A mid-season shift in the Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model schedule is bringing PASS to Seekonk Speedway a month earlier than expected, taking place as the centerpiece of the Massachusetts bullring’s racing card for this Saturday night. While the PASS stars continue their 2022 campaign, Seekonk’s weekly Pro Stock racers have two choices.
First, is to take a break for a week with no track or NASCAR points on the line. The second, tweak their Pro Stocks to PASS Super Late Model spec and defend home asphalt. Not surprisingly, eight-time Seekonk Pro Stock champion David Darling is one of the Seekonk drivers taking on the challenge.
Throughout the week, the No. 52 team has worked to make the adjustments to their racecar in order to go and take on the PASS field for 150 laps.
“It’s going to be different from what we run weekly so we’ll see how we make out, we only run bump-stops a couple of times year. So it’s a bit of an adjustment for us, we have no ride-height rule without the bump-stops. We also run more weight than PASS does, you run more weight if you run with lockers weekly,” Darling explained.
Darling has won once at Seekonk in PASS competition, but that last came in 2010. The biggest adjustment he is facing is running on Hoosier tires.
“Cars with bump-stops drive a little bit better than the weekly stuff, but you’re racing against guys that run 150 laps 18 times a year, and on different rubber. PASS has the Hoosier tires, we run American Racer weekly at Seekonk. I’m kind of an odd guy out when it comes to that, just that I don’t race on Hoosiers often. We’ll look to do our best, get into the Top 5, and see if we can’t go a bit higher.”
Almost two months into the racing season, Darling is still searching for his first victory with his fellow Seekonk regulars showing their speed on Saturday nights. He is leading the track point standings, although it is not something he is particularly worried about.
“I have no idea. I haven’t been paying attention too much, but I’ve never really. Just let the wins take care of the points. We’ve had speed. We’ve been finishing races, but we seem to be getting body damage which can carry over into next week. We’re still looking for that first win, but it’ll come. Guys have stepped up this year and are a lot quicker. Plus you got to have everything fall your way in some races too.”
The biggest challenge that Darling and his fellow competitors have faced this year has been the ongoing tire shortage. But, with PASS having enough tires allotted for each race, Darling will not be on old rubber for the 150-lap feature.
“Racing every week has been a challenge, it never gets any easier. Plus we’ve had the tire shortage limit how many each team can buy a week. So, you’re running races on some pretty old tires, but everyone is in the same box weekly. It makes it even more challenging. For this week, we’ll be able to buy four tires, bolt them on, and race for the 150 laps, so that’s one less thing to worry about.”
See the PASS Seekonk 150 this Saturday, June 25 at around 7:30pm ET live on RacingAmerica.TV.