Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – PITTSFIELD, MA – Based on the last three seasons of DIRTcar Big Block Modified racing at Lebanon Valley Speedway, if there’s one driver who was poised to have a breakout year in 2023, it was Brett Haas.
Unfortunately, so far, it just hasn’t come to fruition, but it hasn’t been due to a lack of effort.
Haas had every bit of momentum behind him and his Dave Prime Mac Tools-backed team heading into this season at the High Banks. In 2020, he was able to secure his first career DIRTcar Big Block win and last year, he very nearly won his first career Modified title, coming within a few markers of eventual champ Andy Bachetti.
This season, the Haas team came loaded for bear. However, the results just haven’t shown up the way they had hoped.
In three events, the second-generation driver has a best finish of seventh and Saturday night’s 19th place showing may prove to be the toughest so far.
After starting 22nd, Haas worked his way into the top ten during the 30-lap main event but the powerplant bolted between the frame rails of his #55 Bicknell expired just six laps from completion.
This is a devastating blow to this team.
“There was absolutely no warning when the engine let go,” Haas said. “Honestly, I didn’t even think the motor broke. It was a true surprise to me.”
The engine’s detonation was catastrophic, though, as stated by Haas, who now sits 14th in Big Block Modified points at the Valley.
“Sometimes, when a motor breaks, it isn’t as bad as you thought,” he said. “This isn’t one of those cases. Losing this engine is a huge hit to our team.”
It appears as though the crankshaft may have broken and when it did, the engine’s block cracked in a major way, right at the fuel pump and across the front of the motor.
Haas had two cars ready to go in his stable this season. One, his family owned completely, including the engine. That is what he ran Saturday at the Valley. The other, car and powerplant, are owned by Prime family.
Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t have been tougher for the Haas group, though. Monday was the Super DIRTcar Series King of Spring 100 at Lebanon. Haas always seems to run well in longer-distance tour events and even finished third in last September’s Mr. DIRT Track USA event.
Expectations were high for a good run Monday, but Saturday put a crimp in those thoughts.
Thanks to Prime, Haas was able to run his car and motor combination for the event. However, due to a myriad of issues, the team failed to qualify.
“I really have to thank Dave and his wife for providing us with the opportunity to run their car Monday,” Haas said. “We finished eighth in our heat which forced us to run the LCQ (Last Chance Qualifier). There, we started sixth and got up to fourth but just missed a qualifying spot. The officials offered us a provisional for the main but we decided not to take it.”
Now, the team has some decisions to make. They are technically down to one powerplant right now so what do they plan to do for the rest of the season?
“We’re going to run Dave’s car for the rest of 2023,” he said. “I’m extremely grateful for the Prime family that they believe in me and this team or I’d be Small Block racing right now.”
To Haas, racing isn’t just about the Prime’s or even about himself alone. This is a total team effort.
“With all we’ve got going on, I’m extremely grateful for every single person on my team,” he said. “Each and every one of my crew members are dedicated to grinding even harder right now to try and get the ship righted.”
That all starts in their Pittsfield, MA race shop, where the Haas team is working hard to prepare their ride for this weekend’s action at the Valley of Speed.
If anyone thinks there’s quit in this group, you’d be mistaken. Nobody thought Brett could win in his rookie season in Big Blocks. He did.
Nobody thought the 55 team could finish top three in points. They’ve done it the last two years.
If there’s a team that can do get things back on track, it’s this bunch, and it could happen sooner than you think.
There’s still a lot of racing left to do in 2023 and Brett Haas, along with the Prime Time 55 crew, may have their backs against the wall, but they’re ready to fight there way back to victory lane.