DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript

Dirt racing news, results, discussion, analytics. Sprint cars, late models, modifieds, you name it. From national series, to top local shows. Brought to you five days a week. Email the show at info@dirtrackr.com.

This might be the dumbest problem in sprint car racing | Daily 7-3-2025

Today on the show, we'll talk about Port Royal, but more importantly, what I think is maybe the dumbest problem in sprint car racing. Let's go.

It's Thursday, July 3rd, 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.

I've said a lot of times before that I don't consume dirt racing live. When you try and keep up with as much as I do, it's just not possible or feasible to do it, and also maintain a somewhat normal family life. In the evenings, I do try and keep an eye on social media so I have some idea for the next day what some potential storylines could be. I then get up in the morning, and roll through the available replays, and proceed with putting the show together from there. Which brings me to this Port Royal Speedway PA Speedweek show from last night. Based on the social media reaction, this Port show was a dumpster fire of epic proportions. Undeserving winner, conspiracy theories on fuel stops, spins and getting your spots back, drivers should have been DQ'd, etc. But when I watched the race this morning, if you knew nothing of the social media reaction in real time, you might feel differently. The race was really business as usual up until inside the final ten laps. Kyle Larson spinning all by himself was certainly notable, but everyone makes mistakes. He actually had an entertaining charge back to the front after that. First outrage point was Anthony Macri keeping the lead after the Brock Zearfoss flip. Macri was trying to not clobber the turned over eight car, and did a lazy spin after the red had already been displayed. As someone who is ardently against the blend rule, this felt really innocuous. Red was out, second place Justin Whittall wasn't even in the same zip code as Macri. This was a complete non-story. I don't care on bit that Macri kept the lead. Next was the Danny Dietrich work area refuel. If you want to have a problem with that, I won't stand in your way. He shouldn't have been allowed to refuel after he ran out, and return to the race. Port Royal's promoter Steve O'Neal even admitted to Jeremy Elliott that was a screwup. Kudos to Dietrich and his guys though for throwing one by officials. In that case, make the officials stop you if you're Dietrich. Dietrich running out was a big sign that more fuel problems were to come, and like clockwork, just like two laps later, we were again under caution as cars started to run out. One of those was Anthony Macri, he'd actually lost the lead in three and four to the charging Kyle Larson, but the 39M stayed running and moving just long enough to get the caution before they crossed the line. The caution negated the pass and Macri was able to retain the lead for the restart. Announcer Earl Hoon then calls out that it's a closed red, and we watch crews come out to service the cars. And this is where the internet really got mad. Hoon says closed red, but the crews didn't get that memo, and work started like it was an open red. Cue the outrage over Nate Repetz buffing Macri's tires. How could Port Royal allow such blatant rule breaking. Only, it wasn't. According to a bunch of folks, it was actually an open red, but Hoon said the wrong thing. Should Port Royal take the beating over that, or Hoon? Again though, if you were watching without social media, none of that comes across on the broadcast. I would have completely looked past all of it. The race goes back green, Macri wins, Larson second, Chase Dietz third. Macri admits the fuel caution saved him. Sometimes you get burned, and other times, like last night, it goes your way. Larson is annoyed in his interview about fuel tank sizes and chirping posse fans, and then everyone goes on with their lives. But the interwebs tell a much different tale. The only thing I really think is worth commenting on is this fuel situation. It seems like a really dumb problem that we start a lot of these races with a real chance that there isn't enough fuel in the cars to get to the finish. Either shorten the races, make the tanks bigger, put in a mid-race fuel stop, or every caution becomes a red so we aren't burning fuel rolling around. These, what seem to be arbitrary, fuel stops always seem to make everyone angry. And they are sort of inexplicable. Imagine sitting in the stands next to a first timer, and the conversation that would ensue. "Why is there a red flag?" "Everyone was running out of fuel." "They don't have enough to go the distance?" "Nope." "Why?" "Some guys don't have tanks that are big enough." "But some do?" "Yes." "So why doesn't everyone have the bigger tanks?" "Because you can go faster with a smaller tank, less weight." "But if you can't make it to the end..." "Yeah, I don't know..." The guys that run out before the yellow are thrown are mad because they get burned (see Daryn Pittman at Las Vegas). Fans call conspiracy when the caution ultimately saves someone, who is usually not their favorite driver. And guys like Larson are pissed, because they have the big tank, didn't need the yellow, and would have benefitted from everyone else running out. This might be one of the dumbest problems in sprint car racing. And it doesn't seem as though anything will be done about it. Because let's be honest, this isn't a new discussion. But anyways, just your typical Wednesday night in dirt racing. Still to come for PA Speedweek is Hagerstown, Williams Grove, one more Port race, and Path Valley.

Last night's BC39 finale saw Cannon McIntosh get upside down in his qualifier, win the B to transfer to the feature, then charge from 19th to first in 38 laps to become the first ever repeat winner of the event. Gavin Miller and Jacob Denney joined him on the podium. Justin Grant battled Denney late in the going, but those two tangling ended up with JG's car damaged, and it allowed McIntosh to get into the mix. Another very entertaining USAC midget race, with the elbows out and sliders incoming. Hat tip to Ricky Thornton Jr. for a 17th to sixth run. Not bad for a late model guy. And I can't believe Logan Seavey is winless in series competition going on more than a year now. His last USAC midget win was Haubstadt last June. Not like three days ago June, but 365 plus days ago June. He's led laps in seven races since, but no dubs. Crazy stat for a driver who won 30% of the races just two seasons ago.

A pair of Tylers were Summer Nationals winners last night at Spoon River. Tyler Erb now with five Hell Tour wins on the season, and 20 in his career. He led them all last night. And Tyler Nicely picked up the modified win to make it three wins in four races. He's trying to run down Trevor Neville for that title. The Summer Nationals continue through the weekend with races at LaSalle, Red Hill, Tri-State, and Duck River.

And a good week for Stewart Friesen continued last night with the Short Track Super Series at Fonda. He grabbed a $7700 win to go along with his Super DIRTcar Series win at Mohawk. A lot of these teams will go to Canandaigua today with the SDS.

There is no national touring sprint car action this weekend, with both the Outlaws and High Limit off for the fourth of July holiday. So regional and local stuff takes center stage. Besides PA Speedweek, there is FAST, ASCS, Knoxville, All Stars, AFCS and more. The USAC sprint cars are at Lincoln Park, and there is a lot more around the country. TJSlideways.com or sprintcarratings.com for a complete look at the schedule.

Besides the Summer Nationals, the dirt late model weekend ahead includes the World of Outlaws at Deer Creek, with $50,000 going to the winner on Saturday. Lucas hits Atomic and Muskingum County for a pair of $25,000 to win races. Jimmy Owens leads the Hunt the Front series to Senoia for $15,000 to win, and there are plenty of other local and regional shows. The schedule at dirtondirt.com is your best place to see a full schedule.

We will call it good right there today. Streaming schedule at dirtrackr.com. Follow DIRTRACKR across social media. Like and subscribe to the show.

Enjoy the independence day holiday this weekend, and we'll see you back here on Sunday.