(Photo by DPC Media)
Inside Line Promotions – WHEATLAND, Mo. (Sept. 20, 2021) – Roger Crockett posted a career-best performance during the 11th annual Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial last weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway.
Crockett finished 10th during the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event opener on Thursday before recording a runner-up result on Friday and Saturday.
“We unloaded Thursday with one of the fastest cars in hot laps,” he said. “We were really, really good. We drew the front row in our heat race and made the best of it by winning both preliminary nights.”
Crockett’s heat race win started the weekend on Thursday. He followed with a run from fourth to second place in a qualifier, which lined him up on the inside of the fourth row in the main event.
“The first night the car was really bad in the main event,” he said. “We keep trying to figure out how to get it right in main events. We had zero grip and the car had zero drive. It’s something we’ve been fighting. When we’re good it’s extremely good so we don’t want to give up on what we’re doing. We’re doing something nobody else is doing so we’re on our own to figure it out. When we’re off we’re not very good so we’re trying to make gains on it.”
Crockett salvaged the night with a 10th-place result, which was his 10th top 10 of the season.
The results improved on Friday when Crockett won a heat race, maneuvered from fifth to third place in a qualifier and capped the night with a charge from seventh to second in the A Main.
“We won the heat, which we needed to do from the front row, and then the qualifier was really fun battling with Scott (Bogucki) and (Jordon) Mallett,” he said. “We went three wide. It was a lot of fun and our car was really good again. In the feature we were good as well. Early in the race I couldn’t get by a couple of guys, but a yellow really helped me. Two guys ahead aren’t going to run the same line on a restart because one wants to pass the other so as soon as they weren’t nose to tail I was able to drive by both and get away. We got to second and I hated to see the white flag because I wanted to see if we could run with (Derek) Hagar. He’s extremely fast on that type of track. Nobody is going to just drive by him, but I think we could have raced with him.”
Crockett’s second-place showing combined with his 10th-place run during the opener ranked him second in event points. That garnered the outside from row starting position for the 40-lap main event on Saturday.
Crockett led the first 32 laps before falling to second in traffic.
“It’s disappointing to lead 32 laps and not win, but big picture with 68 cars there and we had consistently the most speed, you can’t be disappointed with that,” he said. “By ourselves we were extremely good. I was way, way too tight in traffic. In traffic one guy could have given us more room. He was running in the preferred line and I got way too tight behind him. He’s back there trying to learn so that’s just part of racing. It’s just unfortunate to lose a win over it. However, the guy raced J.J. (Hickle) the same way. They made contact, but he made it by. J.J. ran a good race and did a good job. I think he was willing to make a more aggressive move than I was to get by and that’s what won him the race.”
Crockett hopes to race this weekend, but the racing plan is currently up in the air.
QUICK RESULTS –
Sept. 16 – Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. – Heat race: 1 (2); Qualifier: 2 (4); Feature: 10 (7).
Sept. 17 – Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. – Heat race: 1 (1); Qualifier: 3 (5); Feature: 2 (7).
Sept. 18 – Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. – Feature: 2 (2).
SEASON STATS –
23 races, 1 win, 7 top fives, 12 top 10s, 14 top 15s, 17 top 20s
UP NEXT –
TBD
MEDIA LINKS –
Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_Rocket_11
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roger.crockett.11/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therocket11/
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Theodore Concrete Construction
Theodore Concrete is a premier concrete and asphalt specialist that has been serving the Tulsa area since 2003. They provide new concrete driveways, patios, athletic courts, drainage systems and building slabs including add on's. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/TheodoreConcrete/.
“Theodore Concrete Construction does a lot of stuff throughout our area of Oklahoma,” Crockett said. “We’re very pleased to make a friendship with Chris Theodore and his daughter, Sailor, and we’re looking forward to a lot of success on the track.”
Crockett would also like to thank Tracker Native Tobacco, BC Motorsports, RR Bounds Trucking, Rocket Designs, FK Rod Ends, Champion Racing Oil, Olson Custom Designs, Maxim Chassis, Factory Kahne, Smith Titanium, Moose Blocks, KW Motorsports, Blaine’s Motor Supply, K1 RaceGear, TJ Forged, Indy Race Parts, Bell Helmets, AL Driveline, Newlin Bar Service, Rider Racing Engines and KSE Racing Products 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 by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Sep 20, 2021
- Article Date: 9/20/2021 by Inside Line Promotions