Busted Motor And All, Steven Ross Takes The Victory At Friendship
By Jason Buckley
Mechanical failures are usually a bad sign at a race track. When a car experiences motor issues, chances are the driver will not be taking home the first-place trophy.
Sunday evening at Friendship Motor Speedway (NC), Semi-Pro driver Steven Ross looked like he was going to take an easy win over the combined-division Legends field. Starting from the pole position, Ross cruised out to an early lead in the opening laps. His lead was then cut short when his motor experienced mechanical issues, jeopardizing his chances at the win. But with sheer determination and a solid-handling car, Ross held onto the lead in the 30-lap event taking the win.
“The first half of the race was really good,” said Ross. “We were pulling away just a little bit. Then I heard the motor make a sound and it started busting up real bad. I think we have some problem in the motor, but we can fix it. The last half of the race it definitely hurt me with horsepower. It didn’t drive as good and the throttle response wasn’t as good but we were able to hold on. It just shows how good the setup is on the car.”
Steven Ross took another 2007 win, this time at Friendship Motor Speedway. (LN Photo)
Semi-Pro driver Ty Dillon started on the outside pole and made a run at the top spot just past the halfway mark in the race. The two drivers swapped position a few times before Ross reclaimed the lead, sending Dillon back a few positions on the track.
“I was a little loose in and it hurt me a bit,” said Dillon. “When I got under him I slid up a little bit. That kind of killed me down the straightaway. He got back under me and was a little bit faster. He was able to drive it in deeper.
#88 Steven Ross, #91 Justin Morton and #2 Ty Dillon race for position. (LN Photo)
“We ended up battling back after taking the lead and getting freight-trained there for a little bit. We battled back and I was right back on his bumper trying to get the lead but we just didn’t have enough.”
Ross knew the challenge from Dillon was going to be tough with his mechanical issues. He drove it hard to get back by Dillon and stay in the lead though the last laps of the event.
“I think if nothing would have happened to the motor we would have been good,” explained Ross. “But it hindered me a little bit on the horsepower. He (Dillon) got under me going into turn three and I let him go real quick. I got behind him and going into turn one he over drove it a bit and I shot under him. We stayed side by side and I had to drive it into turn three really hard to pass him because his motor was pulling me. It isn’t the best for the tires to drive it in that hard but you have to do what you have to do for a win.”
The car was great in the heat race, it was just a little loose,” said Beattie. “I won the heat race by a long ways, probably a half straightaway. Things got kind of hectic with running the Roadsters and the Legends car. I made a mental mistake and forgot to put the hood back on after grabbing all the fans off. I pulled into tech and Scott (Scott Reinhardt, INEX National Tech Director) said I had to have the hood, so he made me start last. That is the way it goes.
Kyle Beattie dominated his heat race, but without his hood he had to start the feature in the rear. (LN Photo)
“I burnt the right front of it coming up through the field, but I had a good day.”
Ross added another trophy to his collection Sunday, but the year hasn’t been the best at every track. Ross has had an up and down season, especially with the racing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (NC) during the Summer Shootout. While he doesn’t mind racing at Lowe’s, Ross likes racing at tracks like Friendship and Caraway Speedway (NC).
“Lowe’s is almost completely different than everyone else as far as the racing aspect,” said Ross. “The way they (Lowe’s officials) line up people in the heat races, you can win the heat and start the feature in 10th. Sometimes you get the slower cars in the front. They are so hard on us about bumping people out of the way it is almost impossible to pass someone at that flat track without using the bumper.
“When you go to these tracks they do everything they normally should. It makes the racing better.”
