Runner-up Finish at Humberstone Helps Confidence

By DAVE SULLY - Pt. COLBORNE, ONT- Following the seventh place finish at Merrittville the previous night, the team put in a solid performance in the first Modified show at Humberstone on Sunday, April 26th, finishing second to the red hot Erick Rudolph, who started the season well and has kept it going wherever he has raced. Mat drove the Big Block this night, although with the Humberstone format, drivers can opt to campaign either a Big Block or a Small Block if they so choose.

A somewhat disappointing turnout of nine Modifieds were on hand for the show, with several cars that most likely would have been there not in attendance due to prior commitments, broken motors, or other attendant mechanical issues. With Rudolph, who has a Merrittville win this year, Chris Steele, who also has won at Merrittville, Robbie Krull, who has been stout lately in the Harry Sittler-owned No. 37S, Chad Chevalier, and Tommy Flannigan among those who were there, it wasn’t going to be a cake walk.

Mat wound up starting scratch in the heat and worked his way up to fourth. In the feature, Rudolph, starting on the outside pole, next to Steele, grabbed the lead on the outside and immediately checked out, while Mat ultimately raced his way into second at the checkers.

Commenting on the evening, Mat observed, “I started last in the heat and got up to fourth. Steeley started on the pole, but he was having some carburetor problems. I got by him early and Rudolph kind of checked out on me. His car is certainly rolling pretty good right now. He walked away from me. I had as much bite as I could get with the Big Block, but he still pulled me. I don’t know how he did it, but you’ve got to give him credit.”

“Our car was good. We were turning some good lap times all night. I was going on top in three and four and two and bottom in one and two. He was going on top all the way around. He was good.”

Regarding future modified events at Humberstone, he added, “I’ve thought about running the Small Block, but I’m going to stick with the Big Block all the way through, because I want this Big Block deal around here to keep going, and try to get car counts up. Hopefully we can knock off a “W” before the end of the year.”

Any podium finish is a good one, especially if it’s the first time out in the Big Block at a track like Humberstone. The next chore is to keep the ball rolling at Lernerville.