(Photo by Scott Frazier)
Inside Line Promotions – SALINA, Okla. (Aug. 20, 2014) – Brandon Hanks capped his inaugural race at Salina Highbanks Speedway on a positive note last Saturday.
Hanks, who made his debut at the high-banked track during the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event, overcame a wild crash in his heat race to nearly capture a top 10 in the main event.
“The car was pretty tight in the heat race, which is what we were aiming for,” he said. “We thought if we were tight in the heat race it’d be good for the feature because it’d slick off in the feature, according to history.”
Hanks jumped the cushion on the final lap of his heat race and collided with a tractor tire and the wall. Although the hit looked bad, damage was minimal and Hanks was able to start the feature 19th.
“After the heat race I told my dad, ‘Everybody is going to go to the top,’” he said. “I said, ‘Why don’t we tighten this car up a bunch and make the track a quarter-mile track and let everyone else go 3/8 of a mile.’ I practically had my left tires on the infield of the corners trying to get as much grip as possible. The car was wicked fast on the bottom.”
Hanks maneuvered from the back into the top 10 before a caution in the closing laps bunched the field up.
“Once they figured it out it was harder to pass,” he said. “We were going somewhere. It was like the top went away halfway through the race and then came back.”
Hanks ended with an 11th-place result.
“I’m satisfied because we found out some problems,” he said. “We’ve been using gas shocks for the past month and we figured out some things. We learned a lot this weekend.”
The team is set for a Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour doubleheader this weekend. Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., hosts the Midsouth Showdown on Thursday and Lexington 104 Speedway in Lexington, Tenn., will have a race on Friday. Both tracks are within an hour and a half from where Hanks lives.
“When it’s a close race my entire family shows up and that’s encouraging,” he said. “It gives you a little more fire. I’m looking forward to it.”
QUICK RESULTS –
Aug. 16 – Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Okla. – Heat race: DNF (6); Feature: 11 (19).
SEASON STATS –
33 races, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 11 top 10s, 21 top 15s, 24 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Thursday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., for the Midsouth Showdown and Friday at Lexington 104 Speedway in Lexington, Tenn., with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.HanksMotorsports.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Brandon_K_Hanks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hanks-Motorsports/135263046488177
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Blue City Neon Signs & Graphics
Blue City Neon Signs & Graphics is a graphics company based in Atoka, Tenn.
“Without Blue City Neon Signs & Graphics we wouldn’t have the best looking race car on the track,” Hanks said.
Hanks would also like to thank Performance Powder Coating, D&B Farms, J&J Auto Racing, Wesmar Racing Engines, Walls Paint and Body Shop, RE Enterprises, Hinchman Racewear and ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Aug 20, 2014
- Article Date: 8/20/2014 by Inside Line Promotions