Ernie Bertrand Faces Busy Year at ‘Bowl
Waterford, CT — Late Model competitor Ernie Bertrand is bracing for a busy 2008. In addition to preparing for upcoming Waterford Speedbowl season, which begins with the April 12-13, Budweiser Modified Nationals, Ernie and wife Crystal are expectant parents.
“Crystal is due any day now, so needless to say, it’s a busy time for us right now,” says Bertrand. “ You can pretty-much bet on me being at the Nationals. It’s not a race a driver wants to miss. Still, it’s going to be hectic.”
Bertrand, second in points last season with 15 top five finishes, will be part of a strong Late Model field at the Nationals. Highlighted by the lucrative SK-150, the schedule also includes the Speedbowl’s Sportsman and Mini Stocks. The NEMA Midgets, Legends, AllStar Race Trucks, Pro4 Modifieds, Allison Legacy Cars and NEMA Lites are all on hand as well.
Bertrand’s Speedbowl career started in the Mini Stock division after a youthful stint in the Quarter Midgets. He recalls both periods with fondness.
“As a kid, I drove Quarter Midgets for years enjoying a fair amount of success,” he says rather modestly. “We ran against a lot of guys that are familiar names today, guys like Ronnie Yuhas Jr. and Eric Berndt. It was a great experience. It taught me a lot of things about racing that I still use today.”
His Quarter Midget days produced multiple National Titles competing at venues located as far away as Colorado.
“When we started in the Mini Stocks, we quickly discovered that turning a Pinto into a race car wasn’t the way to go,” he laughs. “After a while, we got hooked-up with the right equipment and started going better.”
The first of his three Mini Stock wins came in 1997. The last came in ’98. From there, it was on to the Late Models where he most recently scored in 04’. He also ran an SK for a while a few seasons back.
Bertrand, a definite “low bucker,” manages to stay competitive by most of the work in-house. “It’s an expensive hobby, and if you’re less than well-financed you have to be really creative,” he says. “We build everything we can right in the shop rather than buying it.”
Tires are another big expense in the Late Models. “You adjust here and there in both your sets-ups and driving style to conserve rubber,” he continues. “I’d love to be racing an SK again but when you move-up it usually means that you’re going to have to spend more. You simply have to be clever and use all your resources no matter what division you’re in.”
A lot of Bertrand’s plans for 2008 hinge on his performance at the Nationals.
“If the car comes off the trailer fast, we’ll no doubt be inspired to run the full season,” he says. “If not, we’ll play it by ear. Either way, I plan on racing this year. I always look forward to the opening show. We’re all pretty excited about it. I’m lucky that I have such a supportive team. Crystal is always helping me in the shop, and my seven year-old stepson Tyler considers himself my Crew Chief. It doesn’t get much better than that in this game.”
Sources: Dave Dykes/Waterford Speedbowl PR