(Photo by Fletcher Motorsports)
Inside Line Promotions – SOMERTON, Ariz. (Nov. 19, 2014) – It took nearly 30 hours for Brandon Hanks and his team to return home this week following his first trip to Arizona.
“It was well worth it,” he said. “We were just trying to enjoy the weekend and have fun. We did that.”
Hanks wrapped up his season last Friday and Saturday with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour at Cocopah Speedway, where he advanced into the main event both nights during the Cocopah Cup Challenge.
“I’m happy with the weekend,” he said. “We learned a ton of things. We learned something pretty big with the changes we made with the car. I’m glad we made the A Main both nights going all the way out there.”
Friday kicked off with Hanks claiming his heat race after starting on the outside of the front row. That earned him a trip into the feature redraw, where he pulled the No. 1 during the random draw to start on the pole of the feature.
“We took off and led the first four laps,” he said. “The track was hooked up around the top. There was a lot of stuff to grab ahold of. When the track started going away we had to migrate to the bottom and I wasn’t as good. Since I had nothing left to grab up there I had to move down and adjust. I kept getting worse and worse.”
Hanks maintained a top-four position for the first 14 laps before he began to fade in the closing laps.
“We got too free there and I kept falling back,” he said. “We still had a good night. I have to remember I am three years into this and I got passed by Jason Johnson and all those good guys.”
Hanks ended with an 11th-place result.
He returned to Cocopah Speedway on Saturday for the final race of the season. After starting on the inside of the second row of a heat race, Hanks spent the final laps battling for the runner-up position.
“I got to fooling with my line a bit and I picked up a bunch of speed,” he said. “I think I got a little too excited and when I drove it into the corner I hit that inside berm. It was a mistake on my part and that cost us.”
Hanks lost a position in turns three and four heading toward the white flag and he finished fourth. That relegated him to a B Main, which he placed second in to earn a transfer into the back of the main event.
“I know our finish wasn’t as good Saturday, but the car was actually better,” he said. “In the feature on Friday when the track went away we got worse. On Saturday when the track went away we got better. We figured out a few things about that place.”
Although Hanks finished 24th in the main event, he is optimistic about the lessons learned and is excited for next year.
“I can’t wait to be at East Bay, but I know we have a couple of months until everything starts,” he said.
Hanks placed 11th in the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour championship standings despite a limited schedule. He will kick off next season Feb. 19-21 with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla., for the Ronald Laney Memorial.
QUICK RESULTS –
Nov. 14 – Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. – Heat race: 1 (2); Feature: 11 (1).
Nov. 15 – Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. – Heat race: 4 (3); B Main: 2 (4); Feature: 24 (20).
SEASON STATS –
50 races, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 15 top 10s, 30 top 15s, 37 top 20s
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.HanksMotorsports.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Brandon_K_Hanks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hanks-Motorsports/135263046488177
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – RE Enterprises
Based in Memphis, Tenn., R.E. Enterprises is a one-stop solution for sprint car parts and racing supplies, racing and performance shock services, chassis repairs and fabrication, and custom welding or machining needs. For more information, visit http://www.RacingEclipse.com.
“RE Enterprises has been in my corner since I was racing mini sprints,” Hanks said. “I can’t thank them enough for their support in my racing endeavors as well as with my powder coating business.”
Hanks would also like to thank Performance Powder Coating, D&B Farms, Blue City Neon Signs & Graphics, J&J Auto Racing, Wesmar Racing Engines, Walls Paint and Body Shop, Hinchman Racewear and ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.