Hero to Heartbreak__ Mitchel Moles experienced it all at MHM

Sprint Car Insider – Driver Exclusive. FRESNO, Ca (September 25, 2018) – The 2018 Mark Hagopian Memorial didn’t go as well as Mitchel Moles had hoped, but he did walk away with his head held high after seeing the promise of his new direction.
You name it, Mitchel Moles went through it last weekend. From quick time in a brand new car, to blowing up an engine in hot laps, merely missing the transfer on night one, failing to make the final show, and contesting for one of the hardest fought wins of the weekend, the Mark Hagopian Memorial was an emotional rollercoaster for Moles to say the least.
“Yeah, definitely not my weekend,” said Moles.
But looking back the results may not support that statement as much as Moles may make it seem. Night number one for the 01 saw Moles prepares for double duty aboard cars of two different manufacturers. In the Non -Wing class he’d be running the pace chassis he become accustomed to and has had so much success in this year. In the wing class, however, he would become the first driver to make the conversion to Jerrod Huckleberry’s all-new TEN-J chassis.
After a solid week of late nights, early mornings, and Non-stop grinding the crew completed the car and had it ready to hit the track. Even on such short notice, Moles adapted throughout the night.
Friday night Moles pulled down the 17th quickest lap of the 35 super 600 car field while in the nonwing Pace he was 11th. Not to be taken for granted according to Moles and many others Friday depended a lot on the draw because the track resembled the Nile river early in the day.
On to heat Race action where he gathered some confidence with the nonwing heat win and a respectable 4th in Super 600.
The main events Friday proved to be where Moles began his ascent on the emotional rollercoaster.
He was battling with Tyler Smith, Dan Mognaga, and Brandon Carey all within the top 5. No one was catching TEN-J teammate Ben Worth on this night but the battle between these drivers was intense down to to the last lap. Coming out of the last corner Moles was given the business by Carey vying for the final podium spot as Tyler Smith went for the home run as well. It would be Moles and Smith coming out on the bad end of that deal. Smith came to a stop as Moles got it facing the right direction again and settled for 11th.
The nonwing class is Moles preference but this weekend the Super 600 class was where the money was. He would have to gather his emotions quickly as the battle to finish in the top 6 of the super 600 main would guarantee you a starting spot in the 50-lap finale Saturday night. At the end of 30 laps, he would have the wind taken from his sails once again.
Moles crossed the line 8th in Super 600 Friday night, narrowly missing the lock-in. According to Moles, he let that one slip away, as he ran inside the top 6 most of the race. He added the driver who eventually earned the last spot did what they had to do. Clearly disappointed he had to regroup and come back for night two.
Maintaining the theme of unpredictable occurrences Moles blew up the engine of the nonwing pace to start his night off.
So the crew decided to keep Moles in it by doing double duty in the all-new TEN-J.
“After seeing Ben dominate in the TEN-J last night I was a little less bummed about the pace,” said Moles. “The car does work really well for me and getting to run it in nonwing gave some excitement back after all that happened so far.”
But then the woes would continue.
On the very first lap of Super 600 qualifying, he found himself on the hook once again after breaking a torsion stop on the first lap. With such a stacked field the deck was stacked against him all night with the wing on.
Moles didn’t let that hinder his performance debuting the TEN-J in nonwing what so ever. Speaking to his even keel state of mind he was able to put all the trouble behind him and almost piece together a win against two of the best nonwing pilots in all the land.
The nonwing main would be the only Main for Moles on Saturday and boy did he make it count. He charged early holding Tyler Smith and Tristan Guardino at bay. For a good portion of the race, he was the fastest car on the track. But lapped traffic on night two was thicker than the Central Valley fog.
Eventual winner Tyler Smith was able to get around Moles but he didn’t get away. Moles kept him honest and even tried a new line actually on the fence, not next to it, but on it. He gave it everything he had and held his own and came home third.
“After all is said and done the TEN-J is really good,” said Moles. “It reacts just the way I want it. It’s fun to drive and works perfectly for me, so I know the best is yet to come.”
After a weekend of pinging the emotional spectrum Moles came away with a third-place finish behind Tyler Smith and Tristan Guardino. It wasn’t the win or $5,000 he was looking for but he can hang his hat on knowing the new piece underneath him fits him well.
Catch Mitchel Moles in action this next at –
- Budweiser Grand Prix/ Points Finale
- Lemoore Raceway – Lemoore, Ca
- Saturday, September 29, 2018
To follow the race be sure to follow: (track/series social)
- Facebook: @tzonepromotions –
- Instagram: @tzone_lre
- Twitter: @LemooreRaceway
Quick Results: Friday, September 21, 2018
2nd Annual Mark Hagopian Memorial
Keller Auto Raceway Plaza Park – Night One
Mitchel Moles (#01 Non-Wing 600) (#01 Super 600)
- Qualifying: (Non-Wing: 11thth) (Super 600: 17th)
- Heat Race: (Non-Wing: 1st) (Super 600: 4th)
- Main Event: (Non-Wing: 11th) (Super 600: 8th)
Quick Results: Saturday, September 22, 2018
2nd Annual Mark Hagopian Memorial
Keller Auto Raceway Plaza Park – Night two
- Qualifying: (Non-Wing: 1st) (Super 600: 29th)
- Heat Race: (Non-Wing: 2nd) (Super 600: 6th)
- Main Event: (Non-Wing: 3rd) (Super 600: DNQ)
Season Stats:
- Wins: 5
Make sure to follow Sprint Car Insider on Facebook, @SCI_uodates on twitter or visit our website – sprintcarInsider.co for or all of the updates on Mitchel Moles as he continues his assault on the 2018 campaign.
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Or Follow Mitchel Moles and his racing personally at
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Catch Mitchel Moles in action this next at –
- Budweiser Grand Prix/ Points Finale
- Lemoore Raceway – Lemoore, Ca
- Saturday, September 29, 2018
To follow the race be sure to follow: (track/series social)
- Facebook: @tzonepromotions –
- Instagram: @tzone_lre
- Twitter: @LemooreRaceway
On deck: (upcoming races)
- Budweiser Grand Prix
September 29, 2018
Lemoore Raceway
- King of California Rd. 15
October 5, 2018
Dixon Speedway
- King of California Rd, 16
October 6, 2018
Delta Speedway
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Make sure to follow Sprint Car Insider on Facebook, @SCI_updates on twitter or visit our website – sprintcarInsider.co for or all of the updates on our drivers as they continue their assault on the 2018 campaign
On the Horizon for Mitchel Moles:
2018 California Cup (Cal Cup)
October 12-13, 2018
Lemoore Raceway
Lemoore, CA
Turkey Bowl XVIII
October 26-27, 2018
Delta Speedway
Stockton, CA
35th Annual Tulsa Shootout
January 1-5, 2019
Tulsa Expo Center
Tulsa, Oklahoma
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