DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript

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Win the race, have your hauler TRASHED | Daily 11-3-2024

We had two championship walkoffs this weekend, and we'll talk about both. Plus a wild night at East Alabama and a late model team that should maybe find soemthing else to do on their Fridays and Saturdays in the future, and sprint car driver news of both the winged and non-wing type. Let's go!

It's Sunday, November 3rd, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.

One of our main topics on the Thursday show was the much talked about end of the run for Brandon Overton with Wells Motorsports. His future in 2025 and beyond lies elsewhere, but before things transition, they did have some business to attend to with the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series finale weekend at I-75 Raceway. Friday night it was Cory Hedgecock who went to victory lane, he battled both Dale McDowell and Overton in that one. Overton had a tire go down, but did battle his way back to eighth. That meant all he needed to do on Saturday was run a qualifying lap to clinch the championship. He did much better than that though. After starting fifth, Overton got by leader Dale McDowell on a restart before half way, and drove on to the $20,000 win. As we've documented, that was Overton's first victory since way back on June 28th at Volunteer Speedway. The walkoff win was a nice way to go out, along with the $50,000 check for being series champion. Overton's future plans should be public here in the coming days. Ashton Winger, Sam Seawright, Zack Mitchell, and Joseph Joiner completed the Hunt the Front series top five. We'll wait now for the schedule for this series for next year, but they did announce they will open up 2025 right back at I-75 March 7th and 8th.

At East Alabama last night for the first of two super late model shows at the National 100, we had Ethan Dotson going to victory lane, and drama with he and Garrett Smith. On lap 6, Dotson threw a slider on Smith that didn't clear, and the 74 ended up on the hood of the 10. Dotson ended up almost over the banking in turn two, and Smith was able to hold onto the lead. This wasn't done yet though, as on a restart a few laps later, Dotson got into the rear of Smith, and then was able to take the lead. Dotson went on to the win, but Smith finished 20th after making a mistake and ending up over the race track. Again though, things not done here, with the on track stuff spilling over into the pits. After the race, it was discovered that someone had vandalized the ASD Motorsports hauler and pit box. ASD the team that Dotson drives for. Local authorities were involved, and I've been told someone associated with Garrett Smith was being investigated for the incident and causing significant damage. I was sent photos of the pit box knocked over completely, and glass broken out of the rear sliding doors on the trailer. Possible charges from the local sherriff's office and a punishment from the event and series are likely. Smith's team was later seen leaving the race track. This isn't the first time we've had behavior like this from this group, if you might remember back to last summer, Garrett and his father Scot were suspended from Hunt the Front series events after an altercation with series officials that got physical. Garrett was suspended for 90 days, while Scot was banned indefinitely. We might be at a point here where the Smiths need to find some other way to spend their weekends. I know emotions run high, and I don't have a problem with wanting to confront someone over on-track stuff, as long as it doesn't escalate to ridiculous places. But what we saw last night went too far. The National 100 continues today, with $30,000 to the super late model winner.

Out in California, I'd say the NARC finale delivered, and it did indeed come down to the final laps for the championship between Justin Sanders and Cole Macedo. Tim Kaeding led a lot of that main event, but a right rear tire going flat over the last part of the race allowed Macedo and Sanders into the mix. Sanders was able to get the lead with a late slider as Kaeding started to slow, and after one final hail mary attempt from Macedo, Sanders drove on to the win. So two championship finales last night, and two walkoffs. Sanders took the title by officially six points over Macedo. I know Stockton took a beating for a lot of the year with he reconfigure there, and for good reason. But last night it provided a very good show for this final battle. DJ Netto won the night's 360 Sprint Car Challenge Tour race, with Andy Forsberg the champion there.

The other 410 winged sprint car show was the unsanctioned Dirty Jersey Finale at Bridgeport. It wasn't pretty, or easy, but Justin Whittall won that one from the pole. There was a not great moment between he and front row starter Ryan Smith right at the start, that ended Smith's night after what appeared to be contact between the two. He also had to hold off challenges from Kyle Reinhardt. But Whittall a winner by something like six seconds, over Reinhardt and Danny Dietrich. Daison Pursley solid as well in his debut with Buch, going quicktime and finishing in the top five.

In Arizona at Mohave Valley, the USAC CRA Western World Championships felt very much like USAC national sprint car events with some quality guys joining that field. Kevin Thomas Jr. took the win on Friday, and Kyle Cummins drove the 3P to the win last night. 40-plus cars in both shows, and even though there is still one more race left, RJ Johnson clinched the title over Tommy Malcolm and Austin Williams. The CRA season ends next Saturday at the Perris Auto Speedway.

A couple of driver notes for you before we close out today. First, you can add Hank Davis to the list of sprint car drivers expected to race this week at World Finals. He'll drive the Michael Dutcher 17GP. This car has seen a number of drivers in it this season, with names like Justin Peck, Kelby Watt, Scott Bogucki, and Cale Thomas among them. Davis currently fourth in the ASCS driver standings, but he has that 2C racing machine out front in the owner's championship. He's currently looking for a ride for 2025 though, as 2C is moving to the World of Outlaws full time next season with Cole Macedo in the seat. This will be Davis' debut with the Outlaws, and it might be his 410 debut as well. I don't see any 410 starts for him at sprintcarratings.com. Chase Raudman said back on Friday that Dutcher is looking for a driver for next season, and wants to expand his schedule dramatically, maybe even to a full series run.

On the non-wing side, Chase Stockon is moving from KO Motorsports to the Moose Racing 92 next year. This car and team had been on the shelf for three years before it was brought back out this summer. Cody Williams drove the 92 at Smackdown, and Stockon actually drove it not long ago at Circle City. Stockon appeared 39 times this season with USAC, picking up five top fives and 17 top tens. His best finish was a second at Terre Haute in August. He also won an MSTC race at Red Hill. The release from the team does not mention schedule or series plans.

I know there is other news out there, so don't think I'm glossing over things. We are going to save some of it for tomorrow and future shows, and I think it's going to be a busy week. So stay tuned, a lot more to come in the next several days and weeks. Make sure you are subscribed to the show on YouTube or the podcast places, and like and follow DIRTRACKR on Facebook. That way you won't miss any of the news coming up.

That's the Daily show for today. Hope you guys have a great Sunday out there, we'll see you back here tomorrow!