INVERARY, Ont. – October, 12, 2016 – Danny O’Brien is set to return to DIRTcar 358 Modified Series action this weekend for the final dirt racing event in Ontario at Brockville Ontario Speedway’s 1000 Islands RV Centre Fall Nationals.
The two-day racing event at the track dubbed the ‘Beast of the Northeast’ features a 100-lap DIRTcar 358 Modified Series event on Friday night where O’Brien hopes to wrap up his 2016 season with a victory.
“We’ve finished second in this race and third in this race. We’ve never been able to win it, so it would be a good little payday going into the winter,” O’Brien said. “It would be nice to end the season off with a win.”
As a DIRTcar 358 Modified Series tour race, the event will bring the best Small-Block Modified drivers from across the Northeast to Brockville in a clash against the top regional drivers for 100 laps. O’Brien knows it won’t be easy to defend the turf where he won the track championship a little over a month ago.
“Everybody’s going to be there so it’s going to be tough going. The track conditions aren’t going to be what we raced on week in and week out. It’s going to be heavier and cold and damp. It’s going to change everything,” O’Brien explained.
“I can’t wait because it looks like the weather’s going to cooperate. It should be an awesome weekend.”
O’Brien got back in the seat of his 1000 Islands RV Centre/Heather-Lynn Topping/Bob FM No.17d after a pair of weeks off with the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series at Brewerton Speedway last Thursday night at the annual Hurricane 100. O’Brien timed fifth quick in his group and qualified for the main event with a fourth-place result in his heat.
Come feature time, he advanced into the top-10 from the 13th-starting spot until the car rolled to a stop in turn two on lap 27 when the mount for the car’s right-rear radius rod broke.
“I check it pretty good every night for cracks and I didn’t see anything, but it broke off. I thought our car was pretty decent. We were hanging in there for a bit. I think it’s probably one of the better runs I’ve ever had there,” said O’Brien, who was scored 28th at the end of the night.
“I kept getting hung on the outside on restarts and I could hold my own and clear them to get back down in my own spot. I thought we were accomplishing something, but it was all for not.”
The challenge of an annual trip to Brewerton to race against a number of hometown regulars as well as the top drivers from the Northeast is one O’Brien looks forward to each year.
“It’s tough. You’re going down in their backyard and playing. It’s not like you’re going to a neutral track. It makes you sharp and it’s a chore just to qualify for the races,” he said. “When you race with those guys it makes you better. It’s two and three wide and it really is fun.”
O’Brien hopes he can find the same speed this weekend at Brockville and race through all 100 laps to earn his first Fall Nationals victory. Racing gets underway Friday at 7:00pm.
SEASON STATS
Danny O’Brien 2016 Season: 25 Starts – 4 Wins, 19 Top-5s, 22 Top-10s
UP NEXT
October 14 – 1000 Islands RV Centre Fall Nationals at Brockville Ontario Speedway
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Website: www.dannyobrien.ca
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Danny O’Brien’s 2016 DIRTcar 358 Modified season is supported by several dedicated corporate sponsors, including: 1000 Islands RV Centre, ATC World Class Trailers, Bob FM, Ambush, Pat’s Auto Centre, Bicknell Racing Products, Heather-Lynn Topping, Integra Shocks, Northwood 2 Construction, and Snap-On Adam Way.
Prepared By Clayton Johns Media
Photo Attachment 1: Danny O’Brien races his 1000 Islands RV Centre No.17d at Brewerton Speedway during the 45th Annual Super DIRT Week in Central New York. (Don’s Imaging photo).
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