6/17/2024
Summer Nationals 2024 - Week 1 Wrap-Up
The first week in the Steve Lampley owned Midwest Excavating #33 is in the books for Randy Korte, Kye Blight and the BAR31 Team. It was an up and down week, with Mother Nature postponing two of the five events.
Peoria Speedway, Tri-City Speedway and Fairbury Speedway were able to complete full shows, whereas Kankakee and Sycamore Speedway succumbed to weather.
Peoria Speedway was the first time for the BAR31 Team to show up and race the #33. 29 Late Models signed into the pits. A good qualifying effort and run in his heat had Kye starting 4th in the feature. The car performed well in the low groove – he ran as high as 3rd place and as low as 6th, but when the checkered flag fell, the #33 came across in 5th place.
After the rainout at Kankakee, Tri-City was next event. 40 Late Models were in attendance, and with another great qualifying effort and a heat win, things were looking great for the possibility for Kye’s first win. In the feature, he led 14 laps, and traded slide jobs with eventual winner Tyler Erb. Erb eventually got past Kye in lap traffic. As Kye was running 2nd, a lapped car jumped the cushion and Kye was unable to avoid contact with him, rendering him to the pits with a damaged racecar and a 16th place finish.
The team headed back to the shop in to regroup and restock the hauler, then continued to Fairbury. Saturday night was a struggle for the team, and Kye was awarded a provisional to make the feature. He was able to pass a few cars and come home in 15th place.
Sunday, the team drove to Sycamore Speedway when a storm rolled through, and the track was forced to postpone the race.
Randy, Kye, Joe, Brendon, Jaime and Huey headed back to the shop to get things cleaned up and will be ready to start week 2 on Tuesday at Davenport Speedway.
Catch all the Summer Nationals Races on DirtVision.
Stats after week 1:
Qualifying – 3rd, 2nd, 9th
Heat Race Finish – 2nd, 1st, 6th
Feature Finish – 5th, 16th, 15th
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