Last year, the opening of the tower season New Smyrna Speedway Saw Patrick Emerling Offer a fourth place in the first race of Rich Gautreau as owner of the car.
Their second visit to New Smyrna ended together with a trip to Victory Lane.
In relation: Complete results of New Smyrna Speedway
In a race dominated by a record number of warnings and divergent pit strategies, Emerling used all the opportunities available to climb the end of the field. Fresh rubber on its n ° 1 Fleetworks Inc. modified in the fence towers allowed Emerling to open in 2025 with its eighth career tour.
Emerling cohesion developed in a short time with the Gautreau team had impatient to take the way on a long winter of preparation.
“We couldn’t wait to ride,” said Emerling. “This is a brand new LFR car. (My team leader) Dale Hedquist and the team did so much work. I think Dale worked 100 hours a week. It is absolutely incredible. We were not the best car at first, but we had to compose it so we were good at the end. »»
When Emerling made the decision to join the Gautreau start -up operation before the 2024 season, he expected to be competitive every week.
Aside from an accident that eliminated them from the second race of the season at Richmond Raceway, efficiency quickly became a theme for Emerling and Gautreau. The first nine races of the duo consisted of six top-five finished, while emerging approaching giving Gautreau his first victory as a car owner.
Everything gathered to emerge Race 10 of the year at Thompson Speedway Motorsports ParkWhere he went to victory after leaving the 150 laps of the post. Two other triumphs to emerge at Oswego Speedway And Monadnock Speedway Solidified a third place of points to emerge behind Ron Silk and the Champion Justin Bonsignore.
Emerling entered the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 determined to rely on a stellar 2024. The car supplied by Gautreau had a lot of speed, but the way to the front proved unconventional with a plethora of precautions causing Many stand stops.
An inappropriate yellow could have derailed Emerling’s strategy and mixed it at the back. Having been in similar situations on several occasions during his career, Emerling has kept his cool, while patiently waiting for an opening to give himself an advantage of the tires on his competition.
“We started dead last, but in teams, we did not panic at all,” said Emerling. “We won the Spring Sizzler by doing the same with the problem of the engine in qualification. It was a strategy race, and you will however abandon your track position early. There were a lot of variables, but we wanted to eliminate the terrain and everything worked. »»
Caution for Trevor Catalano with 50 remaining laps brought Emerling to Pit Road for a fresh rubber. He continued to remove the slowest cars in front of him before making the winning pass of the race on Craig Lutz during the penultimate restart.
Lutz, who did not visit Victory Lane during the modified tour of Nascar Whelen since 2022, knew he was at the mercy of the yellow flags. The first warnings allowed Lutz to climb in the top five with his strategy, while the late made it impossible to repel Emerling.
“With the strategy of well there, it’s a bet,” said Lutz. “It really makes the crew chief and the crew launches the dice on the calls and you hope that you are exploited. (Emerling) had the best car and its strategy worked best, but we fought for it. We were just a bit short.
Although he is content with a disappointing second, Lutz saw the opening of the season of Saturday as a step in the right direction. If he can raise stronger races like that of New Smyrna, Lutz is optimistic that he can face the title of modified tour in his second year with Goodie Racing.
Emerling will be a main obstacle on the way of Lutz and the rest of the modified tour field. With his victory in New Smyrna on Saturday, Emerling now experienced 15 consecutive rear in the top 10.
A long season is waiting to emerge as he seeks to rape his new Smyrna victory in a potential modified tour. He has fully confidence in himself, Gautreau, Hedquist and the rest of the operation to continue to ensure victories and solidify as a favorite of the championship.
“This is what we are trying to do,” said Emerling. “We executed this evening. It’s racing and anything can happen, but we got out on the right side tonight. We will try to continue this momentum. It is a really disjointed team and (a championship) will take all the people involved. »»
Justin Bonsignore overcome the loss of a flat tire to start his defense of the Nascar Whelen modified tour championship with third place. A good evening for Luke Baldwin, in which he obtained his first career in career, culminated with a fourth place.
Austin Beers completed the first five. Stephen Kopcik, Eric Goodale, Ryan Newman, Ron Silk and Andrew Krause.
The modified tour obtains a prolonged break before going to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on March 30. Floracing will offer a live flag cover
