Flat Tire Ends Matt Billings Chance at Win at Brockville Ontario Speedway
Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design
August 17, 2010
Another three events topped the schedule for Matt Billings this past weekend, beginning with Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday night, the hometown Brockville Ontario Speedway on Saturday night and then Cornwall Motor Speedway on Sunday.
At Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday night, Billings began the night with a fifth place run in his qualifying heat. After the heat, Billings, and all competitors brought their racecars onto the front stretch and signed autographs for the young race fans.
“It is always great to meet the fans. Many tracks do it this way so not only they can meet us drivers, but they can get an up close look at the race cars”, says Billings. “If it wasn’t for the fans that come out to support the racing, we wouldn’t have it, and this is the least we can do go give a little back to them”.
Billings lined up in seventh place to start the 30 lap Modified feature. He moved up right at the start to fifth. Billings began to lose track position as a big piece of mud or debris came into the cockpit area of the car, which startled the young driver. Billings persevered though, and while the track position was lost, he recovered for a seventh place run out of his small block peers.
On Saturday night at Brockville, Billings brought his Billings Automotive, Stealth Racewear, Race 101, Turn One High Performance Steering Systems, Pastime Motors, Babe Design, Finish Line Web Design, Carquest and Engine Research sponsored Bicknell car to the track looking to put his car in victory lane for the first time in a 358 Modified at his home track, Brockville Ontario Speedway. Billings started second in his qualifying heat and jumped out to the lead. He took the checkered flag in his qualifying heat race, winning by more then a full straightaway, and was looking to do the same in the 30-lap feature. Billings started the feature from seventh place, and quickly proved that he had a car plenty capable on the win. By lap four, Billings was up to fourth, and just a two laps later he was up to third. On lap 16, Billings took over second place, just before a caution came out to slow the field. As the cars began to circle the track, Billings had a right rear tire going down. Billings resumed the race in second place, but began losing spots and eventually bringing out the caution as the tire fully deflated. After a quick pit stop by the Billings team, Matt was back on track, but at the rear of the field. Billings salvaged a 13th place run.
“We had a top three car tonight for sure. Maybe even a winning a car”. I think we may have run over some debris that caused the tire to go down. It is really disappointing”, but we will move on and hopefully we can put this car in victory lane here before the year is out”, says a frustrated Matt Billings after the race.
Just one more event remained on the weekend, at the Cornwall Motor Speedway. The track had a unique “roofless” event scheduled with the Modifieds competing with out the roof on the car. For the second week in a row, Cornwall Motor Speedway officials had to cancel their program due to rain.
This coming week will be the usual trio of tracks beginning with Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday night, Brockville Speedway on Saturday, and Cornwall Speedway on Sunday.
For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website,
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