Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
Following another stellar season in the OSCAAR Modified ranks, it seems right now that plans are up in the air for Gary McLean heading into the 2016 season.
“Plans for next year are as of yet undecided,” he told OnPitRoad.com. “The Mod will be out for some events and maybe quite a few, depending on the circumstances…not sure what else we might be doing.”
McLean added while he enjoys modified racing, there are those within the ranks that would rather have him take a year off to allow the series “marketing people to promote someone else as champion”. As noted, the OSCAAAR Modifieds have been in existence for four seasons, and each year thus far, McLean has reigned supreme.
The driver of the No. 8 McLean Industrial Design and Fabrication Ltd./McLean Farms Modified put together a stellar season in 2015, scoring seven victories and 10 top-fives en route to winning his fourth straight series championship. The glory came with an extra sense of pride, considering many people went into the year feeling as though the 602 crate motor package could not compete against the built motor package.
“I think we had a blast proving to guys that us winning had nothing to do with a big bad built motor and the guys that complained about the 602 felt kinda silly,” he said. “Sorry to those guys but the crate motor program has an advantage which is what the tech guys that wrote the rule book originally were wanting. We won the biggest races, other than (the) Autumn Colours Classic, and that includes the half-mile that everyone said was impossible with a 602 crate motor.”
If McLean makes the decision to return full-time once again in 2016, things will be different en route to championship glory. OSCAAR announced earlier this month that they will be using a Chase/Playoff style championship format to crown each of their series champions in 2016. McLean says the format actually plays right into his favor, as his team is focused on winning each race, rather than looking at the overall points picture as some may believe.
“The championship is so twisted with the new format that it almost favors us with the go to win each race attitude but it is designed for excitement within the last few races and anything can happen flavor that any small incident can take you out of the top spots,” he commented. “So even the best running car all year may not be in the top five of the points at the end. Not really going to bother us to much if we were going to run every race because we have nothing to lose other than a race. The go-for-broke and win at all costs will be norm at the end of the season so it might be more fun having the competition step it up.”
Those wins, and being able to put up the success that backs up the claim with numerous victories over the years goes back to the hard work that Greg Gibson and the entire crew put in behind the scenes in making sure that they have the right package when they hit the race track.
“I have the smartest crew chief in the province and a group of guys who work their guts out without being asked,” he said. “The driver is the weak link in the whole program. We know as a team that we could potentially win every time on the track (not bragging as it is a fact), but the driver is human and sometimes is not on his game, hence a DNF or less than perfect finish.This is the stuff that great teams are made of; regardless of the nights result we go back to the shop and work, learn and try new ideas to be better.”
That is why when asked what his biggest lesson in racing is, McLean says the key in racing is the people that you surround yourself with.
“Look at the guys that come with you to the track every week,” he said. “I admit that at times when the car is not right that I am a difficult person to be around (trying to change this the older I get but.. ) and they work their butts off no matter what. Then you have the other teams that you compete with. Pretty cool that other than a couple of guys, you can pretty much walk into anyone’s trailer, sit down with a sandwich and talk shop.
“At the end of the day, no matter what it is you do, be a good person, do your best (trying is a bad word), have fun and enjoy the folks around you. Then it was a successful outing.”
