BRENT COVELL LOOKS FORWARD TO ALL STAR SPRINT SERIES RACE
by Brian Spaid

June 29, 2007 

   The All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Series invades Tri-City Speedway on Tuesday night. Led by defending series champion Greg Wilson, the All Stars travel to various tracks in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states, and will return to Tri-City for the first time since 2002.

   Many pitside observers believe that Tri-City’s weekly Super Sprint stars have a valid shot at defeating the All Star invaders. This includes former track champions Rod George and Bob Felmlee of Franklin. In addition, another hotshoe expected to run well is Ed Lynch, Jr., who won his 200^th career feature event last weekend.

   Among the local stars that intend to defend the honor of Tri-City’s Super Sprint teams is “The Titusville Tornado” Brent Covell. Piloting a Maxim No. 81 owned by his father, Dan, the younger Covell is in his sixth full season of racing sprint cars. Currently, he sits second in the point standings behind five-time winner George with Felmlee hot on his heels in third.

   Covell, 26, started racing his father’s cars in 1999. Since then, the team has gone through many ups and downs, and did not compete in some seasons. However, Covell always seems to be able to muscle a car around the Venango County half-mile. With many top five finishes and good runs in the points, the only thing missing from Covell’s resume is a feature win.

  “I need to be more consistent on the track,” said Covell. “We also need to get better with our setups.”

   As for his consistency, Covell realizes that his on-again, off-again driving career has hampered his abilities. In addition, he suffered a couple of flips during his career, including one nasty tumble off the turn two at Tri-City, that sapped his confidence for a period of time.

   “It seems to me that I can drive five good laps, and then I mess up two,” noted Covell, whose racing heroes include Kasey Kahne and any other racer willing to help him. “I’m inconsistent as a driver. After that one flip, I worried about getting hurt. At the time, my wife, Erin, was pregnant. I thought about a lot of things.”

   But Covell climbed back in the race car to exorcise those demons.

   “I got in the car and just went back to racing on the high side of the track,” said Covell, who works as a coiler technician at Oil Creek Plastics in Titusville. “I raced hard into the corners to prove to myself that I could race again. I got through that.”

   Covell wants to race more, but his team’s budget and the time involved does not allow them to compete on an expanded schedule. Covell races at Lernerville Speedway a couple of times a year. Yet, his heart lies at Tri-City.

   “Tri-City is a tricky track because it slicks over. In my opinion, if you learn how to drive a slick track, then you can drive anywhere.”

   Chassis engineering issues arose with the team’s new Maxim race car. With a new design, Covell realized that his old notes did not work anymore, and his crew stuggled to get the car setup correctly.

   “We had a hard time getting the rear tires to squat down and make it feel like they were gripping the track. We finally got that to work in the last couple of weeks, and I started to turn better lap times. The shocks are the key to a correct setup. You have to get it just right to get the front and rear ends of the car to work right off the corners.”

   In addition to his father, Covell acknowledges that he would not have a strong chance at victory each week without his pit crew, who all hail from Titusville.

   “I have to give special thanks to Dick Hunt, Frank Nottingham, and Shawn Gustafson. I have one heck of a crew.”

   Covell intends to begin his preparations for the All Star show on Sunday night at Tri-City.

   “This weekend, we’ve got to pick up some speed and get ready for time trials,” noted Covell. “They are the key in the national divisions. You need a good time trial to get a good position for heat races and the feature. I believe I’m up to the challenge.

   Covell also gives a nod to his fellow competitors.

   “Rod (George) and Bob (Felmlee) have a good shot at winning. Rob Eyler has a chance too, but he’s crazy. He loves to race fast on the outside cushion,” laughed Covell.

   There is no doubt that Covell will enter victory lane. He almost did it last year leading three-quarters of a race before mechanical problems slowed him enough that Felmlee zipped by him for the win.

   “We almost had that one. I know I can win one of these races. It’d be awesome if it was the All Star race.”

   Covell’s Super Sprint is sponsored by Ongley Hardwoods, Inc., of Spartansburg, Boonie’s Sprots Bar, Middleton Chiropractic and American Legion Post 368 of Titusville, and Walter Trucking of Pleasantville.