4~Hart Motorsports: 6th Place Finish at THR’s Spectacular

[Hartracn19]

4~Hart Motorsports Media Relations

 

-- For Immediate Release

 

4~HART MOTORSPORTS: 6TH PLACE FINISH AT THR’S SPECTACULAR – SEASON FINISH 8TH IN CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

 

KYLE, TX (October 28, 2006) – The year of 2006 was the 31st consecutive year for Texas’ oldest touring series, The Texas ProSedans. The final race of the 2006 season was to be contested at the 10th Annual Stockcar Spectacular held at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas. With the Championship and the Rookie title all locked up at the last race, this race would be an all out, gung-ho, drive for the win by the entire field of 21 cars for the posted purse of $1000 going to the driver that could cross the checkers first.

 

Lloyd Hart, driver of the #19 Instant Imprints Honda CRX went into the day as the defending winner from last year’s 9th Annual Stockcar Spectacular. This race would put the close on Hart’s sophomore year with the Texas ProSedans, and Hart went into this race with high hopes of defending last year’s win.

 

In both practice and qualifying, several drivers stated the track was very slick. “We went out to practice, and the car was good, but the track seemed to change throughout the day, so we kept making adjustments to get the car faster,” Hart said. Lloyd Hart was able to qualify the #19 Instant Imprints Honda CRX 10th fastest, and would start the final race of the season on the outside of the fifth row.

 

As the green flag fell signaling the start, the cars roared to life and the push to the front began. Hart was able to gain a few spots in the early going. Coming out of turn two after a few laps had been clicked down, Hart’s car started to slide a little sideways. He was able to maintain control, but lost the spots he had gained at the start. “The track kept changing on us. One lap, the car would be tight and would push up, and the next it would be loose and want to spin. It was like we would hit a slick spot and the rear would just come around. When it started to slide the first time, it cost us a lot of ground,” Hart stated. In fact, it did cost Hart. The leaders had moved about half a track ahead. However, they were not able to pull any further ahead, but Hart was not able to gain any ground on them, either.

 

As lap after lap was completed, the leaders maintained their half a track advantage. That left Hart and the #19 Instant Imprints Honda CRX an open track both immediately in front and behind him. Then the caution came out on lap 18. Because Hart was half a track back, the leaders had lapped several cars, that Hart had not yet reached. On the restart, Hart had these lapped cars immediately between him and the leaders. Hart moved through the lapped cars as quickly but as cautiously as he could. However, the delay allowed the leaders catch Hart within 7 laps, and put him 1 lap down. Just half a lap later the caution came out again. “If the caution could have come out just a half a lap earlier, or if TPS had a ‘lucky dog’ rule like Nascar, we would have been on the lead lap , and could have been in position to run for the win in the final laps. But you know racing and life are all full of could have been’s,” Hart chuckled after the race. The “lucky dog” rule Hart mentioned is a rule in Nascar that allows the first car one lap down to gain their lap back when a caution comes out.

 

It took several restarts on Lap 25 to get back underway. One of them was for Hart, when on the restart, his car broke loose and spun up against the outside wall at the end of turn four. Hart said, “We saw the green flag wave, and we were almost to full speed when it was like I hit a sheet of ice. The rear started coming around, and I started to save it, but there was no way to save it and get it straight again in time to cross between the wall and the pylon.” In TPS, all restarts after the initial start are done in single file, and all cars must cross the start/finish line between the wall and a pylon before they can begin passing. There was only cosmetic damage to the #19 Instant Imprints Honda CRX after the incident.

 

The delays on lap 25 caused the track to shorten the planned race of 31 laps to 28 laps. Hart was able to maintain his position of the first car 1 lap down, and crossed the checkers in the 6th position. That was enough to move him from 13th in points where he was going into the final race, up to 8th in the season ending Championship points.

 

“It was really a tough season for us. Unfortunately, we just had a lot of bad luck. Our car was much better this season than the results reflected, so with all of the bad luck we had I am extremely happy with 8th in the points out of over 40 registered drivers. We learned a lot this season that we plan to apply to next year’s program,” Hart said after the race.

 

The winner of the final race of the 2006 season was Sergio Hexsel in his #20 VW Rabbit. Hart and the entire 4 ~ Hart Motorsports team wish Sergio and his entire team congratulations on their third victory of the season.

 

Hart went on to say “My sponsor, Instant Imprints in San Antonio, and the 4 ~ Hart Motorsports team again put together t-shirts that were given away to the fans tonight, as a way to say thanks to them. This weekend, just like we did at OktoberFast, we did it a little differently than we had all year. We handed the shirts out to the fans in the pits as a way to say thanks.” Additionally, Hart presented a shirt to each of the TPS race officials at the last race of the season at Thunder Hill Raceway on October 28th on behalf of Instant Imprints and 4~Hart Motorsports.

 

The #19 Instant Imprints Honda CRX driver also said, “I have to thank God for a safe race. Also, thanks to my fantastic primary sponsor, Instant Imprints. You are great to work with and our entire team is proud to be able to represent you. Instant Imprints has also sponsored each of the TPS races this year, and we thank you for that as well. Thanks to all of TPS for putting on such a great race, and to Thunder Hill Raceway for hosting our races this year. I also have to say special thanks to my Crew Chief Jack, and all of my Crew including Joe, Karla, Greg, Samantha, Kathy, and Jonathan, and also to all of my family for their unending support of my racing!”

 

Texas ProSedans has now concluded their 31st consecutive season. They will begin their 32nd season in 2007 season at San Antonio Speedway in San Antonio, Texas on March 3rd, 2007. Also appearing at San Antonio Speedway’s 2007 stock car racing season opener will be the ASA Late Model Series (ASALMS) Challenge Division Presented by GM Performance Parts.

 

 

4~Hart Motorsports is sponsored by Instant Imprints of San Antonio. Information about 4~Hart Motorsports and more information about our sponsors can be found at www.4hartmotorsports.com.

 

Information about Texas ProSedans can be found at www.texasprosedans.com

[HiTech]

we had some bad luck this year as a few others did .but if there was a trophie for a team never giveing up and week end and week out fighting to finish every race and just to show up to even start . it would belong to hart raceing . hot motor all year was enough to drive anyone nuts .but cool heads on yahs shoulders speaks alot aboult the quality of the team you guys have . and yah never took the negatives out on anyone else . eventhow your and your sponsors did not get a checkerd flag this year . you guys are still winners . ill give hart raceing two thumbs up . lol now where is my t shirt .lololololololololololololol. btw this is not a pre.approved and paid for a slap on the back from hart raceing .lol

[Hartracn19]

Thanks OldTimer!! It was a frustating year, to say the least. All of 4~Hart Motorsports appriciates your kind words. We will have to see what we can do on the T-shirt for you...

[HiTech]

they dont make them my size. years like you had would make alot of poeple hang it up ..