DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript

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Wild sprint car rumors, Gateway lives, late model driver news | Daily 8-13-2024

On the show today, we'll talk news for the Gateway Dirt Nationals and Coltman Farms Racing, plus double back to the announcement from last week about a 2025 World of Outlaws rookie and where we stand right now with sprint car silly season. Let's go!

It's Tuesday, August 13th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.

This week the Case Construction World of Outlaws Late Model Series begins a busy stretch of racing, and when they head to Spoon River Speedway on Thursday, I want to help you save a little money. I've partnered up with the Outlaws to get you $5 off each ticket you buy to Thursday's action. So if you buy four tickets, you get $20 off. And this discount is good for both general admission and reserved seats. Use code "DIRTRACKR" to get the $5 off deal when you purchase, that's D I R T R A C K R. Head over to dirtrackr.com/spoonriver, or click the links below in the video description and enter the code before you select your seats. Spoon River has hosted series like MARS and the Summer Nationals plenty of times before, but this will be the first time the Outlaws have ever raced at the Illinois track. Don't miss out on your chance to see Brandon Sheppard, Nick Hoffman, Bobby Pierce and many more battle it out. Especially with a tight championship fight going on. So hit up dirtrackr.com/spoonriver, or the links below in the video description, and use code "DIRTRACKR" for $5 off your tickets.

We'll start your Tuesday off with some news items from the last few days. First, good news for the future of the Gateway Dirt Nationals. After serious questions existed about whether or not the event would continue beyond 2024, promoter Cody Sommer and event officials revealed yesterday that they have signed a three-year extension, keeping the event inside the Dome at America's Center through 2027. The indoor, offseason late model and modified race in St. Louis did not have a contract with the facility beyond this season, and there was chatter that the building was potentially looking at not renewing an agreement. The Dome was previously home to the St. Louis Rams NFL team, but that obviously hasn't been the case since the Rams moved to LA. The facility now regularly hosts conventions, concerts, things like monster truck shows, and UFL and XFL football games. This year's Gateway Dirt Nationals take place December 5th through the 7th, and just this week registration for late model teams sold out in 15 minutes. Good to see this event continue though, as it's become a fan and competitor favorite in the quote unquote offseason of dirt late model racing.

One other late model note for you. Coltman Farms Racing has hired driver Zack Mitchell to pilot it's second car starting this weekend in Hunt the Front series action at Senoia. Mitchell will join teammate Tanner English, who also joined Coltman this season. Mitchell replaces David McCoy, who parted ways with the team back in July. At the moment, Mitchell is third in Hunt the Front points, trailing Sam Seawright and Brandon Overton. The South Carolina driver has three wins this season, including with the Ultimate series at Cherokee in March, he was a Carolina Clash winner at Lavonia in April, and bagged the Rock Gault Memorial at Cherokee with Hunt the Front in June. The release from the team says that Mitchell will continue full time with the Hunt the Front series, while also hitting up the World 100 in September. He hasn't raced at Eldora since a World appearance in 2022.

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Jumping back to last week, I didn't want to gloss over our first committed World of Outlaws team and driver for 2025. I had teased this move a few times in recent weeks, as I had heard this was happening, but at the Knoxville Nationals, it was finally announced that Cole Macedo will join TwoC Racing next season to run the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series full time. This will be a run at rookie of the year for Macedo, and this will be a return to the Outlaws for TwoC, who had previously been on tour in 2020 and 2021 with Wayne Johnson behind the wheel. Johnson was the 2020 rookie of the year, and had a best finish of seventh during that span, which happened twice. At the moment, TwoC is competing full time with the 360 ASCS, where Hank Davis is currently driving the car. Seth Bergman was also in it briefly after Johnson was injured in a High Limit crash at Texas Motor Speedway. Injuries from that crash effectively ended Johnson's driving career, and he will serve as crew chief for Macedo next year. The younger Macedo brother drove for TwoC at a weekly show at Knoxville in June, and that is supposedly where conversations for this ride started. Cole has four 410 sprint car wins this season, including three with the NARC series where he is currently locked in a tight championship battle with Justin Sanders. And besides racing for Tarlton and TwoC, Macedo has also raced for Kevin Newton and the Seeling team in 2024, crisscrossing the country racking up 49 starts so far, and some impressive runs. Overall in his career, he's got 69 Outlaw appearances, with four top fives and 11 top tens. He's led laps in two races, and had a career best finish back in May at Fremont, where he was third. I don't have any doubts that he'll be a solid addition in 2025.

So, with all that said, let's jump back to this sprint car silly season conversation and the Johnny Gibson tweet from a few weeks ago. He said then that he thought there could be as many as five rookies on tour with the Outlaws next season, and I've heard crazy stuff like both tours, meaning Outlaws and High Limit, could potentially start 2025 with 20 teams each. I don't know that 20 cars each is actually realistic, and to be honest, the tow money and payout system we have in place isn't really meant to support that many, but it's an interesting conversation. Back on Saturday, I had Jeremy Elliott on our pre-Knoxville Nationals live stream, and he said he's been checking around, and he's not sure who exactly the five drivers are at this point. I think there are some teams that woud like to do it, are hoping to do it, but some things would have to fall their way, like added sponsorship, to make it happen. The names we've heard floating around as potential candidates include guys like Danny Sams, Logan McCandless, Garet Williamson, and Emerson Axsom. But none are set in stone, and some have said they aren't there yet. I think though there are some teams and drivers out there who see the potential opportunities available on both tours, and will take a hard look at it. Jeremy said he thought that silly season would start to get ironed out in September and October, and then series choices would follow after that. So just like in dirt late model racing, a lot of questions still to answer here. Jeremy also said he doesn't see any big, flashy changes coming, and I agree based on what I've been hearing. We'll have some movement, but nothing like we saw in 2023.

If you are looking for racing today, the Super DIRTcar Series will get SummerFAST rolling at Land of Legends. The Monday night show at Brewerton was rained out, but they've got Land of Legends today and Fulton tomorrow. Mat Williamson already a winner this season at Canandaigua, while Fulton hasn't had a completed SDS show since 2020 I believe. Jimmy Phelps a winner back then during what was called OktoberFAST. The last few years at Fulton have been rainouts. Matt Sheppard atop the Super DIRTcar Series standings at the moment, with Williamson and Phelps in pursuit. If you can't get to the track today, you can watch live on DIRTVision.

There are a few other races to check out today, so make sure to stop by dirtrackr.com/watchtonight to see what your streaming options are.

Hope you guys have a great Tuesday out there, we'll see you back here tomorrow!