DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript

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A driver calls out a series, more late model decisions | Daily 3-19-2025

High Limit heads for the Tulare Thunderbowl, and two favorites will be in attendance. We'll also talk updated plans for several late model drivers including Ricky Thornton Jr. and Cade Dillard. We'll also share Dillard's very pointed comments towards World of Outlaws officials over certain decisions. Let's go!

It's Wednesday, March 19th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.

If you are playing those pickem pools during the 2025 dirt racing season, or participating in Dirt Draft, betting USAC or High Limit or the Outlaws, or you're just a stat nerd like me, check out the analytics section at dirtrackr.com. We track both World of Outlaws series, Lucas, High Limit, USAC, the Chili Bowl, Eldora late model events, Xtreme Outlaw midgets and more. The database is now north of 2200 races worth of results, stats, and analysis. In there, you can find a ton of information for free, including full race results, driver pages, and stat breakdowns. But if you want access to even more, grab a subscription to DIRTRACKR Plus. $4.99 a month, or $49.99 a year. The year subscription gets you two months free effectively. And you can cancel any time very easily. Signing up gets you access to the Plus Dashboard which has added stat tools and visualizations. Unlock more than 25 extra features, including exclusive insights not found anywhere else. Whether you're a race fan, member of the media, or work for a series or track, DIRTRACKR Plus is the perfect resource. You can see everything Plus has to offer and sign up for a subscription over at dirtrackr.com/getplus.

After a few days off, the Kubota High Limit sprint cars are back racing tonight. They'll be at the Tulare Thunderbowl in California for round number two of the 2025 season. It looks like they are expecting right in the neighborhood of 40 cars tonight, which includes all the regular full timers, plus a bunch of California guys. The Jason Meyers-owned team is expected to again bring a second car for Corey Day, who ended up winning the opener after Daryn Pittman ran out of fuel late. And Kyle Larson is listed in the Paul Silva-owned 57. Some other travelers inbound include Ryan Timms, Austin McCarl, and Robbie Price. A big question for today will be what happens with the RSR 87 and driver Aaron Reutzel, and it sort of seems like the team expects A-Aron to race. They posted a raceday social media graphic today with Reutzel's name on it. There haven't been any other rumblings since Sunday or Monday about possible fill-in drivers. So if he does indeed race, we'll see what he can get done with a broken nose and the discomfort that will cause. Kyle Larson was the winner of the only previous Tulare trip for High Limit, back in August last year. He topped Rico Abreu and Brad Sweet, with Sweet leading the first 26 laps. Yung Money is the betting favorite for tonight at plus 231. Day, Sweet, Rico are next. Larson also an Outlaw winner at Tulare in 2022, and Reutzel a winner there in 2018. One note here, Cole Macedo was the only localish driver to finish in the top ten at the Tulare race last year. DJ Netto was next best in 11th. With so many California guys racing with High Limit as full timers, the locals clearly don't have an advantage here. Not much to talk about yet with the championship, seeing as how only one race is complete. Same with the franchise hunt. We'll need at least a few races to see where things start to shake out. Drivers like Chase Randall, Daison Pursley, Spencer Bayston, Kasey Kahne, Sye Lynch, and Brenham Crouch will be looking for bounce back races after all finished outside the top 15 at Las Vegas. After tonight, teams will have Thursday off before action moves to Kern County on Friday.

As we wait for the dirt late model weekend to get here, I do have updates on a few drivers and their national tour status. Yesterday we talked about Max Blair deciding on the World of Outlaws, but I did want to point out that the Outlaws did lose a few drivers around Smoky Mountain. That included Dustin Walker, who was a no-show. Walker spent the last two seasons really struggling on the road against these guys, and I'm surprised he made it as long as he did. In 89 career starts, his best finish was a 14th last June at Thunderhill. Two other drivers, Tyler Bruening and Cade Dillard, made the decision to not race at Smoky Mountain based on the threat of severe weather and gave up their series status as a result. I'm not sure where this leaves Bruening, but Dillard has decided to go pick-and-choose for the remainder of the year, and he will contest some of the big paying modified races as well. He joined Barry Braun's All Gas No Brakes podcast yesterday and didn't really mince words about how he felt about the decision making from the World of Outlaws officials over the Smoky Mountain weekend and some previous choices on one-race trips. He told Braun quote "They don't really somewhat take into consideration the drivers or the crews and just a little more worried about the ticket money and it just makes it a little less interesting for me to support them" unquote. You can find that full episode over on the XR YouTube channel. I certainly don't blame Dillard for erring on the side of caution, he's gotta do what he's gotta do. But I do think it's important to point out how difficult things become for all involved with these weather situations. The Smoky Mountain forecast for Friday was just fine, and if the Outlaws sack the whole weekend, they take a beating from the fans. These big events are also important for a lot of these race tracks, bringing in added revenue. No matter what decision they would have made, somebody was going to be upset. I don't know what the right answer is, but I understand both sides of this one. Dillard and Brent Larson did make it a point to spotlight Whynot Motorsports Park on their social media accounts for postponing their entire weekend. So clearly Dillard not the only one who felt this way.

Moving on to some other drivers. A bunch of you pointed out yesterday that Ricky Thornton Jr. does appear to be set for the full Lucas run. The schedule on his website was updated to show he's going to Atomic and Brownstown this weekend. The title defense for him and the 20RT team would seems as though it's now on. It's interesting to note that the only other races though on that schedule are the Nippy 50 at Maquoketa, and the Silver Crown race at Terre Haute in April. With RTJ and Max Blair decided, that leaves Daulton Wilson, Carson Ferguson, Tim McCreadie, Drake Troutman, and Kyle Bronson all still on the fence. At last check, none of their schedules had been updated with weekend plans. My guess is Wilson stays Lucas, and McCreadie goes Outlaws. I think Ferguson, Troutman, and Bronson are coin flips. At the moment, the Outlaw website still shows 26 full time drivers. Dillard, Daniel Hilsabeck, Walker, and Bruening have all been bumped off.

That's the show for today. If you want to get a full rundown on your viewing options on the streaming service each day, make sure to stop by dirtrackr.com/watchtonight. We keep that updated with everything happening on DIRTVision, FloRacing, Speed Sport, RacinDirt, ClayPerView, and a lot more. The schedule includes what's racing, where to watch, start times where available, and links. And no, I'm not going to add pavement races to that schedule. This is called DIRTRACKR for a reason. Alright...

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