WILLIAMSTON, SC :: 17 year old Ronnie Bassett Jr. returned his No. 04 Rheem / Rex Younger Galleries Ford to victory lane at Anderson Motor Speedway (SC) during the UARA-STARS Halloween 150 presented by Comp Cams, taking the checkered flag in both events at Anderson in 2013 and claiming his fourth victory of the season.
Ronnie Bassett Jr.’s victory gave Bassett Racing a total of seven wins during the 13 race UARA-STARS season between himself and Dillon Bassett, 2013 series Champion. Bassett’s win returned him to the winner’s circle at the site of his last win in June at the Williamston, South Carolina racetrack, ending his longest drought since scoring his first career late model stock car victory in 2011.
After strong race runs in practice, Ronnie Bassett Jr. qualified fourth for the 150 lap event. “Our car is pretty strong in race trim, on old tires. This tire compound just doesn’t grip up on qualifying runs, so I’ll take a top five starting position any day,” commented Bassett.
The green flag dropped for the final UARA-STARS event of 2013 and Ronnie Bassett Jr. took third on lap ten, grabbing second from pole sitter Dylan Hall the next lap. Bassett’s march to the front continued, taking the lead from Travis Swaim on lap 26. Early on in the event the No. 04 Bassett Racing team had concerns about their brake wear as the left front rotor was glowing bright red from the start.
The first caution fell on lap 106 and after the field restarted the team learned something had been hung up in the brake caliper as the glow disappeared. Ronnie Bassett Jr. managed two more restarts never relinquishing the lead and crossed the finish line first to claim his fourth UARA victory of the season, tying him with Garrett Campbell as the winningest driver of 2013.
“What a night for Bassett Racing. Thanks to Chris (Lawson) and the rest of this team for getting us back to victory lane,” Bassett said. “Our plan was to go out lead the most laps and bring home the victory. The plan came together and Dillon (Bassett) brought home the Championship for the No. 44 team. We all knew what we had to do, and we got it done.”
For leading 124 laps Ronnie Bassett Jr. was awarded Tilton Most Laps Led, and also turned in the Driven Racing Oil Fastest Lap of the Race. In six starts at Anderson Motor Speedway, Bassett has been first to the finish line and is the reigning fall event winner since 2011.
Ronnie Bassett Jr. bookended the 2013 UARA-STARS season with victories in the season opener at Southern National and season finale at Anderson. For the second consecutive season he claimed the win in the first two races held. Bassett brought home a top five in series point standings after participating in ten of the 13 UARA events with an average finish of 5.60. Bassett recorded six podium finishes including four wins and collected one Sunoco Pole.
The next event for the Bassett Racing team will be in the prestigious Myrtle Beach 400 at Myrtle Beach Speedway on November 23rd.
