FAIRDALE, Ky. — Story by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Steel Horse Racing photo —
“We did all we could do, and had a blast along the way.”
Those were the optimistic words of Steel Horse Racing driver Jeff Ward, who came up 29 points short in the =RSR= Outlaw Truck Series championship fight to eventual titlist Stefan Marinak, who was crowned on Wednesday night at Chicagoland Speedway.
However, for Ward, the ultimate outcome was slightly bittersweet.
The Kentucky native, nicknamed the “Bluegrass Bandit” in Real Sim Racing circles, won five of the series’ eight races en route to a third-place result in the final points standings, and in all likelihood should have won the title himself. Missing the series opener at Daytona, as well as not accruing points for his first win of the season at Michigan International Speedway (subbing for teammate Dan Murray), thwarted his run.
Had Ward entered his own truck at MIS in March, the points he would have earned would have given him a 19-point gap, as well as the championship trophy, despite missing the season opener.
“Looking back on it, you kind of have to wonder,” Ward admitted. “I always like to help a teammate out, and it was great that we were able to get the win for Dan that night, but we should have entered our own truck. At the time, I was focused more on the Asphalt Assault [XFINTY] Series and wasn’t looking to run the trucks, but I got in and had a blast subbing for Dan and figured I ought to make a run at it.”
“[Losing the title] doesn’t hurt until you think about it like that, and then it does sting a little bit. What might have been, right?”
Ward’s stunning run of five wins in seven races concluded on Wednesday night when he ultimately won the Windy City Showdown at Chicagoland, while Marinak hoisted the big trophy on the frontstretch.
Ward hadn’t expected to be a major contender, but blasted to the front in the early stages and led 68 of the event’s 110 laps en route to the win — a win he said at least soothed the sting of missing out on the championship.
“I don’t know [how we did it],” Ward admitted in Gatorade Victory Lane on Wednesday night. “We qualified fifth and I didn’t feel like we were all that fast, but we had a pretty good truck on the long runs. I don’t know that we really figured anything out, but we made it work and got ourselves another one. It feels pretty good.”
“It doesn’t totally take away missing out on that big trophy, but it at least makes it a little easier to swallow.”
Ward will look to lock up his first-career =RSR= title this coming Wednesday night, when he takes to the track for the =RSR= Asphalt Assault (XFINITY) Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The SHR driver has a 26-point advantage going into the event, with two wins and four poles on the season.
“I know it’s not a given, but hopefully we can go in with just enough of a field that all we have to do is start,” Ward admitted. “If that’s the case, then we can just race hard and try to get us one more victory.”
“It’s going to mean a lot if we do get that big trophy,” the iRacing veteran added. “They’re so hard to win in =RSR= and now that we’re right on the cusp … it would be a big moment on Wednesday night, that’s for sure.”
The =RSR= Asphalt Assault Series takes the green flag for the South Florida Shootout on Wednesday night at 9:30 p.m. Eastern time, with live broadcast coverage on LSRTV.
For more information on Real Sim Racing, visit www.realsimracing.com.
Listen in to audio with Jeff Ward following his =RSR= Outlaw Truck Series win on Wednesday night:
