RPW Column: Avoiding A Near Catastrophe Just Before The Main, Brett Haas Continues To Build Momentum At Lebanon

Column By: STEPHEN DURHAM / RPW – WEST LEBANON, NY – It was a hot start to the night at Lebanon Valley Speedway Saturday, weather wise.

It was also a hot one for Brett Haas.  Haas went out in early night hot laps and set the second fastest time behind points leader Andy Bachetti.

The Pittsfield, MA native would follow up nicely with a strong stout run in his heat race, picking up the win.

Handicapping would position Haas 14th to start the 30-lap feature event, but things wouldn’t come easy for the 55 team as they began to get ready for the main.

“They were calling us up there to get ready for lineups, and one of my guys noticed, and called my dad over, and there was a puddle of fuel under the car,” Haas explains “don’t know how or why, but fired the car up, and was just pouring fuel out the overflow, the breather of the fuel pump.”

Haas and his team would work diligently to get things fixed up and ready to be on the track for the feature.

“We had to go and put a spare on, and it ended up being the wrong fuel pump, but it was good enough to get us out there,” Haas said “car was still breaking up on the straightaways and off the corners, but it was good enough to bring a top 10, we salvaged, not a great finish, but a decent finish, and we will definitely take it.”

Haas was very grateful for his team and how hard they worked.

“Ninth isn’t the best finish to be proud of, but after how hard these guys worked to get this stuff changed, it is definitely something to be proud about, and I couldn’t be more thankful for what they do each week,” a very grate Haas says.

For Haas, he has enjoyed traveling around and visiting new tracks, with big help from Dave Prime and wanting to do as many races as they can. Haas says it’s been great, helping build his confidence and learn more as a driver altogether.