“Last year we had rearend problems on opening night before we ever really got rolling – so our whole season started off on a bad note,” remembers Gresel. “When you stumble right out of the gate, it’s really tough to build that momentum back up. That’s why opening night is so important. It sets the tone for your entire year. You can’t win a championship in your first start, but in a lot of ways you can lose one”

Working closely with her family-owned race team, Gresel set out to utilize every bit of Ontario’s off-season in order to enter the 2016 season better prepared and refocused on a run towards the top of Sunset’s headline division.

“We didn’t waste a single weekend this off-season,” insists the second-generation racer. “We’ve never worked this hard. It was all hands on deck every week. We did everything we could to make it through last year, but every person on this team knows that there was a lot more we could have accomplished. Because of that, we went back to the drawing board in a big way this Winter to keep that from happening again”

After a complete restructuring of her team, Gresel is ready to showcase her Walkerton Toyota-backed effort through the entirety of the Sunset Speedway season.

“This might as well be a brand new program,” says Gresel. “We have an entirely new direction that we’re headed in for 2016 and, honestly, I think we’re going to surprise some people. This roster gets better every year, and that’s what makes us come back. I love it. I hope everyone else is working as hard as we are”

When asked her goals for the rapidly approaching season opener, Gresel wastes little time in outlining just what she expects from herself.

“We want a top-5 on opening night,” explains the Sauble Beach, ON driver. “That would be the perfect way to set this team off in the right direction. Every element of our program can compete for wins – we just need to find a way to put it all together”

“That’s why I’m not afraid to set the bar high,” continues Gresel. “Because I know we can do it. We just need to make the right decisions, take advantage of our opportunities and go get after it.”

Brittney will hit the track for the first time in 2016 with the rest of the Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park NASCAR Late Model division on April 30th at Sunset Speedway. For details, including gate times and ticket prices, visit www.SunsetSpeedway.ca.

Brittney Gresel’s 2016 season is supported by Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park, Brittney’s Hair Studio, Walkerton Toyota, Spira Fire Protection and Cabral Racing Promotions.

Fans can follow Brittney on Twitter @BGres81.

By Spencer Lewis

The fan-favourite closed out the 2015 campaign with five straight top-5 finishes - punctuated by two victories - that helped to establish Bentley's position as a potential championship contender.

"I don't mind admitting that we have some high expectations entering this season," smirks Bentley. "We dedicated a lot of our year in 2015 to learning as much as we can about which setups work and which ones don't. Our notebook is a lot thicker now than it's ever been"

After a remarkably strong finish to his 2015 season, Bentley is eager to return to action at Sunset for the speedway's April 30th opener - with hopes of placing his family-run team at the top of the division's points standings early.

"As good as we were at the end of last year, I didn't want to stop," says Bentley. "We found our rhythm and got into a groove where it felt like we were getting faster every time we hit the track. Every practice, every heat and every feature felt better"

"Now, it's our job to get that momentum back. A big run on opening night will put us back in that mind frame"

With a number of solid seasons to his credit, Bentley's CGL Manufacturing-sponsored outfit feels ready to clinch their first career Sunset Speedway championship.

"We've had a really good car the last three seasons, but something always seems to come up to keep us from making a run at a championship," explains the second-generation driver.

"This is something that I want more than anything else in racing. I've been fortunate enough to win some really big races, but I would trade them all for a Sunset championship. That's where our focus is at this season"

And while his 2016 debut might bring with it an elevated level of attention, Bentley insists it does little to deter his focus.

"It's a huge compliment to be one of the guys that everyone is watching out for," shrugs Bentley, "but it doesn't bother me at all"

"Because, no matter what, no one can put more pressure on me than I put on myself. I want to win so badly and perform at my best, that if I don't it eats me up all week. 2016 is all about realizing our potential in this division."

Matt Bentley's 2016 efforts are supported by CGL Manufacturing, ThringCo., Streamline Race Products, Creative Edge and Bentley Motorsports.

By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)