A Two-Day Test of Grit, Growth, and Heart
Day 1: First Impressions & First Lessons
Rolling into Airport Speedway in New Castle, Delaware, for the first time felt like stepping straight into a high-stakes arena. At just 1/8-mile, the track may be small, but don’t let that fool you. The Battle at the Bullring is their biggest event of the season, and 70+ competitive cars showing up proved one thing: this place is no joke.
We knew Day 1 would challenge us in all the right ways. The format alone was different than what we’re used to, hot laps followed by two timed sessions to make the A-Main. Only the fastest 26 cars would transfer. With a new track, new competition, and a new format, we set one clear goal: Get Dominic comfortable, get laps, and collect data for Saturday.
Before the driver’s meeting, we studied the track and mapped out a setup for the #81. But racing rarely goes according to plan.
During hot laps, Dominic got pushed low by another car and clipped an inside tire. Immediately, he felt something off, and by the next turn, the steering gave out, causing a spin and forcing the car to be towed back. The culprit: a bent left steering arm.
With the clock ticking, we replaced the arm and rushed to prep the car for Time Trial #1. The results weren’t where we wanted them, our lap times were far off A-Main pace. But that didn’t shake our focus. Dominic reported that the track was slicking off faster than expected, so we tightened the car for Time Trial #2.
Run two was smoother, and Dominic looked much more settled on the tiny bullring. Still, the lap times weren’t enough to make the feature. Dominic described the car as “still a bit loose,” which gave us direction for Day 2.
With that, Day 1 wrapped up. We left the track tired but focused, ready to regroup and return with a plan.
Day 2: Grit, Gains & Going Down Swinging
Even though we missed the transfer on Friday, we rolled into Saturday with confidence and a couple of fresh ideas for helping the #81 come alive.
Heat race lineups were posted, and Dominic was slotted P10 in an 11-car field. The heat turned into a caution-filled scramble, four cautions total, one of which Dominic got tangled in but powered through to finish P8.
Back in the pits, we made a frustrating discovery: the #81 had bent another left steering arm. That made two in two days. During repairs, we also spotted a slightly tweaked axle or left-side kingpin, but not enough to stop us from giving the B-Main everything we had.
Dominic rolled off B-Main #2 in P15 out of 25 hungry drivers. Early on, he held his position through the first caution. But when the race went back to green, it was clear something was wrong. The bent kingpin or axle threw off the steering just enough to make the car unpredictable.
And that’s when Dominic made a mature, racer-minded call: Instead of risking major damage or ruining another driver’s race, he pulled off.
No, we didn’t make the 100-lap Battle at the Bullring A-Main. But the experience? Worth every minute.
We learned a new track, faced some of the toughest micro sprint competitors around, overcame mechanical setbacks, and sharpened our teamwork. This weekend reminded us again, why we do this. It’s not just for the results, but for the challenge, the learning, and the love of racing.
Now it’s time for a deep breath, a tear down, and start prepping for next season.
Trackside Takeaways
- New track = new data. Airport Speedway taught us a ton about setup, line choice, and how quickly the surface can change.
- Adversity builds better drivers. Steering failures, cautions, and tough fields pushed Dominic to grow.
- Competition level was elite. Racing against some of the best gave us a clearer target for the off-season.
Appreciation Lap
To the Airport Speedway crew and the drivers who showed up ready to battle, thank you for an unforgettable weekend.
Thank you to Scott Scholl for the support this weekend and for your support during the 2025 race season.
Thank you to our supporters, family, and Trackside Crew you fuel every lap we take. Your encouragement keeps us learning and chasing the next checkered flag.
Next season starts now. Let’s get to work.
See you at the next one!
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Photos: GM Media
Dominic Slesinski Racing 