WILLIAMSON, NY — Getting the chance to race with the Race of Champions Sportsman Series at Spencer Speedway at the beginning of the month, it became a day of learning for A.J. Emms en route to a top-15 finish.
“It was a great opportunity,” Emms commented in the days that followed. “It was great to be able to race the car for Cathy and Paul down there. It was also great to have some of our crew come down to help us there. We were fortunate with some incidents on the track which helped us move up in position, and finish where we did which we were very happy with considering it’s our first time at the race track, first time in that car, and with a very stout field of competition.
“I think overall it was a success. We had a great time as a team and definitely learned something and hopefully we get another opportunity to do it again in the future.”
After ranking 26th in the first practice of the afternoon, the adjustments behind the wheel and to the car paid off for the second session with Emms working his way up to 19th on the board. He then carried the speed into his lone qualifying race for a seventh-place finish.
“It was definitely a positive experience in terms of continuing to get better each and every lap,” he expressed. “We were – not only me but as a driver, I was definitely continuing to get better in learning the race track as Spencer Speedway, although it’s very flat, is a very racey track. So each and every time out on the track I was able to learn something and get more familiar with the car as it was a car that I had never driven prior to that event.
“It was definitely uplifting and positive and hopefully we can take some of that momentum back wherever our next race is.”
Taking the green flag in 19th for the main event, Emms utilized the 35-laps to work his way up the running order. Making some passes, combined with avoiding the incidents that took place on-track paid off en route to crossing the finish line in 12th.
“I’ve actually never driven on a track like that, to be honest with you,” he explained. “It’s a very unique surface where there is two racing lines – an outside line and an inside line. It is extremely fast and being so fast with no corner walls and such long corners, it was a very unique experience for sure and something I’d like to try again. Because as I said, it was very racey track and I was really impressed with how hard and clean the racing was there.”
With how positive the experience turned out overall throughout the day, Emms says he would welcome another opportunity to race with the Race of the Champions.
“I was really impressed with how the entire series ran,” he said. “I was also really impressed with the quality of racing we were able to see there and the sportsmanship that was shown before and after the races. Again, working with Paul and Cathy was a great experience and I hope I’m able to do that again – either with them or somebody else as it’s something that really peaks my interest to try some of these American tracks and also to race with some great drivers and cars will only make me better.
“That’s always our continuing goal – to get better, as we’re really passionate about the sport, and hopefully we’ll be able to do that in the future.”
Emms is not done this racing this season, set to get back behind the wheel of his familiar No. 14 Modified with the Just Foam It OSCAAR Modifieds. The team is currently riding a wave of momentum with three straight wins in a row.
“We definitely have some crown jewel races coming up,” Emms commented. “I think that, for me, I would really obviously it’d be really important to get some good finishes near the end of this year. Like I said, we’ve been really fortunate with having some things fall our way in terms of luck wise and we’re hoping to continue to ride that wave as racing is a sport with many ups and downs.
“So hopefully we can finish out some of these last races strong, keep the car in one piece, and have some fun while we’re doing it. As always, the goal is to get to victory lane and I know an event like the Autumn Colours Classic is an event we’ve won in the past, but just being such a prestigious event, it’s one that we’d love to win again.”
Special shout-out to Cathy and Paul Townsend for the opportunity to race with the Race of Champions at Spencer Speedway.
Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to the Emms Racing website at http://www.ajemms.com, as well as the team’s facebook page via https://www.facebook.com/ajemmsracing/.
By: Ashley McCubbin
Emms Racing 