YOU'D forgive James McFadden for wanting to spend time away from a race track.
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But the Warrnambool-based driver, who had 70 starts on the World of Outlaws tour in the American summer, says a desire to win is still burning bright.
The 32-year-old laid the foundation for another all-conquering Australian summer on Saturday night, taking out the prestigious Max's Race at Premier Speedway.
McFadden held off youngsters Tate Frost and Daniel Pestka to seal the triumph and announced he was determined to clock up as many victories as possible before jetting back to the United States in January.
I feel like (the extra time I've spent in the car) doesn't necessarily make you faster lap time-wise, it just makes you a little smarter and makes you think about things a little more
- James McFadden
"I feel like (the extra time I've spent in the car) doesn't necessarily make you faster lap time-wise, it just makes you a little smarter and makes you think about things a little more," he said post-race.
"The more time you can spend in the car - it's like playing golf or doing anything. You just refine your craft and do it a little better.
"That's all it does. If one of those young fellas was in front then, it would've been tough to get (the lead back). It doesn't make you faster, spending time in the car, it just makes you think differently."
McFadden said he was delighted to seal a first-up victory for the Monte Motorsport team.
"It was a great start. The guys have been working pretty hard in the off-season to prepare it so we couldn't have had a better start," he said.
"It was pretty treacherous there so I just tried to keep her on all four tyres and slow the pace right down so I didn't make any mistakes."
The multiple South West Conveyancing Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic champion said it was vital to race conservatively given the new Premier Speedway track surface.
"We sort set the car up there just so we could slow the pace right down, that was my plan from the start," he said.
"I knew lap traffic was going to be - you know what you were going to do there was going to decide the race.
"The track got heavier and heavier so the top wasn't really an option. I just thought if I slow it down enough and wait for lap cars to make mistakes.
"I thought if someone had the balls to rip around me, they could have it."
IN OTHER NEWS:
McFadden said he'd race "10 to 12" dates in Australia before flying back to America.
Premier Speedway changed the format of the night on Thursday night, reducing the amount of heats due to worldwide tyre and part shortages as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were two B-mains on the reverted schedule, with Brett Milburn and Warrnambool's Jake Smith taking out victories.
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