Part-time driver still working full-time on NASCAR dream

Remember that Triple-A Championship at Las Vegas Ballpark a couple of weeks ago?

Perhaps not. But imagine, anyway, being called out of the bleachers as a late-inning replacement for the Durham Bulls or Reno Aces.

That’s how Matt Jaskol felt after Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 for drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series — the Triple-A of big-time stock car racing.

In fact, he said that might be understating it.

“That’s the thing people don’t realize,” the Las Vegan said after finishing 32nd in the 38-car field in his only start of the season. “I can’t sit in a race car and go practice. The simulator doesn’t do it. It would be like me showing up to play with the Yankees and I had not thrown a ball or swung a bat in 12 months.”

At 38 — he was celebrating his birthday Saturday when the gentlemen and female driver Hailie Deegan started their engines — Jaskol has done everything he can to get noticed. Including joining the cast of a TV reality show and skydiving onto the starting grid before last year’s fall race on his hometown track.

On Saturday, he mostly tried to stay with the leaders when they came up to lap him so his sponsor Auto Parts 4 Less would get some TV time.

”Not to sound cliche, but I’m happy to be here,” Jaskol said about putting a team together at short notice and what that usually leads to on race day. “We had some problems on the pit stop, and the car was unbalanced — just to bring it home I had some big, big moments out there.”

Jaskol, who spent the first part of his career chasing a career in the IndyCar series — Marco Andretti, for whom he serves as a spotter at the Indianapolis 500, is a close pal — said those fast guys who were lapping him have $150,000 per-race budgets, while his is around $30,000.

But he still hasn’t given up on being one of stock car racing’s Walter Mitty characters. And one day lapping some cars himself.

“Yeah, man, I’m still in my 30s and I’m racing guys out here in their 40s. Get me out for a full season so we could put some stuff together,” he said in a bit of wistful thinking.

If it doesn’t happen, perhaps the Durham Bulls can use a guy who never gives up. And can still smile even when he goes down swinging.

Around the horn

— Former Bishop Gorman field goal kicker Derek Ng became Holy Cross’ all-time leading scorer recently, passing former Crusaders star and two-way player Gordie Lockbaum for the record.

Ng also set a Holy Cross mark for most career field goals earlier this season. He has made 42 of his 62 attempts with a long of 51 yards for the 6-0 Crusaders of the Patriot League.

— On the topic of unbeaten Football Championship Subdivision powerhouses, former UNLV coach Bobby Hauck had guided Montana to a 5-0 record and the nation’s No. 2 ranking in his second stint at the Big Sky school before Saturday’s 30-23 loss to Idaho.

Hauck was the last coach to take UNLV to a bowl game (the Rebels lost 36-14 to North Texas in the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl). His career record at Montana is 113-30 with nine FCS playoff appearances in 11 seasons.

— Belated congratulations to Palo Verde grad Daniel Bellinger for catching his first NFL touchdown pass as a New York Giants tight end. Bellinger’s 16-yard grab was the Giants’ only TD in a 19-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers on opening weekend.

The former San Diego State tight end has 10 receptions for 101 yards heading into the Giants’ game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

0:01

Semi-retired three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart is a team owner in both the Cup Series and the NHRA. But you won’t see him at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Sunday’s South Point 400.

“Super glad I’m going drag racing this weekend,” said Stewart, whose NASCAR team has been fined $200,000 amid allegations of manipulating the finishing positions of last week’s playoff race. “If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve got a couple of appearances that I have to make, I wouldn’t be (at) another NASCAR race the rest of the year. Wouldn’t waste my time.”

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.