KINCARDINE, ON- Knee deep in what may be his most mentally trying season to date, Sauble Speedway Thunder Car rookie Kevin Bridge is unwilling to slow down. Instead, Bridge is ready to return to competition tomorrow night with hopes of turning his 2015 campaign around in time for a late-Summer push.
“When you’re in a slump, like we are, you have to believe every time you unload that your bad luck is behind you,” explains the former Mini Stock standout. “Because, if not, you might as well just stay home. You can’t show up expecting to have a bad night. If you do, you’ll be right every single time. I think there are a lot of guys out here that underestimate the difference that a positive attitude can make”
The Kincardine, ON driver was a multi-time feature winner in the speedway’s entry level Mini Stock division, before electing to move to the perennially competitive Thunder Car division in 2015.
“I just look at it as though we’re paying our dues,” shrugs Bridge. “We’ve gone through weeks like this in the Mini Stock, too. Bad luck isn’t exactly a foreign concept to us. If you want your turn at the top of the podium, you have to be prepared to work through those nights that make you want to pull your hair out. It’s a two-way street”
“We’ve told ourselves all year long that we’re in this for the long haul,” continues the likeable freshman. “Even with the issues we’ve worked through, we’ve learned a ton. No matter how the rest of this season plays out, we know that we’ll be coming back in 2016 with a notebook that’s a lot thicker than what it was on opening night 2015”
Despite his run of poor fortune, Bridge insists his focus and dedication remain unchanged, as he looks to the future whilst preparing for his August 8th return.
“When I set my mind to something, I give it 100% effort,” says Bridge. “So it doesn’t matter how rough of a night we’re coming off of, I’m going to hit the ‘reset’ button in my head as soon as we roll through the pit gates on Saturday afternoon, and start all over again. We’re working way too hard on this program to not figure it out. We’re going to get a handle on this car – and once we do, I know things are going to take off”
“We’re going to win a lot of races in this car,” adds the first-generation racer with a grin. “But, right now, we just have to take our lumps and work through it. Because we know that it’ll be worth it in the end.”
Kevin Bridge’s 2015 season is powered by LiUNA, Huronview Insurance, Spira Fire Protection, DK Daniel Kelly Custom Woodworking, Castrol, Saugeen Shores Transmission, ImageWraps.ca, EPIC Racewear, Bridgehaven Angus, Gilcrest Speed & Custom, Walt Fabrication, NGK Spark Plugs, DEI and Permatex.
Fans can keep up with Kevin and the team all season long by visiting the official Kevin Bridge Racing page on Facebook, and by following @BridgeRacing on Twitter.
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