Arkansas driver aiming to maintain momentum
By Joshua Joiner
DirtonDirt.com staff writer
Kyle Beard (86) battles last season for Upton Motorsports in Columbus, Miss. (foto-1.net)
After a plague of 2012 engine woes forced him to drop off the Comp Cams Super Dirt Series at mid-season, Kyle Beard is hoping to make a triumphant return to the regional tour in 2013. The 26-year-old Trumann, Ark., driver has plenty of reason to believe that he’s capable of doing just that as he rejoins the Arkansas-based series with a new team and a new chassis.
Beard, who posted back-to-back runner-up points finish on the Comp Cams Series in 2010 and 2011, was knocked out of last year’s points chase in early June when his family-owned team suffered its third blown motor of the season. Beard sat out of racing for nearly a month until Greg and Angie Upton gave him an opportunity to return to the track in their Bob Pierce Race Car.
After a solid second half of 2012, including winning two of his last three races, Beard debuted a new Pierce car for Upton Motorsports with a victory during Moulton (Ala.) Speedway’s season-opening event April 6.
He’s now aiming for more success as the Comp Cams Series kicks off its season April 19-20 with a doubleheader at Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Ark., and I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark.
“The Uptons came along at a really good time last year, cause I would’ve probably been out for a while,” said Beard, who ranks fourth on the tour’s all-time wins list with seven career victories. “We ended last year pretty good and we just won the first night out in a new chassis we put together. I think we can have a pretty good year. We’ve got our hopes high anyways, so hopefully we can keep the momentum up.”
Beard has his eyes set on claiming the Comp Cams Series championship this season. His back-to-back near misses in the points chase have him confident he can get the job done this time around.
“We’ve come really close before,” said Beard, who finished second to Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark., in 2010 and Brandon Smith of Floral, Ark., in 2011. “One year I led most of the year, and then had bad luck a couple nights that put us back in second. I know we can do it if we just keep our equipment up and stay out of trouble.”
Claiming his first series title will require Beard to continue to improve in his Pierce car. Built by National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Bob Pierce, the Oakwood, Ill.-based chassis brand isn’t as popular in the South as it is in its home region. With that in mind, Beard wasn’t sure what to expect from the car when he first teamed up with the Uptons last season, but he’s now confident it’s a championship-caliber ride.
“I didn’t really know much about the cars or know what to expect. I never even looked at one before I started driving it last year,” Beard said. “We went back to the notes the Uptons had on the car last year and we’ve called (Pierce Race Cars) a few times and they’ve helped us out. Now, I feel like we got ahold of it pretty quick. It seems like they fit my driving style pretty good.”
To break through for his first championship of any kind, Beard will have to overcome some tough competition. The Comp Cams Series boosts one of the most competitive rosters of regular competitors of any regional series with more than 15 drivers starting the season with plans to follow the entire tour. The series also regular attracts drop-ins from veteran drivers like Billy Moyer, Wendell Wallace and Jack Sullivan often boosting the competition level.
“It seems like there’s a different winner just about every night and it’s because all those guys are pretty tough,” Beard said. “Then you got guys like the Moyer and Wendell and Jack Sullivan. They come in every once in a while and really make you step your game up.”
Even with the tour’s stiff competition, Beard has his goal firmly set on winning his first series title this season.
“Right now, we’re just wanting to win a championship,” Beard said. “That’s one thing I’ve never done. Never won a track championship or anything. That’s the main thing we’re wanting to do and of course we’d like to win a few more races along the way.”
