(Photo by Becky Herrington Photography)
Inside Line Promotions – LAKE ODESSA, Mich. (May 21, 2019) – Jordon Mallett capped his Michigan debut with a solid outing last Saturday at I-96 Speedway.
Mallett endured an up-and-down weekend at the oval during a Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour doubleheader, finding success in a heat race before struggling in a qualifier each night.
“Both nights I struggled so bad in the qualifiers,” he said. “It was just different up there. The track threw me for a loop. It reminded me of some places we’ve been before, but it wasn’t. I wound up both nights messing myself up in the qualifier thinking the track wasn’t progressing as quick as it was.”
Mallett maneuvered from sixth to fourth place in a heat race on Friday before a seventh-place result in a qualifier relegated him to a B Main. He won the race to transfer into the main event, but it was short-lived.
“I made the correct changes for the B Main and found what the car wanted,” he said. “Unfortunately, in the A Main I clipped an infield tire and it cut the left front tire down. I ran another lap and realized it was damaged to the point it was going to tear more stuff up. It wasn’t worth it so we pulled in.”
Mallett rebounded from Friday’s 19th-place run by powering from fourth to second place in a heat race on Saturday. A sixth-place result in a qualifier lined him up on the outside of the sixth row in the A Main.
“We were a lot more pleased with being straight in the show,” he said. “We started 12th and that was better because I knew the guys in front of me were fast and we could do some racing. We were good early on. Everybody was running around the rim. We were as good as anybody. I got impatient and tried to run the bottom. I shuffled my way to seventh or eighth. I overstayed my welcome and the bottom went away. I got passed by those cars I had passed. By the time I jumped in line I was riding in 10th or 11th and ripped the top for the rest of the race.”
Mallett ended with an 11th-place outing.
“We feel really positive,” he said. “We learned a couple of things we should have done different. Car-wise we made some adjustments we were pleased with.”
Mallett will go from one debut to another as he makes his first visit to Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo., this Saturday and Sunday during another ASCS National Tour doubleheader.
“I have the same expectation that we’ll run good,” he said. “We’re adaptable enough. Lots of times we look forward to going somewhere new rather than going to the same places.”
QUICK RESULTS –
May 17 – I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich. – Heat race: 4 (6); Qualifier: 7 (1); B Main: 1 (2); Feature: 19 (18).
May 18 – I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich. – Heat race: 2 (4); Qualifier: 6 (5); Feature: 11 (12).
SEASON STATS –
8 races, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 3 top 10s, 4 top 15s, 5 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Saturday and Sunday at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo., with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://jordonmallett.myracepass.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmmotorsports14
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jordonmallettmotorsports
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Porter Commercial Refrigeration
Porter Commercial Refrigeration, which was created in 1992 and is based in Greenbrier, Ark., provides the finest refrigeration equipment sales, quality service and installation for supermarkets, c-stores, restaurants, warehouses, processing plants and ice machines. For more information, visit http://www.PorterRefrigeration.com.
“Porter Commercial Refrigeration is a huge supporter of our team,” Mallett said. “They are always stepping up to help us however they can and we really appreciate the partnership.”
Mallett would like to thank Awakening Events, Water for Christ, Racing Optics, DHR Suspension, Red River Rack Company, KSE Racing Products, FK Rod Ends, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Sinco, Inc., D&K Farms, Autometer, Callies Racing Products, Dynotech Race Engines, Dickerson Marine Services, Hero Graphics, Hilborn Fuel Injection, ISC Racers Tape, K&N Engineering, Lone Star Super Gas (Sunoco), Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Race Products, Smiley’s Racing Products, and Superior Bearing and Supply 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 by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.