For Matt Harrell, racing is in his blood. His family has fielded dirt modified racecars, usually painted maroon, for forty years. The young man from Elmer has been racing since the young age of 5. In 2006, and at the age of 15, Matt began racing at Bridgeport Speedway on the quarter-mile speedway in the 270cc Micro-Sprint ranks.
He visited victory lane three times and wound up in eighth place in points. The next year, Harrell graduated to the big five-eighth mile oval and won the Rookie GM Sportsman championship.
In 2008, Harrell and his dad, Clint, decided to move up to the premier Big Block Modified class. Despite racing against more experienced drivers in a tougher division, he finished a very respectable 12th in the point standings and won the “Rookie of the Year” honor in the division.
“I had to learn how to feather the gas,” declared Harrell regarding his initial experience with a high horsepower engine.
Last season, Harrell had a breakout year with twelve top-fives, eight top-tens, and garnering fifth place in the title chase. Also, he walked away from the annual banquet with the “Most-improved Driver” award in the class.
During this year's opener on April 10, Harrell turned heads with a stout third-place finish against the best drivers in the area during the Tri-Track Big Block Modified Series race.
“We did get our motor refreshed during the off season and I have been studying up on my setups,” said Harrell about his strong early showing.
Besides racing on Saturdays, Harrell is a freshman Chemical Engineering student at Widener University. Being a busy student, he is quick to thank his Pop-Pop (Council), Dad and Jason Kincaid for all the help and support they provide during the week and at the track.
“We are looking for another top-five finish in the points and a couple of wins at Bridgeport,” stated Harrell about his next goals.
Notes:
Little League Night is up on deck for this Saturday at Bridgeport Speedway, which is located at exit 14 off Interstate 295 in Logan Township. All team managers will be admitted for free with a squad of at least seven players in uniform.
Grandstand admission for players older than 12 will be $8 with no charge for all kids 12 and under. Adult spectator tickets are priced at $20.
Big Block Modifieds, Crate Modifieds, Proformance Cuts Outlaw Stocks, Rookies and Garden State Vintage Stocks will be in action on this special night. Gates for fans will open at 4 p.m. with racing getting underway at 6 p.m.
After the rain washed out quarter mile racing last week, the 270cc and 600cc Micro-Sprints along with 4-Cylinder Stocks are geared up for this Friday night.
Grandstand gates open at 5:00 p.m. with the qualifying events starting at 7:30 p.m. Adult general admission is $10 with kids 12 and under admitted for free.
EMS/Fireman Night is slated for May 1. Mother's Day and Scout Night will be celebrated on May 8.
March 29th, 2008 1st Practice of the Season
4th fastest out on the track in Big Block Modifieds!
News From Turkey Chase Weekend-Bridgeport Speedway Saturday, November 10, 2007
For Immediate Release – Thank You
Contact: JJames27@aol.com
Elmer, NJ's #35 of Matt Harrell races from his 11th starting spot to win his 2nd of the year during the Saturday Night Turkey Chase weekend GM Sunoco Sportsman 20 lap feature event. This is 2 in a row after trying so hard all season announces Jeff Alhum as Harrell holds his checkered flag on the podium. "It was a lot of work, we put all we had into the car" replies Harrell "We used the same setup as our last win here" during the Night of Champions.
Chilly temperatures and overnight drizzle made for a super fast tacky track on the fast 5/8mile oval Saturday night.
The Crate 1 Sportsman Drivers were eager and ready for the drop of the green with the # 5L of Billy Klingmeyer on the pole and #31 of Casey Lynch on the outside. There were two first lap cautions and a false start before the feature ever got under way. On the first yellow for the start of the race, #0 of Brett Ballard hits the front stretch wall exiting turn 2 avoiding two spinning drivers which ends Ballard’s night early. On the restart a 4 car tangle in turns 3&4 bunched up the field for a 2nd restart. Once the restart got under way it was a 3 wide battle between Klingmeyer, Lynch and Watson coming off turn 4 to start lap 1. Lynch and Watson soon start a 2 wide fight battling for 2nd but not letting Klingmeyer get out of thier sights. Watson soon wins the fight for 2nd with Lynch coming out of turn 2. Heading into turn 3 Klingmeyer and Watson are battling side by side in the corners and down the straight away. Watson gets the lead for a short time on Lap 4 but it was short lived as Klingmeyer passes Jordan to resume the lead on the following lap. It looked to be the Klingmeyer/Watson show before a young Matt Harrell decides to race up and join the party. Harrell has now raced into the 4th from his 11th starting position racing his way past #267 of Mike Barone and the #21 of Tim Trimble by lap 6. Klingmeyer and Watson continue their 2wide battle throughout the speedway as Harrell starts to work on #31 of Lynch for 3rd. Harrell makes the pass on Lynch high entering turn 3 to secure the 3rd spot and now prepares an all out assault on the leaders on lap 8. The yellow/red flies on lap 9 for a 3 car altercation in turns 1&2 with the Delaware’s visiting #91 of Justin Griffith flipping and landing on his roof. #98 of Dan Cogdill, #96 of Corey Anderson were also involved. Griffith was OK and took his ride in the flashing red&white truck to the pits.
On the restart, #5 of Klingmeyer is the leader with Watson 2nd, Harrell 3rd, Lynch 4th and Barone holding on to the 5th spot. Watson goes hi on Klingmeyer heading off the corner with both tire rubbing side by side down the front straightaway but Watson can’t make the pass heading into turn 1. Harrell takes advantage of the two racing hard and gets on the bumpers and makes a pass on Watson for 2nd on lap 12. Harrell doesn’t stop there, he is now all over Klingmeyer and takes him 2 wide for the next lap till he gets his run for the lead making the pass on the inside heading into turns 3&4. Harrell doesn’t look back as he leaves Klingmeyer and Watson to battle for the 2nd spot till a lap 14 caution for a slowing #88 of Dion Naples in turn 4. For the single file restart, Harrell is your leader with Klingmeyer, Watson, Barone and #720 of Bob Bartleson rounding out the top 5. Harrell jumps back out to his lead at the drop of the green leaving Watson and Klingmeyer to battle nose to tail as they head past the cone. The two continue their 2-wide battle down the back stretch and into the corners trading paint as they exit down the front stretch with Watson winning the fight heading into 1. Klingmeyer is now in 3rd but then exits turn 3 hi and begins to slow with mechanical problems. This puts an end to his great front running battles for the night as he limps into the pits. Watson has nothing for the leader as Harrell goes on to take the Bridgeport checkered flag for the second time of the year. Watson finishes 2nd with Mike Barone finishing a strong 3rd, visiting Delawarean Casey Lynch 4th and Bob Bartleson rounding out the top 5.
Many high school athletes worry about making the varsity squad.
Matt Harrell has to make sure his No. 35 350 Chevy doesn't crash, careen or collide into any walls or other cars.
Other 16-year-old boys worry about deciding between football or soccer.
Matt Harrell has to harness his 350-horsepower smallblock engine and navigate a racetrack filled with anywhere from 17 to 23 other drivers.
And while all high school athletes compete against other high school athletes, Matt Harrell is doing some of his best work against grown men with years of experience.
Obviously, Matt Harrell is not your ordinary teenager.
"I have some friends who I told that I raced, and I told them to come to a race and they came and they had no clue that was the type of car I raced," Harrell said. "They thought it was much smaller and slower. They can't believe I'm racing these type of cars when I'm 16."
Harrell won the GM Sportsman Rookie Class title and Rookie of the Year honors and currently sits in fifth place in the GM Sportsman class at Bridgeport Speedway.
Harrell drives a beginners' modified race car, with a 350 horsepower Chevy smallblock engine that tops out at speeds of 130 miles per hour. A modified is, in essence, a modified dirt-track racer that beginners use to learn on.
But Harrell isn't just learning, he's winning.
"When I turned 5, my dad, for Christmas, got me a quarter midget which is a small go-cart," Harrell said. "Ever since then I always watched my dad's modified racing and my pop-pop's and ever since then I just got addicted to it."
Although his father and grandfather didn't race themselves, Harrell said their roles in repairing and maintaining race cars sparked his interest in racing.
Besides a love of racing born from his family, Harrell does have another reason he loves to race he likes to go fast.
"(I love) the speed and being able to control a car that goes that fast without getting in trouble and the adrenaline you get when you race other people at that speed," Harrell said.
In the rookie class, Harrell raced against other first-time drivers of the 350 Chevy and captured the points title and Rookie of the Year Honors. He finished first in seven of the 11 rookie class races, with four other top five finishes and one DNF.
"My dad wanted to me learn how to drive a modified and I adapted pretty fast," Harrell said. "It's a fun car, it's a lot cheaper and it's fast and fun and it's good to learn how to race."
Harrell's success wasn't limited to the rookie series, as he became the only rookie division member to win a race in the GM Sportsman series, which he did in the series' final race. GM Sportsman series competitors range in age from 20s to 50s, most of whom have racing experience.
"It felt good (to win in the Sportsman series) because that whole year I was trying to win a race and that was the goal I set to win a Sportsman race before I finished my rookie year," Harrell said. "My pop-pop was there and he hasn't had anyone win at Bridgeport before and he said, It takes a 16-year-old to win at Bridgeport.'"
Harrell collected 14 top-10 finishes, seven top-5 finishes and two third-place finishes to go along with his one win in the Sportsman series.
This past weekend, Harrell competed in the Super Dirt Week XXXVI Sportsman division in Syracuse, N.Y. He became the first 16-year to race at Super Dirt Week, which features a mile-long track as compared to Bridgeport's 5/8 mile.
Next season at Bridgeport Speedway, Harrell said he hopes to move from the GM Sportsman 350 Crate 1 series to the GM Sportsman 358 Crate 2 series, the difference being a more advanced car with a faster engine.
But Harrell's dreams are much bigger than Bridgeport Speedway.
"Eventually as a life goal, I want to move down South and want to get into the NASCAR circuit as soon as possible," Harrell said. "(I want to) try to find a developmental team and one day race in NASCAR."
