LMS Winter Heat 12/8/07: Bandolero Racing Action
By Matt Kentfield
OUTLAWS: SELLERS STILL GOOD WHEN HE’S BAD

Kendall Sellers has been so dominant in recent times in the Bandloero Outlaw ranks that even on days when his #6 car is not quite perfect, he is still in good shape enough to score the victory.

Case in point, Saturday at the LMS fifth-mile. 

Sellers dominated the 20-lap Outlaw feature, besting Nathan Rodgers and Bailey Daniels for his second-straight Winter Heat victory.  No one really had anything for Sellers on Saturday, which may lead onlookers to believe that Sellers had a perfectly-handling racecar.  Not the case, according to the driver.
Once again, if Kendall Sellers is on the track, he is the fastest thing there. (LN Photos)
“We missed it a little bit here today, but it was good enough to win the race, so we must be doing something right,” said Sellers.  “I feel like we missed a few things this week.  Last week was a better showing for us.  Towards the end of the race, I feel like we were losing a little bit of horsepower.  I wish we had a little more speed that I could’ve just put it on a rail, but we still had enough to win this race.”

Sellers has won plenty of Outlaws races in the past, wins that now allow him to focus on having fun at the racetrack and helping other Bandolero divers that he is now guiding along the way rather than being solely focused on winning.

“A lot of this to me is just go out there, do the best you can and have fun.  We came out the first week with a set of tires we borrowed from Ronnie Basset and we just basically wanted to have fun.  Then we went out and won the race.  That’s what it’s all about.

“That’s what we’re trying to do.  This deal is all about fun.  We want to win every race, but I also want to help out the kids that we’re helping out with Sellers Racing.  I want to help them get better, show them what to do and that kind of stuff.”

BEGINNER BANDITS: GAULDING MAKES MOVE UP WITH SECOND WIN
Gray Gaulding continues to impress with his second win in Winter Heat competition.
November 30th, the day before the first round of the Winter Heat Series, was the first time Gray Gaulding ever sat in the seat of his #08 Bandolero Bandit entry.  The nine-year-old had made a name for himself in the dirt bike racing circuits since the age of three, but he had been around the sport of stock car racing because of his family’s involvement in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Busch Series with the GunBroker.com-backed entries frequently piloted by Jason White.

When Gaulding got into his car for the first time in a race setting in round one on December 1st, he went to Beginner Bandit Victory Lane.  On Saturday the 8th, it was more of the same, as Gaulding checked out from the rest of the field for his second-straight victory, earning him a bump-up in classes to the Bandit division for next week’s round three.

“I hadn’t even sat in it before last Saturday.  Now I’m just so happy that I won both races.  I never thought I’d be able to do that.”

With two-straight wins, there is sure to be a big celebration when the young driver gets back to school.

“I can’t wait to go to school and tell my friends I won again.  It’s going to be awesome.  My friends are going to be jumping up and down.”
BANDITS: JONES HOLDS OFF BENJAMIN AT THE CHECKERS

Blake Jones had a disappointing 12th-place finish in the first round of the Bandolero Bandits portion of the Winter Heat.  He came out with a vengeance in Saturday’s round two to atone for the frustrations from the first week, however.
Jones held off a hard-charging Kyle Benjamin to the checkered flag, but all the time he was concerned that with one little slip-up, the victory would slip away.

“I thought he was going to get me on the last lap,” said Jones of Benjamin.  “He just about got me on the last corner, but I was able to keep up the momentum coming down the front straightaway.”

Even with Benjamin filling up his mirror, Jones was focused out the windshield of his car until he could see the checkered flag in it.

“You really don’t want to focus on the mirror that much because that will mess you up.  You’re not able to focus on your line.  You just have to drive your race.”
Blake Jones came back from a tough run in week one to grab the win in Winter Heat round two.
YOUNG GUNS: GLENSKI WANTING MORE AFTER VICTORY

Ryan Glenski is no stranger to Bandolero Young Guns victory lane.  Every time he straps into his white, blue and neon yellow #28, Glenski is an instant favorite for victory.
Ryan Glenski (#28) races with Dylan Pack (#89).
In the first round of the Winter Heat, Glenski was a no-show, giving everyone else a better shot at victory knowing he would not be standing in their way.  In round two, however, Glenski was back in the spot he is most familiar with – the lead.

Glenski wrestled a loose racecar to victory, holding off Chad Finchum down the stretch for another victory to add to his resume.  Now that he has continued his Young Guns dominance into the Winter Heat, Glenski now has an eye to the future.

“It was a pretty good race,” said Glenski.  “We just had it a little bit on the loose side, but the car still ran pretty good.  It’s a good thing to come out here and come out on top.  All it was going to take was one little mistake and it could go away.
“It’s good to win these races and I’m proud of it, but I’m really hoping I get a chance to move up.”

Glenski, who competed in the Allison Legacy Series in 2007 as well as the Bandolero Young Guns, hopes to make the move up to the Legends Car ranks in the near future. 

RESULTS

Outlaws
1. Kendall Sellers
2. Nathan Rodgers
3. Bailey Daniels
4. Dawn Eagens
5. Kayla Turner

Beginner Bandits
1. Gray Gaulding
2. Clayton Weatherman
3. Tanner Rumburg
4. Kyle Weatherman
5. Anthony Berube
6. Dylan Nantz
7. Reece Welch
8. Kyle Donahue
9. Micah Wever
10. Jordan Plummer
11. Pierson Taylor
12. Garrett Biggers

Bandits
1. Blake Jones
2. Kyle Benjamin
3. Dillon Bassett
4. Layne Clifton
5. Tristin Adams
6. Sean Shalvoy
7. Mason Hudson
8. John Holleman
9. Justin Carroll
10. Jacob Harrell
11. Matt Wallace
12. Jesse Little
13. Nicholas Drake
14. Riley Halverson
15. Reid Wilson
16. Matt Snider

Young Guns
1. Ryan Glenski
2. Chad Finchum
3. Tyler Lester
4. Corey Gordon
5. Joshua Lambert
6. Matt Linker
7. Dylan Barbian
8. Tyler Hill
9. Robert Poole
10. Andy Brown
11. Gregory Lang
12. Chase Ferguson
13. Chandler Le Van
14. Josh Lippard
15. Brett Pepicelli
16. Dylan Pack
17. Meghan Dillner
18. Benji Hicks