Small Field At OCR Leaves Everyone Scratching Their Heads … Again

By Jason Buckley

With Legends and Bandolero racing action silent everywhere else across the Carolinas over the weekend, the anticipation of a decent turnout of cars for the OCR Action Sports Park (NC) Bandolero racing action on Saturday was big.  Even Ollie Spain, who runs OCR, felt the turnout would be big due to the amount of phone calls he received during the week.   Unfortunately only four cars showed up to race, leaving many scratching their heads as to where everyone was at.

Still, a race took place on the track between the four drivers with Bandits driver Mason Hudson starting up front and driving off, taking the checkered flag first.

“My dad got the setup good and we just ran good today,” said Hudson.  “I just drove it hard, hit my line and did not worry about who is here.  I just hit my marks and focused on racing.”

The only battle on the track during the race was between Young Guns driver Cody Scott and Tristin Adams.  Scott was the lone Young Guns racer to show, so he was assured a first-place trophy just for starting the event for his division.  After a few laps of battling for the runner-up spot in the race, Scott went up the track, giving Adams the second position on the track.

“Me and the #12 (Adams) were battling hard,” said Scott.  “Finally when I was coming out of turn two I slipped up and he got me.  I knew he had me.  Overall he had the better car.  I was just trying to get my car to at least finish.”

Adams was able to keep the second position until he reached the finish line.  For him, just being back in the race car was a victory.  Adams was parked by his father during part of the season due to his grades in school.

Only four cars showed up to race, but still Mason Hudson (top) and Cody Scott (bottom) took home first-place trophies for their divisions.   (LN Photos)

“I was doing bad in school,” said Adams.  “I had a “D” in Social Studies and brought it up to a “B” in two weeks because I was determined to come out here and race.  I love racing.  My dad has taught me everything I know.  As good as I did in my second time out here was pretty good.”

The whole Bandolero field at OCR this weekend consisted of four cars.   (LN Photos)

Behind the three front runners was Brian Kolb, who just didn’t have the day he wanted.  He took a trip through the grass on the infield during practice and also during the feature, which left him in fourth place overall.

“It was kind of good on the take off,” said Kolb.  “I stayed with them in the beginning for the first two laps.  Then it just started to get a little loose and the engine started to back down a little bit.  Then I think I pulled down a little in turn two (and it spun).  The race didn’t go so well.”

While the track gave all four drivers trophies, they still wanted more competition on the track, which suffers weekly to get a decent car count. 

“I really like it (OCR),” said Hudson.  “I don’t live too far from here.  It is a great track and I don’t know why anyone else won’t come out here.”

Scott agreed, and thought he was going to have at least one other car to battle on the track in the Young Guns division, but that car didn’t show.

“I was hoping one of the Young Guns was going to come up, but he ended up with a burnt gear so it ended up just me on the track with three Bandits,” said Scott.  “I would have had third for Bandits, but I got first for Young Guns so it worked out.”

Results

1) #46 Mason Hudson (Bandits - Winner)

2) #12 Tristin Adams (Bandits - Second)

3) #88 Cody Scott (Young Guns - Winner)

4) #2 Brian Kolb (Bandits - Third)