DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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First look at Lincoln Speedway's virtual flagging system | Daily 2-22-2024
The Lincoln Speedway virtual flagging system debuts this weekend, and one high profile Central PA driver says we should be open minded. We'll talk about that plus High Limit and Lucas at Golden Isles, other weekend racing to watch, and something new coming from DIRTRACKR. Let's go!
It's Thursday, February 22nd, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily.
Before we get started, I've got a little streaming news for you out of Texas. RaceOnTexas.com announced today a rebrand of their streaming platform to just RaceON. The broadcaster is entering its 10th year in operation and carries over 400 live events a year, focusing on over 20 local tracks. They will also carry several larger events in 2024 including the Lone Star 600 and Short Track Nationals. There is a lot of pressure right now for racing promoters to secure stronger revenue sources, and RaceON has a unique model where they share revenue every month with their member tracks. They released a podcast on their platform recently talking about the changes, and the focus shifting to a stronger marketing push for these member tracks. If you want to check that out, you can go to their new website RaceOn.com and give it a listen. While you're there, check out their upcoming broadcast schedule and sign up for a subscription. A monthly plan gets you access to all of their live racing, replays, plus it supports your local track. Coming up, they'll be streaming racing from tracks like Hunt County, Boothill, and Big O, which includes modifieds, flat track motorcycles, and plenty more. That's raceon.com, and find them in the Apple App and Google Play stores, plus Fire TV and Roku.
I dropped a trailer this morning for a new video series coming to the DIRTRACKR YouTube channel. I've partnered up with sprint car driver Zach Hampton, and we'll be sharing a full sprint car build over the course of a multi-part video series. These will be in depth pieces showing you the intricacies of putting a car together from bar frame, to interior, suspension, engine, body work and more. You'll see just about every nut and bolt that goes into the process. Part one will debut in the coming days, so stay tuned for that. I haven't finished editing all of the footage just yet, but it will end up being maybe eight or ten videos, and I also have a shop tour video with Zach as well. So tons of good content coming.
The High Limit sprint car and Lucas late model seasons continue this weekend at Golden Isles in Georgia. Thursday we get High Limit along with crate late models, Friday is Lucas plus the crates, and Saturday is High Limit and Lucas. We are just two races deep into the High Limit season, with only East Bay complete, but Kyle Larson and Tyler Courtney already have one win each, and Brad Sweet and Corey Day are tied atop the way too early season standings. Teams did have a chance to practice last night, and looking at MyRacePass and social media, it looks like Rico Abreu had the single fastest lap on the night. The pre-entry list for the weekend includes 26 sprint cars, which is the 17 full time High Limit drivers, plus Ryan Timms, Sam Hafertepe, Cole Macedo, Kevin Newton, Dylan Norris, Anthony Macri, Eric Riggins, Kyle Larson, and Austin McCarl. For being in Georgia, and a week removed from the real end of speedweeks in Florida, I think getting 26 cars for this one is a win. East Bay was boosted by having so many 360s there, and this one was going to be a tough draw. With the IceBreaker happening this weekend at Lincoln, you figured no PA cars would come down, but we are getting Macri and Norris. Golden Isles hasn't hosted a whole lot of sprint car racing, so handicapping this one will be a little tough. It's read clay like we see at Charlotte, and similar in length at 4/10 of a mile. Lap times look to be comparable as well. If we use Charlotte as a barometer, I'd keep an eye on Sweet, Rico, Brent Marks, Sunshine, and obviously Larson. Kyle Larson will continue to be a problem for the High Limit teams any time he makes the trip this season. This weekend is an easy one, as the NASCAR Cup Series is not far away racing in Atlanta, and Larson is double dipping with the late model as well. I wanted to give you a few numbers though on Larson's recent sprint car success and just how good he's been. Going back through 2022, Yung Money has made 58 sprint car starts. He's won 18 times, or about 31% of those races. He's also got 39 top fives and 47 top tens. With Larson set to run something near half the High Limit schedule, I was also curious who beats him the most often when he doesn't win, and the answer is actually good for the High Limit teams. Rico and Brent Marks are the winningest drivers against Larson the past two years, each winning five times with the Silva 57 in the field. Other drivers with multiple wins against him include David Gravel, Sweet, Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart, Sheldon Haudenschild, Gio Scezli, and James McFadden.
On the Lucas side, we are much deeper into that season, with 12 races already complete through speedweeks. I'm not sure if we are counting this second trip to Golden Isles as part of speedweeks, or not. At the moment, Ricky Thornton Jr. leads the series standings over Hudson O'Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran, and Daulton Wilson. O'Neal and RTJ lead all drivers in wins, with three each. O'Neal was quickest last night in open practice, and he and RTJ split the Golden Isles wins back about a month ago when the series was first at Brunswick. Those opening nights drew near 50 cars, and I'll be curious to see how many we get this second time around. Only 29 looked to be signed in last night for practice, so we'll see if that grows by Friday. We do still lack clarity on the full time status for a few different drivers on the Lucas side. Jonathan Davenport is the big one. Third in the standings, already has a win, but has been non-committal about whether he'll do the full tour again. FloRacing's Michael Rigsby said not long ago he thinks JD will do it, but nothing has been confirmed. Davenport's website still showing a blank schedule after this weekend's races. And the same is true for Tyler Erb. Nothing set for his schedule after this weekend. He struggled at Golden Isles previously, and All-Tech, but had speed at Ocala, and was strong all week at East Bay. We'll see if they can parlay that East Bay speed into more success going forward. If you can't be at Golden Isles this weekend, FloRacing will have the live streams.
In Central PA this weekend, their 410 sprint car season gets started at Lincoln Speedway with the Icebreaker. It's going to be chilly, so pack that warm gear, but racing looks to be on. Freddie Rahmer is seeking his fifth straight track championship, and his odds are pretty good I'd say. He had 14 wins at the track in 2023. He also was the Icebreaker winner a year ago, with Justin Peck also winning a feature that weekend. This will be the big debut of the new virtual flagging system at Lincoln, and yesterday we got a look at the video board setup thanks to a photo from Danny Dietrich. His social media post said quote "I think this video board will end up being a great thing. May not be for the old school folk, but it's hard to argue what it will be able to do over an actual flagman. You gotta be open minded" unquote. Through these early weeks, the track will continue to have an actual flagman in the stand to help with the transition, and there will still be officials around the track and in the corners to help spot any issues. I still think this won't be that big of a deal, and after a few weeks, nobody will even notice. The big point of criticism has been what if the technology fails, but it won't be hard to put somebody back in the stand if that happens. Do I think that this technology will suddenly take over short track racing and eliminate flagmen everywhere, no. Plenty of tracks will want to hold onto the tradition of that position. But if it's successful, I could see it popping up elsewhere in coming seasons. The Icebreaker this weekend may turn into a draw just from people being curious about this system. As long as the race happens, I'll try and share some screen captures or video of it on Sunday's Daily show. The Icebreaker will be streamed live on Flo.
Out in California, we've got both winged and non-wing action this weekend. On the non-wing side, the USAC CRA season opens Saturday at Perris Auto Speedway. Brody Roa will begin his title defense against guys like Tommy Malcolm, Austin Williams and Cody Williams, and AJ Bender. Some other drivers expected to race include Charles Davis Jr., Logan Calderwood, Austin Grabowski, and Eddie Tafoya Jr. And way up north at Marysville, the 360 winged season begins there on Saturday as well. I could see that one drawing some cars, being as how this will be one of the first chances for the the 2024 season.
If you're a dirt modified fan, the 2024 USMTS season starts this weekend at Hunt County Raceway in Texas. Hunt County is the former Superbowl Speedway. Tonight, Thursday is a practice night, with racing set for Friday and Saturday. Besides the USMTS, the weekend card also includes eco-mods, and USRA limited mods, factory stocks, and stock cars. Friday and Saturday are both $5000 to win shows for the USMTS competitors. Rodney Sanders is the defending series champion, but it sounds like it will be a big field of full timers yet again. If you want to tune in, watch it on RacinDirt or RaceOn.
And down in Florida at Southern Raceway, they've got Crate Racin USA late models for $10,000 to win this weekend, along with the USCS sprint cars and other divisions. You can watch that one live over at huntthefront.tv.
That's it for the Daily show this week. I appreciate all of you who continue to tune in and support what I do here.
Hope you guys have a great Thursday out there, we'll see you back here on Sunday!