On a busy night for 19 year-old dirt racer Kyle Heckman, he drove his Milton Motorsports #27 East vs. West Super Street to a repeat-win in the 16th-annual Danny Simkins Memorial event at Santa Maria Speedway this past Sunday, a race in which he won in 2008. Concurrently for the night, Heckman qualified the #57 Super Late Model into the West Coast Shootout Late Models feature for the Beattie Motors team, and posted an 11th place finish in the main event.
For the Super Street, the night started out on the wrong foot, as Heckman drew 22nd qualifying position out of 23 cars. Taking the track at the end of the session, on a track losing moisture, Kyle was able to qualify the #27 solidly in the 3rd position. Starting on pole for the third heat race, Heckman got out front right out of the gate and went on to a demanding victory. As a result of his 3rd place qualifying time, Heckman qualified for the four car trophy dash, and started outside-pole. After a bad jump off of the line, Heckman worked the outside lane for the first lap and was able to power past the leader. Settling in out front, Heckman took four-lap $100 Fast Dash. When the pole-setter picked a nine-inversion, it meant that Kyle would have to start in the 7th position for the 68-lap feature. Wasting no time, Heckman used the bottom groove to make a couple of quick passes and start his charge to the front. After a series of cautions early on, Kyle worked his way into the top three. It was under a caution around lap 15 that it became known that Heckman’s RR shock and worked its way loose and fallen off. Still, Heckman fought off a changing car, and continued to size up the leaders. He realized it was going to take a different line to continue his quest to the lead as the front two competitors occupied the bottom lane. Working the cushion, Heckman planted the #27 car right on the wall on both ends of the racetrack, and was able keep his momentum up and get great runs on the exits of each corner. After sailing it in up high, rim-riding for multiple laps, he battled side-by-side and Heckman looked to finally have the lead, and a bobble by the former leader on the bottom-lane secured Kyle’s place out front. Taking the lead around the halfway point of the 68-lap feature, Heckman never looked back, and went on to win his second race of the season, his first being the Bottoms Up 100 presented by MMI Services and Dole Enterprises at Bakersfield Speedway.
On the Late Model side, Heckman qualified the Beattie Motors entry in the 8th position in a talented field. Starting and finishing 4th in his heat race, Kyle qualified the #57 into the West Coast Shootout Late Model feature. On a tacky and fast racetrack for the main event, Heckman started in the 11th position. After moving up as high as 7th, some mid-race contact rattled Heckman, and sent him to the 11th position where he would later finish after the 30-lap main event.
Says Heckman on the event, “Overall, the night was great for us. The Super Street was awesome all night, and although we had the mishap with the right rear shock, we were able to overcome it and still get the job done when it counted. The Late Model continued to be a learning curve, and we got the car working well in the main and I felt I did all I could do under the conditions. It was definitely fun doing the double-duty and I have to thank both crews for working around me to make it happen.”
Kyle would like to thank Milton Motorsports and Beattie Motors for allowing him to drive their racecars, Alpinestars USA, Olson’s Machine, Alpine Refrigeration, Five Star Grafix, T9, Rick’s Tree Service and his family for the support.
To learn more about Kyle and his racing, visit www.kyleheckmanracing.com.
