By the URSS
OBERLIN, Kan. — A weekend that started with frustration ended with jubilation for Adam Trimble.
The sprint car driver in the United Rebel Sprint Series had nothing but bad luck Saturday when he went to leave his parents’ house to head to Holyoke, Colo., for races.
First, his truck was low on oil. Finally, he found some to fill it. Then when he went to start the truck, it wouldn’t fire.
But Trimble kept his head to the grindstone and got the truck running, eventually leaving an hour and a half later than expected.
Then, Trimble and his crew were stalled in traffic while coming upon three separate accidents.
That meant he was going to fail to make a stop before Rick Lowrey at USA Performance Engines in Denver was going to close his business for the day. He contacted Lowery by phone, and the business owner dropped a few tires and some fuel at a motorcycle business across the street.
That allowed Trimble to have the necessary equipment and supplies to race in Holyoke — where he went on to win the night’s make-up feature and then run second in the regularly scheduled show.
“From there, everything got better,” Trimble said about gathering the supplies and making it on time to the track.
Trimble hopes he doesn’t have the same beginning to this weekend’s races Sunday night at I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo. But he will take the same ending — a victory.
Trimble sits atop the Colorado Region standings entering the weekend after another solid outing at Holyoke. He’s hoping to continue the trend in Fort Morgan.
“The last time we were there, we finished second,” Trimble said. “We haven’t raced there this year at all. I’m curious to see if they’ve done anything different to the track. And I’ve heard they’ve been having a lot of rain up there, too. It will be interesting to see what happens.”
The last time Trimble competed at I-76 Speedway, he indeed finished second to John Gerloff. But that was June 18, 2011.
Now, he finds himself in a tight battle for the championship in the Colorado Region with Mark Walinder — who has a pair of wins this year — and Jake Bubak, who also has two wins this year.
“It’s between Mark Walinder, Jake and myself,” Trimble said. “If they finish in front of someone, that means I have to move up, too. It’s kind of like how I don’t like to be leading races until the final lap. Leading the points is stressful. Those guys are on my butt. I’m really nervous all the time. You have to be spot-on with Jake and Mark Walinder right there. … You have to be on the ball.”
What has helped Trimble have such a good season so far is the support he has received off the track, from his wife, Lauren, his parents and Lowery.
“If any one of them wasn’t in the equation, I wouldn’t be able to race at all,” he said.
The Rebels last competed in Fort Morgan on Aug. 11, 2012. That night, Bob Schaeffer took home top honors.
Trimble knows a good outing will help in the point standings, but he also knows it won’t be easy to accomplish with a stellar field expected to participate.
“Not a lot of people make mistakes anymore,” he said. “It’s tough to win (in the URSS).”
Races are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Mountain time Sunday, with pits opening at 2:30. Tickets for adults and seniors are $12, and children age 6 to 12 are $5. Those younger than 5 are free.
Pit passes are $30 for adults and seniors and $15 for those ages 5 to 15.
For more information about I-76 Speedway, visit www.i-76speedway.com.