BLACK EARTH, Wisc. — Story by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Real Sim Racing photo —
The king is returning home.
After almost a full year’s hiatus, Black Earth, Wisconsin sim-racer Chad Cole has filed an entry for the 2015 =RSR= Full Throttle Cup Series (FTCS) season, providing a new challenge to 2014’s series stalwarts looking to repeat their successes for a second consecutive year.
Cole’s record in the Full Throttle Cup Series is nearly impeccable. Cole was the FTCS champion in 2013, and is the series’ all-time wins leader with 17 career victories dating back to the series’ inception in 2012. The Midwest driver is also third on the series’ poles list behind fellow series champion Landon Huffman and series veteran Dwayne Vincent.
And if those numbers weren’t enough, Cole’s overall record in Real Sim Racing competition is even more impressive. In addition to his FTCS title, Cole is a two-time =RSR= Icebreaker Series champion (2012, 2013), tops the all-time sanction wins (66), poles (35) and laps led (4,128) lists and ranks third in all-time starts with 242 appearances to his name.
The 2013 champ may have been out of the seat for nearly a year, but don’t expect the veteran to be anywhere but at the front. Cole says he’s ready for the comeback and excited to get back to the basics for another go-around.
“I’m overjoyed with the anticipation of being back with my racing buddies,” Cole said. “I’m ready to have fun again and mix it up with some good friends.For too long I was taking it too seriously and I just want the fun to be back. I don’t expect to be the same as where I left off. Skill wise, I have almost a years worth of rust to shake off.”
“One thing I liked to say to newer racers is “never stop learning” and I feel I’m going to have a lot of learning to do with the new builds and tire models and such. But I’m ready for it. I’m looking forward to having some fun again and I’m ready to roll it back off and get started at Daytona.”
Across the sanction, one is hard-pressed to find a driver who doesn’t hold the driver of the No. 8 in high regard. Fellow FTCS veteran Johnathon Caddell says he is looking forward to the opportunity to rub fenders with his old rival.
“I’ve been racing with Chad for almost 6 years now. He’s a great personality on the track, but an even bigger challenge,” Caddell said of Cole. “I’ve spent countless laps watching his rear bumper fade into the distance. It felt like something was missing on the track last year, and I look forward to being challenged by him on the track once more.”
“If one thing is for certain, the road to the 2015 Full Throttle Cup Series title will go through him.”
Cole will be a part of 4Wheelz Racing for the 2015 campaign, alongside teammates Scott Stenzel, Matt Lacross and Joey Gattina.
For more information on the =RSR= Full Throttle Cup Series, visit www.realsimracing.com.
