Austin Self scores his first TSRS Late Model win at Thunderhill Raceway
June 20, 2010
Fourteen year-old Texas Super Racing Series rookie sensation Austin Self started on the pole for the TSRS LM feature at Thunderhill Raceway (Kyle, Texas) Saturday night and led all 35 laps to claim his first checkered flag in a full-bodied stock car.
A multi-time champion in national Karting competition, Self’s team decided earlier this year to tackle the premier Late Model series in Texas without the young man ever having turned a lap in a stock car, let alone go up against some of the most experienced and successful teams in Texas and the Southwest.
Although Self has enjoyed more success than most thought possible this early in this season, the win is ample evidence that “the kid is for real.”
Self started on the pole, but immediately TSRS points leader Bobby Teer, Jr. was on his tail and a lap later another multi-race winner and former TSRS Champion, Robert Barker, made the first half of the event on the 3/8-mile, D-shaped, paved oval a three-way paint-swapping contest for the lead.
But Self, driving like a seasoned veteran, was able to fend off Teer’s repeated challenges and even pulled away a bit as Teer became pre-occupied with Barker’s constant attention to his rear bumper. Eventually – after several laps of repeated bumper contact - Barker got under Teer in turn one, but when J.T. Schild tried to follow him through, Schild and Teer made hard contact with Teer spinning to a stop in turn two to bring out the yellow flag.
Rookie Austin Self (07) battles veterans Bobby Teer, Jr, (2) and Robert Barker in the early going. Jeff Garvin photo.
That put Barker on the youngster’s bumper and over the next several laps Barker tried every move in the book to work his way by, but Self never bobbled and took the checkered flag by less than a car length over Barker.
“It was nerve wracking with those veterans on my tail. I kept as calm as I could, but I get a lot more nervous leading than I do watching the guy in front of me lead,” Self said after the race. “I’m lucky to have a great team and to get a win this early in the season. We’re still learning and this is just the beginning. “
When asked who he wanted to thank, the young man immediately replied, “Jesus Christ is the Number One for me.” And almost as an afterthought he added, “And thanks to FEP for giving me a great car and to my crew Heath and JR and the guy who keeps me calm, Chris Baker, and my parents and Applied Mechanical.”
Teer recovered to finish third while JT Schild and Craig Sellman rounded out the top five.
Results of the Texas Super Racing Series Late Model feature at Thunderhill Raceway, 6/19/2010
Finish, Car number, Name, Hometown, Laps completed, Qualifying Time
1. 07 Austin Self, Austin, TX, 35 laps, QT 15.664
2. 17 Robert Barker, TX, 35 laps, QT 15.427 (Hard Charger)
3. 2 Bobby Teer, Jr., Comfort, TX, 35 laps, QT 15.292 (Fast Time)
4. 25 JT Schild, Leander, TX, 35 laps, QT 15.684
5. 38 Craig Sellman, Buda, TX, 35 laps, QT 16.045
6. 28 Jeff O’Neill, Round Rock, TX, 35 laps, QT 16.182
7. 5 Heather Ables, Whitney, TX ,26 laps, QT 16.421
by Nick Holt
Photo by Jeff Garvin
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