By Bill W
June 3, 2013 – David Hesmer and the BDS Motorsports #1 team had some serious early speed last Saturday night at the Knoxville Raceway. A week of rain and cool temperatures had the track lightning fast, and the Marshalltown, Iowa native was the quickest of them all in hot laps. Despite coming out 26th in the 35-car grid, he was also able to register the sixth quick time of the night in qualifying with a lap of 14.795 seconds…just about a tenth of a second off Brian Brown’s quick time of 14.659 seconds. The team will be back at it at Knoxville this weekend and hope to build on their efforts.
David went out in the third and final session of hot laps with the quickest time overall. “When we came in from hot laps and my Dad (Ken Hesmer) said we were quick, I just thought he meant we were fast,” he says. “I didn’t know we were quickest overall. That certainly was a boost for us.”
Dave Hill photo
No trophies are won for practice laps, but David proved it was no fluke by registering sixth quick in time trials. “My warm-up lap was really good,” he says. “If I could have cut another lap like that, I think we could have been quick time. I got my left rear down in the slop coming off turn two and I think that cost us. But to have both our cars (along with teammate Garrett Dollansky) in the top six qualifying was good.”
Starting fifth in a tough heat race, David would checker sixth, sending him to the B. He would run second in that event behind teammate Garrett Dollansky. “It was disappointing (not to make the feature through the heat), but Garrett and I talked about it,” he says. “Running the B probably helped us in running the A. It’s too bad it has to come that way, but getting some more laps in right now is not a bad thing.”
Starting 22nd in the main event, David would advance to 16th at the checkers on a track that stayed fast all night long. “When the track has traction, we’re competitive,” he says. “When it slicks, we’re stretching to keep that competition. (Owner/Mechanic) Bryan (Sunby) is working hard. He made some changes Saturday night that made things better. The BDS Motorsports team is taking the steps we need to get better every week.”
The team will be back in action this Saturday night, June 8 at Knoxville.
David and the BDS Motorsports team would like to thank: Action Auto Parts, JaFar Lawn Service, Parker Engines, Maxim Chassis, Super Shox, Champion Brands, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Astro Titanium, Speedway Motors, Sign Pro of Newton, HRP, KSE Racing Products, FK Rod Ends, Kustom Sprintcar Supply, Fuel Safe, Hoosier Tire Midwest, Simpson Race Products, Sebastian Sandblasting & Powdercoating, Butlerbuilt, Schoenfeld Headers and Red Devil Brakes.