Kot battles for win.

Dunkin Donuts Center–Providence, Rhode Island

The #95 Linblad Badger sponsored by TYPHOON digital studio and Behrent's Performance Warehouse looks forward to the Providence race each season. Kot is always a top contender there and in Atlantic City, NJ. Jeff has made 8 out of the 9 feature races he has attempted since 2007.

The setup for qualifying this year wasn't even close as Kot did everything he could to get the car into the event on time. The car was having so much trouble turning in the corner, it would give the team an 11th place stating position in the 1st heat race. Kot would have to pass at least 7 cars in the 12 lap race to make it into the show. Running against some of the most well known names in racing like Pauch Sr. and Pauch Jr, Joey payne and Lou Ciconni in his heat. Kot knew he had to get through traffic quickly to have a chance at getting into the feature event. There were a few accidents and spinning cars that Kot would have to negotiate to keep making forward progress, which he did. Jeff wasted no time marching to the front in his heat and securing himself into the feature from the next to last starting position.

Jeff was introduced to the Rhode Island crowd and started to strap in for the event. The green flag fell on the event with Kot immediately picking up 4 or more positions on the first lap. Unfortunately the officials saw enough to have a complete restart. Kot would have to settle back into his starting position mid pack. As the green fell again Kot once again was aggressive and taking advantage of the inside lane, Mike Stefanik would tangle in front of Kot with another car forcing kot to lock up the brakes and wait for the cars to be cleared. Before that would happen another car slammed into the back of kot pushing him into Stefanik and causing heavy damage to the front left of the #95. Jeff would be done for the night. Finishing just in front of NASCAR Sprint Cup driver David Reuitmann. Kot would have to wait until Saturday to get another shot at the win.

Thanks to his team and Billy Pauch's crew, they had the #95 back together and ready for practice. The car was hooking up really well in the corners and Kot felt the car was ready for the heat race. It would be similar to Friday night, starting next to last and having to get into at least 4th to make it into the event. Another tough field of competitors had things looking pretty slim Jeff would have time to get through the pack to qualify in. Quickly Kot made his way around the other cars and easily into the feature event. Two nights in a row the #95 would somehow come from the back to make the big show again.

The feature event on saturday is a longer race (40 laps) and is the one everyone wants to win. Kot would be rolling off 13th, about mid pack. This event would see everything, cars flipping, engines blowing and catching fire, spins, and tempers flaring. Jeff stayed focused and again made a run to the front. With only a handful of laps remaining Kot was running in the fourth position and challenging for the win. Going into turn one another driver drove into the side of the #95 tearing up the side plate, launching his front wheel up on top of Kot's motor tearing up part of the valve cover and making hard contact with the left front tire causing bearing and wheel damage. Kot was moved up the track and with only a few laps remaining kept the car on the track to finish in the sixth position. For Kot it was a great run, one that was looking to be a win or a top 3 finish.

Short track racing is rough and unpredictable. Beating both the Nascar Sprint Cup driver and the Indy 500 driver, Davey Hamilton, showed the strength of the team and driver.