ROCKINGHAM Speedway DELIVERS A TOP TEN AND MORE FOR RYAN HEAVNER
Written By: RyanHeavner.com
May 22nd, 2010 (ROCKINGHAM, NC) To say Ryan Heavner was ‘excited’ about starting his Elite Auto Collision Chevrolet at Rockingham (NC) Speedway Saturday would be quite the understatement. The youngster from Lincolnton, NC resembled a kid on Christmas Eve the night before the green flag was set to fall.
“I just want to go to bed so [race time] tomorrow will hurry up and get here,” Heavner told crew members on Friday night.
Earlier that day, Heavner had qualified a somewhat disappointing 14th for The USAR Pro Cup Series Carolina 200 presented by Black’s Tire and Auto. Having had only two hours of practice to adapt to a brand new speedway for Heavner, however, eased some concerns about the mid-pack time trial result.
Heavner didn’t stick around the 14th spot for long. Lap 15 saw him move solidly into the ninth position, in a charge towards the front of the field that would land him in the seventh spot for the final run-down.
“It started out just a little tight, but as the race went on it loosened up to where I liked it,” Heavner said after his top-ten run. “Overall, the car was really good all day. The heat was extreme, but I stayed mentally focused and felt like we ran a great race.”
Pit strategy, considering that USAR Pro Cup race procedures don’t allow both fuel and tires on the same stop, included back-to-back pit stops on laps 65 and 66.
That was the end of sticking with the pit plan. The KMR team went to work installing fresh rubber on Heavner’s machine under caution on lap 116. The intent was to again come back around for fuel, but a one-lap penalty for passing the leader on pit road changed all of that and forced Ryan to turn his on-track performance up a notch.
When the green came out again on lap 120, Ryan never looked back and refused to let the penalty get him down. He made up the lap lost on pit road and, having been as high as fifth in the running order at lap 44, and worked back up to the seventh spot before taking the checkers.
A seventh-place showing at such a prestigious speedway in such a prestigious series would be satisfactory for most, but not for someone with the drive of a champion like Heavner.
“No, not really,” he said when asked if he was satisfied with the run. “I had a better race car than my finish showed. I can’t say what I would have done different, though, because with racing you never know what will happen. I know I have to deal positively with every situation that may or may not happen in this sport.”
When asked if the Rockingham race reinstated confidence in himself and his team after mechanical failure in their last Pro Cup outing, Heavner was up-beat.
“In three out of four starts as a rookie, we have managed to bring home top-ten finishes,” continued the excited driver. “With that, my team has as much confidence in me as I do in them. Together we will continue to get better, and eventually the victory will come.”
The next chance for Heavner and the KMR team to go after that victory will come on May 29 at Langley (VA) Speedway. The USAR Pro Cup Series contenders will go at it for 250 laps, as the battle for the 2010 title continues.
Heavner left “The Rock” with more than a top-ten finish. He also snatched the Rookie-of-the-Race award, as the highest-finishing USAR Pro Cup Series rookie. Additionally, Ryan split the Hard Charger Award – recognizing the driver who advanced the most positions – with fellow racer John Gibson.
He currently rides third in the 2010 Rookie-of-the-Year battle – only 18 points behind leader and KMR teammate David Wilson.
With 12 races remaining for the season, Ryan sits an impressive ninth in the series point standings.
For more information on the USAR Pro Cup Series, or the upcoming event at Langley Speedway, please visit www.usarprocup.com.
Ryan Heavner fans and all race fans are invited to check Ryan out online at RyanHeavner.com. Also, Ryan reminds his fans to follow the same recipe for success that he uses: “Pray until something happens.”
Marketing opportunities are always available with Ryan and KMR. For current, affordable advertising and full marketing solutions with one of the nation’s brightest up-and-coming stars, please contact Tonya McCallister with McCallister Precision Marketing by telephone at (803) 361-6199, or by email at [email protected]. You can also log on to www.marketwithmpm.com for other contact options.
Ryan Heavner and Kirk May Racing would like to thank all of their team partners for the 2010 racing season. These include; Elite Auto Collision (Athens, Georgia), Dupont, Lawing Marble, McCallister Precision Marketing, LJ DeZigns, and WaltersWebDesign.com.