@PrimeTimeStade CHESLEY, ON- When Josh Stade’s family-owned No. 17 rolls through the gates of Sauble Speedway this afternoon, he will once again do so as the Ltd. Late Model division points leader. The second-generation star has controlled the championship standings for the entirety of 2015’s second half and now, with only two events remaining this season, is ever closer to solidifying his first career Sauble championship.
“This feeling is what I’ve been working towards my entire career,” explains an enthusiastic Stade when asked about his pre-race mindset. “From the very first time I strapped into a Late Model I’ve wanted to win a championship here. We’re so close now. I would do anything to hold onto the point lead”
“I’ve heard all the stories about my Dad racing at Sauble and winning championships,” adds Stade. “For me to be able to add my own story to that history is everything I’ve ever wanted”
The Chesley, ON driver knows there is little room for error entering this evening’s event, with multi-time Sauble champion Jason Parker trailing by only 2-points in the division standings. But also knows that now is not the time to implement an overly-cautious strategy.
“We’re walking a tightrope right now,” says ‘Primetime’. “We have to stay aggressive and get up on the wheel if we want to get to the front of the field, but we have to be sure not to slip up and do something that will hurt us in the end. We’re taking things one lap at a time”
Perhaps the most instrumental change to Stade’s overall program was the addition of fabrication expert and chassis guru Brian MacDonald in 2014.
“Brian has been such an incredible addition to our team. The amount of experience he brings is unparalleled,” smiles Stade.
“He’s been through all of this before. So being able to fall back on him or bounce ideas off of him is a luxury I’ve never had,” adds Stade. “He’s been a game changer, without question”
“With everything we have working together right now, we know that we’re operating at our absolute best every time we roll through the gates”
As the team works to perform their final preparations ahead of tonight’s event, Stade explains just how much he hopes to reward his volunteer crew.
“These guys work their hearts out for me, and I can’t thank of any better way to reward them than with a track championship,” says the up-and-comer. “We’re operating with a level of confidence that we’ve never had before. Now it’s just up to me to be as close to perfect as possible. We have the absolute best program I could ever have asked for, and we’re so close to our goal.”
Visit www.SaubleSpeedway.ca for information on tonight’s penultimate event of the 2015 Sauble Speedway season.
Josh Stade’s 2015 season is powered by Upper Canada Title, FLO Enterprises, Nicol Insurance, Barclay Wholesale, Jim Cavil Fuels, MEI Paving, Bruce Service Sales and Rentals, APC and Kunkel Bus Lines.
To learn more about ‘Prime Time’ Josh Stade, visit the Stade Motorsports page on Facebook and follow Josh on Twitter @PrimeTimeStade.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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