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.

Matt Billings Looking to Capture Frenchie’s “Chevy Runs Deep” Modified Series Championship at Mohawk Raceway on Thursday Night

This weekend is championship weekend at all local tracks, and Matt Billings and the Billings Motorsports team would love nothing more to lay claim to the 2012 Frenchie’s “Chevy Runs Deep” Modified Championship.  They will enter Thursday night’s showdown tied for the lead in series points.  They will also be in contention for the overall track championship, and although their 27 point deficit seems overwhelming, Billings will be looking to repeat his performance from the last 50 lap Frenchie’s Series race on July 6^th, and let the points fall where they may.  He will also be in action at Brockville Speedway on Saturday and Cornwall Speedway on Sunday for their 125 lap Canadian Nationals Series/Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series event.

Billings started his qualifying heat race from third place on Friday night, and moved to the front of the pack, taking the win in the 10 lap race.  He started the 25 lap main event from fourth place, and quickly moved to second through the opening 10 laps.  Over the next few laps, Billings had slipped to fifth, but he battled back over the remaining distance and crossed the finish line with a third place result.

“It was a good run, but we need to be a little better.  Hopefully we can come back next week for the 50 lapper and get another win”, says Billings.  “We are running consistent, but we still want to get better”.

Brockville Speedway was up next on Saturday night. After a second place finish in the preliminary qualifying heat, Billings reported back to the pit area to make some adjustment to the car before the 30 lap main event.  Starting from 12^th place, Matt moved into the top ten early and was up to seventh as the race approached halfway.  He finished the race with a seventh place result.

This coming weekend will be a big weekend for Billings.  With a great shot at the Frenchie’s championship, and in contention for the overall track title, Thursday night’s event at Mohawk Raceway will certainly be exciting.  On Saturday night, he will return to Brockville Speedway.  Although the BOS championship is out of reach, Billings will be looking for a strong run to move into the BOS Five Star Program for 2012.  He currently is only eight points out of fifth.  Sunday night at Cornwall Speedway is the final race in the Canadian Nationals Series and will also be a Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series race.  They will battle for 125 laps.

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 Returns to Brockville Speedway Victory Lane on Saturday Night; Score Top Ten Finishes at Mohawk Raceway and Cornwall

For Matt Billings and the Billings Motorsports team, the month of August and the last half of July had been a struggle.  Although they battled each night and were in the top ten more times then not, they struggled to find the success that they had earlier in the season.  After some long nights in the shop, Billings was able to return to form this past Saturday night at Brockville Speedway picking up his third win of 2012.  He also posted top tens at Mohawk Raceway on Friday nights and Cornwall Speedway on Sunday in their 100 lap Canadian Nationals Series race.

After a second place finish in his qualifying heat race at Mohawk Raceway on Friday night, Billings was looking for a solid finish in the 25 lap main event.  He started the race from seventh place and struggled to find any grip on the track.  He maintained a top ten position throughout the race, finishing with a disappointing ninth place run.

“It is tough going out there, it was hard to find any forward bite at all”, says Billings after the race.  “Hopefully we can run better over the final couple weeks”.

On Saturday night at Brockville Matt picked up another second place finish in his preliminary qualifying event.  After making some adjustment to the car, he was ready for the 30 lap feature.  He rolled off the starting grid from fifth place and patiently moved forward.  By lap ten he was up to third, and then made his way to second before the race reached the halfway mark.  On lap 16 Billings made the pass for the lead, and pulled away over the final few laps to score win number two of the season at Brockville and third overall.

“The car worked great tonight, it was better then it had been the last few weeks here”, says Billings from Victory Lane.  “We are excited about the win, and even more excited that we finally got the car to turn the way we wanted it to.  Hopefully we can build on this going into the final couple weeks and into the bigger races coming up”.

Billings traveled to Cornwall Motor Speedway on Sunday for the second round of the Canadian Nationals Series with a 100 lap main event on the schedule.  He topped the charts in his qualifying group and started his heat race from the front row.  He finished in second, making the redraw for a top 12 starting spot.  After drawing the ninth spot, Billings lined up on the inside of row five for the feature race.  The first half of the race was a struggle, falling outside the top ten, but he rebounded in the second half to score an eighth place finish.

This coming week, Matt will be back in action at Mohawk Raceway on Friday night, and then on to Brockville Speedway on Saturday night.

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 Looking for More as 2012 Regular Season Winds Down

For many race teams, a season like Matt Billings has had would be outstanding.  A glance at their results from 2012 with top ten finishes virtually every week is something that most racers strive for.  Billings is looking for more though, and is unsatisfied with running just in the top ten.  He wants to be better then that, and that determination to be the best will eventually pay off.

This past week was relatively quiet for Billings, with just Brockville Speedway on Saturday night filling the team’s agenda.  Mohawk Raceway, the team’s usual Friday night track had the weekend off for their local fair.  It was a tough start to the night for Billings after a frustrating qualifying heat.  Once he arrived back into the pit area, the team made some changes to the car, looking for more speed out of the car for the 30 lap feature.  He started the race from deep in the field, rolling off the starting grid from the 17^th position.  The frustrations continued in the feature, as another car spun on lap six, collecting Billings.  He was able to continue with minimal damage.  He restarted the race from the tail of the field once again, and battled back, ending the night with a respectable eighth place finish.

“It was a tough night for us here.  Actually its been a tough few weeks”, says Billings.  “Hopefully we can finish out the year strong here at Brockville and at Mohawk and build some momentum going into the bigger races in the fall”.

This coming week, Billings will return to Mohawk International Raceway on Friday night, then off to Brockville Speedway on Saturday.  He will also make a rare appearance at Cornwall Motor Speedway on Sunday night for the second round of the Canadian Nationals Series with a 100 lap main event.

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 Gets Top Five Finish at Mohawk Raceway; Mechanical Issues Plagued the Team Early at Brockville but Rebounded for a Top Ten

With the final full month of the 2012 regular racing season now here, Matt Billings and the Billings Motorsports team were looking for a good weekend.  They were off to Mohawk International Raceway on Friday night for their a regular night of racing, and then on to Brockville Speedway on Saturday for a double lap, double purse and double points event.  If all went well, the team also hoped to make it to Cornwall on Sunday night for a 100 lap Canadian National Series event.

After a third place finish in his preliminary qualifying heat race, Billings lined up for the 25 lap main event at Mohawk Raceway from seventh place.  By the time the first caution came out on lap eight, Billings was inside the top five in fourth.  He would continue inside the top five for most of the race, and ended the night in fifth.  An extensive tech inspection took place after the race, and Billings cleared through without any issues, but they had some work to do before getting to Brockville on Saturday night, as they had to put their motor back together, and get the car ready for the BOS.

With double points on the line at Brockville, Billings was looking forward to a good night at the track.  Unfortunately, after just a few laps on the track during hot laps, problems developed that would leave the team scrambling for the rest of the night.  A broken rear end was the issue, and the Billings Motorsports team worked hard getting it replaced.  They missed their qualifying heat race, and they missed the second round of hot laps, but were ready to hit the track for the 60 lap feature.  He would have to start from the rear of the field, but after avoiding a lap one wreck, he found himself inside the top ten for the restart.  He remained inside the top ten all race, and finished with an eighth place result.

“It was a long night here at the BOS.  We broke the rear end in hot laps, and all night long we were working to get it replaced so we could make it back for the feature”, says Billings.  “I really have to thank everyone that helped us with the car trying to get the rear end replaced so we could make the feature”.

With the extra work on the motor on Saturday after Friday night’s tech, and a long night at the track on Saturday getting ready for the feature, the team decided not to race at Cornwall on Sunday.  Their decision to stay home was a good one, as the 100 lap race ended up being postponed due to rain.

This coming week, Billings will have a rare Friday night off as Mohawk International Raceway is closed for the week.  He will be back at Brockville Speedway on Saturday night.

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.