PETERSEN MEDIA
After spending last weekend getting acclimated to the Indiana Clay, Matt Mitchell buckled his belts a little more tight as he kicked off USAC Indiana Sprint Week Friday night in Gas City, IN before closing out the opening weekend Sunday night in beautiful Lawrenceburg, IN.
“It’s been a fun couple of races so far in Sprint Week, and the stories you hear are true, this is some of the most intense racing I’ve been involved in,” said Mitchell.
Kicking of ISW on Friday night, Mitchell got off to a rough start as he struggled all night, and ultimately ended up 10th in the B main, and failing to transfer to the feature.
“We were awful at Gas City,” said Mitchell. “I timed pretty bad, and then it was all down hill from there. Hopefully the rest of the week gets going a little better.”
After being rained out in Kokomo, IN on Saturday, ISW roared back into action Sunday night in Lawrenceburg, and things began to look up for the Yorba Linda, CA driver.
Drawing a very early number, Mitchell proceeded to time in his JW Mitchell Motorsports/JM Mancha Realtors/WEC Electric machine in ninth quick, putting him in the fourth starting spot of his heat race.
Mitchell’s heat didn’t go according to plan as he was involved in a pair of yellows, one that nearly sent him flipping, as he saved it and drove back up to a fifth place finish, missing a transfer by a mere one position.
Forced to run a very star studded B main, Mitchell found himself battling with USAC National star, Levi Jones, for the final transfer.
Jones eventually got the best of Mitchell and took the final spot, but Mitchell elected to utilize a CRA provisional and tag the back of the pack.
Starting in the 24th spot, Mitchell put on quite the show aboard his Sierra Springs Water/Christian Stover Foundation/A.R.T. backed machine on the cushion and slowly carved his way forward.
Though attrition also helped, Mitchell was able to tally an 11th place finish.
“It wasn’t the best night of racing, but I think it is something to build on after Gas City,” explained Mitchell. “We timed in well, I guess we need to be a little more aggressive in our heat, and hopefully we can stay away from anymore B mains.”
Matt and his team would like to thank JW Mitchell Motorsports, JM Mancha Realtors, WEC Electric, Sierra Springs Water, The Christian Stover Foundation, ART Speed Equipment, Parker Performance Engines, MPD Racing, P1 Aero, and Hedman Hedders for their support during the 2012 season.
ON TAP: Matt and his JW Mitchell Motorsports team will return tonight at the Kokomo Speedway before taking tomorrow off and returning to action on Wednesday at the Terre Haute Action Track, Thursday at Putnumville, Friday at the Bloomington Speedway before closing Sprint Week on Sunday at Haubstadt.