finish third after starting fifth. “I got a good start there,” he says. “I was kind of surprised to come off turn two and be in third with the guys who were in front of me. I had a pretty good car. I thought I was catching those guys, but it was enough to get in the show. We missed the redraw, which is always a bad deal. That was just a start of the bad stuff I guess.”
Things got worse for the Sunset Hills, Missouri pilot when the sideboard started coming loose. After being blown off, a new top wing was installed, only for the night to end in a flip. “It was one of those nights you want to forget about,” says Brad. “I had a really good car, even with the sideboard coming apart on it. I was still running up front, but when it blew off, I couldn’t run it anymore. After we changed it, we were a victim of circumstance. I thought we had a pass made, and someone wasn’t really willing to give up the spot.”
It was on to I-80 Speedway Thursday. Brad ran a strong heat, running second after starting fourth. “I thought it was really racy,” he says of the track. “There were guys on the top and the bottom. My car was really rolling well on the bottom. My car just got better and better as the night went on.”
The good run continued. Brad drew a four in the redraw, and would finish third behind a pair of seasoned veterans. “It was kind of a surprise for me,” he admits. “I ran well there last year, but to run third to (Danny) Lasoski and (Brian) Brown there was good. We typically don’t run as well on the half-miles as we do on the bullrings, so to come out with a third place finish was like a win after the night before.”
Saturday meant the annual Steve King Memorial at the Jetmore Motorplex. Brad started and finished third in his heat. “It was pretty narrow and hard to pass in the heat race,” he says. “It just seemed everyone was the same speed.”
Trouble ensued before the feature even started. “I pushed off and I was supposed to start ninth,” says Brad. “I felt a bunch of fuel going down my back when I shoved off. The fuel cap had fallen off. I had to start at the back after that.”
Unfazed, Brad would charge from the rear. “I was able to work my way up to fourth with about fifteen to go,” he says. “I did a 360 spin at that point, but kept it going. That dropped me to eighth, and I was able to get back up to fourth. I had a drag race with Tony (Bruce) to the line, but we ended up fourth.”
Despite the misfortunes, Brad was pleased to come home with a pair of solid finishes to end the weekend with. “After a night of going from the back to the front, that wasn’t bad. Getting two top fives on the National tour was a good weekend…even after the one bad night.”
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Brad and the Loyet Motorsports team would like to thank primary sponsors: Vacuworx Global, Miller Truck Lines, and Loyet Landscape Maintenance. Associate sponsors: Maxim Race Cars, J and D Performance Racing Engines, Butlerbuilt Professional Seat Systems, KSE Racing, Weld Wheels, Penske Shocks, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Hepfner Racing Products, DMI, Saldana Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Bell Helmets, TI 64, Conroy Control, The Engine Heater, Ealey Transportation, and Speedway Motors.
Attached: Brad at I-80 Speedway (Rob Kocak Photo)
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