Mechanical Issue Sidelines Matt Billings Early in Saturday Night’s 358 Modified Series Race at Brighton Speedway; Super DIRT Week is Next

After a pair of solid finishes in the last two 358 Modified Mr. DIRTcar Series races, Matt Billings was looking to continue his recent success as the series made its inaugural appearance at Brighton Speedway during their annual Applefest Weekend on Saturday night.

After dealing with some ignition issues earlier in the night at Brighton, Billings came out for his qualifying session and set fast time in his group, earning a front row starting spot in his qualifying heat race. Billings ran a great race, picking up the win in his heat, and would get an all important spot in the redraw for a top 12 staring position for the 100 lap main event. Billings drew position number two, and started from the outside of the front row. The caution came out on lap one, setting up a restart, and just as they went back to green, the ignition problems returned as they were on the throttle coming out of turn four. Billings was done for the night before they completed lap 2.

“We had a great car in the qualifying and heat race, and I was really looking forward to the feature”, says Billings after the race. “There was nothing I could do, there was no notice at all, the car just quit as we were about to restart the race. It is frustrating, but we will go back home, and change everything on the car that may have been the problem, and get ready for Super DIRT Week”.

Billings will have the weekend off this week from the track, but they will be busy in their Brockville, Ontario race shop preparing for Super DIRT Week. Billings will race his weekly car at Cayuga County Fair Speedway on Rolling Wheels Raceway during the satellite events, and will also race at the New York State Fairgrounds next week looking to continue his Syracuse success that includes a win at the track in 2009 in the Sportsman Championship event.

“I have always enjoyed racing at Syracuse, and we have run really well there in the past”, says Billings. “Hopefully we can continue to improve again this year, and contend for the win in the Gander Mountain 150”.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank all of their marketing partners for their support for the upcoming season. Billings Automotive, Pastime Motors, Stealth Racewear, Snap On Tools, Integra Shocks, Enders Racing Engines, Finish Line Web Design and Babe Design are an integral part of the team’s success, and we thank you all for your support as we approach the 2012 season.

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.

Matt Billings Captures First Ever DIRTcar 358 Modified Podium Finish After Third Place Run at Mohawk International Raceway

After finishing sixth in the last Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series at Autodrome Granby last weekend, Matt Billing was looking forward to continuing the series on more familiar turf as Mohawk International Raceway hosted their season finale on Saturday night.  Although he planned to run just the 358 Modified race on Saturday, the Big Block Modified show was postponed to earlier in the day, and Billings decided to try to qualify for that race as well.

When Billings left their Brockville, Ontario home on Saturday, they knew they were in store for a very long day at the track, with rain postponing virtually all of Friday’s events into Saturday afternoon, and then a full show also taking place on Saturday night.  Time Trials for the Big Block Modified had been completed on Friday, so Billings would have to attempt to qualify from the rear of the field in the heat race.  He started at the back, and charged to fifth place, locking himself into the Big Block event.  He started the race from 18^th and steadily moved forward in the opening laps of the race, and had been challenging for a top ten position.  The second half of the race, the tires wore out, and Billings dropped out of contention.

The Saturday evening event is what really mattered for Billings, and the information they gained by racing during the day helped the team prepare for the Saturday night 358 Modified Series race.  Matt was second fastest in his time trial group and finished his heat race in second as well, making the redraw for a top 12 starting spot.  Matt took advantage of a top five starting spot, and moved up to challenge for the lead numerous occasions before being slowed by a caution on lap 28.  The restart on the outside lane proved costly as he slipped to third on a lap 36 restart.  Billings maintained that position through the final laps of the race to score his first ever podium finish with the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.

“It was a great run for us.  We almost had the lead there earlier, but the caution came out, then we got stuck on the outside”, says Billings.  “I think if we could have stayed under green, we may have been able to get the lead, and maybe it would have been a different outcome, but that’s racing”.

This coming weekend, Billings will travel to Brighton Speedway for the next round of the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.  This will be an inaugural DIRTcar Series event at Brighton and Billings will be looking to move up from his fourth place position in the DIRTcar point standings.

The next couple weeks will be spent preparing the Syracuse car for this year’s Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse on October 2^nd to 7^th.  The 2012 season will conclude at Brockville on October 13^th and 14^th for the 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank all of their marketing partners for their support for the upcoming season.  Billings Automotive, Pastime Motors, Stealth Racewear, Snap On Tools, Integra Shocks, Enders Racing Engines, Finish Line Web Design and Babe Design are an integral part of the team’s success, and we thank you all for your support as we approach the 2012 season.

                                                           

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.

Matt Billings Impressive at Autodrome Granby With Sixth Place Finish in Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series Race; Mohawk Raceway Finale Coming Up

With the 2012 regular season now over, Matt Billings and his Billings Motorsports team begin traveling to some of the bigger races with the 358 Modified Mr. DIRTcar Series.  The first stop was at Autodrome Granby this past Friday night.

Billings posted the fourth fastest time in his group during opening practice, and picked up the pace in time trials moving to second place on the leaderboard, giving him a front row starting spot in the 75 lap main event.  He ended the qualifying heat race in second place, earning a spot in the redraw for a top 12 starting spot for the feature.  He selected a front row starting spot, and lead the star studded field to the green flag.  Matt got off to a great start, leading the opening 14 laps of the race until the first and only caution slowed the pace.  On the restart, he dropped to second place and held that spot for the next 30 laps as the tires began to go away on the Billings Automotive sponsored Bicknell.  On the final lap, he fell to sixth place, but still a fantastic run on a track that he very minimal experience at.

“It was a great run for us, I just wish we could have remained in the top five”, says Billings after the race.  “It feels great to come out here to a track that we haven’t had much experience at and put up a solid performance like this”.

The next race on the schedule for Billings will be this coming Saturday night at Mohawk International Raceway as they close out the 2012 season with a Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series race.  The following weekend the Billings Motorsports team will travel to Brighton Speedway on September 22^nd before focusing on their Super DIRT Week plans.

“We are really looking forward to the next few races coming up, especially Super DIRT Week”, says Billings.  “We won there in the Sportsman car back in 2009, and I have loved that place ever since”.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank all of their marketing partners for their support for the upcoming season.  Billings Automotive, Pastime Motors, Stealth Racewear, Snap On Tools, Integra Shocks, Enders Racing Engines, Finish Line Web Design and Babe Design are an integral part of the team’s success, and we thank you all for your support as we approach the 2012 season.

                                                           

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.

Matt Billings Closes Out 2012 Regular Season With Top Five Finishes at Mohawk and Brockville; 10th at Cornwall in DIRTcar 358 Modified Series

Entering the final week of 2012 regular season last week, Matt Billings was in a position to put him self amongst the top five in points at both weekly tracks that he races at.  With an outstanding field of cars in the 358 Modified division each week at both Mohawk Raceway and Brockville Speedway, finishing amongst the top five is no easy task, but Billings and his team were up to the challenge.

The Labor Day weekend events kicked off a day early at Mohawk Raceway, as they raced on Thursday night instead of their usual Friday night date.  It was a big night with plenty on the line as the 2012 overall track championship would be decided as would the 2012 Frenchie’s “Chevy Runs Deep” 358 Modified Series.  While the track championship was out of reach as long as the point leaders finished the race, the Frenchie’s Series was very much up for grabs as Matt entered the night tied for the lead.  After a second place finish in his qualifying heat, he started in the eighth position for the 50 lap main event.  Over the opening laps, he patiently bided his time, and as the race hit the 20 lap mark, he was up to fourth place and maintained that spot for most of the final laps.

Brockville Speedway was up next on Saturday night for their final regular season race of the season.  With two wins at Brockville already this season, Billings would be looking for another as he tries to move back into the all important Brockville Speedway Top Five.  After an uneventful fourth place finish in his heat race, Matt returned to the pit area for some adjustments before returning to the track for the 30 lap main event.  Matt lined up on the outside of row five to start the race and just 10 laps later he had made his way into the top five.  As the final laps counted down, Billings moved up even more, and crossed the finish line with a solid third place result and placing him into the top five overall after the final points had been calculated.  Billings is the only driver from the top five in points in 2011 to return to the top five in 2012.

“We have had a good season, but there is always room for improvement”, says Billings.  “We set our goals at the starting of the season wanting to win the championship here, and we came up a little short.  I really have to thank the crew for all their work, and all the sponsors and race fans that have supported is, it really means a lot”.

The final race on the busy Labor Day Weekend schedule was at Cornwall Speedway for their 125 lap Mr. DIRTcar Series/Canadian Nationals Series event.  The unique format would see 75 laps, followed by a 10 minute break as teams were able to work on their car on the track in front of the grandstands.  Billings started the night well, setting the fastest time in his time trial group, earning a front row starting spot for his heat race.  Billings would go on to win his heat, earning a spot in the redraw for a top 12 starting spot.  Prior to the main event, Billings would draw for his starting position, and would also be part of the perfect attendance draw for the three race Canadian Nationals Series.  As luck would have it, Billings drew starting spot number one, and also won a set of Hoosier tires in the Canadian Nationals draw.  After the initial restart, Matt got in line in second place, but after ten laps he made a pass for the lead and held the top spot through lap 25.  By the time the planned caution came out at lap 75, Billings had began to struggle, and had slid back to eighth place.  After making some changes, Billings resumed the race, but the car continued to struggle and he would finish with a disappointing 10^th place run.

The next race on the schedule for Billings will be this coming Friday night at Autodrome Granby for the next round of the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.  From there, Billings will race at Mohawk Raceway on Saturday, September 15^th, Brighton Speedway and Brighton Speedway on September 22^nd before switching gears to focus on their Super DIRT Week plans.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank all of their marketing partners for their support for the upcoming season.  Billings Automotive, Pastime Motors, Stealth Racewear, Snap On Tools, Integra Shocks, Enders Racing Engines, Finish Line Web Design and Babe Design are an integral part of the team’s success, and we thank you all for your support as we approach the 2012 season.

                                                           

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.