5/29/2018
Inside Line Promotions
Daniel Records Two Top-Five Finishes in Iowa With Sprint Invaders
Inside Line Promotions – WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (May 29, 2018) – Mason Daniel visited two more new tracks during Memorial Day Weekend and he recorded a pair of top-five finishes. The native of Springville, Calif., also made his second start of the season at the famed Knoxville Raceway.
The action began on Friday with the Sprint Invaders at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa. Daniel finished third in the first heat race after starting fourth. In the 25-lap main event, Daniel worked his way forward from the eighth starting spot to finish fourth to garner his second career top-five result in a sprint car.
“I had never been to Donnellson and the track was unique and had a lot of character to it,” he said. “We were good in the heat race. We ended up missing the dash by one spot. At the beginning of the main event, we were a bit tight and I just had to figure out the track. We started moving forward and finished fourth. We were actually battling for third for a while and had a red (flag) come out. We restarted fourth and the right rear air pressure dropped a bit and I couldn’t make any more moves on the bottom and ended up finishing fourth.”
Daniel returned to the historic Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on Saturday for the second straight week. He qualified 20th quickest of the 27 entries. Daniel then finished seventh in a heat race and gained valuable track time in the main event, gaining a few positions to finish 18th.
“That was only our second time at Knoxville and it’s such a tricky track,” he noted. “We were better in hot laps than we were the first time I was there. In the heat race and main event, it’s just about getting laps. I know I have the best coach in Danny (Lasoski). I just need more laps and experience to be competitive there.”
Daniel wrapped up the weekend on Sunday at 34 Raceway with the Sprint Invaders. Daniel charged from sixth to third in a heat race. He then crossed the line fourth in the dash. In the 30-lap main event, Daniel worked his way from the sixth starting spot to his first career podium finish in third.
“It was a great rebound on Sunday night,” he said. “The car was really good in hot laps. We advanced three positions in the heat race and that put us into the dash. We made some adjustments from the heat race to the dash to be prepared for the main event.
“In that series, the dash doesn’t determine where you start in the main event so we tried a few things to see what we wanted to do for the main event. We started sixth in the main event and got to fourth pretty fast. From there, it was about making the right moves in lapped traffic. We caught second place and got in some dirty air and jumped the cushion and fell back probably a half-straightaway. We had a little battle for third on the last lap and ended up coming out on top of that.”
With all of the new tracks that Daniel is visiting this season, he has a “ritual” that he follows each time he see a place for the first time. That practice is to walk the track, as suggested by his driver coach, Hall of Famer Danny Lasoski.
“Walking the track is very helpful and something I think everyone should do,” Daniel said. “By walking the track, you see things that you probably don’t see in the car. That’s what we did at Donnellson and Burlington. You walk the track and see where it falls off, where the banking is and even things such as where the moisture is reaching. Then, during hot laps, I go as hard as I can every lap. I can then give good feedback and see what the car is doing.”
Up next for Daniel will be his third straight appearance at Knoxville Raceway this Saturday.
QUICK RESULTS –
May 25 – Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa – Heat race: 3 (4); Feature: 4 (8).
May 26 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 20; Heat race: 7 (7); Feature: 18 (21).
May 27 – 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa – Heat race: 3 (6); Feature: 3 (7).
SEASON STATS –
14 races, 0 wins, 3 top fives, 5 top 10s, 9 top 15s, 11 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa
MEDIA LINKS –
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MasonDRacing
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Young’s Commercial Transfer
Young’s Commercial Transfer is a family-owned business with deep roots in California’s Central Valley. Young’s Commercial Transfer is the largest for-hire hauler of tomatoes in the United States. For more information, visit http://yctinc.com.
“Young’s Commercial Transfer started my racing career,” Daniel said. “Without them I would never have set foot in a car or had the opportunity I have now. I can’t thank them enough for all that they do for us. They have supported me since Day 1 and that means the world to me to have that support.”
Daniel would also like to thank Dillon Risk Management, Valley Pacific, Fresno Truck Center, Golden State Peterbilt, Bell Helmets and Schoenfeld Headers 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.
Article Credit: Inside Line Promotions
Submitted By: Shawn Miller
