Racer wants to become triple threat
There’s a simple reason driver Brent Begolo didn’t leave Saturday night’s award banquet with track championships in 358 Modified, Hoosier Stock, Mini Stock and Pure Stock V6.
He just hasn’t raced in them, at least not yet.
That could change as early as next season. Begolo, the dirt track’s 2018 driver of the year after pacing both the Sportsman and Mod Lite divisions in points, is thinking about adding competing 358 Modified division to his remarkable racing resume.
Begolo was thinking about moving up to the speedway’s premier class, even before he won a 358 Modified engine in a raffle at the banquet held at Club Castropignano in Port Robinson. He’s already discussed becoming a triple threat with speedway owner Don Spiece.
“I think after the accomplishments in the past couple of years, it would be a good way to challenge myself,” said Begolo, a sales and hydraulic technician at Seaway Fluid Power in St. Catharines.
“It would a good challenge and a nice bar to set for 2019 doing all three.”
Begolo, who collected seven checkered flag defending his Mod Lite championship and won three features on the way to his first
Sportsman title, was most thrilled about doing home with driver of the year honours.
“Driver of the year is the one I’ve had my eye on for a while,” he said. “I knew I had to do something special to get it, and doing the two divisions the same night, and winning both the titles, I knew I had a pretty good shot.”
Dirt track racing is in the 28year-old Thorold native’s DNA. His father Jim and grandfather Jeno are inducted into the Merrittville Speedway Wall of Fame.
This was Begolo’s second year racing in Mod Lite and fifth in Sportsman at his hometown track
“Transitioning from car to car
has gone smooth,” he said. “I’m just really happy and excited about both team performances, and I’m looking forward to
2019.”
Competing in two racing classes — especially Sportsman and Mod Lite — involves more than jumping from one ride to the other. A lot more.
“They’re two totally different animals,” he explained. “They will want to drive different, so you have to remember what car likes to do what and how each reacts to certain things.
“You have to stay focused and keep in mind what’s going on.”
Begolo works with different pit crews. While the No. 16 Sportsman is a family-owned car, the No. 16 Mod Lite is owned and maintained by Josh Sliter Racing.
Begolo may notice something about track conditions racing in the Mod Lite feature, but his Sportsman has already been set up by then.
“That car is already ready to go before I go in the Mod Lite,” he said. “Any changes I would make, or would like to make, they’ve already been done.”
A Hoosier Stock feature, 20 laps on most Saturday night programs, is sandwiched between the 15-lap Mod Lite main event and the 25-lap Sportsman feature. However, Begolo has yet to take in any of the Hoosier Stock action since he started doing double duty.
“That’s far to say, I’ve never seen a Hoosier Stock feature,” he said with a chuckle. “I have to go right from the Mod Lite into the Sportsman car and get in line.”
“It’s not right away and back out — there’s a three- to fourminute break — but it’s pretty well go from one car to the other.”
Begolo doesn’t play favourites when it comes to pacing the field in a feature race. He said winning a Mod Lite feature as a hired hand and a Sportsman race in his own car are “both fun and both rewarding.”
“I’m a race car driver,” he said. “Whatever I’m in, I want to win in it, no matter who owns it or what’s on the side of it.
“I’m just out there to win.” Begolo, who was honoured as most improved driver in 2016, was surprised that he won the award this year as well.
“I feel like it should be a new guy every year, just to spread things out.”
358 Modified points champion Mat Williamson of St. Catharines, who led all drivers this year with 10 victories, was named
‘‘ “I’m a race car driver. Whatever I’m in, I want to win in it, no matter who owns it or what’s on the side of it.” BRENT BEGOLO Merrittville Speedway 2018 Driver of the Year
Merrittville Speedway’s performer of the year. In 2018 Brent Begolo (16) raced to his second Merrittville Speedway Mod Lite points title in a row.