HBR Keeps Motoring After Tough Night At Bridgeport

Story By: MANDEE PAUCH / HBR – SWEDESBORO, NJ – The Super DIRTcar Series made its first appearance since 2005 at Bridgeport Speedway Tuesday night for the Friends of Mike ‘The Finale.’

Tuesday night’s results weren’t what the HBR team had hoped for but they persevered and rallied two top 20 finishes.

Jimmy Phelps started sixth in his heat and finished sixth. He missed the transfer by two spots. Max McLaughlin started second and drove away with the lead until he was struck with a blown motor.

“I started second and got by Peter Britten on lap two,” McLaughlin said. “I took the lead and checked out, then blew up.” McLaughlin was then forced to bring out his backup car.

Phelps rolled out 27th for the 60-lap main event and McLaughlin started 29th out of a 32-car field.

“At the end of the day we just weren’t very good off the truck,” Phelps said. “We chased things for a little bit and got ourselves in a hole that we couldn’t get out of.”

After a red flag and a few cautions early in the race, Phelps and McLaughlin chose to pit.

“We started holding our own there in the feature, then I made the decision to pit for a softer tire five laps before the rubber came down and lost a bunch of track positions,” noted Phelps. “Sometimes when it rains it pours.”

Despite bringing out the backup car, McLaughlin felt that the car was good until the track rubbered up and it went single file. “We’ll get them next week.”

Next on tap for HBR is Brewerton Speedway on Friday, May 19th, Fulton Speedway Saturday, May 20th and Weedsport Speedway Monday, May 22nd.