Jonathon Allard Takes Second at Silver Dollar Speedway
- 22 Jun 2012
Jonathon Allard recently experienced such a scenario, when the World of Outlaws series rolled into Chico, California, his home town. The driver had grown up racing at the Silver Dollar Speedway and had previously run there on Friday nights. The Allard Motorsports team still races at the venue on occasion, so it was safe to say that Jonathon Allard was right at home. "Any time you race at your home track, your confidence level is high, and you especially want to defend your turf against the Outlaws," explained Allard. "These guys are the best at what they do, and you don't want to get pushed around by them. We finished ninth quick with thirty six cars on hand," he continued. "With the World of Outlaws format, it was perfect, because it put us in the front row of the heat race." Taking advantage of his placement in his heat race, the driver took the checkered flag, and in turn qualified for the dash. Starting in the front row, Jonathon Allard was more than ready for a battle. The driver crossed the finish line in second place which was enough to ensure a spot on the front row of the thirty-five lap feature. The rigors of racing had affected the track by the time the feature rolled around. That said, the drivers and fans were in for a "follow the leader" race where tire-wear would prove a huge factor.
"The track was slicked off very early in the night," recalled Allard. "When that happens, it usually ends up taking rubber, and in this case the rubber was right around the bottom. You had to stay on the bottom, because if you got out of line, you weren't going to gain any spots," he continued. "You were more than likely going to go backwards. It makes it tough when tracks are like this, because you feel bad for your fans and crew. In a perfect world, everyone is treated to three-groove racing every night. But in dirt track racing it happens from time to time, and you don't anticipate it happening so early in the season." As were all of the other drivers', Jonathon Allard's hands were pretty well tied. Maintaining his second place spot, the driver hoped to capitalize on any mistake made by Donny Schatz, the lead driver, but as luck would have it, Schatz made a flawless run, and Allard was force to settle the second place position at the race's end. Although Allard could have grown discouraged while running in a single file, he opted to make the best out of a bad situation. "I truly learned a few things following Donny Schatz that night," recalled Allard. "He is one of the best in the business, and I took notes all night behind him. Throughout my entire career, I have never been a tire manager, and I got a front row seat how one of the best in the business saves his tires. I feel like I learned a few things that will hopefully help us pick up a couple of extra wins throughout the year." According to Allard, his car ran awesome throughout the entire night. That said, he and his crew are strong advocates of maintaining their vehicle. According to the driver, they depend upon K&N products to keep the internal components of their engines contaminant free while an ample volume of oil flows through the block and an adequate amount of air flow enters the intake. "Weekly maintenance is huge, because that is what separates you from standing in the Winner's Circle or watching the end of the race with a part failure," he explained. "It's important to make sure everything is fresh, and to make sure we are putting the best possible car on the track at all times." Referring to K&N products, he continued, "We use the low-profile Air Box, K&N oil filters and outwears [Pre-Chargers]. We have been partnered with K&N over the last ten years. They give us the best products, and I would recommend them to anyone. It's important to have the most dependable products in your race car, and K&N products are just that." With the bulk of the 2012 season ahead of them, Jonathon Allard and the Allard Motorsports team are anticipating a string of success, and have no intentions of looking back. When asked what fans can expect from Allard Motorsports during the 2012 season, he said, "They can expect a very competitive team in 2012. We are really gunning for the 2012 King of The West championship, but to get there, we need to win as many races as possible." 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. |
