DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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Drivers absent, Davenport 'can make it better', history doesn't favor High Limit | Daily 9-5-2024
Jonathan Davenport's frightening performance, details on two drivers missing from Eldora on Wednesday, plus the dirt racing weekend ahead and why High Limit is absolutely screwed at Port Royal. Let's go!
It's Thursday, September 5th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
The World 100 at Eldora is officially here, with racing getting started tonight. While you're in town for the races, make sure to stop by The Whistle Stop Bar and Grill to get some good food and good drink. It's located just 7 miles south of Eldora Speedway in Ansonia, Ohio. And 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. Head upstairs to the Bullseye Game Lounge for some Duckpin Bowling or play one of the other 24 arcade games. Sure Shot is 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.
Last night at Eldora was not a good omen for the remainder of the week and the World 100 if you are anyone but Jonathan Davenport. With the FloRacing Night in America Series on Wednesday, Davenport was fourth in qualifying, won his heat, and was untouchable in the main event after starting second. He led all 50 laps, with his margin of victory north of seven seconds. If the track doesn't take rubber, it would have likely been much larger than that, as at various points he was leading Devin Moran by nearly 10 seconds. Laps around Eldora only take around 18 seconds total. Already a Dream winner this year as well, it might just end up being a complete sweep at Eldora in 2024. If this is how he's going to run this week, I don't know how you pick anyone else for the globe trophy, and he'll be the overwhelming favorite for the Dirt Track World Championship later this year. After the race, James Essex asked JD about his perfect run, and he said quote "I can definitely make it better for sure" when referring to the car. That's scary guys. Moran and Ricky Thornton Jr. rounded out the podium, with Hudson O'Neal and Bobby Pierce the rest of the top five. I told you guys yesterday it would be the usual suspects, and that's exactly what we got last night. Of the 106 cars on the World 100 entry list, 82 were signed in last night. Some names who didn't make the main event on Wednesday and will have work to do to find some speed for today include Shannon Babb, Chris Ferguson, Kyle Bronson, Chris Madden, and Dale McDowell. We talked yesterday on the show about Brandon Overton's situation, and they didn't light the world on fire yesterday. 26th of 41 in their qualifying group, and they were playing catch up all night. He charged from ninth to fifth in his heat, but missed the transfer, and then had to go fourth to the win in the first B to make the show. He finished 11th after starting 19th. Overton is a guy to keep an eye on in all of this silly season stuff. There are some interesting rumors and rumblings about his future. One driver not in the field last night that was a bit surprising was Mike Marlar. We touched on his struggles briefly yesterday. This race was listed on his website, but he did not sign in on Wednesday. He did attempt the Baltes Classic earlier this week, but had a flat while leading his heat, and didn't run the rest of the night. Marlar is listed on the World 100 entry list, but his Skyline teammate Tyler Bruening is not. A few friends who were at Eldora yesterday told me they don't believe his team was on the grounds. This might be something, or it might be nothing. I did see that the Race Ranch trailer does have his merch available in the midway. Maybe they just decided to take the night off, we'll see.
Looking ahead to today, a bit of a different format this year for the World 100 prelim nights. They will qualify everyone, and then run what they are calling shootout races with a six car invert. The top eight in each shootout race make one of the two prelim features. The two fastest qualifiers that don't transfer will tag the tails. So no heat races and B-Mains. Accumulated points from Thursday and Friday will set Saturday heats like normal. If you can't get to Eldora this week, watch all the action live on FloRacing. If you need a Flo subscription, click the link below in the video description, or go to dirtrackr.com/floracing.
One driver you won't see racing at Eldora this week is Outlaw full timer Max McLaughlin. Max had a great stretch of races in June where he went five straight features finishing ninth or better with the Outlaws, but since Deer Creek in July, it's been a struggle. Just a single top ten finish in his past 15 Outlaw races. Max has been driving for GR Smith this season, and we knew that Chris Madden's deal to run the World this week was in a GR Smith owned car. I just didn't realize it was in Max's car. Max shared to social media yesterday that he wants to be at Eldora, but this race wasn't on the original agreed upon schedule when he took the deal, and the team went with Madden for the week to help the program get better. He did say that he'll be back in the car to finish the Outlaw season, which starts back up again next week.
Taking a look at weekend sprint car action, we'll start first with the Tuscarora 50 that starts today at Port Royal. The Kubota High Limit sprint cars are down to their final 12 race nights, and three of those will get knocked off this week. At the moment, Brad Sweet well in control of the championship, and I don't think there is much drama here, barring some sort of meltdown of epic proportions. That second place spot is up for grabs though between Tyler Courtney and Rico Abreu, and there is some intrigue for that fifth and final charter spot, between Brent Marks, James McFadden, and Corey Day. Things will be interesting this week at Port though, as the numbers and past results favor the locals, and heavily. Between the Outlaws, All Stars, and High Limit, I have the past 37 touring series races at Port in the database at dirtrackr.com/analytics. Only six of those have been won by a series regular. Donny Schatz won three straight with the Outlaws from 2017 to 2019, Tyler Courtney was an All Star winner in 2023, Cory Eliason won there in 2020, and Aaron Reutzel in 2019. That is not good news if you are a traveling High Limit team. Names like Lance Dewease, Anthony Macri, Danny Dietrich, and Logan Wagner have been up front a lot, with just those four winning 18 of those 37 races. Dietrich won the Weikert with High Limit earlier this season. Other travelers have done well also, including Brian Brown and Kyle Larson. And that's to say nothing of all the podiums, top fives, and top tens taken by non-series regulars. If you're a High Limit fan though, here's the good news. Zeb Wise, Sunshine, Spencer Bayston, Brent Marks, and Cory Eliason, all High Limit full timers, do know how to find their way to Port Royal's victory lane. And Rico, Parker Price Miller, and James McFadden have all had good runs at Port recently. It should be a fun weekend, and I think we could be into the 50s for a car count. One note on the championship, Sunshine trails Sweet by 208, and Rico is 235 back. Those are likely insurmountable totals, but the only hope for Rico and Courtney is to take advantage of Sweet's current winless streak and lack of prowess around Port Royal and take a big chunk out now. If those guys leave Port after this weekend without having done that, this thing is well and truly over. High Limit at Port will be live on Flo all three days.
Right on the heels of the High Limit west coast swing ending, the Outlaws have come to California for their turn. They begin a three week stretch out west this weekend with races at Stockton Friday, and Hanford Saturday. The Outlaws haven't been to Stockton since 2019, Logan Schuchart the winner of the two previous races there. The last trip to Hanford was last year, Brad Sweet won that one, while Schuchart won in 2022. So of those drivers that will be in attendance, Schuchart the most recent winner at both tracks. David Gravel still leads the championship battle by triple digits over Donny Schatz and Carson Macedo. Gravel though not quite as fast here lately as he had been. That combined with the recent hot streak for Carson Macedo makes me think there is a shot here for Macedo to make this championship into something. Schatz is coming off two top fives at Huset's, but California is not usually a great part of the country for the 10 time champion. If I looked correctly, he hasn't won or led laps in California since a Calistoga victory way back in 2017. If Macedo can stay strong in his home state, we could have a fight on our hands headed back to Ohio at the end of this month. Both Outlaw nights will be live on DIRTVision.
Elsewhere this weekend, there is $9 grand on the line for WISSOTA late models at River Cities, plus the Southern All Stars, Ultimate Southeast, and late models at Port Royal. Other weekend open wheel action includes the USAC sprint cars at Texarkana, AFCS at Attica and Fremont, IRA at Gondik Law and Cedar Lake, and more. There is also the Super DIRTcar Series at Brockville, Can-Am, and Weedsport. Don't forget as well that the IMCA Super Nationals continue at Boone Speedway through Saturday.
A schedule note for you today, the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets have cancelled their September 15th race at Quincy Raceways. The track has run into challenges in obtaining a liquor license, and their kitchen has been shut down for renovations. It's difficult to make money on a race night with no beer sales and no concession stand. The Xtreme midgets do race September 13th at Southern Illinois and September 14th at Highland. Cannon McIntosh currently the Xtreme championship leader.
Alright friends, that's it for the Daily show this week. Appreciate all the new subscribers from yesterday, all the recent merch sales, and everyone who stops by daily to hang out for a little bit.
Hope you guys have a great Thursday out there, we'll see you back here on Sunday!