Inside Line Promotions – TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2015) – Jason Sides captured his first victory of the season last weekend during the Ronald Laney Memorial.
Sides, who was competing in front of his family and in the backyard of longtime supporter Wetherington Tractor Service, Inc., claimed Friday’s Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour preliminary race before he finished sixth out of 67 drivers during Saturday’s finale at East Bay Raceway Park.
“That was a big confidence boost for our team,” he said. “It was great to not only get our first win, but to do so in front of so many people who are special to our team meant a lot.”
Sides overcame an issue with the high speed during his heat race on Thursday, when the event kicked off. The problem ended with Sides finishing sixth in a heat race, which relegated him to a B Main.
“The motor stumbled a little bit and it didn’t run very well,” he said. “We came in and Scott (Gerkin) tuned up the motor. The high speed ended up being stuck. We got that fixed and the motor was a rocket after that.”
Sides charged from 11th to fourth in the consolation race, but he narrowly missed a transfer into the back of the feature.
However, the team rebounded in a big way on Friday. Sides maneuvered from ninth to third place during a heat race, which locked him into the feature redraw. He then drew the No. 1 to garner the pole position for the 25-lap main event.
“That was a big part because the track had been taking rubber in the B Mains,” he said. “We happened to be at the right place at the right time to put ourselves in the redraw and it worked out where we started on the pole. We got a great start and did what we had to do. We didn’t miss the bottom.”
Sides led every lap and won by more than five seconds to secure the triumph.
That, combined from his points total from Thursday, started him on the outside of the front row of a qualifier to kick off Saturday’s race.
“It was either win the qualifier or go to a B Main,” he said. “The outside wasn’t the place to be at that time. We stuck with the polesitter and railed around the top in turns one and two on the opening lap. Down the back straightaway we passed him for the lead and that was it.”
The qualifier victory locked Sides into the 40-lap feature, which he started ninth.
“On the first start we came out of turn two and got to fourth and the yellow came out,” he said. “The same thing happened on the next start and another yellow came out. On the third start everybody got strung out and we picked them off as he could.”
Sides ended with a sixth-place result – his sixth top 10 in eight races this season.
“That’s going to help us going into Las Vegas,” he said. “It’s progress and that’s what we’ve been looking for.”
Sides will take this weekend off before resuming action March 4-5 at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas in Las Vegas for the FVP Outlaw Showdown with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series.
QUICK RESULTS –
Feb. 19 – East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla. – Heat race: 6 (6); B Main: 4 (11).
Feb. 20 – East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla. – Heat race: 3 (9); Feature: 1 (1).
Feb. 21 – East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla. – Qualifier: 1 (2); Feature: 6 (9).
SEASON STATS –
8 races, 1 win, 2 top fives, 6 top 10s, 7 top 15s, 7 top 20s
UP NEXT –
March 4-5 at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas in Las Vegas for the FVP Outlaw Showdown with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.SidesMotorsports.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SidesMotorsport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sides-Motorsports/283833970847?ref=br_tf
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – R.E. Enterprises
Based in Memphis, Tenn., R.E. Enterprises is a one-stop solution for sprint car parts and racing supplies, racing and performance shock services, chassis repairs and fabrication, and custom welding or machining needs. For more information, visit http://www.RacingEclipse.com.
“R.E. Enterprises does a lot for us and we really appreciate their support,” Sides said. “Chris and everybody over there are just as good of friends as they are partners.”
Sides would also like to thank Wetherington Tractor Service, Inc., King Racing Products, East Coast Logistics, Clean Seal, Inc., Dancer Logistics, Inc., Jim Schuhknecht, Driven Racing Oil, Ingles Racing Engines, FSR Radiators, Wings Unlimited, BR Motorsports, All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads and VRP Shocks for their continued support.