BUCKWALTER SEEKS SILVER CROWN REDEMPTION
By: Pat Sullivan – USAC Media
Morgantown, Pennsylvania (June 17, 2023)………Steve Buckwalter has done nearly everything imaginable to stay in the racing game.
First and foremost, the Royersford, Pa. native is one of America’s most versatile open-wheel short track racers. His years of experience and record gives owners a high level of confidence that he can get the job done and take care of equipment. As a privateer himself, he knows the importance of loading the car up in one piece and heading back down the highway. Thus, when Five Three Motorsports needed a sure hand for the upcoming USAC Silver Crown race at Port Royal Speedway, they turned to a familiar face.
When the announcement was made that Buckwalter would return to the cockpit, many immediately thought of a date at Williams Grove Speedway nearly five years ago. Steve looked poised to score his first career win in the big cars when contact sent him spinning. Predictably, the partisan crowd voice their unhappiness. Given all the transpired on that night, it is understandable that Buckwalter used the word “redemption” when describing his reaction to the last-minute assignment.
Steve has successfully raced cars of all sizes and shapes. He was a standout and champion in the ARDC Midget series, has won with USAC, and has taken 410 wing sprint cars to victory on the fastest tracks in the East.
In general, Buckwalter says it “takes about two laps to figure out what a new car is going to do.” At Port Royal, he is again tasked with getting acclimated in a hurry. “I just hope I can get back in the swing of things in a short time,” he says, “because they really don’t give you much time to practice.”
This is where familiarity matters. Given his previous experience with the team, he recalls that “the car was already ready to go when I got to the track, so I really didn’t have to do too much. From there, we just had to work together on the setup and figure out how to go fast.”
One other factor in his favor is his experience at Port Royal. Yes, he has shown strength at Williams Grove, but notes there are some important differences between the two big plants. “I think Port Royal is going to be a bit trickier,” he says, “because the track doesn’t have much grip. They try to get moisture in it, but it really only lasts the first couple of practice sessions and then it goes to ice. I think if I can get a feel for how far it is going to slide before it starts to stick, I think we will be okay. Those cars are heavy, and if you get them sideways you know they are going to slide. It is just a matter of how far.”
Going into the race, Buckwalter has pondered how different these races are than events on the traditional one-mile ovals. “On the miles, in the first five laps, it wants to shove you past your entry. You must be really careful.”
Port Royal may be a different matter, and with a 50-lap race on the card, Steve thinks he may have to take a different approach. “I am always mad at myself when I don’t race hard enough. Port Royal is not hard on tires, so when the green drops, you need to be ready go.”
He’s ready to take another shot at the brass ring.