DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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This High Limit version of Jacob Allen isn't taking any crap | Daily 4-17-2024
Corey Day goes back to back, the Ikenberry 25 will have a new driver this weekend, we are seeing a very different Jacob Allen, and I wonder if Anthony Macri should stay out on the road and follow High Limit. Let's go!
It's Wednesday, April 17th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
The $20,000 to win Weldon Sterner Memorial presented by Chuck's Auto Parts Solutions at Lincoln Speedway is this weekend! The 20th anniversary race scheduled for this Saturday, April 20th is packed with giveaways for fans and includes a pre-race fan zone event in the pits where fans can meet their favorite drivers! In addition to the $20,000 winner's share, drivers in both the 410 and 358 sprint divisions will be competing for an increased purse that is spread throughout the field along with additional contingency prizes. Make sure you’re there to see who will add their name to the prestigious list of Weldon Sterner winners that includes Brian Montieth, Lance Dewease, Greg Hodnett, Kyle Larson and the most recent winner of the event, Buddy Kofoid. So grab your friends, and make sure you're in the stands at Lincoln Speedway on April 20th! If you want more details, head over to lincolnspeedway.com. Big thanks againt to the folks at Lincoln for their support of the Daily show.
The Kubota High Limit sprint cars were at Red Dirt Raceway in Oklahoma last night, and after winning High Limit race number one just a few days ago at RPM Speedway, it didn't take Corey Day long to get victory number two. He started seventh, and just methodically worked his way forward, taking the lead from Tyler Courtney on lap 20. Day's win from seventh was the deepest a winner has come this season with High Limit through seven races, and it ties for the furthest back of any winner on a national sprint car tour. Brent Marks also won from seventh against the Outlaws at Cotton Bowl back in March. Day's sort of teammate and High Limit championship leader Tyler Courtney finished second, with Brent Marks third. Headed to Southern Oklahoma and Salina this weekend, Sunshine's championship lead was extended to 33 points over Brad Sweet. Day is up to third following back-to-back victories, and Marks and Jacob Allen are fourth and fifth. I continue to be surprised by a few guys who have struggled, including Chris Windom. He was really respectable a year ago with the All Stars, but just one top ten so far and he's been involved in a bunch of incidents. Cory Eliason has just two top tens, and I know it's early yet, but the switch to Jim Shuttlesworth at crew chief hasn't immediately turned that team around. They were 10th at Texas Motor Speedway, but 15th at RPM and 11th last night. Justin Peck and Zeb Wise continue to have poor luck as well.
Things were definitely not all fun and games last night, and we saw several run-ins through the course of the program. That included Kyle Larson and Rico Abreu. We heard but didn't see an initial deal between those two in the feature, but we did see a tight moment on FloRacing with ten to go when Larson got to Rico's inside and both slid high on corner exit. Rico looked to have gotten a piece of the turn four wall. The two ended up sixth and seventh.
The other one I wanted to point out was Jacob Allen vs. Brent Marks in the fourth heat race. Allen got to third late, but coming to the checkered Marks made a move for the spot and forced the 1A over the cushion in turn four. Marks made a trip to the dash because of the move, but Allen missed the feature transfer, because while he was gathering his car up, both Cory Eliason and Cap Henry slipped by him. After the finish, Allen popped Marks in the rear bumper and made a little swerve at him. Which was interesting, because I don't recall Jacob ever going after someone like that before. This all feeds back into something I mentioned the other day about us seeing a different version of Jacob Allen. He needed a provisional last night to start the main event, and then drove from 25th to 13th. It was just his second finish outside the top ten with High Limit this year. His results against the Outlaws haven't been quite as good, but it sure seems like when he rolls into a High Limit race, he's in a different gear. He's qualifying almost seven positions better, and finishing about eight positions better on average in High Limit shows vs Outlaw races in 2024. Fifth in the standings, and if we get this Jacob Allen all season, it's not outside the realm of possibility that he could contend for a charter. I don't think anyone would have predicted that when he declared full time with High Limit back in November of 2023. I'm all in though on spicy Jacob Allen with the elbows out on the wheel.
As for Anthony Macri, he was fifth in the standings following a win at Texas Motor Speedway and a fourth at RPM Speedway, but they weren't quite as good last night ending up 18th. The 39M had run all of the High Limit races to this point, and I was curious about his status with the series. If maybe he and Joe Mooney should start thinking about a full High Limit run and maybe trying to lock down one of those charters. They've certainly had the speed to contend every night. Bossman Brad Sweet confirmed to me yesterday that they could still sign on if they wanted, but Mooney told me it's not happening. He said their plan was to head home after Red Dirt last night to run in Central PA this coming weekend. Williams Grove has the $8000 to win Tommy Hinnershitz Classic on Friday, and the aforementioned $20,000 to win Weldon Sterner at Lincoln is on Saturday. I figured that was the case, and it's what was on their schedule to begin with, but I had to ask.
Last night's High Limit race was the final show for Kerry Madsen in the Brandon Ikenberry 25 car. You might remember that Madsen was sort of filling in for the 25 team, after Lachlan McHugh decided late to not come race in the US this summer. Madsen got nipped in heat race two late by both Jace Park and Ryan Timms and missed the feature transfer. He then ended up sixth in the B-Main ending his night. Madsen had some solid runs though, including leading a bunch of laps at RPM Speedway earlier this week before finishing second. The Deuce 5 team shared to Facebook that they will be at Knoxville this coming weekend for their weekly season opener, and that a new driver will be announced soon. There are rumblings the new driver is one we've seen out lately on the road who already has some other deals lined up this season as well. Madsen will shift his focus over to the second Vermeer Motorsports car which he will run weekly at Knoxville along with other midwest shows. Knoxville has a practice night scheduled for Friday, with racing for all three sprint car divisions set for Saturday.
When the ASCS National Tour season gets going this weekend, the series will have a new nightly format in place. Announced yesterday, the new format will be very similar to what we used to see with the All Star Circuit of Champions. Hot lap and qualify against your heat race group. Heats straight up by time, except faster qualifier starts fourth. Heat winner and quickest transfer from each heat make the dash. The feature will start 22 cars plus provisionals, and we'll have the regular run of prelim features, like the C and B. On top of the new format, the series has been releasing some expected full timers, with that list including Andrew Deal, Seth Bergman, Brandon Anderson, Terry Easum, Jordan Knight, Bradley Fezard, Zach Blurton, and Hank Davis. We'll see who else decides to sign on, and whether we'll get the return of defending champion Jason Martin, plus guys like Matt Covington and Jordan Mallett. The ASCS will be at Super Bee Speedway in Louisiana this Friday and Saturday night.
If you want some other dirt racing content this week, Winged Nation has Devon Borden and Corey Day, Quicktime has Dan Taylor, Dirt Tracks and Rib Racks has Trey McGranahan, Hoogie's Garage has Buddy Kofoid and Kerry Madsen, Dunewich on Dirt has Sparks Parris and Brent Robinson, Turn 2 Terribles has Ashley Cappetta, Plum Wild has Eddie Farness, Getting up to Speed has Nick Trenchard, Caution Free has Bradley Ashford, and there are new episodes of the Dirt Reporters, Dirt Track Confessions, and Racing Roundup. To see all of the shows and their newest episodes, check out dirtrackr.com/podcasts.
That's it for the Daily today. Make sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter called The Slider. We had a new issue a few days ago from Spence Smithback about lawn mower racing, and I've got another new interview coming from Jordan Wilman. You can get subscribed over at dirtrackr.com/theslider.
Hope you guys have a great Wednesday out there, we'll see you back here tomorrow!