Kyle Bronson’s debut as a full-time World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models driver has left a favorable first impression.
When the Series returns to action at Marion Center Raceway on Friday, May 19, the Brandon, FL driver finds himself second in points—18 points behind Chris Madden.
But despite opening the season with a top five and four top 10s, he knows it’s only a small portion of the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models schedule with more than 35 races to go.
That’s where his past national touring experience comes into play.
“The car’s been really good,” Bronson said. “Everything’s been going good and pretty smooth. But this deal is long. I’ve raced Lucas for four years, and I know it’s a long season, and there’s a lot of races to go.”
That’s why his focus isn’t on points racing but on adding to his Series win total.
“We can’t give up,” Bronson said. “We just need to keep working. I put myself in a bad situation at Talladega (Short Track), and I felt like we should’ve came out with the points lead. But a couple of contact things kind of messed our weekend up. Overall, our car has been extremely fast, so we’re not worried about the points. We’re going to go out and win some races and let the rest take care of itself.”
Bronson hopes to carry his early season momentum into the Northeast when the Series kicks off a Northeast swing at Marion Center. However, he knows first-hand how quickly things can change from night to night and how hard it is to keep that momentum rolling.
“This stuff is so tough,” Bronson said. “I remember as a kid going to East Bay in the grandstands and watching Billy Moyer win four races in a row and then miss the next [Feature]. It’s so crazy. This deal is so tough, so you never underestimate your competitors because everybody’s working, and the one second you feel like you got it figured out, the next guy works harder than you and beats you.”
It’s not only the competitors that make racing with the World of Outlaws a season-long grind but also the cross-country travel. One element of the season that eases that grind for Bronson is having one of his best friends on tour—Brian Shirley.
“It’s good to travel up and down the road with somebody,” Bronson said. “This stuff right here is grueling, driving up and down the road across the country. People don’t realize how hard that is sometimes. It always makes it more fun when you go up and down the road with your buddies and have a good time and really enjoy your life doing this.
“At the end of the day, though, it’s all about winning. You can run 10th, and you’re miserable the next day. It’s still pretty cool getting to do this with a lot of your buddies, and I’m blessed to get to say that we do it.”
Another factor that helps ease that grind is racing for big paydays and purses throughout the season.
Those purses are something Bronson appreciates, especially when he’s running toward the front of the field.
“Anytime you can race for good money, it’s awesome,” Bronson said. “People have to put a lot of work in to let us do that. I’m very appreciative of that, and when you race for a living like we do, anytime you get to go race for a big payday, it makes your life a whole lot easier when you run good.”
Bronson hopes his strong first impression as a World of Outlaws CASE Late Model driver lasts throughout the season, keeping him in contention for his first Series title. He knows the formula to make that happen too — taking it one race at a time, he said.
“You just have to give it 120% and work as hard as you can, never let your guard down and work hard for the next one.”
Bronson and the World of Outlaws will kick off a two-week Northeast swing on Friday, May 19, at Marion Center Raceway in Marion Center, PA. Then, they’ll head to Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, PA, on Saturday, May 20, before returning to Stateline Speedway in Busti, NY, on Tuesday, May 23.
The Northeast swing finishes with three nights at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH, May 25-27, for the 2023 edition of the Battle at the Border.
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