BOWMANVILLE, ON- Two months since debuting his brand new Port City by McHattie chassis at Peterborough Speedway, former Ltd. Late Model champion Bryan Sudsbury continues to improve on his brand new program. The fan favourite has had a number of close calls this season, and continues to flirt with his first win of 2015 on a seemingly weekly basis at the challenging 1/3 mile oval.
“Sorting this stuff out and finding a setup combination that works is all part of the game,” grins Sudsbury when asked about his weekly brainstorming sessions with Dan McHattie Racecars founder Dan McHattie and GTA Racing Design owner Graham Annis. “I think, when we get frustrated with ourselves, we’re forgetting that we’re essentially starting this program from the ground up all over again. Everything we’re doing now is completely different from what we were doing when we won the championship in 2012. It’s a whole new ball game these days”
‘Party Time’ admits that, beneath his joyous demeanor, lies an indefatigable will to win that at times can cause conflict within his passionate, dedicated, family-run operation.
“I’m brutal for putting too much pressure on myself,” shrugs the 25-year old. “At least once a week I have to just take a moment and breath and realize that we’re making gains on this car even when it seems like we aren’t. I just want to get to victory lane more than anything else on the planet – and sometimes the process of getting there is enough to frustrate the hell out of you”
“These guys are just as crazy and driven as I am,” adds Sudsbury panning around the Hampton, ON race shop that houses his family No. 29. “We motivate one another. We all want this to work. So, when things aren’t going the way we want them to, sometimes we all get a little riled up”
But, even in those moments, when the adversity seems insurmountable, Sudsbury insists that the team’s primary focus needs to be on enjoying themselves.
“You have to remind yourself to enjoy it from beginning to end,” opines the young veteran. “It’s not just about parking under the flagstand and going across the scales after grabbing the trophy. There are hours and hours of work and research and practice that go into all of this before that can happen. And it’s important to have fun doing all of that. Because, otherwise, this all just starts to feel like a job”
“I mean, if I told someone outside of this sport that I went out and spent all this money on a new program just to frustrate myself week in and week out, they would think that I was mentally ill,” adds Sudsbury with his trademark laugh. “Dan, Graham and myself have been working nonstop to boost this program up. We’re going to get this car to victory lane eventually. We’re working way too hard not to”
“But, for now, I have no problem at all taking solace in the fact that these nights I’ve spent in the shop with these guys has been some of the most fun I’ve ever had. Those are the important moments.”
Sudsbury will be back in action this Saturday, July 25th at Peterborough Speedway’s ‘Mid Summer Bash’. Details, including gate times and ticker prices, can be found at www.PeterboroughSpeedway.com.
Fans can follow ‘Party Time’ on Twitter @SudsburyRacing or on Facebook via the brand new Bryan Sudsbury Racing page.
Sudsbury’s Port City by McHattie entry carries sponsorship from Deighton Design, Alma Mechanical, Darrel’s Die Casts, RVL Masonry, Deighton, Cochrane Automotive, Great Canadian RV, Flash Fire Coatings, RB Blast Services Inc. and Castrol.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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