By Tommy Goudge (May 20, 2010) – Ryan Litt and the #07L BS&B Radiator/OTC Tools Sprint Car team started their 2010 season at Salem Speedway on Saturday, May 8, but a promising start to the feature race ended with Ryan on the sidelines with a blown engine. The London, Ontario-based team has re-loaded and they’re ready for the busiest week of their season, which begins this Sunday, May 23 at Winchester Speedway.
The Salem weekend did not begin well for Ryan and the team when they were stopped in Michigan with what turned out to be an oversized tow rig.
“We just failed to realize there was a difference in Commercial & RV laws,” says Ryan. “Commercial is eighty feet and RV is sixty-five feet in Michigan only. Indiana’s RV law is seventy-five feet. Just about none of our competitors knew this either.”
After returning to London and borrowing a truck and trailer - with many thanks to ISMA Supermodified racer Mark Sammut and his father Tony - the team hit the road for Salem again. Once there, however, things didn’t improve as Ryan mustered only the eighth best time trial lap.
“The entire trip was just one of those deals you can’t do much about,” says Ryan. “In practice and qualifying the car was just too tight. I couldn’t quite flat-foot it - had to just burp it in (turns) three and four.”
More problems came about as the field was forming up for Ryan’s heat race - a pivotal part of the night because of the large field of competitive cars and drivers on hand for the inaugural Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint series race.
“In the heat race I was supposed to start third,” says Ryan. “I was adjusting the wing to where I wanted it and it got stuck all the way back, so I stopped to see if my dad could push it forward. He couldn’t but because I stopped I went to the rear. The handling was horrible because the down-force was all towards the rear, but I managed to pass for the transfer (to the feature race) on the last lap.”
Some repairs and setup changes before the feature resulted in a much better car, and Ryan made his way through the pack quickly. Just as he was challenging for the lead, the engine blew up in a big way. Still, there were positives to take out of the weekend for Ryan and the team.
“In the feature it was unreal...so fast,” says Ryan. “I think it’s going to be a better car than our original was. We just need to tweak the setup a little bit. I think we had a really good shot at winning that thing. Our car was handling amazing, and I was able to really carry the momentum around the corners ”
Ryan and the #07L team are currently seeking additional sponsorship. They will be following the entire Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series tour this season, with all races broadcast on Comcast television and distributed to eighty million households.
“Not only do we need a major rebuild or new engine, we have to buy a smaller trailer or truck,” says Ryan. “Even just a tire sponsor would help, or hotels paid for. All that little stuff adds up over the course of a year.”
Up next for Ryan and the team is a return to the legendary Winchester Speedway this Sunday, May 23. Winchester is another high-banked, high-speed half mile track like Salem, and the team is excited to get to the track, and start their busy week off on the right foot.
"Like I tell everyone, this week coming up is my most favorite of the entire year," says Ryan. "If you like open wheel racing, and lots of it, then Indy and surrounding area (in May) is the place to be. It's just so awesome waking up every day and knowing your entire day is going to be filled with racing in one way or another."
Ryan qualified fourth for last year’s “King of Wings” event before tire problems ruined a good run in the feature.
"I'm looking forward to Winchester," says Ryan. "I feel like we finally have a good car to go there. We always seemed to struggle with having a strong enough race car - something always broke or gave way. The immense g-force (at Winchester) put a lot of strain on the equipment, but we're going there with the strongest car we've ever had. I'm looking to run strong at Winchester and carry the momentum to Anderson and the Little 500."
WHAT:
Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series Round #2 – Sixth Annual “King of Wings”
www.MustSeeRacing.com
WHERE:
Winchester Speedway
2656 W State Road 32
Winchester, IN 47394
Phone: 765-584-9701
Fax: 765-584-8111
e-mail: info@winchesterspeedway.com
On The Web: www.WinchesterSpeedway.com
WHEN:
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Pit Gates Open @ 8:30 a.m., Spectator Gates Open @ 10:00 a.m., Sprint Car Practice @ 11:05 a.m., Sprint Car Time Trials @ 1:15 p.m., Racing @ 2:00 p.m.
Adult Admission $15, Students Age 9-18 $8
Ryan and the team would like to thank all their sponsors for their support during the 2010 season, including OTC Tools, BS&B Radiator, Linton Media, Linde Gases, Leaf Racewear, and Xtreme Metal Worx.
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