Simala leading pack in Racing Series
Yuma veteran ahead by 22 in points, primed for elusive title run
Brett Simala should be a four-time racing champion by now.
But so far the dirt track racing veteran from Yuma has only one big trophy to show for his efforts, and that’s the one he won 20 years ago, when Simala was 17 years old, just starting his racing career and the track he now calls home was known as Yuma Speedway.
Since then, three other Cocopah Speedway Racing Series championships have eluded Simala, but it has not been for a lack of trying or winning. Make no mistake about it, Simala knows how to win.
During the 2011-2012 racing season at what is now Cocopah Speedway, Simala won a series best seven feature events in the Pro-Stock Division, and finished second in the title hunt. In contrast, the champion that year, Travis Dove, did not win a feature event.
The difference? Simala missed the first race of the season.
In 2013, Simala seemed destined to win the ProStock crown, again with a series best eight feature event victories. But losing his temper during a race in September that season resulted in a disqualification that night – in a feature event he had won – and he had to settle for second place, again.
And in 2014, the last season the track featured the Pro-Stock Division, Simala was a scant three points behind the division point leader in April and on a roll, having won two feature events. But thinking there would not be a race on Easter weekend that season, he and his fiancé scheduled their wedding date for that weekend. Unfortunately, there was a race the weekend, which Simala missed. He went on to win six feature events and finish second once more.
This season, in the 2017 Cocopah Speedway Racing Series, Simala is yet to win a feature event in the IMCA Modified Division, but he finds himself leading the pack as the series gears up for Round 5 Saturday night.
Simala will roll out onto the track with a series-best 137 points, 22 better than his nearest challenger, Marlyn Seidler, from Underwood, N.D.
For all intents an purposes, the championship, even with 14 rounds to go, belongs to Simala, barring any déjà vu episodes.
“Yes, I have not had much success recently with championships,” said Simala. “But one thing (the 2013 season) taught me for sure, is if you’re second in points, don’t give up until after the last race. The guy in first could lose his cool and hand the championship to you.
“I’m pretty sure that won’t be me again though.”
What Simala would like to see happen is a return to his winning ways. So far, in three years in the IMCA Modified Division, he is yet to win a feature event, which, looking at his career statistics, is out of character for him.
“It has been a big learning curve,” he said, talking about making the switch from the Pro-Stock, fullbodied dirt car, to the Modified.
“I was thinking driving Modifieds would be closer to driving a Late Model more than anything else I have driven. It is actually pretty far from it. I am still trying to perfect the driving part, but I don’t think you can ever stop working