DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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Critics, complaints, and a promoter speaks out about dirt racing support classes | Daily 6-15-2025
A track having too many support classes has been a topic of discussion the past few days, and we'll dive in today after one promoter speaks out. We'll also talk Outlaws at Knoxville, a few sprint car ride things, weekend winners, and more. Let's go!
It's Sunday June 15th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
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I want to open today's show with just a few thoughts on this support class thing that popped up last week around some of the Summer Nationals shows. I got tagged multiple times in the Kankakee County Speedway Facebook post where the promoter went through his finances for a race night like the Summer Nationals and explained why they need support classes. The TLDR is he says it costs them $50,000 to have a series like that in, and even with the added support classes, they still lose money. And then the end of the post turned into a rant against streaming services which was about as predictable as these types of posts get. Going back to last week, I was critical of when some of these shows were getting done, and said they need to do better to get folks out of these tracks at a reasonable hour. Especially during the week. There is plenty more leeway on a Friday or Saturday, but when you schedule a midweek show, you can't have families in the grandstands until midnight on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. Especially when people can just catch highlights the next day. At the point where we are now, people who buy tickets for these events don't need any more reasons to not go. Being held hostage until late to see the main late model feature finally get on track is going to continue harming these crowds. It's completely anecdotal, but I saw a lot of comments from folks who avoided some of these races because of how many divisions were going to be there. The promoter bringing up money and the economics to try to explain the need for five divisions racing on one night is completely missing the point, at least of my own criticism. I don't care how many support classes there are, as long as the program runs well and is over at a reasonable hour. If you can get through nine support classes in four hours, cool. But when you need six plus, that's a problem. And there are ways to do things where you can have the back gate revenue, and still keep things moving. Front load the program with the stuff people came to see, put a time limit on races so the cautions don't go nuts, draw for heat races and avoid qualifying. All of this doesn't seem to me to be an unreasonable ask. And know I'm saying all of this with no ill will or disrespect to those local racers. I heart them too. I don't want to see tracks close, promoters losing money, and the sport shrink. I'm rooting for Kankakee, and all of these tracks to do better. But telling everyone you kept them there until late so you could make more money is probably not a great way to sell tickets and pit passes in the future.
Going through some of the racing in recent days, David Gravel again showing why he's probably the top sprint car driver in the country. At Knoxville, he went eighth to the win on Friday, and nearly went sixth to the win last night. His last lap slider attempt on leader Corey Day was hampered a bit by lap traffic, and Day was able to hold on for the win. Day fifth on Friday as well. Sixty plus sprint cars again, and tough fields to make both nights. A number of drivers took provisionals Friday, including Donny Schatz, and some guys had issues that hampered their efforts. I thought Ryan Timms looked good last night, Anthony Macri had two good finishes, and we hadn't seen Brad Sweet lead laps in an Outlaw show at Knoxville since 2022. A pair of 15th place finishes certainly wasn't what Schatz was looking for, and I have noticed in recent weeks that the FOX shocks sticker is now gone from the TSR 15. They had been on a short stretch of five straight Outlaw top tens coming into Knoxville, but they are still missing speed. Another guy who I thought was impressive was Kerry Madsen. Led laps Friday, before finishing second, seventh last night. He's got ten straight top seven finishes in 410 competition, and has looked good in that second Tony Vermeer-owned 55. His brother Ian was back in the 2KS ride, with Christopher Thram out after just a few starts. Ian was a C-Main finisher both nights. We'll see if his time in that car continues this week at Huset's.
Out west, the James McFadden showed continued all weekend with the NARC sprint cars. He's won three of four races so far, and they'll be at Grays Harbor today. I had a commenter upset at me last week for saying McFadden would be a heavy favorite for these races, but I don't think this person understands just how good of a sprint car driver JMac is. He was coming off an insane Australian season, and Drew Warner will have that 21 car ready to go. He's going to be tough to beat tonight, and I think he'll be a tough out next weekend at Skagit. Don't forget he finished second in the Skagit Nationals last year with High Limit. Speaking of Skagit, I have heard that Cory Eliason could make his debut in Shannon Wheatley's 45 car next week at the Super Dirt Cup. We talked about this possibility not long ago, after Hank Davis parted with Wheatley. Eliason has been ride searching since splitting with TKS.
Elsewhere, there were a ton of rainouts around the country, including the full Lucas weekend getting sacked in Tennessee. We also lost the first few nights of Ohio Sprint Speedweek, and some of the POWRi and Appalachian Mountain Speedweek stuff. Drake Troutman and Brian Shirley were Summer Nationals winners between Peoria and Fairbury. Shirley led late at Peoria, but lost a tire, and Troutman was able to inherit the lead. It was his first career Hell Tour win, and first victory driving for GR Smith. Shirley bouncing back though last night for the $10 grand at Fairbury. He topped Jason Feger and Dennis Erb Jr. Hunt the Front's Joseph Joiner with a top five there as well. Summer Nationals action shifts to Sycamore Speedway today. Mason Zeigler won the only completed App speedweek race, Friday night at Bedford. They are at Bridgeport today.
Weekend open wheel winners include Aaron Reutzel with POWRi at 34 Raceway back on Thursday. Chance Grasty was a Sprint Car Challenge Tour winner at Petaluma, Jesse Schlotfeldt was the other NARC winner, taking Cottage Grove, and Logan Seavey was a USAC sprint car winner at Red Hill. Seavey hadn't won since back during the season opening weekend at Volusia, and has had some tough nights. He's fourth in the standings, but trails leader Kyle Cummins by a lot. Cummins average finish for the year is still an incredible 2.86.
There is plenty still happening today, so check your schedules, and dirtrackr.com/watchtonight if you want some dirt racing in your life today. Besides the stuff I already mentioned, there is Short Track Super Series, 410s at Huset's, and a bunch of local and regional action.
That's the Daily show for today. Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there. Hope you guys have a great Sunday and we'll see you back here tomorrow.