CONCORD, N.C. — Story by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Chris Seelman photo —
After his two previous attempts to make a Super DIRTcar Series big-block modified start were impacted by Mother Nature, 15-year-old Max McLaughlin brought the ground-pounders to his neck of the woods and proved that being a rookie doesn’t mean you can’t also run with the best.
McLaughlin made his own piece of SDS history Thursday night during qualifying for the Bad Boy Buggies World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte, blasting to a best lap of 15.897 seconds in round two of qualifying around the four-tenths mile oval and becoming the youngest Pole Position Raceway Quick Time Award winner in the 44-year history of the Super DIRTcar Series.
The Mooresville, N.C. native was making his third appearance for Heinke-Baldwin Racing, but the performance will be credited as his first official start after the previous two attempts were impacted by weather.
“I was surprised we were third quick in the Friday qualifying,” he said. “We went and tested last week and we changed just about everything on the car there was to change. I found one setup that I did like more and that’s what we came here with.”
Despite a tall curve, McLaughlin showed he’s a quick learner — and adaptable behind the wheel.
“This thing was flawless,” he said. “To never be on the track and to go out there and be second overall in practice says a lot for this team. I definitely did not think I would do that at all. I was nervous all night, stayed up all night. I couldn’t sleep. To come here and be able to run with those guys is incredible.”
Meanwhile, Queensland, Australia veteran Peter Britten posted the top lap in the first round of qualifying, which sets the stage for Friday’s full Super DIRTcar Series program. Britten toured the four-tenths mile oval in 15.746 seconds in his No. 21A Troyer Chassis entry, and followed that up by winning his heat race to land in the redraw for Friday night’s A-main event.
For Britten, putting a solid time on the board was critical to success with a tough track impacted by rain — as well as a field of 45 Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds — making the program exceedingly tough to finish strong in.
“It’s real important, especially the way the track was tonight,” said Britten, a native of Queensland, Australia. “To time up front is very important. It’s a confidence boost. You know you’ve got a good car and everything is working well so you can have some fun in the heat race, and that’s what we did.”
In the Saturday qualifying round, Britten timed second fastest in his group, gridding him on the outside pole in his heat.
“It’s tough,” Britten said. “You start looking through the heat races and you’re like, I don’t really want to be in that group, I don’t really want to be in that group — they’re all tough groups. I try not to even look at who’s in my group to be honest because all you can worry about is what you do. You can’t control what anybody else does. If you make your car fast, then it doesn’t matter who’s in your group.”
Friday’s feature lineup will be determined after two Last Chance Showdown races are completed.
Gates open at 3 p.m. on Friday for the second day of action at the Bad Boy Buggies World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte, with hot laps kicking off at 4 p.m. Tickets are still available by calling 1-800-455-FANS.
RESULTS: Super DIRTcar Series; Bad Boy Buggies World Finals; The Dirt Track at Charlotte; Nov. 5, 2015
Friday Program
Time Trials: 1 (21a) Pete Britten, 15.746; 2 (07) Tim Kerr, 15.917; 3 (6) Max McLaughlin, 15.998; 4 (25) Erick Rudolph, 16.062; 5 (56b) Mike Bowman, 16.206; 6 (91) Billy Decker, 16.207; 7 (7) Rick Laubach, 16.208; 8 (66x) Carey Terrance, 16.223; 9 (99L) Larry Wight, 16.283; 10 (66f) Stewart Friesen, 16.291; 11 (27J) Danny Johnson, 16.342; 12 (7z) Mat Williamson, 16.349; 13 (74) Dave Blaney, 16.390; 14 (14s) Craig VonDohren, 16.392; 15 (43) Keith Flach, 16.427; 16 (9H) Matt Sheppard, 16.478; 17 (1d) Tyler Dippel, 16.485; 18 (5H) Chris Hile, 16.505; 19 (7T) Gary Tomkins, 16.535; 20 (37m) Jeremiah Shingledecker, 16.537; 21 (98h) Jimmy Phelps, 16.539; 22 (15) Billy Pauch Jr., 16.544; 23 (66h) Duane Howard, 16.545; 24 (21) Yan Bussiere, 16.590; 25 (19m) Jessey Mueller, 16.600; 26 (14g) Brian Gleason, 16.611; 27 (35) Frank Cozze, 16.658; 28 (21k) Randy Chrysler, 16.677; 29 (62s) Tom Sears Jr., 16.682; 30 (8) Rich Scagliotta, 16.700; 31 (19) Tim Fuller, 16.722; 32 (85) H.J. Bunting, 16.726; 33 (115) Kenny Tremont, 16.729; 34 (42p) Pat Ward, 16.754; 35 (47) Bob Sarkisian, 16.768; 36 (3d) Matt DeLorenzo, 16.778; 37 (56) Vince Vitale, 16.786; 38 (32c) Vic Coffey, 16.914; 39 (33) Mike Mahaney, 17.079; 40 (88) Joe August Jr., 17.168; 41 (20) Brett Hearn, 17.188; 42 (27NY) Danny Johnson Jr., 17.293; 43 (14) C.G Morey, 17.924; 44 (5*) Tyler Siri, 19.657; 45 (48T) Dave Rauscher, NT.
Friday’s Qualifying Heats (8 laps, top 4 transfer, winner to the redraw)
Heat 1: Britten, Decker, Friesen, Laubach, Bunting, Bussiere, August Jr., Chrysler, Kerr
Heat 2: J Phelps, Bowman, Pauch Jr., Cozze, Gleason, Mueller, Sears Jr., Tremont, Siri
Heat 3: Sheppard, VonDohren, Howard, Dippel, Ward, DeLorenzo, Rauscher, Sarkisian, D Johnson Jr.
Heat 4: D. Johnson, Rudolph, Williamson, Flach, Fuller, Scagliotta, Hearn, Coffey, Mahaney
Heat 5: Terrance, Wight, McLaughlin, Hile, Blaney, Tomkins, Shingledecker, Vitale, Morey
Saturday Prorgam
Time Trials: 1. (6) Max McLaughlin, 15.897; 2. (115) Kenny Tremont, 15.951; 3. (20) Brett Hearn,16.023; 4. (85) H.J. Bunting, 16.102; 5. (66x) Carey Terrance, 16.137; 6. (91) Billy Decker,16.144; 7. (07) Tim Kerr,16.146; 8. (15) Billy Pauch Jr., 16.183; 9. (7z) Mat Williamson, 16.203; 10. (99L) Larry Wight, 16.205; 11. (8) Rich Scagliot, 16.220; 12. (19) Tim Fuller, 16.223; 13. (21a) Pete Britten, 16.235; 14. (74) Dave Blaney, 16.244; 15. (37m) Jeremiah Shingledecker, 16.276; 16. (19m) Jessey Mueller, 16.288; 17. (66h) Duane Howard, 16.300; 18. (9H) Matt Sheppard, 16.317; 19. (56) Vince Vitale, 16.347; 20. (25R) Erick Rudolph, 16.359; 21. (66f) Stewart Friesen, 6.371; 22. (14s) Craig VonDohren, 16.383; 23. (27J) Danny Johnson, 16.410; 24. (42p) Pat Ward, 16.412; 25. (7) Rick Laubach, 16.449; 26. (35) Frank Cozze, 16.553; 27. (5H) Chris Hile, 16.558; 28. (1d) Tyler Dippel, 16.561; 29. (21) Yan Bussiere, 16.625; 30. (98h) Jimmy Phelps, 16.646; 31. (32c) Vic Coffey, 16.661; 32. (43) Keith Flach, 16.709; 33. (7T) Gary Tomkins, 16.710; 34. 56b) Mike Bowman, 16.726; 35. (3d) Matt DeLorenzo, 16.728; 36. (27NY) Danny Johnson Jr., 16.803; 37. (14g Ó Brian Gleason, 16.837; 38. (88) Joe August Jr. 16.838; 39. (47) Bob Sarkisian, 17.000; 40. (62s) Tom Sears Jr., 17.056; 41. (48T) Dave Rauscher, 17.095; 42. (5*) Tyler Siri, 17.187; 43. (33) Mike Mahaney, 17.262; 44. (21k) Randy Chrysler, 00:00.000; 45. (14) C.G Morey, NT.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 21-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
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