RPW Exclusive: Racing On A Work Night Pays Off Big For Mike Gular At Orange County
Column By: DYLAN FRIEBEL / RPW – MIDDLETOWN, NY – Two starts, one win for Mike Gular at Orange County Fair Speedway. Now that’s impressive.
How many guys can say they won in a Big Block Modified in only their second trip to the track they call the “House Of Power?” There’s only a few tracks in the Northeast where home track advantage may win over talent. Lebanon Valley and the Orange County Fair Speedway, host of Thursday night’s Short Track Super Series finale, are two of those facilities that come to mind.
When the 50-Lap $10,000-to-win Hard Clay Finale went green, not many people in the stands would have picked the Grandview Speedway regular to take home the checkered flag, but he did. With this event being the kick off to Eastern States Weekend, 78 Modifieds graced the crammed into the pit area, proving that just making the show would be cutthroat.
As the green flag flew, second place start Jerry Higbie jumped out to the lead and would lead the first 12 circuits around the half-mile oval. That was, however, before Gular ran him down and passed him.
While it was cold for the event, it’s par for the course for the time of year. The track had some unusual bite in it and that meant that tire wear could have become a factor. Teams were required to run the American Racer tires.
While the middle portion of the event went relatively clean and green, it was then when Matt Sheppard pulled up to the outside of turn four and slowed on lap 33. That’s when things got interesting.
Andy Bachetti, Sheppard and Stewart Friesen all headed to the pit area to change tires, and most of the fans in attendance knew what they were doing. Series promoter Brett Deyo had opened up the tire rule more this year. Normally, the series required an American Racer 48 compound tire (Hoosier D400 “Hard” equivalent) on the right rear, but this year, teams could run a softer compound. That’s exactly what these teams did.
On the ensuing restart, Friesen went high and picked off between five and eight cars in the first two laps. That’s something you don’t see very often at Orange Count. However, he only manage to get back up to sixth place by the finish. Sixth was impressive, nonetheless, after coming off of pit road around 25th with only 17 or so laps to work with.
Back to the leader. Things were not over for Gular as he was challenged by the likes of Sheppard, Mat Williamson and Bachetti, but at the end, he would fight them all off and stand in victory lane with the $10,000 check.
“Winning here is awesome,” Gular said. “We’ve had a pretty up and down year on the tour. Many long quiet drives home, but it was a learning experience. This just makes it all better. To beat the guys we did tonight wasn’t easy but I sure will enjoy it.”
With the win, the question on everyone’s mind was will Mike stay for the rest of Eastern States Weekend.
“Sadly, no, I can’t stay,” he said. “I would love to now and really wish we could, but I have to work in the morning, but waking up tomorrow will be a little bit easier with the win tonight. We are working on some stuff for next year and want to put a Hoosier tire deal together and come run up here some for races other than the Deyo’s series. We’ll see.”
Mike Gular and team just did something on Thursday night that not many can say they have…win at Orange County and win in one of your first trips to the legendary facility.
