Young Texan Tangles With a Lapped Car at Mason-Dixon Meltdown

Goals are never set in stone.  An athlete who exceeds the expectations that are put upon him or her only sets the bar higher and higher.  A true competitor is only happy with victory.

That’s why Ryan Lawler was actually a little bit down after ending a remarkable PASS South season this weekend following the final event of the year, the Mason-Dixon Meltdown.  Even though he had never raced a single lap in a Super Late Model before the PASS South season started and he finished second in the standings, he was thinking about what could have been.

Ryan Lawler Comes Close to PASS South Title in First SLM Season

“It’s disappointing,” said Lawler who ended up finishing 28th in the Mason-Dixon Meltdown at South Boston Speedway (VA) on Saturday night.  “I know it’s my rookie season in a Super Late Model, but I mean we had a chance to win the race.  We even had a chance to win the championship, but a lapped car took that away from us.”

Disappointed in finishing second as a rookie?  That’s right.  If not for a little bit of bad luck in the early laps of the season’s final race, Lawler would have been fighting for the PASS South championship right down until the last laps of the season. 

“I got stuck in behind a lapped car on the restart,” said Lawler.  “I rode around behind him for about three laps and

Lawler's #31 sits in the pits after a crash took him out of the championship hunt.

he was holding me up.  I got passed by about three cars before I finally got cleared.  I got down on the bottom and he plain and simple came down on me from three lanes up the track.  He got turned around and he drove right into my right rear and turned me in the fence.”

But while the racer in Lawler wanted a little more from the season, he still knows what an impressive year it has been.  Lawler won one PASS South event and earned six top-five finishes in eight races.  He also won the pole at the Saturday of Speed at Lanier National Speedway.

Click here to add text.“To come out of here second in points is still pretty good.  The PASS South Series has a great group of drivers and to do what we did as rookies really shows something of this team and the people that make it up.”

One of those drivers, Maine’s racing legend Mike Rowe, was the man who beat Lawler for the title. 

“I’ve said it time and time again; Mike’s an awesome guy.  I enjoy racing with him.  I wish we could’ve had a shot at him and this title, but that is just how things worked out.”

Just days after the race was over, Lawler is already looking forward to 2007 – when he plans to turn what could have been into what should be. 

“This series is where I’ve gotten the most publicity this year.  I’ll definitely be back next year.  Hopefully we can win it all next year.”