RPW Exclusive: Solid Night At Thunder Mountain Tuesday Ends With Podium Finish For Tim Sears Jr.

Column By: MIKE TRAVERSE / RPW – CENTER LISLE, NY – All racers want to score a win when they hit the track, and Tim Sears Jr. is no different.

The personable racer from Central Square, NY had a good night going, as he lined up for the Dale Planck Memorial Super DIRTcar Series race at Thunder Mountain Speedway on Tuesday evening.

He actually tied for the fastest time in two-lap qualifying, but lost the tie-breaker for quick time (his was on the second lap while Cody Higbie’s was on his first).  That put him pole in the second heat race where he ended up finishing second.

His redraw put him on the outside pole for the feature.

Sears was racing right with pole sitter Mat Williamson in the early part of the 77 lap feature, racing side-by-side with the #88 for the lead.

But eventually, the outside groove lost grip and Sears dropped from 2nd to 3rd when eventual winner Jimmy Phelps passed him on lap 13. And on lap 24, Matt Sheppard dropped Sears another spot to 4th.

“We fired off really well. I thought that the track was going to stay a little bit racier a little longer. I just stayed out there a little too long,” Sears summarized after the race.

As the cars circulated exclusively on the bottom grove during the 2nd half of the race, it was a matter of awaiting a possible mistake by one of the front runners. Sears was able to capitalize when Sheppard tested the outside on lap 54 and lost 2 spots, moving Sears back into 3rd, which is where he finished.

With the experienced racers on the Super DIRTcar Series circuit, Sears knows how tough the competition is and seemed pleased with his first DIRTcar series podium finish of the season.

“A lot of it is seat time. These guys race a lot. We are trying to catch them, it seems that we are always playing catch up.”

Tuesday’s podium finish could be the start of some big things for Tim Sears Jr. Don’t be surprised to soon be hearing of great things from this driver.