[i (Bill W) July 29, 2009]
Jesse “the Rocket” Hockett and the VKCC Motorsports/Tom Buch #13 race team are back home after an extended stay in the Pacific Northwest netted three wins and eight top ten finishes in nine races over thirteen days. This weekend, the Warsaw, Missouri driver will stay closer to home with weekend events at the Knoxville Raceway in Iowa and the Double X Speedway in California, Missouri.
Last week started with a Wild Winged Wednesday at the Placerville Speedway in California. Coming out 36th in the 37-car Civil War Series field, Jesse netted the fifth quick time of the night in Harold Main’s #35A. “It was good to time that well, coming out so late,” he says. “That put us in good position for the rest of the night.”
He started fifth in his heat race. “The track was smooth, but it was pretty heavy,” says Jesse. “We just couldn’t go anywhere, everyone was fast. We ended up one spot out of a transfer (fifth).”
Jesse started and finished second in the B main. “We really came on strong at the end of the B,” he says. “We didn’t change a whole lot for the A when we went back out there.”
Starting outside row three in the main event, it didn’t take long to get to the front. “We got the lead about ten laps in,” says Jesse. “We pretty much had control of it until there was a red on lap fifteen. A bolt sheared off on the rear brake caliper, so we finished with no brakes after lap fifteen. ”
The brake problem was too much to overcome, and Jesse finished second to Shane Stewart at the checkers. “It made it hard to run the cushion,” he says of the lack of brakes. “Shane moved up from the fourth row, and he was on our rear bumper on a restart with two laps to go. I just tried to hold him off as best I could, but he got by.”
The Lucas Oil ASCS National Series was next up with a two-day show at the Cottage Grove Speedway in Oregon. Just over a week earlier, Jesse had won at the bullring. On Friday, he would struggle to a ninth place finish after starting twelfth. “The car we had so much success with the week before was a little torn up from Elma (Washington),” he admits. “This one was kind of an experimental car, and we were just a bit off all night. It kind of got better as the night went on. We basically had a ninth place car.”
The team put their heads together for the finale. “Saturday, we talked about how we should approach things, and it was definitely better all night long,” says Jesse. “We weren’t so fast at the beginning, but we were really coming on at the end. We just ran out of laps.”
In the end, it was a moral victory in running from 14th to 7th in a star-studded A main. “The ASCS deal is tough,” admits Jesse. “When you pass drivers like Danny Wood, Tim Crawley and Jason Solwold and you still run seventh, you know it’s tough.”
This weekend, Jesse will break the 410 out and tow up to the Knoxville Raceway Saturday before returning to Sunday 360 action at Double X Speedway, where he has six wins in seven tries this season.
On the Web
To learn more about Jesse “The Rocket” Hockett, including updated results and photos, visit http://jessehockett.com!
T-Shirt Trivia!
Last week’s answer: Jesse has won four ASCS National events.
Last week’s winner: Dan Nelson from Moscow Mills, Missouri
This week’s question: Where did Jesse’s four ASCS National wins occur?
Each week, we’ll be giving away a Jesse Hockett t-shirt to our trivia winner! We will draw a winner from the correct answers submitted on Friday following the release. Submit your trivia answer, along with your name, address and t-shirt size to sprntcar@iowatelecom.net! Put "Hockett Trivia" in the subject line.
Rocket Rambles
Jesse has registered eleven top ten finishes with the All Star Circuit of Champions. This week, he’ll look to better his career best fifth place finish on July 21, 2004 at the Lake Ozark Speedway. That night, he trailed Greg Wilson, Chad Kemenah, Randy Hannagan and Jason Johnson to the line. Two sixth place finishes have come at the Lernerville Speedway near Sarver, Pennsylvania and the Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana.
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Rocket Hockett
“Rocket Hockett” is an up close look at the past, present and future of Jesse Hockett. To receive "Rockett Hockett", send an e-mail to sprntcar@iowatelecom.net with "Hockett" in the subject line.
Jesse would like to thank the partners of the VKCC Motorsports/Tom Buch team, including Parker Store of Phoenix, AMS Waterfall Systems, Rod End Supply, LRB Manufacturing, Penske Shocks, Butlerbuilt Professional Seat Systems, Diversified Machine, Inc., Fischer Body Shop, Simpson, Hoosier, Conroy Bleeders, ARP Fasteners, Indy Race Parts, Massey’s Truck and Tank Repair, RMS Racing Engines, Pro Powder Coating, Korte Transportation, Rocket Graphics, Lucas Oil, Weld Racing, Spike Products, Maxwell, Red Onion Lounge, Engler, Barnes Dry Sump Oil Systems, FSR Racing Products, RH2, Canyon Apparel, JEI, Total Seal Piston Rings, JE Pistons and Wings Unlimited for all their help!.
Photo -
Jesse competes at Grays Harbor Raceway Park (John’s Racing Photos)
- Bill Wright on Aug 03, 2009
- Article Date: 8/3/2009