Plott Hoping for Strong Start to SSS Season at The Rattler
If there is one race and one race track that Kyle Plott is most looking forward to, it is the Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway. Not simply because it is the first race on the 2018 Southern Super Series calendar, but also because it is also the first major Super Late Model race that the Georgia driver competed in back in 2015.
Since that time the 4/10-mile track in Opp, Alabama has become a favorite of his. Despite battling mechanical difficulties, he has wielded strong showings at the track.
“It’s always been a good track to me. I enjoy the place and I like the way they run it. It’s just a cool track out in the middle of nowhere,” Plott said. “The Rattler brings out some of the best and that’s why a lot of people like it so much. A lot of people try to get out to Opp, it’s a track that’s got so much character and it’s unique compared to other ones. If you’re off just a little bit you’re going straight to the back. Really excited to see how it plays out.”
Plott also feels that a strong showing at the Rattler is paramount for a strong season on the Southern Super Series. This season he heads to Opp with a seasoned race car while he and his team continue to build their brand-new car for later in the year. He hopes that they have learned some lessons following their first outing of the year one month ago at Greenville Pickens Speedway (SC).
“Last year we didn’t start off so hot at the Rattler and the year was a bit of a struggle for us, so hopefully we can start off well here,” Plott stated. “We have one race under our belt at Greenville, we finished fourth. I wasn’t too happy with how the car was there but we lucked out and finished top five. Luck is part of it, we need it just as much as we need a fast race car. Hopefully I can get back to running out front and dicing it up with all those guys. I’d like to get a good run to start off the Southern Super Series and just go from there.”
While there are many that believe that the Rattler 250 will be the first preview of what people could see in December at the Snowball Derby, Plott isn’t putting too much of his concentration that far forward just yet.
“It’s so hot down there usually for the Rattler, it is a good test session coming from out of the offseason, seeing if you have any bugs in your car or if you found something new that will work later in the year. It’s good for the season, but the Snowball is such a unique event. You can’t be too worried about testing that early in the year. You can’t do it, but we’re just trying to get our ducks in a row and getting some good runs in before we even think about it.”
Indeed, Plott has enough on his mind for this weekend alone, as he will also participate in Saturday’s Pro Late Model Baby Rattler 125.
“I got my work cut out for me,” he admitted. “I’m also racing a Pro this weekend with Jimmy Nicholson and doing double duty. I got to make sure I got my stuff in check with the Super as well. We’ll just see where it goes.”
Fans from all over the globe can watch both the Rattler 250 and Baby Rattler 125 on Speed51.com’s live pay-per-view broadcast this Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18.
Sources: 51 Sports