DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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Why is Rico Abreu in a hot tub wearing his helmet and firesuit | Daily 2-20-2025
Today we're talking Hunt the Front series full timers, plus an update on their crew chief situation. I've also got details on Rico Abreu's big plans for 2025, and we'll talk racing coming up, including the Icebreaker at Lincoln. Let's go!
It's Thursday, February 20th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
A couple of weeks ago when I talked on a Daily about Rico Abreu being effectively confirmed back full time with High Limit for 2025, a bunch of commenters apparently missed it, because it was mixed in with some other sprint car and High Limit stuff. Several claimed I didn't talk about it and accused me of clickbait. It wasn't clickbait, and yes, I did talk about him. A wise man once told me paying attention is still free. I wanted to do a Rico update today, so for those same folks, here I am emphatically pointing out that this is the Rico Abreu portion of the show. Things went sideways during Rico's offseason, and like Carson Macedo, he was forced to miss the Australia racing because of injury. He shared on Christmas Day that he'd injured his wrist and that it would need surgery. Here more recently, things seem to be going well, as he's posted a number of workout videos to social media. My favorite though was the clip of him sitting in a hot tub wearing his helmet and firesuit, talking about turning up the heat in 2025. For this season, Rico has set an amibitious schedule which is now available on his website. It does include the full High Limit slate, with his season debut set for Las Vegas March 13th and 15th. He's also got 23 Outlaw shows planned, including spring time appearances at Pevely and Knoxville, all the crown jewels, and World Finals. Knoxville and the Nationals appear to be a big focus, as outside the Outlaw races, he's also got five weekly shows on his schedule. There are nearly 90 races on his full slate, and even if we lose 10% to rainouts, this would be Rico's busiest year since probably 2021 when he raced 83 410 sprint car shows. The 24 team ended up third in the final High Limit standings last year, just getting nipped for second by one point by Tyler Courtney and the 7BC. Rico will again be one of the main challengers to Brad Sweet's dominance, but that squad does need to find a bit more consistency. Eight High Limit wins was tied for second, but they need to find more top fives and top tens to match the 49. This ends the Rico segment of today's show.
We are still about two weeks away from the start of the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series championship season. They opened at Needmore Speedway during speedweeks, remember that Hudson O'Neal win with Kevin Rumley, and that crazy Brian Shirley fire. That was a non-points event though, and things get started for real March 8th at I-75. I wanted to run through their announced roster so far, as they are sitting at 11 cars. That list includes Kade Loudy, Mario Gresham, Zack Mitchell, Dillard Hatchett, Oakley Johns, Payton Freeman, Cory Hedgecock, Josh Putnam, Luke Morey, Christian Hanger, and Joseph Joiner. That puts the series at 11 full timers so far, and this list will likely grow in the coming days, maybe past 15. This series won't quite have the same star power it had last season with 2024 champion Brandon Overton moving on to Riggs Motorsports and a full time Lucas run, and Ashton Winger declaring for the World of Outlaws. This will still be a very difficult series though, with a lot of the southeast's best battling it out. At first glance, I'd say Mitchell, Hedgecock, Freeman, and Joiner as early championship contenders. There are a few other names floating around as possibles that I'd throw in here if and when announcements get made. This is a series with good payouts, and you'll see a lot of other big names wander in and out this season as well. A year ago, we saw guys like Dale McDowell, Wil Herrington, Donald McIntosh, Shane Clanton, Spencer Hughes, Carson Ferguson, Cody Overton, and others make appearances. A lot of guys with national tour ties ran that first race at Needmore already. The points opener at I-75 is $20,000 to win, and with the national tours still off that weekend, I could see some guys traveling in for this one. Keep an eye on this series for more roster announcements in the coming days.
One other Hunt the Front note. I got asked last week when I did a livestream about the future of the relationship between the team and Taylon Center. Remember we talked during speedweeks that Center, who has a lot of previous top level crew chief experience, was helping out the team for some races. I was told that while he's not a full time employee of the team, he will serve as Joseph's crew chief at a lot of events, including HTF series races and at Eldora. It's officially a consulting deal between the two sides. Joiner finished sixth in that race at Needmore, and they struggled with some bad luck and technical gremlins during the Lucas weekend at All-Tech.
In Central Pennsylvania this weekend it's Icebreaker time. Lincoln Speedway has $5000 to win both Saturday and Sunday for 410 sprint cars. It's definitely going to be chilly, so if you are planning on going, make sure to bundle up. Right on schedule this week we've had the usual yearly conversation about whether or not this event should even happen. Is it too cold, too early, will teams and fans show up. You know, all the usual talking points. I think the event and it's continued place on the schedule are really all the evidence we need. If it didn't work, nobody showed, and Lincoln was losing money, they wouldn't keep doing it. But every year, here it is. It doesn't seem that difficult to understand to me. If folks want to go, go. If it's too cold, that's cool too. Catch them for the next one. It will also be streamed live both days on FloRacing. As for who is going to race this weekend, I'd assume the usual cast of characters. Looks like Danny Dietrich is headed that way, Dylan Norris, Anthony Macri, Justin Whittall, Brandon Rahmer, Chase Dietz in his new deal with Stehman, Brock Zearfoss, and Lincoln's 2024 track champion Troy Wagaman Jr. Wagaman also the defending Icebreaker winner, with Freddie Rahmer winning it the two previous years. It's interesting looking through just that list right there, and thinking about how tough Central PA could be this season. Maybe tougher than we've seen in a few years. Guys like Macri and Dietrich always fast. Freddie Rahmer looking for a bounceback season. Troy Wagaman on the rise in that Heffner car. Dietz and Stehman could be a potent combo also adding crew chief Tommy Carl, and Zearfoss back in the mix after several season on the road with the Outlaws. From here, racing in Central PA starts to ramp up over the next several weeks and into the spring. This obviously kicks off Lincoln's weekly programs, Port Royal opens March 8th, and then Williams Grove on March 15th.
If you want other open wheel action coming up over the next few days, you do have other options. The USCS 360 sprint cars are right back at Southern Raceway in Florida for two more shows. Dale Howard and Davie Franek split wins there last weekend. Marysville Raceway out in California gets rolling with their first 360 sprint car night of the season. And the non-wing USAC CRA guys will try again to open 2025 with a trip to Mohave Valley in Arizona. Last weekend's racing at Perris was lost to rain. If you want some indoor action, 600 micros take on the Trenton arena Friday and Saturday in New Jersey. The roster there includes Steve and Tim Buckwalter, Briggs Danner, Billy Pauch Jr., Anthony Perrego, Steven Snyder Jr., and a lot more. Perrego the defending winner of that one. If you want to see the streaming options for all of these races, make sure to stop by dirtrackr.com/watchtonight in the coming days.
We'll shut it down right there for the week. Appreciate you guys tuning in and the likes and subscribes and follows.
Hope you guys have a great Thursday out there, enjoy the dirt racing weekend, and we'll see you back here on Sunday!