Braden Richards: 3 Keys to Winning His First Race at a New Track

Braden Richards: 3 Keys to Winning His First Race at a New Track

Last year, Braden Richards won five features at Midwest tracks, according to his MyRacePass profile. In his first stock car race at Central Arizona Raceway — 1400 miles away from his home in Madrid, Iowa — he won. Then he followed that up with another win later that weekend for the IMCATV Winter Nationals. How did he do it? He cited three keys to that success.

First, eliminate the variable of the car.

“You have to have a good car going into an event at a new track,” said Richards. “The preparation for Arizona was huge. We scaled the car precisely. Went through the entire car and replaced every suspension piece. We made sure car was straight and would work right.”

Second, learning a new track is tough — keep calm.

“We had two practice sessions — I was disappointed that we didn’t have that good of a race car,” Richards said. “My crew calmed me down.

“I was told that drivers there use a 6.33:1 gear ratio. I first went out on 6.14:1 because I am a momentum driver and that’s more like the gear I would use. By race time I went down to a 5.75:1, ran the top of the track with my foot into it, and won two features. I used the gear ratio I was comfortable with for my driving style.”

Third, keep learning and adjusting.

“I adapted my driving to the track,” said Richards. “I taught myself about the track in the heat race and even while driving in the feature we won on the first night.”

Keep in mind Richards’ weekend wasn’t smooth sailing. Remember that bit about learning is tough?

“On night two I messed up,” Richards said. “I spun on the first lap going into turn one and got tagged by another car. I was out for the night with the left-front ball joint and uppers being damaged.”

That race, he finished 24th. The following night he finished 10th, but it didn’t come easy.

“You don’t give up,” said Richards. “Five laps in I got tagged in the left rear. I came through the hot pit. My crew — friend Austin Meiners and my girlfriend Haylee Hidlebaugh — got the tire changed and I went back to the rear of the field and worked up to 10th.”

After Saturday’s win, Braden Richards went back to work at Bob Harris Enterprises.

“There are a lot of big specials and tours ahead this season, and I need to save my vacation time for those events” Richards said.

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