(Bill W) August 26, 2013 – As sprint car driver Brad Loyet is in Tulsa at the Pipeline Expo representing his partners Vacuworx Global and Miller Truck Lines, he is reflecting on a weekend that saw a sure win snatched away in Tennessee. The Sunset Hills, Missouri driver also wheeled the #o5 to a sixth place finish amongst a stout field at the I-30 Speedway near Little Rock, Arkansas. This week’s racing plans include the Jackson Nationals in Minnesota on Friday and Saturday, and Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Missouri on Sunday.
Last Thursday, the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series headed to Little Rock. Brad would start in row four in his heat race. “It was a different Little Rock than we’d been to the last couple of times,” he says. “It was dry with not a whole lot of passing. We were able to start last in the heat and move up to third, and that put us in the redraw.”
Brad drew inside row two for the feature. “We were just too free,” he admits. “We had a good car, but it wasn’t as good as it needed to be to run up front. We finished sixth, which was a good finish for us at Little Rock. We’ve struggled a little bit there in the past. We were pretty happy with it, and we learned some things for the Short Track Nationals.”
It was a first for everyone who entered the pits Saturday at Lexington 104 Speedway in Tennessee. Brad would run third in his heat after starting fourth. “The track was pretty narrow at that point,” he says. “If you looked at the top eight spots in the heats, they all started in the same spots. I figured it may be enough for us to make the redraw with only two heats, and it was.”
After drawing the pole, Brad checked out on the field. “We had an awesome car,” he says. “It was about as good as we could ask for. We were setting a pretty good pace. We just set sail up on the top and we were gone. We were getting through lapped traffic really nice.”
Disaster struck with just a handful of laps remaining, however. “There was a yellow with about five to go, and I felt the right rear going down,” says Brad. “There had been three other guys who had cut right rears already, so I knew what it was. I didn’t have much faith in it, but I had to stand on it for the restart and it made it another lap before it cut down.”
It was an obvious disappointment for the team. “It stunk because we had the car to beat and no one was near us,” says Brad. “To lose one like that stinks. We had the quickest car, but it didn’t matter.”
Brad will be busy the next week or so. “We’re down here in Tulsa, today, tomorrow and Wednesday at the Pipeline Expo representing Vacuworx Global and Miller Truck Lines,” he says. “We’re looking forward to getting up to Minnesota on Friday and Saturday to run the Jackson Nationals, and we’ll hit Moberly, Missouri on Sunday.”
Brad’s Weekly Releases
If you’d like to be added to Brad’s e-mail list for weekly releases, e-mail sprntcar@hotmail.com with “Loyet” in the Subject Line.
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, Meramec Heights Collision Center, 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-30 Speedway (Jimmy Jones Photo)
- Admin Account on Aug 26, 2013
- Article Date: 8/26/2013 by Bob Baker