From 3J Motorsports, Larry Reese photo
Green Springs, OH) On tap for the weekend were Kistler Racing Products FAST Series events #’s 9 and 10 at Attica Raceway Park and Fremont Speedway. Kevin Lee and the team got the weekend off to a good start at ARP and carried that momentum into Fremont Speedway until mother nature put a halt to things with 3 features and a partial b-main yet to be logged in the record books.
Attica Raceway Park: 6/11/10 The Green Springs, Ohio based 3J Motorsports team with their pilot, Kevin Lee, rolled into the Attica Raceway Park pit area for the 7th time of the 2010 season. 7 was lucky for the 3J team on this night as Kevin would draw a good pill that garnered him a pole position starting spot in heat #1. If Kevin has learned one thing since making the jump to the 410 division a year ago it is that you had better be up on the wheel and hammer down from the drop of the green flag or you will be left in the dust. Kevin did just that and led the first heat wire to wire to earn a chance to redraw for one of the first 12 starting positions in the nights A-main. Kevin’s draw for the A-Main was a 3, placing the JD Automotive sponsored #3J in the 3rd starting spot.
In the A-Main Kevin rolled off from inside the 2nd row. On the start, Kevin held his own through the first two turns and down the backstretch. Then coming out of turn 4 on the first lap he had to take evasive action to avoid another car that came down from up high on the track and chopped him off as he exited the turn. This cost Kevin all of his momentum and he dropped back to the 9th spot. Kevin worked the rest of the race to climb back towards the top 5, making it as far as 6th, which is where he brought the Papa Jimmies, Kings Den backed 3J home at the checkers.
Fremont Speedway: 6/12/10 After a very good outing at ARP the night before, Kevin and the team made their way to Fremont Speedway for the 4th time this season. Things didn’t start quite as well as the previous night, but after qualifying concluded, Kevin had timed his Day Construction backed mount to a 12th place effort. This would place the 3J in the 3rd starting position in heat 3 of 3. The track was such that the bottom was not much of a factor and the higher side was the fast way around the 1/3 mile clay oval. Kevin’s inside starting spot would prove to be a detriment as he would fall back to sixth place by the end of lap 1, at which point when he was finally able to get up higher on the track and get some speed built up. This heat race, just like the others, produced very little passing. After settling in in the 6th spot, Kevin began to reel in 5th place running Duane Zablocki, but never got quite close enough to attempt any kind of pass for the final transfer position. Kevin would have to run the B-main for a chance at an A-main starting berth.
Before the B-main would take the track, there was an Australian Pursuit race to be ran. The top 8 from the final 2009 point standings at Fremont Speedway were eligible to run the Pursuit race. The 8th place finisher from 2009, Cap Henry, was not in attendance as he was racing with the AllStars in PA, so next in line was Kevin as he had finished 9th in the final 2009 Fremont point standings. The race was lined up by random pill draw, and Kevin ended up drawing the pole position. The race was to be 8 laps long and if you were passed by another car, you pull off of the track and are eliminated from the event. Kevin started up front with 2009 Fremont Speedway track champion, Brock Mayes, starting right on his rear bumper. On the start Kevin bolted to the lead coming out of turn 4 to take the green flag. Brock ducked to the bottom in turns one and two and pulled alongside Kevin for a moment, but Kevin’s higher line provided the momentum to pull back away. Kevin stretched his lead a bit during the race, Mayes would begin to reel the 3J in a few times but never was able to apply any real pressure and Kevin maintained a good smooth line each lap to win the “Racers Racing for the Cure” Australian Pursuit and the $1,300 prize that went with it. The interview of the race winner that was to follow the special event was foregone as approaching weather had the speedway trying to hurry things along in hopes of getting the entire show in the books. Kevin wanted to thank all the fans for their support, thank Gressman Powersports for providing the power to stay out front and win the event, and send thanks to JD Automotive, Papa Jimmies BBQ & Pizza, A.S.E. LLC Industrial Fab, The Kings Den, Day Construction, Humbert Trucking, & Leafy Oaks Campground.
In the B-main, Kevin’s qualifying lap would have him starting 2nd outside of Dean Jacobs. At the drop of the green Deans years of experience came into play as he shot out to the lead with Kevin in tow. Kevin ran second for the entire 10 lap race keeping Jacobs in sight, but never getting quite close enough to apply any pressure for the lead. Kevin brought the Leafy Oaks sponsored 3J home 2nd, transferring to the A-main event. Kevin is slated to start 15th in the A-main when it is ran on the make-up date of July 3rd in conjunction with a complete program of racing for that date.
Following the 410 sprint B-main, the dirt truck B-main took to the track, but soon after the green flag waved mother nature opened the flood gates once again on the Sandusky County speed plant ending the nights racing. The make-up A-main for the Fort Ball Pizza Palace 410 sprints along with the rest of the B-main and make-up A-main for the dirt trucks will be run on Saturday, July 3. The make-up B-main and A-main for the Fremont Federal Credit Union 305 Sprints will be run on Saturday, July 10. That means there will be a complete program for the 410 sprints, 305 sprints and dirt trucks on July 3 with a bonus make-up features for the 410 sprints and dirt trucks. Also, on July 10, there will be a regular program of 410 sprints, 305 sprints and Emods with a bonus make-up feature of the 305 sprints.
Kevin made up some ground on those ahead of him but remains 10th in the Attica Raceway Park point standings, With Fremonts event incomplete, Kevin remains 7th in the Fremont Speedway point standings, and moves up 3 spots to 6th place in the Kistler Racing Products FAST Series point standings.
Next up for Kevin and the team is the ASCoC Ohio Speedweek opener at Attica Raceway Park on Friday June 18th. Plans for Saturday 6/19 are still TBD. Tentative plans are to be at Millstream Speedway in Findlay, OH for the 3rd leg of Ohio Speedweek on Sunday 6/20/10. Then Fremont Speedway on Saturday June 26th for the Speedweek finale. Keep checking 3jmotorsports.com for updated info regarding the addition or changing of scheduled race dates throughout the speedweek schedule. We look forward to seeing you at the track to support the 3J sprinter piloted by Kevin Lee. Be sure to stop by the 3J pit after the races to say hi. Stay in tune to www.3jmotorsports.com for all of your 3J Motorsports info.
The 3J team would like to thank all of our marketing partners on the 2010 3J sprinter : JD Automotive, Papa Jimmies BBQ & Pizza, A.S.E. LLC Industrial Fab, The Kings Den, Day Construction, Humbert Trucking, Leafy Oaks Campground, Gressman Powersports, Bel-Aire Cleaners, NOS Energy Drink, Burns Petroleum & Brite Shine Metal Polishes.