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Bret Mellenberndt is BACK! Starting with, Tucson…

Everybody remembers the black number 97 out of Sioux Falls, SD who traveled back and forth from the near non-existing non-wing sprint car world of South Dakota to the heart of wingless sprints in Indiana every weekend for the better of 2008. Then throughout 2009 the pilot of the Sioux City Truck & Trailer #97, Bret Mellenberndt, didn’t travel as much, staying around home and racing with the Heartland Racing Association in Rock Rapids, IA in a wingless 360 sprint class.

“We took some time off of traveling last year,” explains Bret, “We had some great help around home and it was hard finding people to go with us each and every weekend to Indiana. So we simply decided to race around home.”

This year will be different for Mellenberndt Racing as Bret and the gang all ready traveled to USA Raceway in Tucson, AR for a USAC National Sprint Car show. February 19th’s Tucson opener was the first time Bret sat in the seat of a 410 non-winged sprint car for over a year, but that lack of time in the car didn’t slow him down any. Bret qualified 9th quick out of the 40 cars that entered. Starting fourth in the heat race, right after the officials just worked the race track, Mellenberndt dropped back to sixth just missing the transfer into the anticipated Main Event.

Bret started inside the second row in the Semi and dropped just one spot to transfer into the Main Event that was held on the 21st.

“We felt really good going into the main,” explains the Sioux Falls native, “We knew the car was close and all I needed to do was drive.” Bret started ninth in the main and was racing inside the top ten for the first nine laps of the 40 lap event. Then coming out of the fourth turn going into the 10th lap, the right front shock broke putting a dreadful end to the first night of the year. Bret stayed on the bottom of the track with his broken car and fell back to 16th by the time the checkered flag flew.

“All in all I am happy with the night,” says Mellenberndt. “We had a strong qualifying run and everything was lining up to be a great weekend. But, we all have those nights when it just wasn’t meant to be. Once my shock broke, it was pretty much over. But, we’ll take the momentum we gained and force it on to the next show in Vegas!”

Vegas was another story for Mellenberndt Racing. In the last set of the group qualifying that USAC displays, Bret put a 28th quick time on the board which lined him on the outside of the eight row for the heat. “The times were slowing down since the first qualifying run,” says Bret, “So I knew we weren’t going to be there. The track was very dry and we were just doing what we could.”

Mellenberndt found a grove in the middle of the Vegas half-mile that worked for the Sioux City Truck & Trailer #97 and muscled from last to fourth in the heat guaranteeing a spot in the main. He started in the back of the Main and raced up to 19th on the slippery dry slick racetrack.

“We tried some new things on the car since we were starting so far back,” explains Bret. “Some things worked and some didn’t. But we learned what does and doesn’t with our car on this type of track, so overall the night was a success!”

Keep in tune with Bret this year through his website, www.bretmellenberndtracing.com for that latest news and schedule updates will be updated regularly.

Special thanks to: Bill Mellenberndt, Sioux City Truck and Trailer, Petersen Motors, Hoosier Racing Tire, Keizer Wheels, Bell Racing, DMI, ATL Fuel Cells, Ultra-Shield, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Howe Racing and Driver Websites.

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