PICTON, Ont. – October 4, 2016 – Tim Kerr was back in action for the first time in two week’s at Fulton Speedway’s Outlaw 200 weekend. The two-day event attracted over 60 Big-Block Modified events for the race under open Modified rules.
Kerr picked up a heat race win during Friday night’s preliminary quadruple 15-lap races and guaranteed himself a starting spot in Saturday’s $20,000-to-win main event.
“That made it easy. It took every ounce of pressure off. We were able to concentrate on getting stuff ready for the 200 knowing we weren’t going to start any worse than 20th,” Kerr said.
“It let us run in another set of tires in the heat race (Saturday) without having to worry about moving forward. We were able to move forward and made the race regardless without going through a consi. That show’s pretty tough sometimes to do that,” added Kerr.
During Saturday’s main event, Kerr was patient in the early laps and admits he didn’t anticipate the early pace of the race.
“I think we maybe should have been up on the wheel a little more during the first 50 laps trying to make up ground. I think a lot of guys were trying to get up as far as they could the first 100 in case weather set in whereas I was being a little bit patient and trying to save everything we could,” Kerr explained.
The 200-lap race is more physically demanding than a regular weekly show, but it isn’t the biggest challenge on the 3/8-mile high-banked oval.
“That place is so slippery, it’s more mentally demanding than it is physically. You have to be thinking for the full 200 laps,” Kerr said.
Kerr didn’t feel the car was at its best in the first half of the race before the 100-lap break and was one-lap down at the halfway mark. After a handful of adjustments, the car came to life for the latter half.
“When we came in for the break, we switched tires, put fuel in, and we actually tightened up more than we normally would. The car was good and we were mixing it in with some of the guys in the top-10,” Kerr added.
“It was unfortunate we couldn’t get our lap back. If we could have got our lap back, I think we would have been in the top-10. The car seemed pretty good.”
Kerr ultimately came away with a 17th-place finish, but gained plenty of useful information for his notebook ahead of next Friday’s “win and you’re in” for Super DIRT Week back at Fulton. His entry, however, is not certain.
“Not the finish we were looking for, but not a disappointing race either,” Kerr said. “We’ve got a little bit of an issue we have to look at this week. Obviously we’d like to race this weekend, but I have to make sure the motor is still in good shape for the rest of the year. “
Kerr’s Fulton 200 effort was only made possible with the help of a dedicated team
“I have to thank all my sponsors and my dad who make everything possible as well as my crew guy Jesse and everybody else who came down over the weekend,” Kerr said.
SEASON STATS
Tim Kerr 2016 Season: 42 Starts – 2 Wins, 6 Top-5s, 14 Top-10s
KEEP UP WITH KERR
Website: www.timkerr07.com
Twitter: @07TimKerr
Facebook: facebook.com/TimKerr07
Tim Kerr’s 2016 Big-Block Modified season on the Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified tour and weekly racing at Brewerton and Fulton Speedways is supported by a number of corporate supporters, including: The Bronskill Group, Hubert Kerr Construction, Home Hardware Picton, Greenbush Electric, Tim Dainard Electric, The Main Stop Picton, Bicknell Racing Products, Enders Racing Engines, Threadwords Custom Embroidery, Zero3 Motorsports, Chris Cunningham Racing, Number One Speed Shock Service and AtomicWraps.com.
Prepared By Clayton Johns Media
Photo Attachment: Tim Kerr races through turn four at Fulton Speedway during the Outlaw 200 weekend. (Jeremiah Fish photo).
