Hickory, NC ~ When you think of Hickory Motor Speedway, you think of Andy Loden, but last year there was another Andy to consider … Andy Mercer.
With Loden having moved up to the UARA-STARS Late Model Stock Car Series for the 2009 season, Andy Mercer has quickly been cast into the spotlight as the guy to beat for the Hickory Motor Speedway track championship. There are other guys who will race at the legendary track this season that will try to beat Mercer including Dexter Canipe, Jr. and Jesse James LeFevers, but Mercer was the guy who at least for part of the 2008 season unseated Loden.
In 2008 Mercer collected 12 pole awards en route to a season high eight trips to victory lane, but a blown engine early in the season coupled with the team trying to get used to the big spring chassis put Mercer in a hole. The hole he was in found him more than 50 points behind Loden for the tracks championship and as the races began to run out Mercer was on the charge. Unfortunately for Mercer, Loden was able to turn up the heat in the final couple of races and held him off for the championship, which was his third in a row.
Loden’s gone, he has moved on and now you begin to hear things like … “who’s going to beat Mercer” … “Is he the Heir to the throne?” Well, I asked Mercer that same question and while he’s confident, he’s quick to point out he’s not going into the season over confident.
“Hickory has great competition, when you start to think there is only two or three guys able to win races all of sudden another guy emerges,” said Mercer in a recent phone interview. “This year I’m glad we’re the team everybody thinks will win it all, but I’m more realistic. I know that Dexter Canipe, Jr. is going to be really good and really strong from the drop of the first green flag and then (Jesse)LeFevers was one of the guys who emerged last year and he’s going to be good.”
OK, but Andy that’s not what I asked … I asked if you we’re going to be the guy to beat this year, will you pick up where Loden has left off?
“I sure hope so! I think all we’ve got to do is pick up where WE left off last season. If not for the early season troubles we would have had a much better chance at knocking off (Andy)Loden for the title last year.”
For Mercer it may just be that simple, but nothing ever really seems to be easy in racing. Mercer has added a new sponsor for this season in Steel Rubber Products and with that brings some added cash flow to a low budget race team.
“Our sponsors have given us every piece of the puzzle. If we need it, we got it and I’m excited about that. We’ve got Reliable Fire & Safety, our car owner coming back of course and now we’ve got Steel Rubber Products chipping in to help us this season and I want to win the championship for those guys,” continued Mercer.
Mercer’s brother, David, who spent most of the season turning the wrenches on Lucas Ransone’s Late Model Stock Car will be spending a little more time with his brother this season as he doesn’t have a full-time crew chief position and will be doing mostly freelance work this season.
“I can’t say that having David working on Lucas’ cars last season hurt our performance at all, but having him around a little more may just help us to get that championship winning edge.”
Mercer isn’t one of those guys who tells you how great he is, in fact he’s pretty humble, but when I put him on the spot about how many races he was going to win this season, he took the gloves off.
“I want to win them all, but I’m a little more realistic than that. I think if we can back up what we did last year then we will have a great season. I’m not settling for that though, I really believe we can win 12 to 14 races this season and have one of those years that you never forget.”
This will beMercer’s third season behind the wheel of a Late Model Stock Car and if you do the math on his first two seasons where he won just one race in his first year and eight in his second then you can figure he’s due for 15 wins this season. Do I think that Mercer can do that? Absolutely, he put an end to the overall dominance of Loden last season and was the winningest driver last season and it will be tough for anyone to equal that.
Mercer is the “Heir to the Throne” so to speak that Loden is leaving behind after winning three championships in a row and Mercer’s success last season leaves him in a perfect position to carry the weight of that on his shoulders. Mercer is confident in everything that he has from his Pistone LTO chassis, a crate engine and WP Racing Shocks.
“We’ve got a great car, Tom Pistone from Performancenter and Pistone LTO is one of the reasons why we are so good. He built us a wicked fast car last year and if it wasn’t for him he wouldn’t be racing. Wes Page from WP Racing Shocks is good friends with my brother, David and he keeps us hooked up.”
Mercer certainly has all the pieces and while he’d like to that opportunity to de-throne Andy Loden in person he’ll certainly still be thrilled with his accomplishments this year no matter what happens. This is one driver who isn’t ashamed to say that he can’t stand to finish second.
“Every race we go to, we go to win! I can’t stand to finish second or third and while I’m a good sport and I’ll go congratulate the winner, I wanted to be the one in victory lane. Of course every racer wants to be in victory lane at the end of the day, but I’m not bashful about saying it.”
Will Mercer take over and reign as King of Hickory Motor Speedway??? Only time will tell, but if he’s not going to be the guy …. who is???
