By BILL FOLEY
As the Modified four nights at Volusia Speedway Park continued some drivers who struggled early got better on the final night.
This was the case on the final night of the DIRTcar Nationals as H.J. Bunting, Rick Laubach, Justin Stone and Peter Brittan chalked up victories in prelims.
Though the quartet fared decently throughout the previous two nights of action, it all came together on Saturday night.
H.J. Bunting had his best time trial of the week and started on the pole of heat number one.
He easily outdistanced Jimmy Phelps.
Standing alongside the 30 he told Dirt Track Digest, “Finally, the car unloaded good. We tried something different with our Integra Shocks. It felt good, wherever I put it it worked.”
Bunting rarely runs Hoosiers as American Racer is the required tires at Bridgeport, Georgetown and the majority of tracks he runs at.
He explained, “Tires are a struggle. About the only time we run Hoosiers is at the Super DIRTcar Series race at Bridgeport. The sidewall is totally different and the thread is different. American Races are softer and it takes so much to get used to.”
Laubach won heat two and really wished that Friday night hadn’t been rained out.
He told DTD, “The car was fast on Friday night. It’s been running better. Derrick McGrew, who I really don’t know, came over and offered to help and changed springs and shocks. It feels good, we drew well and I hope we can just stay up front in the feature (he did and in depth story to follow.”
Stone is a big-block rookie who simply came to Volusia hoping to qualify and get laps.
However, much to his amazement he chalked up a heat win over fast time Jack Lehner.
Stone said, “Well, I guess I can check that box off in my bucket list. My father told me to let it hang, get out of my comfort zone and I did. I moved around comfortably out there. My goal was to make the race tonight and I ended up in the draw.
Britten rounded out the heat winners and his car has been consistent throughout the week, but this was his best run after a solid time trial.
Come feature time Laubach led for over 40 laps before suffering a flat tire and coming home seventh while Britten had the worst draw (eight) and finished fifth with a late run. Bunting started sixth and finished ten while Stone came home 11th after starting seventh.
However, you have to wonder how Saturday night would have played out if all those drivers, and others who had been searching for the right combination all week, had the opportunity to compete on Friday night.
Surprises were part of the week and the heat results on the final night saw a few.
