Brett Smrz – Last Chance Hero

Brands Hatch, England (October 18, 2009) – What a day! I started in the second position for my Semi Final race. I had a bit of a bad start and Connor got by me. I tucked in behind him, but in Turn Two I put a tire in the grass and did a full 360 on the exit. I put the gearbox into neutral and kept the car running, but by then I was in ninth position and I started having a misfire on the straightaway. I tried a pass for eighth place a couple laps later, but the driver turned into me and spun me around. I came into the pits from there, and my race was over.

After that performance, I had to start the Last Chance race. I was a bit worried, because I would be starting from 17th position and they only take four drivers from the qualifier, so I had to make up 13 positions in just five laps. I got a great start and a good first lap, and was in seventh by the end of lap one. I kept working my way forward, eventually getting into the fourth place, and then on the last corner I did an over-under maneuver and finished up in third!

That meant that I would be starting in the 27th position for the main event. I was very focused going into the race, and set my goal at a top-five finish. I got a very good start off the line and picked up about five positions through the first couple of turns. I kept working my way through the traffic and still saw a bunch of drivers that I could get by. I saw my pit board, and it was saying I was in 11th place. I kept my head down, and eventually made my way into fifth. Then there was a full-course caution, which caught me back up with the leaders. On the restart, I gained one more position, which put me in fourth, which is where I finished.

I was ecstatic! Coming through the field like I did was quite hard. It was one of the best drives of my career, and it was the right race to do it at.

I can’t thank the Cliff Dempsey Racing team enough. They kept my head in the right spot the entire weekend, and kept my car running quick as well. Dave Hart is the best mechanic I could ask for. He is always smiling, and giving me great signals while I am driving.

Thanks go out to Jeremy Shaw, the Team USA Scholarship and all of its sponsors and supporters. I wouldn’t have been able to have the opportunity to race this weekend without their support.