Jeremy Deakins Stands on Podium at MDR's Bilek Racing 400
- 8 Jul 2010
"The first lap was probably the hardest," remarked Jeremy Deakins, driver of the Lucas Oil/Deaknbuilt Ranger. "It was so clear that I really had to talk myself into maintaining an even pace and not get crazy." Deakins and his Ranger started first off the line in class 1450 at the Mojave Desert Racing (MDR) Bilek Racing 400 held in Lucerne Valley, California, and he never really looked back. The Ranger dropped into third place near the end of the first 50-mile lap. However, smooth consistent driving and a flawless pit stop, put the truck back into second place, and four-and-a -half hours later, it slid across the finish line over nine minutes in front of third place.
Deakins stayed within himself and stuck to his game plan. As he came down pit row at full-speed for the eight time, he understood immediately that this would be one of the best finishes ever for their new team. "Second in class and trouble free, you have to savor days like this," commented Deakins. "For me, the discipline comes from being the son of a Police Veteran and the grandson of a Korean War Veteran. Every time I get behind the wheel I'm kicking in a door on a SWAT call out, or I'm on the front lines in Korea with a machine gun, knowing that I need to bring the truck home," continued Deakins. "But most important is that everyone comes home safe. The first 50 miles is the same as the first 200 miles. Stay calm, put my faith in the Lord, fight the good fight and finish the race." Hearing this particular emotion regarding racing for the first time, Chuck Deakins, Jeremy' dad said, "I was caught a bit off guard by his remarks. I really didn't understand that he felt this way. That response is all his from the heart." Deakins says his truck is awesome and it was built entirely in his dad's shop, with the help of friends and family. Team Deaknbuilt LLC is still relatively new to racing, so there are routine bugs yet to be worked out, but with every race things keep getting better. Their mantra is one step at a time. "Thanks to the entire team and our sponsors for making this one happen. We couldn't have done it without you," expressed Deakins. "Our relationship with K&N is great. For such a big company to sponsor such a small team, to me that's awesome. We do everything we can to represent K&N because we respect them. We run a K&N air filter, filter wrap, K&N oil filter, and we fly K&N flags at every race." "Our plan for the rest of the season is to bring the truck across the finish line in one piece. I would love to go out there and drop the hammer and battle with the rest of the trucks, but right now is not the time. In the future, as the team and the truck grow, the time will come. We just need to be patient. Second place finish for us was huge. We've struggled for the last two years trying to keep the truck together, but as we grow, we keep getting better. We're definitely gaining momentum." Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
