TAMPA, Fla. — Jordon Mallett is tackling the Ronald Laney Memorial King of the 360s for the first time in his career this weekend.
The 360ci winged sprint car event runs Thursday through Saturday at East Bay Raceway Park, where Mallett will make his first laps during a practice night on Wednesday.
“The event has never been in a good spot as far as our schedule lining up,” he said. “I’ve wanted to come down here, but it always was going to work out to be a one-weekend thing. It worked out this time where we could come down here for several weekends. During Wednesday’s practice we’ll get some laps in and some of the baseline stuff out of the way so when we roll out of the box on Thursday we’ll be ready.
“Then we’ll get dialed in and the rest will come down to the racing part.”
The event annually draws 50-plus sprint car drivers, including some of the elite veterans of the sport.
“I need to come into it with a good mindset,” Mallett said. “I feel if we can show up and things go routine we’ll be fine. Being at a new place hasn’t been a worry to me. I don’t mind new places because it gives me less of a chance to go through the notebook and overthink. Sometimes that puts you in the wrong spot figuring you know what to expect. I have no notes and no expectations so I’ll play the cards I’m dealt each night.
“My realistic goal is to put it in the show and run well, but I really want to run inside the top 10 all weekend. I feel we’re a top-10 car. We just need the cards to fall our way. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t. We’ll put our best foot forward and hope we catch a little luck along the way.”