Archive for month: May, 2021

Racing is no different than anything else in life.  You must always keep learning to keep moving forward.  In his rookie campaign with the All Star Circuit of Champions, Kyle Reinhardt and his team are being reminded of that on a regular basis.  Some lessons are fun to learn, others…not so much.  Regardless, the Neptune City native is eager to learn, improve and achieve consistent success. 

Circle City Raceway: Indianapolis, IN

     (5/20:  Qualifying 30th/6th in group, Heat 4th, A-main 9th)

The 2021 All Star Indiana Swing kicked off at Circle City Raceway, a brand new facility just outside Indianapolis.  Given the importance of time trials, night one of the four-race series in the Hoosier State didn’t get off to a great start for Kyle Reinhardt.  He registered the 30th quickest lap of 31 entries.  The time placed him 6th in his group, which meant he would need to advance at least one spot in his heat race to lock directly into the A-main.  Reinhardt was able to do one better, working his way into 4th place by the time the checkered flag waved on qualifying.

After starting deep in the field in 17th and only gaining a couple positions by the halfway point, Reinhardt showed his never-give-up attitude by running his best laps of the race and surging into the top 10 in the final 5 circuits.  It was a nice recovery and a positive ending to the night.  Reinhardt commented, “Took me a little bit but we got rolling late in the feature and made up some ground.”  

     (5/21: Qualifying 26th, Heat 9th,  A-main 20th)

Night two in Indianapolis saw 30 teams sign in for competition.  They found a heavier track waiting for them than Friday night had delivered.  Kyle Reinhardt and the Capitol Renegade team would find themselves working from behind after turning in the 26th quickest time under the clock.  Starting 9th in his heat race, Reinhardt found the team’s post-qualifying adjustments did not make the difference they needed to move forward.  He crossed the line in 9th, relegating him to the B-main.  

Unfortunately, Reinhardt’s 8th place start in the B-main turned into a 9th place finish.  The team elected to take their first provisional of the season to start 25th in the A-main.  By the halfway point, Kyle had made forward progress for the first time all night, moving up 7 spots to 18th.  As he was working a pass for 17th, two other competitors made contact, with one of them getting into Reinhardt.  While his Capitol Renegade No.91 never stopped, Kyle did lose a few positions and it became clear after the restart that the car was not the same and he was unable to regain the lost positions.  In the end, Reinhardt was credited with a 20th place finish.

Reinhardt put the team’s struggles thus far on the Indiana swing squarely on his own shoulders.  “I have got to get better at running time trial laps at the smaller places.  These places call for a different style than the smooth style that works on the bigger tracks.  It makes for a much tougher night when you don’t time well.“

Gas City I-69 Speedway:  Gas City, IN

     (Qualifying 22nd/2nd in group, Heat 7th,  A-main 18th)

The teams moved just over an hour north on Saturday to race at the Gas City quarter-mile oval.  Driver Kyle Reinhardt’s focus on his qualifying effort on the bull ring seemed to pay off a little.  He registered the 2nd quickest time in his group and 22nd overall of the 32 cars that went under the clock.  The effort provided him with the 3rd starting spot in his heat race, from which the top 5 would transfer directly to the night’s A-main, giving the All Star Rookie of the Year candidate good odds of making the show.

Just went things were looking a little brighter for the New Oxford, PA resident, the cars at the front of the heat race got together on the start, spinning and collecting Reinhardt, who had no way to avoid the pair.  He lined up 7th for the complete restart but was not able to recover the lost ground, ultimately finishing 7th in the heat race.  

Dealt a 7th starting spot in the B-main, Reinhardt was determined to get in the show.  He charged into a transfer spot by the finish of the 12-lap event to accomplish his goal.  He would start 24th in the A-main but they were in.  Racing from deep in the pack always has the added challenges of ‘dirty air’ and traffic, but it’s also possible to race into the top 10 from the back, as Reinhardt has already proven this season.  Although he did move forward in the feature event, the Capitol Renegade No.91 just wasn’t quite good enough on this night and Reinhardt settled for an 18th place finish.

Kokomo Speedway: Kokomo, IN

     (Qualifying 25th/7th in group, Heat 9th,  B-main 21st)

Not surprisingly, the $26,000 to win Indiana finale at Kokomo Speedway drew the highest car count of the 4-race series, with 42 teams signing in to take their shot at the big money.  Reinhardt recorded the 25th quickest lap overall on the banked, quarter-mile oval, but was in the bottom half of his group, which meant he would start 7th in heat number two.  With only 4 cars transferring to the A-main from each of 5 heat races, his work was cut out for him.  A spin on lap 2 after contact required him to restart at the back of the field and made the job even more difficult.  Following the setback, Kyle was unable to gain positions in the 8-lap heat race, which translated to a 21st starting spot in the B-main.  Unfortunately, he didn’t fare any better in the B-main.  Reinhardt was unable to make significant forward progress and did not transfer to the A-main. 

Following his first career Indiana swing, a somewhat frustrated but determined Kyle Reinhardt summarized it this way:  “We show speed at times but we are struggling with consistency.  We will find it.”  He concluded by once again referring to time trials as the key to improving their consistency, sharing “Next week we’re headed back to PA to race.  I’m excited to get back home to familiar turf.  Getting a good lap down will be key.”

RQM Motorsports would like to thank Capitol Renegade, Capitol Custom Coaches & Trailers, Champion Brands, Fibreworks Composites, Henry’s Wrecker Service, J&J Auto Racing, FK Rod Ends, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Kelly Racing Fuel, B.C. Walter Trucking, Arai Americas, Auto Meter, KSE Racing Products, InTech Trailers, Fel-Pro, Taylor Ignition Wires, Miller Welders, K&N Filters, Mettec, AL Driveline, Jesel Valvetrain, DMI, All-Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads, ISC Racers Tape, HMS Motorsports, Ultra Lite Brakes & Components, Rider Racing Engines, Saldana Racing Products and HP Engines for their support during the 2021 racing season.

UP NEXT:

Over the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, Kyle and the Capitol Renegade team will be back in action with the All Star Circuit of Champions in Pennsylvania.  Friday, May 28th will bring the series to Williams Grove Speedway for the $10,000 to win Davey Brown Tribute race, honoring the legendary mechanic.  The tour will then move on to Port Royal Speedway for the 2-day Bob Weikert Memorial on May 29-30, where the opener will pay $10,000 to win and the finale will pay a whopping $29,000 to win, in honor of the legendary car owner’s No.29.

It was a moment he believed he would have someday, but nobody could guarantee it.  You just need to have the opportunity and you need to put in the work, then maybe it’ll happen.  

Standing in victory lane in Joliet, IL with a broad smile on his face, Kyle Reinhardt thanked Wayne Quackenbush & Capitol Renegade, his parents & family, his girlfriend, Jeff McCall and everyone else who had helped him pursue his dream.  Collectively they are the reason he was able to give up a career as an engineer to be a full-time racer.  It’s a high risk, high reward choice.  Although there is good money that can be won in a race car, in this case the reward is also about achieving something you are passionate about.  Feeling that satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that stems from your lifelong vision.  Kyle’s is a fascinating story.  There’s no yellow brick road.  Just a trail of hard work, preparation and creating opportunities over the years.  

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  First we need to make a stop in Michigan.

I-96 Speedway: Odessa, MI (Qualifying 13th, Heat 2nd,  A-main 10th)

32 teams signed in to compete in the $8,500 to win Mace Thomas Classic on Friday night at the 4-tenths mile Michigan oval.  The format divided the field into 4 groups for time trials and heats.  Reinhardt was the 17th car to hit the track under the clock and he turned in the 13th quickest time overall, good for 4th in his group.

The qualifying effort placed him on the pole of heat three, from which he jumped out to a comfortable lead in the opening laps.  A caution with two laps complete bunched the field.  Second place Paul McMahan made the most of the restart opportunity, diving under Reinhardt and claiming the lead exiting turn 2.  While the Capitol Renegade No.91 was good, it wasn’t quite good enough to get back by McMahan.  Reinhardt settled for a runner-up finish that transferred him directly to the main event, but there was still a bit of disappointment.  A win would have provided a guaranteed top-10 starting spot in the A-main but more importantly, an opportunity in a dash to start even closer to the front of the field.  Instead, he would start the night’s main event in 12th.  

“Your whole night changes so much based on each position in qualifying and heats.  You have to be on your game all the time.“, Reinhardt commented.  

When the green flag waved on the main event, Reinhardt had his eyes set on a top-10, or maybe even a top-5, finish.  Before one lap could be completed, Reinhardt was already passing for 10th when he suddenly found himself facing the wrong direction on the back stretch when a competitor made contact with the front of his J&J Chassis.  The good news was there was no damage, but the bad news was Reinhardt would have to restart the event at the back of the field, in the 24th position.

Racing from the back of the field can be tough.  There’s a lot of traffic and ‘dirty air’ that can make passing difficult.  That appeared to be the case for Reinhardt over the first dozen laps.  He found himself still riding in 21st when the caution appeared on lap 12.  On this night though, Reinhardt’s car was up to the challenge.  As the remainder of the 30-lap race unfolded, Kyle made a charge, methodically working his way forward.  When the final caution of the event appeared on lap 19, he found himself in 15th.  It was more of the same when the green lights flashed back on for the final 11 laps.  Reinhardt continued his steady push forward, advancing another position every few laps.  It culminated with a pass for 10th on the final circuit.

While the official results listed Reinhardt as +2 (12th to 10th), in reality he had been +14 and had earned all but one of those positions by making passes under green flag conditions.  “We had a solid night going early.  We just missed the dash, but I knew we had a car capable of running in the top 10.  After the contact on lap one, I had to work a lot harder for it, but it feels good to know we have our speed back.  Earning a top 10 all the way from the back…I’ll take it for sure.“, Reinhardt shared, reflecting on the positive aspects of their night.

Dirt Oval at Route 66: Joliet, IL (Qualifying 3rd, Heat 4th,  Dash 1st, A-main 1st)

On Saturday, the tour made its way southwest along Lake Michigan to the half-mile just outside of Chicago.  28 teams were on hand to compete for the $8,000 winner’s share.  Under the format for 30 cars or less, all teams would qualify against the entire field, then be divided into three heats.

Reinhardt started the night strong, registering the 3rd quickest time in the field.  The top 4 were inverted for each heat race, giving the All Star Rookie of the Year candidate the 4th starting spot in heat three.  He held on to that spot in the 8-lap qualifying event to not only transfer to the A-main but, as the fastest qualifier in the heat, put himself in the dash redraw.

We’ve all heard the famous quote from a Roman philosopher: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”  For Reinhardt, opportunity knocked in the form of drawing the pole for the 6-lap dash, and he was prepared.  Starting alongside Cory Eliason, Kyle had the advantage in the opening turns.  Eliason was strong and took the top spot away to lead lap one.  Reinhardt wasn’t done.  He powered back under the Rudeen Racing No.26 of Eliason on lap 2.  Once back in front, Reinhardt would not be denied.  He pulled out to a convincing lead and claimed his first career All Star Circuit of Champions dash victory, and with it, the pole for the A-main.

The 25-lap feature event had trouble finding its rhythm.  Over the first 8 laps, there 5 cautions.  For Reinhardt that meant clean air to race in, but it also meant having to pick the right line and withstand challenges on each restart.  He was up to the task.  Each time, he managed the restart like a veteran and consistently put himself in position to open up a lead.  The race remained green between laps 10 and 20, allowing Reinhardt to reach lapped traffic.  His lead over Tyler Courtney would vary during that stretch.  It would balloon to almost 1.5 seconds, then shrink to nearly 0.5 seconds at times in traffic.  Reinhardt kept making the right decisions at the right times and kept himself just out of reach of “Sunshine”.  The final caution appeared with five laps remaining.  Sometimes a late caution is a bad thing.  It can give the second place car a final shot on a restart.  In this case, it seemed to be in Reinhardt’s favor.  With clear track ahead of him on the final restart, he bolted away from the field, capturing his first career All Star Circuit of Champions victory and the $8,000 check that came with it.  

A very happy Reinhardt shared his insight on the night.  “I think the dash was the turning point tonight for me.  We were fast all night but when I was able to get back by Cory (Eliason), I knew we had a car capable of winning.”  Turning his thoughts to the feature, he continued, “All the yellows at the start were tough.  We don’t have any spotters, so I just had to go with my gut and try to get a good start each time.  Once we got going, I wasn’t sure how close anyone was to me, but I knew I had to keep up a good pace.  That got tougher when we got to lapped traffic, but I just kept trying to put (lapped) cars between me and Tyler (Courtney).  When that last caution came out, I knew we would be alright in the clean air the rest of the way.“

RQM Motorsports would like to thank Capitol Renegade, Capitol Custom Coaches & Trailers, Champion Brands, Fibreworks Composites, Henry’s Wrecker Service, J&J Auto Racing, FK Rod Ends, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Kelly Racing Fuel, B.C. Walter Trucking, Arai Americas, Auto Meter, KSE Racing Products, InTech Trailers, Fel-Pro, Taylor Ignition Wires, Miller Welders, K&N Filters, Mettec, AL Driveline, Jesel Valvetrain, DMI, All-Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads, ISC Racers Tape, HMS Motorsports, Ultra Lite Brakes & Components, Rider Racing Engines, Saldana Racing Products and HP Engines for their support during the 2021 racing season.

UP NEXT:

Kyle and the RQM Enterprises, Capitol Renegade No.91 team remained in the Midwest following the Route 66 event to compete in four upcoming All Star Circuit of Champions events titled as the All Star Indiana Invasion presented by the Rayce Rudeen Foundation.  The series will spend two nights at Circle City Raceway in Indianapolis, IN on May 20th-21st, where the finale will pay $10,000 to the winner.  Teams will then travel to Gas City I-69 Speedway in Gas City, IN on May 22nd and finally will close out the swing with a $26,000 to win event at the Kokomo speedway in Kokomo, IN on May 23rd.