DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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What is this sponsor? Plus formats cause one sprint car team to load up | Daily 6-19-2025
The Huset's big show format is again under the microscope, and we'll talk who last night's victims were, and what, if anything, should be changed. Plus, these Albaugh logos are everywhere in sprint car racing, including a new spot yesterday. So what is Albaugh and why are they supporting so much? That and much more today, let's go!
It's Thursday June 19th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
Today's Daily show is being supported by ArrowVision.Live. If you need a streaming partner for your events, Arrow Vision is now accepting inquiries. You can reach out to them at info@arrowheadspeedway.com. Their staff can support you if want to stream your event, but don't know the ins and outs of streaming and the technology. Also, ArrowVision's streaming model is designed to pay race tracks more than ever, and drivers for the first time. And they understand your concerns about streaming hurting race track attendance, and that you might not want a streaming partner that is a big corporate money grab. That's why they are doing things differently. To find out more information, email ArrowVision at info@arrowheadspeedway.com. All season long, ArrowVision is the streaming home for the Comp Cams Super Dirt Series, the All American Outlaw Modified Series, and Arrowhead Speedway. Visit them at www.arrowvision.live.
There's been some chatter this week about formats, especially around Ohio Sprint Speedweek, and then last night's Huset's opener with the World of Outlaws. A juiced up Huset's after some weather made for a tough situation for drivers following qualifying, and then six car heat race inverts. The Hustle and High Bank Nationals are using a points-based format where drivers are awarded points after qualifying, and then again after heats. And those points standings then set feature lineups. The big loser on the night was Rico Abreu. Quick time overall, starts sixth in heat one, and ends up buried. It looked like maybe there was some contact there right after the start between the 24 and the 49, Ryan Timms then also able to get by. Rico's seventh place finish put him 15th in the B, with really no chance to transfer. Rico though did end up being the only top three qualifier in either flight to miss the feature. All the rest were either fine after heats, or like Kaleb Johnson, able to get in through the B. The bigger issue for Rico, is one bad heat race lap has now buried him for not one, but two race programs. Because today's heat lineups are set straight up by points, where Abreu is currently 29th. If my math is correct, he'll start inside row three, but he needs to get to third to transfer to the feature. So is this just the nature of the beast, or should Huset's tweak this for next year? One thing I do wonder, is if the heat race order should be reversed. Instead of Rico starting sixth in heat one, he starts sixth in heat three. He's quick time, at least give him a better race track to make some moves on. That first heat, especially on a juiced up track, is the worst it's going to be. Maybe by heat three, things have started to widen just a bit. Buddy Kofoid was the biggest sixth place mover, going up three spots, and he was in heat four. Spencer Bayston did go plus four, but he was the beneficiary of that first lap crash that wiped out Ian Madsen and Austin McCarl, who had better starting spots. And the reason Bryce Lucius loaded up after that hot lap incident the other night at Eldora, was because of the format the All Stars are using. They weren't going to get the car repaired in time for qualifying, so they were going to be buried all night. Instead of trying to battle through it, they decided to save their equipment and load up. I don't know how you feel, but it seems like it's a problem when the Ohio speedweek points leader thinks it's more valuable to just leave, then continue racing when a tire pops in hot laps. I do think it's important to note that discussions about formats are as old as dirt racing, and there is clearly no perfect one to utilize. No matter which direction a track or series goes, there will always be someone who doesn't like it.
Kyle Larson your winner last night, he outdueled Spencer Bayston for his first sprint car win since the Outlaw show at Jacksonville in April. Bayston was second and Kofoid third. Bayston led laps in a national tour race for the first time since April of 2024, and it was his first podium finish since Wheatland last October with High Limit. It's still been two years since he a won race. Also, I was glad to see Ian Madsen emerge unhurt from that nasty heat six crash. It was an ugly one, and brother Kerry Madsen not happy with Riley Goodno, and not thrilled with the track and MedStar staff for keeping him away from the car. Tonight is Huset's is $100,000 to win, and then things reset Friday to begin the path towards the $250,000 winners check on Saturday.
I saw a social media post yesterday, where Billy Rowlee shared that Albaugh was becoming the modern day Priority Aviation. If you didn't notice, the Albaugh logo now on the front nose wing side panels of Kyle Larson's Silva Motorsports ride. Billy was referring to the Priority Aviation deals from the Marshalls that at one point were on many different race cars across the sport, including sprint cars and midgets. And now Albaugh is appearing in a lot of places, and is currently a sponsor of Carson Macedo, Chase Randall, Larson, JJ Hickle, and Ryan Giles. Albaugh is a crop protection company in Iowa that makes pesticides and fertilizers, and it's founder, Dennis Albaugh, has become quite the benefactor to sprint car racing. On top of sponsoring all of these drivers, his name is also on the new suite tower at the Knoxville Raceway. So how is Albaugh able to support so much? Well, the success of Albaugh LLC has turned him into a billionaire. Various Google results put his net worth somewhere between $1 and $3 billion. Besides his involvement in sprint car racing, Dennis Albaugh is also heavily involved in horse racing. His colt Admiral Dennis just won the $200,000 Delaware Derby a few days ago, and another Albaugh-owned horse, Catching Freedom, finished fourth last year at the Kentucky Derby. Albaugh told the World of Outlaws earlier this year that he had an uncle who started taking him to Knoxville Raceway, and that he started attended the Nationals every year.
Other winners last night included Justin Grant with USAC at Bridgeport. He got by Mitchel Moles late to score the win. Still to come for Eastern Storm is Big Diamond today, then Williams Grove, Port Royal, and Action Track USA through Sunday. And Rodney Sanders was a USMTS winner at Off Road Speedway. The modified teams head next to Route 66 in Texas this weekend.
At Skagit, Super Dirt Cup starts tonight, with prelims today and Friday, and the $100,000 to win race on Saturday. We've talked multiple times this week about this one, but all the top west coast and California sprint car drivers, plus Justin Peck, Brent Marks, Scott Bogucki, Danny Sams, and Sye Lynch. James McFadden comes in scorching hot, but there will be plenty of guys trying to slow him down. There is also more Ohio Sprint Speedweek, POWRi, the IRA, Xtreme Outlaw Midgets, and more in open wheel racing.
The dirt late model weekend is headlined by the Firecracker 100 at Lernerville for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. $50,000 to win on Saturday, with double prelim features on Friday. Some good money there for the RUSH late models as well. There is also the joint World of Outlaws/Summer Nationals show at Pevely, and a bunch of regional and local action. Make sure to check out dirtrackr.com/watchtonight for your streaming options all weekend.
One rainout note, today's Mr Dirt Track USA for the Super DIRTcar Series at Lebanon Valley has been rained out. This one is cancelled, and won't be made up.
That's it for the show this week. Thanks for the support, the comments, and tuning in each day.
Hope you guys have a great Thursday out there, we'll see you back here on Sunday!