Nikky Saxon Finishes Season With Improvement At Lucas Oil Raceway
(Special from Saxon Racing)
October 2, 2014
New Palestine, Indiana (October 2, 2014) – While not the picture-perfect weekend,
Nikky Saxon finished her JEGS/CRA All-Star Tour debut season by reaching her
goal: learning and improving.
Saxon finished 19th in her final race of her partial season of the series at Lucas Oil
Raceway near Indianapolis in her No. 56 Saxon Racing/J&J Financial Late Model
car, after starting last due to issues that prevented her from qualifying.
"It was a difficult day," Saxon said. "The track was constantly changing, and the car
didn't like the line I was comfortable driving. It was a little disappointing, but there
were still a lot of things I will be able to take and learn from."
The 100-lap race was extended due to two long red flags. The drivers spent close to
two hours sitting in their cars while safety barriers were repaired after two separate
incidents. That time took a toll on Saxon, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis.
"The yellows aren't bad because you're still somewhat moving," Saxon said. "But sitting for that long during the red flags and then having the high g-force after we went green killed. I was doing anything I could just to keep moving a little bit. The hard part was that I was fighting the car the entire time."
Saxon, 20, drove a clean, solid race until lap 90 when she ran into unavoidable contact with another car spinning in Turn 2. She continued, but spoiler damage led to a spin in Turn 4. She tapped the wall, and unable to continue was credited with 19th place.
Saxon was disappointed with the finish but is using the highlights of the weekend as motivation to prepare for a full season in the series next year.
"This season had a lot of changes for me," Saxon said. "The size of the car was the first big challenge and then going to all of these new tracks. This was my first time in a touring season. In Legends, you knew the track, you knew the racers. There are so many brilliant racers here now that you are forced to learn everything quickly. It's been a challenge, but it's been fun and we hope to run a full season next year. Everything I've done so far will help me."
Even with only five starts in the All-Stars Tour this year, Saxon knows the series is a good fit as she continues toward her goal of racing in NASCAR. Saxon made the move from her Legends car this season and has spent that time learning the Late Model car and new tracks.
"I've loved being in this series," Saxon said. "The experience, both bad and good, I've been able to get is incredible. The officials have all been really helpful with the transition, and there's been a lot of stuff I can learn from and have learned from."
Being in her backyard, Indianapolis transplant Saxon had her own cheering section at the race. Many of her peers from the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Motorsports Engineering program made the short trip to Lucas Oil to watch the race.
"It was amazing to see them here," Saxon said. "It was probably one of the highlights of my career. I've had friends come and see me watch, but these guys are not only my friends, but they're from school and teammates for the Formula SAE car."
Saxon will take the offseason to continue her work on her motorsports engineering degree and prepare for her full season in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour next year.
For the latest updates on Nikky Saxon and Saxon Racing, visit racingwithnikky.com and follow the team on Facebook.
About Nikky Saxon:
Nicole "Nikky" Saxon has been racing since she was 8 years old, with the goal of becoming the first female NASCAR champion. Nikky gained racing experience through various series throughout her younger years. Originally from Las Vegas, Nikky and her family moved to Indianapolis. They moved Saxon Racing to continue to support Nikky and her jump to compete in her No. 56 Late Model in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance in 2014. Two years ago, Nikky developed Colitis along with acute Rhuematoid Arthritis and continues to battle the diseases, trying to never let it interfere with achieving her racing goals. Nikky balances her racing with work in the classroom as a third-year, full-time student at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), majoring in Motorsports Engineering.
