The second time out for the TKS Motorsports #2KS team and Don Droud Jr. went very well. After charging to second in the B, the Lincoln, Nebraska driver came from the back of the feature field to finish sixth. That earned the team hard-charger honors in the 410 class. They will be back at it this Saturday night at Knoxville.
Unfortunately, the team would miss the heat invert in qualifying again, timing in 23rd quick. “I thought the car was really nice in qualifying,” says Don. “For some reason, I’ve struggled lately with it. I think it’s a mental thing. I thought I rolled around there pretty good, but when I pulled in, I found out we were 23rd quick.”
At Knoxville, the heats are always stout. Starting eighth, Don struggled a bit and spun. “You may have the check the history books,” says the veteran. “I can’t remember the last time I spun out at Knoxville. The team was working really hard though, so we kept going. Troy (Renfro) had the car better every time we went out.”
That was evident in the B, when Don went from sixth to second to earn a spot in the main event. “That was great,” he says. “I’m really comfortable in this car. I know Troy will have the car set up for me, it’s just a matter of me doing the job. It was great to get in the feature.”
He wasn’t done there, however. Starting 19th he steadily moved forward in the 20-lap feature. “It was like the old days up on the cushion,” says Don. “It was fun. It really felt good. We had a little bit of help with as many restarts as we had too.”
Don would come on in the last several laps and advance to sixth. “I don’t remember the last time I drove through the field and could see the leaders like that,” he says. “That was really exciting. With a different car and motor combination, we have a new package and I’m really excited about it moving forward.”
Renfro weighed in on the team’s night. “We have some work to do on our qualifying and early in the night. We found some things that work for Don. All in all, I’m really happy. Not one person on our team gives up. We plug at it and work at it. Everyone around us, including our sponsors and the people that mean a lot to us are behind us 100%.”
TKS Motorsports is always open to new perspective partners!
TKS Motorsports would like to thank Casey's General Stores, DMIP, R.B. Harmon, Volcano Joe’s Coffee, Indy Race Parts, Maxim, Vahlco Wheels, Don Ott Racing Engines, AO Designs, Hoosier, KSE Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Mag Tech Ignition, Fuel Safe, SWE (Steve Watts Engineering), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Wilwood, Winters Performance Products, Schroeder Torsion Bars, Competition Suspension Inc., Simpson Race Products, Vortex, Webb Family Farms and HRP.
Photo: Don races with Tasker Phillips at Knoxville (Rob Kocak Photo)
Bill W Media
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Monroe, IA USA
- administrator on May 22, 2015
- Article Date: 5/20/2015 by Bill Wright