DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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It's been quiet in sprint car racing | Daily 7-14-2024
The late model silly season has already shocked us a few times this season, but it's quiet in sprint car racing... Maybe too quiet. We'll talk about that, plus cover a bunch of weekend racing. Let's go!
It's Sunday July 14th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
In just a few short days sprint cars will be on track at Eldora Speedway, and another big Eldora event means another opportunity to visit our friends at The Whistle Stop Bar and Grill located just 7 miles South of the track. Head down to Ansonia for good food and drink, and you can even order and bring it back to the track. Besides the Whistle Stop, they also have a sister business located in Downtown Greenville, Ohio called Sure Shot Tap House. Sure Shot Tap House is a 46 tap self pour facility featuring domestic and craft beer, ciders, seltzers, bourbons, and wines. They also have a self-serve cocktail machine that compliments their amazing food menu. Venture upstairs to the Bullseye Game Lounge which boasts Duckpin Bowling as well as 24 arcade games, making Sure Shot the ultimate destination to Eat, Drink, and Play all under one roof. New this year, they will be running buses from Eldora to Sure Shot on the Fridays of all major events, and that includes this week. The trip includes a buffet, $15 pour card, swag bag and more! Visit sureshottaphouse.com/events for more information on this great trip.
So we just spent the last week covering and talking about more craziness in the dirt late model driver market. In a season that had already seen the defending Lucas champion leave the Rocket house car mid season, we also had the number one driver in the country lose his ride on a random Sunday in July. These situations with Hudson O'Neal and Ricky Thornton Jr. were huge on their own, but to have them happen in the same season is even crazier. Especially when you consider that O'Neal also played a role in the RTJ situation, with him eventually ending up in the SSI Motorsports seat. I bring this up though, because on the flip side, we've seen very little play out in terms of a sprint car silly season. And this is on the heels of a 2023 that saw some similar bombshells to what we've seen this season in late models. Things that stand out include Anthony Macri departing the 39M hours before the Eldora Million. Jacob Allen stepping out of the 1A right before the Knoxville Nationals. And Lance Dewease parting with Don Kreitz. And that's just to name a few. Going back through my notes, it's not like there haven't been any changes in sprint car racing, but it does seem like things have been fairly quiet. We've had the Carson McCarl-Beaver stuff, Callum Williamson and Trone, and JJ Hickle and Sandvig among others. I will say though, Hunter Schuerenberg has propped up silly season almost single handedly. Just this season he's driven the Hayward 19, the Ford 73, the Ikenberry 25, the Heidbreder 19, and now the McGhee 11. My guy Steve of Master Gassers has Schuerenberg in 11 different rides since June of 2023. That's pretty wild. But for the most part, things have been pretty quiet, and especially quiet at the top of the sport. After what we saw in 2023, another season like that wasn't likely, and let's not forget that these things are very cyclical. But you have to wonder if and when things will start popping off this season. We are staring the month of money in the face with the Kings Royal kicking off this week, and poor performances in big races might just make some of these team owners get itchy. There have certainly been a few rumblings here and there about some potential drivers on the hot seat, but I don't know that anything is super immiment at this moment. At least in terms of national tours, I could see changes coming sooner for some teams on the High Limit side, versus on the Outlaw side, but if nobody made changes before the season is over, I don't know that that would shock me either. I've heard that we may not be done with changes in late model racing, and that the next 30 or 60 days could be interesting. But things have been awfully quiet for the sprint car teams and drivers.
On the heels of the wild late model week, we were supposed to have three Lucas races, and our first few chances to see Hudson O'Neal and RTJ in their new seats, but we lost two of those three. Devin Moran the winner last Thursday at 34 Raceway, and Huddy and RTJ both top four finishes. O'Neal went 6th to the second in the new look 71, and Thornton 13th to fourth with Koehler. Both didn't seem to lack any pace. I thought maybe we'd see the first Tim McCreadie Rocket house car win, as he started on the pole and led his first laps in the Rocket 1, but he faded to sixth at the end. He's up to nine straight top eight finishes, and still holds down that final chase spot. Lucas will be back on track tomorrow at Eagle Raceway, with Shelby County Tuesday, and then Huset's for the Silver Dollar Nationals starting Thursday.
With the World of Outlaws late models, it was a banner week for Bobby Pierce. He took the big money at Deer Creek on Saturday last week, and then swept action this week between Bedford and two nights at Sharon. That's four straight victories. No changes in the standings, as Brandon Sheppard picked up more top ten runs and he maintains the lead. Nick Hoffman though lost ground, as he was 12th last night after having to dig out of a hole following a post heat race DQ for missing the scales. He goes to Fairbury in two weeks now down 52 points, while even with the wins, Pierce trails by 134 in third.
Other weekend late model winners included a pair of Summer Nationals scores for Tyler Erb, plus an Ashton Winger win at Oakshade on Saturday. The Hell Tour continues today at Wayne County. Southern Nationals victories went to Donald McIntosh and Chris Madden. Brandon Overton got upside during that Madden score at Wythe, with just 16 cars in attendance there. The Southern Nationals heads to Volunteer today. Shane Clanton won the Southern All Stars race at Thunderhill, Justin Zeitner won at Shelby County, and Shane Sabraski won $11 grand with WISSOTA at Hibbing.
In Wisconsin, Carson Macedo and Donny Schatz split the World of Outlaws wins at Wilmot. Macedo clearly on the right path again after those two difficult nights at Knoxville last month. He's got three Outlaw wins in 2024. And Schatz was back in victory lane for the first time since Pevely in April. Not much change in the championship picture headed to Attica on Tuesday for the Brad Doty classic, thanks to two weekend top fives for David Gravel. Still Gravel, Schatz, Macedo, Scelzi in the top four.
At Portsmouth, things were a little dusty for the Dean Knittel Memorial and the Kubota High Limit sprint cars. It led to some issues, including a feature crash that took out James McFadden, and Spencer Bayston, while also involving Tanner Thorson and Brad Sweet. Rico Abreu took advantage of a late mistake from Chris Windom to score the victory. Skyler Gee ended up second, with Windom third. Those were the first laps led in High Limit competition for Windom. It was a bit of a strange night, with both Sweet and Tyler Courtney outside the top ten, and some regular front runners like Corey Day and Brent Marks in the bottom half of the top ten. I would expect some of the High Limit guys to be at Attica on Tuesday, before their next series races Wednesday and Thursday at Eldora.
Other weekend open wheel winners included Justin Sanders in NARC action at Ocean, Austin McCarl topped a big field at Knoxville, Logan Wagner and Aaron Bollinger won at Port and Lincoln, Blake Hahn was an ASCS winner, Kalib Henry won the AFCS show at Fremont, and Hunter Schuerenberg took that McGhee 11 to a FAST win at Paragon. USAC wins at Jefferson County went to Justin Grant and Ryan Timms. Ricky Thornton Jr. finished 17th in that Saturday show, dropping in to drive a Keith Kunz midget after the Wheatland Lucas rainout.
And at Ogilvie, Jake O'Neil won two of three features during USMTS mod wars, with Dan Ebert scoring the other. Everyone still chasing Jake Timm headed for Fairmont on Thursday.
If you want some racing today, you've got the Super DIRTcar Series at Weedsport for the Hall of Fame 100 and another guaranteed Super DIRT Week starting spot. There is also 410s at Husets, and plenty of local and regional action.
I know it's been a wild 24 hours out there, so make sure to take care of yourself and check in on those around you.
Hope you guys have a great rest of your Sunday out there, we'll see you back here tomorrow!