Hudak running 'Deuces Wild' season so far in TSRS

[NickHolt]

For release: April 25, 2003

Contact: Chuck Licata, (512) 736-8230

 

Hudak running 'Deuces Wild' season so far in TSRS

 

Two is definitely the tell-tale number for Brad Hudak of Kingwood during the inaugural run of the Texas Super Racing Series. The series is two races old, and Hudak and his #04 race team has logged two (count them - one, two) second-place finishes.

 

"I don't mind finishing second," chuckled Hudak. "In fact, I'd taking second-place finishes the rest of the season, no problem. It certainly would put me right in the thick of the points championship race, wouldn't it?"

 

Yes, it probably would.

 

Technically, Hudak (a native of Akron, Ohio) finished third in the first race at Houston Speedway on March 22nd, but the actual second-place finisher was disqualified, moving Hudak up the runner-up position. It was a good finish for Hudak and his crew (Ralph Chavez, crew chief; Troy Davila, Eric and Andrew Powell).

 

"I was very nervous because it was the first race of the season," Hudak stated. "We didn't feel overly confident, but I have an excellent crew working with me. My crew is half of what makes things happen. That race was fun, getting back in the grove. It was also very special running in Houston at my hometown track. After running for three years at Thunder Hill Raceway (in Kyle), we wanted to have a good performance in front of the hometown crowd."

 

Hudak, who will be 39 on July 13, followed Jeff Pollard across the finish line at the series' second race, April 5 at Thunder Hill. However, the result is that both Hudak is tied with Pollard for the TSRS points lead (both drivers have 190 points apiece).

 

"JP (Jeff Pollard) scored the most points possible at the Austin race, because he won both the heat race and the feature race," Hudak recalled. "I finished second to him in both races. The feature race seemed like a very clean race. I remember coming three-wide coming out of turn four about 25 laps into the race. That told me we were for quite a ride.

 

Hudak continued, "We came up on lapped traffic at that point, and everyone involved drove clean. It was a little hairy, but it was fun and - more importantly - it was clean. JP and his crew just had a better car than we did that night. It was their night."

 

Hudak has close ties with Pollard (who hails from Houston), as well as Mike Yale (also from Houston).

 

"We're all big fans of (NASCAR) Winston Cup racing," Hudak revealed. "One day we were watching the Cup race on TV, and in the spirit of things, we made a pact to start racing. The very next season, Mike and I first started running (in the) Street Stock (class) at Houston (Speedway). JP got running in Street Stocks the following season."

 

That was in 1995, the same year that Hudak married Karen, his wife. "That was a banner year for me - to get married and to start racing in the same year," Hudak said.

 

Despite the fact that Houston's "Three Amigos" are all sitting atop the points standings (Hudak and Pollard are tied for first, while Yale is third with 165 points), Hudak refuses to look at the series as a "territorial" competition.

 

"I don't think there is (an underlying current of Houston drivers versus the other drivers)," Hudak said. "There's a great understanding in this series between all the drivers. Every driver out there is looking to run clean races. We all lend each other car parts in the pits, and we're happy to help each other with anything - car setup, whatever. To me, (this series) is all about running a good race and having fun."

 

Maybe it's appropriate that the Houston trio is so close together in the standings, as they hooked up to start a postseason race at Houston Speedway called the "Space City 125."

 

"We all combined forces to create the Space City 125, which runs the first weekend in October," Hudak explalined. "Mike, JP and I came up with the race last year, we put it together and we raised sponsorship dollars. At the moment, we're looking for sponsors for this year's race. We're just looking to have a fun race for both the drivers and the fans. It was a great event last year all the way around and we hope to continue that this year."

 

The next TSRS race will take place May 3 at San Antonio Speedway. Information on the series can be found at www.manracingpromotions.com.