DARRELL BOSSARD ENTERING FINAL SEASON IN PRO STOCKS
by Brian Spaid

March 26, 2004 

   For Darrell Bossard, this is a season of transition. After a stellar 2003 season in the Pro Stock ranks, the Centerville driver will devote more time to the Late Models this season before he makes the move full-time in 2005.

   “The Late Model is our goal and, the way things have come together, this is what I want to do,” said Bossard.

   Last season, as he started a three-year plan toward his career goal, Bossard divided his time between both classes. He competed weekly in the Pro Stocks at Raceway 7 in Conneaut, Ohio, on Fridays and at Tri-City Speedway on Sundays. He raced the more expensive and exotic Late Models nearly every Saturday at Gamblers Raceway Park in Clearfield.

   “Last year, I raced the Late Model nine times,” noted Bossard. “We ran six times at Gamblers, twice at Tri-City and once at Raceway 7. Our best finish was seventh at Gamblers.”

   Quick out of the box, Bossard conquered the learning curve in the full-bodied machines, and expects bigger and better things this season.

   “I’m real pleased so far. I’ve run up front without much experience and I’ve learned to race them. (1997 Tri-City champion) Robbie Blair told me to stick to one basic setup and learn from there. I followed his advice and it worked.”

   While Bossard, 20, dominated the Pro Stock ranks, he could not take as many risks for victory during his first foray into Late Models. That will be different this year.

   “I needed seat time and I had to run conservative. We had no spare parts for the Late Model, and I didn’t want to bend it up. During this off-season, I sold my Raceway 7 Pro Stock and I purchased all new equipment and parts for the Late Model. I’m ready to make the move.”

   Bossard, who works at Bossard GM Store in Titusville, will continue to have a lot of help from his family and friends as he strives to new heights in racing. But he does not intend to leave his Pro Stock roots, where he amassed 30 career wins and three track titles at Raceway 7, Tri-City and Sportsman’s Speedway in Knox since he started racing in 2000.

   “Unless there is a Late Model race at Gamblers, we’ll be at Tri-City every Sunday night,” Bossard confirmed. “The Pro Stock class is very competitive at Tri-City, more so than any other track. That competition helps me as a driver. I also like the promoters and it’s only 15 minutes from home.”

   Another factor in his decision to race one final season in the Pro Stocks at Tri-City is motivation. Coming off a 16-win season with two track titles at Raceway 7 and Tri-City, Bossard hopes some victory lane visits will keep his team in the racing groove.

   “We’ll be running at Raceway 7 and Gamblers each week in the Late Models against stiff competition. In fact, I’ll be happy to run in the top 15 at Raceway 7. It will be hard to win as much as we have. The crew will be a little bummed about that, and we hope a few wins and up-front runs at Tri-City will keep them involved.”

   Bossard knows, however, that winning at Tri-City will not be a cakewalk.

   “It will be interesting this season splitting time between race cars. We have to keep on top of the game in the Pro Stocks with guys like Bobby Whitling, Gary Norman, the Iorios, Jason Johns, Rod Laskey and Bruce Smith out there. At Tri-City, there are 10 to 15 guys that can win a Pro Stock feature each week.”

   As he enters his final season in the Pro Stocks, Bossard is concerned about the rules for the division.

   “Tri-City’s made some changes I agree with and others I don’t like. They’ve opened up the rules on rear bumpers, aluminum intakes and upper front suspension pieces are among them. Overall, it will make it easier for guys to race at different tracks. The biggest problem is that some of the rules changes were made recently, which makes it a tough to get ready. I wish that all the tracks would hand out the rules at the banquet and not change them.”

   The lack of rules differences in the Late Models appeals to Bossard.

   “Other than a few differences in weight, body styles and measurements on the deck height at the rear of the car, the Late Model rules are pretty standard across the board. It makes it real easy to run at different tracks.”

   Despite his concerns about the recent rule changes, Bossard shrugs them off and simply focuses on the task at hand.

   “We’ll be ready to run with the Pro Stocks,” he says with a sly smile. “We freshened our Raceway 7 that we won 11 features with last year. Our Tri-City motor from 2003 will be our spare this season. We’re ready for the competition.”

   With his final season of Pro Stocks at hand, Bossard promises to make some final memories at Tri-City. He will also compete in the Late Model races at the Venango County half-mile oval on July 4 and Sept. 5.

   “We ran well there last season. I remember when I passed (NASCAR Nextel Cup) driver Kenny Wallace. Now, that was fun!”

   The sponsors on Bossard’s Chevrolet No. 22B include Bossard GM Store, Northwest Bus Service, Johnson Tire Sales, LinVan Lanes and Horn’s Custom Painting of Titusville, Maloney Tool & Mold of Meadville, VanCise Lumber  of Centerville, Hegedus Aluminum of Oil City, Mark’s Auto of Guys Mills, and J. Brendel Enterprises of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.