Welcome to MATTHARMS53H.COM the online home of Sprint Car Driver Matt Harms. Matt races for D&M Racing in the Sprint Invaders race circuit.

July 23, 2010 - D&M Racing ran the 410 car at Jacksonville Speedway. The driver had been out of the car for 2 weeks, and was maybe a little bit rusty, and also the car was a little on the tight side in the heat race. We would finish the heat race 6th, relegating us to run the B main. In the B main we started 3rd and rode the cushion to 2nd , with a much better handling race car starting us 18th in the A main. In the A main we would go from 18th to 10th in a handful of laps. There was some trouble in front of the 53H in turn 3 when a fellow competitor had a tire explode. The 53H missed the spinning car with the flat tire, but was hit in the rear bumper by a fellow competitor, spinning the 53H out. After going back to the tail of the field, D&M Racing would fight back to a 13th place finish in the A main. The 410 is running much better after some much needed engine work. D&M Racing is very excited to run close to home at the Kitchen Cooked Sprint Car Summer Shootout at Peoria Speedway in Illinois with the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders Sunday August 1st!

June 26, 2010 - D&M Racing was able to fulfill a life long dream….we raced with USAC with the 410 non wing car! I didn’t time in very well in qualifying with a loose race car. We started on the pole of the heat race and finished 5th. In the A main feature event we started 19th and were running 16th, or 17th when I had to pull the car in the infield due to an overheating issue on lap 20 of the 30 lap event. I didn’t want to burn up our 410. We’ll check out what’s going on with the overheating issue and have it fixed the next time we run the 410. We enjoyed racing with the professional teams of the USAC series and look forward to getting to do that again! We’ll be at the 1⁄2 mile West Liberty Raceway on Saturday July 3rd with the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders!

June 25, 2010 - We ran the 360 wing car with the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders at the Jacksonville Speedway. Once again we didn’t draw very well as we started in the last row of the heat race. We were able to move forward to 5th in the heat race and start 14th in the A main feature event. On a very dry slick, and then turning to rubber down surface, we were able to pass 2 cars and finish in the 12th position. We were as fast as anybody, we just needed a little better starting position to start up front. We were very happy with the car, and we also moved up 2 places in the points to 11th!

June 19, 2010 - D&M Racing headed to Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville Indiana for some 410 non wing racing. 40 really good cars were in attendance. In the heat race I started 5th and was running 5th and working on passing 4th place for an A main transfer when I got into turn 3 a little too hot on the cushion, and pulled a wheelie. I slipped back to 6th and finished 6th. I don’t think they lined us up correctly for the B main because I was in the next to last row of the B. Anyway I started 10th and got up to 7th. They only took the top 2 cars out of the B mains. I’m still learning chassis setup and driving style with the 410 non wing car, but I’m getting it. It’s definitely different than what a 360 non wing car feels like. This Friday night we’ll be at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville IL with the 360 winged car with the Sprint Invaders. Lets hope our luck this year changes for the better!

June 12, 2010 - We ran Freeport Raceway Park with the American Sprint Car Tour non wing series with the 410 car. We would finish the heat 2nd and finished 3rd in the feature. I have to be honest…there were only 4 cars in attendance, and I didn’t get to finish the A main due to an oil leak. But, we did get some good laps in on a 1⁄2 mile track with a 410 with the wings off. We were toe to toe with the groups point leader. I’ve ran a lot of 360 non wing, but never 410 non wing. I’ve also never ran on a 1⁄2 mile track with no wing, so it was a new experience. It’s too bad we didn’t have a full field of 20 cars for this race, because the track was in perfect shape for some good wheel to wheel non wing racin! I had a ton of fun on that 1⁄2 mile with the 410 and no wings!

June 9, 2010 - We raced at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson Iowa with the Sprint Invaders. We would not draw very well again starting in the next to last row of the heat. We got up to 6th in the heat race, but couldn’t transfer to the A, forcing us to run the B. We maintained 5th in the B main which was just enough to maintain a transfer spot to the A main. In the A main feature event we started 19th and had worked our way to 12th. I tried a different line here and there which didn’t work, but hey you have to try. We brought the car home in the 14th position in the A main. I felt good about the way the car handled, and felt I drove a decent race. We’re will take that event, and work on improving and to get ourselves further up front.

May 29, 2010 - We ran night 2 with the Sprint Invaders at 34 Raceway in Burlington Iowa. Once again I drew the last row of the last heat race, and passed a couple cars but finished 6th one spot out of an A main transfer. In the B main the car was handling really well. We started 3rd and were working on 2nd when the yellow came out. The engine stumbled horribly on the restart and I was a sitting duck going into turns 1 and 2. I tried to hold onto my position but didn’t have anything to offer with an ill running engine. We faded back to 6th one spot out of a A main transfer. After checking the fuel system after the races we found the linkage that controls the barrel valve had come loose which leaned out the barrel valve creating the lean condition and stumble in the engine. To say that I’m frustrated and disappointed with our results thus far in our season is an understatement. We’ll stay after it and improve our performance and finish the year strong, we just need a little more luck. I have to thank Matt Rogerson of Midland Performance and Dillon Roth for helping me over the weekend while Dad was gone. Matt gave me some great coaching and suggestions, and Dillon worked his tail off on the car. I just wish I could’ve given them better results. But, as I said we’ll keep our heads up and get to the front.

May 28, 2010 - We ran at Columbus Junction with the Sprint Invaders. Once again I drew the last row of the last heat race on a very dry slick and dusty track. I was able to get by a couple guys, but it wasn’t enough to get into the top 5 for a transfer to the A main. We started the B main in the next to last row and I passed 1 or 2 guys but didn’t get into the top 5 for an A main spot. We left the night happy with how the car handled and how the engine performed, but when everyone is going the same speed with no traction available that’s how it goes sometimes.

May 16th, 2010 - We were once again at Jacksonville Speedway, but this time with the 410 car for an open show. We started the heat race 4th and were running 4th 2 laps into the heat race when the rearend housing broke in half! I've never seen a rearend break like that. I got the rearend used, and it didn't have many shows on it, but obviously it must've had an issue. We thrashed hard to get the rearend swapped, but missed the call for the A main. Sometimes I wish I could fix my luck like I can fix the race car, but that's how it goes. We'll make it happen before the year is out, we have good cars, and I feel like I've been driving well we just need a little luck! Next up is a double header weekend with the Invaders at Columbus Junction May 28th and 34 Raceway in Burlington Iowa on the 29th.

May 7, 2010 - We headed to Jacksonville Speedway with the 360 for a Sprint Invaders race. Dad had just gotten some kidney stones removed on Wednesday night that week so he was at home resting up. I was able to get my brother in law Adam to come with me, and his help was much appreciated. We started the heat race 6th and I had worked my way up to 3rd and was working on 2nd in a tight race with the 2nd place car. A caution came out with 3 laps left or so, and on the restart, the car just wasn't the same it had gotten pretty loose. I changed my line and tried to make it better, but it was to no prevail. We went backwards to 6th in the heat and they were only taking the top 5 to the A main. We started the B main in 3rd place and were hangin tough in 3rd in a transfer spot in the B main, when we got passed on the last lap and got put back to 4th out of a transfer spot. We tried hard, and I don't know whether I sealed a tire over, or if I had tire bleeder issues, but the car went from handling very well to not so hot late. I've been told by some of the best in the business that this is almost always a tire or shock issue. We'll get it fixed up and get back after em.

April 30, 2010 - On Friday April 30, D&M Racing headed to Jacksonville Speedway to partake in the newly renovated facilities promoted by long time Bobby Hawks with our new 410 car. The facility looked great! The whole crew at Jacksonville Speedway has done a great job with their improvements in the off season! We went out and ran practice and the engine and chassis felt awesome! We felt like it was going to be a good night. Unfortunately right after the completion of practice for all the classes the flood gates opened and washed out the event. We were pretty disappointed because that 410 was feeling great! However, the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders 360 Series will be at Jacksonville on May 7. We hope to see you there.

April 23, 2010 - Sprint Invaders is rained out at Shepp's Speedway tonight.

April 17, 2010 - 34 Raceway in Burlington Iowa - Well to be honest, our 2010 season didn't get started anywhere close to where we planned. We drew the last row of our heat race, and were actually starting to move forward, when on the first lap technical difficulty struck the caution lights. We were probably the only car going into the corner when the caution lights malfunctioned and turned off the green light and turned on the yellow light. I rolled out of the gas, and then the green light came back on. By the time I got back on the front straightaway it was too late. The guys ahead of me were pulling away. We finished 7th in the heat relegating us to the B main. I started 10th and finished 10th. D&M Racing isn't a team that dwells on the bad side of things. We know we have a good chassis and engine program going and we'll get up to the front soon. We have 5 more months of racing left, we'll make it happen. 34 Raceway in Burlington Iowa had a great racing surface for the A main, and I'm sure the fans enjoyed the A main. I just wish we were part of the 4 abreast Saturday night. We'll get there, we'll scratch last Saturday from the memory and get up on the steering wheel for this Friday night at Shepp's Speedway in Alexander Illinois.

One bit of good news- we took the 410 car to Spoon River Speedway in Canton IL on Sunday 4/18 for their practice day and we had a blast! I ran about 20 laps, and my gosh that 410 engine is a blast! I've never driven an engine with 800 horsepower and 700+ foot pounds of torque before and my oh my I'll never forget it! We're looking forward to our first 410 show at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville IL on Friday April 30th. Come out and see us!

April 5, 2010 - Welcome back race fans. We've posted the official dates. We'll be fielding both 410 and 360 cars this year. There are a couple of weekends where we are racing all over Illinois and one full weekend in Lincoln, IL. The 2010 schedule is available here.

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