Heat 200 have had success together since it all began in 2008. A race definitely circled on Falk’s calendar, the Langley Speedway superstar could easily be the most eager driver to get strapped in his car and go racing. Why not? His worst finish in this prestigious event is fourth and he’s won the race twice. In last year’s Hampton Heat 200, Falk finished second and it was one that Falk would love to have back to race again. After being blacked flag for rough driving on a restart and sent to start in the rear, Falk may have let one slip away that night.
CE Falk clearly was one of the fastest cars that day and, as mentioned before, regrouped and finished second. But this race date couldn’t have come at a better time as some believe Falk is struggling right now. In recent weeks, there has been no secret that he has indeed struggled at qualifying, but arguably he can’t be struggling but so much as CE Falk enters this event, leading with six wins at the track and a 46 point lead in the series standings. Other than one bad night in 2013, Falk otherwise hasn’t finished a race outside the top five all year long. But the three-time Langley Speedway champion knows winning is everything and this race has been very good to him.
I asked CE Falk about just how he plans to race and make his way back to Victory Lane.
“It’s going to be a whole new approach and I hope everyone is going to be ready for it. A lot of the races this year have been flat out from the drop of the green, with all the cautions, everybody has been going for it every lap”, Falk said. “This race, we all need to just survive. This year you might see somebody new take the lead that you might be surprised while the faster cars may have to wait. We’re going to have to run the same four tires for 200 laps and with the tires here, it’s going to be a mixed bag for sure”.
Next we talked about setting the pace for this race, how hard to go or to save the tires allowing the field to stay bunched up?
“I don’t plan on seeing the leader or the top 3 guys riding around the way they did at South Boston for their Fourth of July race because we haven't talked about any kind of an invert here,” Falk explained. “At least we’re racing for real as opposed to trying to race for an invert which I hope they don’t do. I think you’ll see the top three guys get away, where the guy in fourth or the guy in third kind of just hangs back because he’s in a good spot for the cone when the caution comes out. It’s a deal at that point. Cautions are going to breed cautions but other than that, for the most part, the Hampton Heat is relatively calm. Everybody knows its 200 laps to go and the race is not over on lap 10. But the first part in the race is all about what your car needs for the second half. You don’t get any tires and so you’re stuck with those four tires all night. Whoever makes the right adjustments at the halfway is going to be the race winner.”
We then got around to talking about whether or not $10,000 for winning is a helpful motivator for this race.
“Yeah it is,” Falk stated. “It motivates us all week, that’s why they give you an extra week to prepare for it. I mean, we’re up late now trying to get ready, not that it’s anything different but because it is the Hampton Heat. You have to make sure everything is perfect, make sure all the maintenance is ready and you make sure your bringing your best bullet.”
No doubt for CE Falk and his race team, preparation at the shop is key to Falk’s race winning formula. Factor this races ten grand and for the competition, you don’t want these guys motivated anymore then what they already are.
My last question for CE Falk, since he hasn’t been to Victory Lane since June 8 was just what it would mean for him and his race team to win the Hampton Heat 200.
“We need it, we need some wins,” Falk remarked. “We haven't had a whole lot going on in the past month. So yeah, we need it and were going after it for sure. It’s a race that’s been good to us. You know, we've won it twice, finished second twice and had another top five finish in the other. We have a lot of great notes on what to do at the halfway and things like that so it’s a good race for us. That ten thousand dollar pay day, that sure does help a lot.”
A race team’s past success has always been solid ground in picking a race winner and CE Falk has got it. Falk is the race’s only two time winner. It’s fair to say that race fans’ eyes should be on the #40 car for this Hampton Heat 200. If this driver and his hot rod get to lead in clean air, I don’t expect Falk to give it up. CE Falk and his race team want to win that bad and they’ve got a piece that can do it too.
CE Falk is sponsored by Hampton Roads Toyota Dealers, Racing Electronics, VonZipper Sunglasses, Eibach Springs, Clarks Automotive, WP Racing Shocks and Gale Force.
RACE22.com will have Live Coverage of the Hampton Heat 200 on Saturday.
Article Credit: Race22.com