The HPC Motorsports Racing Team took the Sprint Car to Eldora Speedway for the weekend, to battle a 40 car field of ASCS Sprint Challengers. The weekend was spent sorting out the new car and solving first time out problems. Friday night while running a solid second in the first heat race, which was a transfer position for the A-Main, ignition problems forced the HPC Motorsports sprinter to run a BMain, a last chance to make the transfer spot into the A-Main (the top 5 of the B get to transfer to the A). Since the team didn't finish the heat we had to start at the tail (16di) of the B-Main. The HPC Motorsports Team took the car all the way to an impressive 7th place finish, but unfortunately not far enough to make the AMain.
Saturday night while running hot laps the fuel pump drive broke. It was a lengthy process, but the team did get the car fixed and back out on the track. However while fixing the car, we missed the heat race, which put us, once again, on the tail of the B-Main. JR drove the car to a very impressive 5th place finish which transferred the HPC Motorsports Sprint car to the A-Main. The team started in the 22nd position and worked the car UP through the field to challenge for a top ten finish, until a blistered right rear tire slowed the 37 car, and JR had to hang on for a 15th place finish. We put our team to the test, but did gain valuable experience, which we will use next weekend when we travel to Eldora Speedway on Saturday, April 18, 1998.
