NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. Bubba Pollard has had good days and bad days at New Smyrna Speedway.

The defending winner of the Clyde Hart Memorial hopes to have another good day tonight as he defends last years victory in the 26th running of the super late model race that will be the first race of the season for the ASA STARS National Tour.

Weve been good here at times and we have struggled here. Its a tough place, Pollard said of the half-mile asphalt track. It can be tricky, but we unloaded pretty good with pretty much the same stuff we had last year and it was good right off the trailer.

We have a good baseline and we feel comfortable about it.

Pollard ran down Ty Majeski late in the race to win last years Hart Memorial.

I feel better about it compared to where we are at with the race cars, Pollard said. Last year, we struggled when we got here and I feel like the car has speed this year right off the trailer, which is good. I feel like we can keep it together and make all the right decisions and do what we need to do tomorrow night we are going to be OK. But you never know. Its racing. One minute you are a hero and the next minute you are a zero. Thats why we do it.

The series initiated the ASA STARS National Tour Platinum Program Presented by Rackley Roofing and Track Enterprises during the offseason, and Pollard plans to race for the championship in the third year of the rejuvenated national tour.

There are a lot of different things that go into it, Pollard explained. We have made some changes in order to do the things that we need to do to be able to run for the series championship. We are focused on it this year. We started on it the last two years and kind of fell off. I feel like we have put things in position this year to do it, especially at some of those race tracks that we dont run good at.

I am excited about it. They are doing a great job, Pollard continued. You have growing pains, you know, and theyve got that behind them. They are putting people in position to make the right calls and everyone is getting comfortable with what is going on. The communication level of things has been way better this year than it has been the last few years. They are doing a good job.

Watch the Clyde Hart Memorial on SPEED SPORT affiliate www.tracktv.com.