Dilbeck Trades GM Hat for Helmet at Cordele

For at least one more day, Chris Dilbeck is un-retired, swapping the Serck Motorsport USA general manager hat for a racing helmet again,.

Mostly, because you know he will be available for questions about the company’s radiator and cooling services right up until the green flag if you need him. Between that and working with Hudson Bulger and various other young drivers on their Legend Car program, Dilbeck is a pretty busy guy these days.

It’s a good problem to have.

"Good problems to have at least every problem be a racing related problem," Dilbeck said with a laugh.

His problems on Saturday night will revolve around getting a Super Late Model to turn and drive off the corners, problems he used to solve for clients as PFC Brakes Motorsports Director before assuming his current post at Serck USA.

This time, he will attempt to solve those problems for a car he is taking to his first Super Late Model start since 2019 and his first Southern Super Series appearance since winning the pole for this Georgia Summer Nationals the year prior.

He won the pole for that race and hopes to make it to the end this time after failing to make it to the finish. He’s referred to the race as unfinished business even if he hopes this isn’t the last time he gets to race.

Every start is precious.

"It really depends on work, my day job and Legends racing with Hudson, but I hope to race every chance I get," Dilbeck said.

This start comes in the car owned by Byron Powersports president Tom Bulger, Hudson’s dad, and no doubt the intended next step in the 14-year-old’s development path with Dilbeck’s tutelage.

"It used to be the Beard Oil, 62 Cup team's car that Lee Tissot took to the Derby," Dilbeck said. "It's basically their family car and they asked me if I wanted to come here and drive it and I'm not going to say no to a Super Late Model race any time I'm given the chance to drive."

This is one of Dilbeck's home tracks, and really his last remaining home track, with every other pavement track in Georgia shuttered at the moment. He has more laps at Cordele than any other track and believes that will give him a chance to contend for at least a top-five on Saturday.

"We've been able to do a lot of testing with their Late Models so getting that seat time has helped me get that feel back," Dilbeck said. "And of course, working with Cody Hall and some of these other kinds that we go Late Model racing with, and hammering the kind of things home that will help them, actually helps me too. It helps me stay fresh and prepared for when we get a chance like this to come race.

"We’ve got to work on our qualifying but this is a really good car, even if it has a rusty driver."

The car is equipped with a Hamner Spec Engine but Dilbeck concedes, with a bit of a plug for his bosses, one thing his ride for Saturday doesn't have yet.

"Obviously everybody comes here to win, but if we could run top three against these guys, that’s a really good day," Dilbeck said. "Obviously, Bubba is going to be good tomorrow and Corey (Heim) is really good here.

"But Corey has a bit of an unfair advantage. He has a Serck Motorsports serviced radiator in the car, so I’m convinced that’s why he’s a little better than us. We don’t have one in here yet, but we’re going to get on that."

Again, he’ll be wearing that Serck Motorsports USA hat right up until green flag if you need him.