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.
Can Rico double up? Plus driver and crew chief news, big wins, more... | Daily 8-3-2025
We've got sprint car news, including crew chief and driver changes, plus we'll talk a lot of weekend dirt racing, and is this finally Rico Abreu's year at Knoxville? Let's go!
It's still Sunday, August 3rd, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
If you are a Kubota equipment owner now, or plan to be in the future, then you're going to need the myKubota app. It's an essential tool for managing your equipment efficiently and effectively. With real-time monitoring, maintenance reminders, and diagnostic alerts, myKubota streamlines operations and helps prevent breakdowns. You can also access helpful Kubota resources such as maintenance schedules and manuals, investigate fault codes, get help with step-by-step guides, and watch video resources to get the most out of your Kubota machine. And if you need parts or service, you can quickly locate the nearest dealer to your current location. It doesn't matter whether you're doing construction, run a big agricultural operation, or use Kubota machines around your home. Take control of your equipment and streamline your workflow today with myKubota. Download the app now and experience the difference! You can find the app in the Google Play or Apple app stores, you can click the links below in the video description on YouTube, or scan the QR code on your screen now.
This is Daily show episode number two for this Sunday. If you missed it earlier, we dove deep on the big news from late on Saturday night that Kasey Kahne had made big changes to the 49 team of Brad Sweet. We won't cover that here, so if you want to know what's going on, go watch the other Sunday show.
We'll start first on this episode with the USA Nationals from Cedar Lake. Easily the biggest win of Ryan Gustin's career, and his first crown jewel score. A very nice $100,000 payday as well for he and that Todd Cooney team. Gustin started the week with his first Outlaw win since March back at Wilmot Raceway, but these guys didn't look like future crown jewel winners on Thursday. Just a 15th place finish behind Tim McCreadie's win after starting 24th. They must have made some good changes though, because they went quick time in their qualifying group Friday, won their heat, and finished second in the dash to earn the front row start on Saturday. He got by polesitter Garrett Alberson in traffic on lap 12, and never relinqueshed the lead from there, all the way through the rest of the 100 lapper. It looked late like maybe Brandon Sheppard was going to be a serious problem, but a late caution and a poor restart relegated Shepp to sixth. Behind Gustin, big charges for everyone. Mike Marlar 16th to second, Hudson O'Neal 15th to third, and Nick Hoffman 25th to fourth. World of Outlaws championship leader Bobby Pierce had won this event the previous two seasons, but he was never in the mix all weekend. 17th back on Thursday, and 11th last night after needing a fresh right rear tire. Hoffman has his championship lead back down to 74 points, and with 18 races still to go, there is time for Hoffman to make this a battle. That's only four points per night he needs to gain. That is very doable if he can stay fast. Coming up, the crown jewel stuff flips to Lucas with the North South 100 on tap for Lucas next week. It's then Topless 100 after that. The Outlaws return August 13th at Highland.
In other weekend dirt late model action, I thought after the Friday night win, Jimmy Owens might start to walk away with the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series title. But he bowed out of Saturday's HTF main event at Duck River with a mechanical issue and ended up 20th. That leaves the door wide open still with four races left. Sam Seawright won the Duck River finale, and Zack Mitchell and Cory Hedgecock are still very much in the fight. Joseph Joiner and Dalton Cook are still within 78 points, but I think those guys would need help from the front runners to really have a shot. Hunt the Front has one more August race, North Georgia on August 23rd. They then hit Southern Raceway in late September, and the season ends October 11th at Cherokee with the Blue Gray 100.
Other winners included Ashton Winger with the Southern Thunder series, Mason Ziegler and Dave Hess Jr. were ULMS winners, Daulton Wilson bagged the $10,000 Northern All Stars show at Brownstown, and Hayden Cardwell grabbed a nice payday at Wartburg.
At Knoxville, Rico Abreu broke through for his first ever 360 Knoxville Nationals title last night. He led the most laps, but did have to battle with Kyle Larson late. Larson actually led two laps late in the going, but Rico able to get back by. Parker Price Miller joined Rico and Larson on the podium. Gio Scelzi was hard charger in the NOS 7BC going 17th to eighth, and our other fill in driver, Justin Sanders, was 11th. Aaron Reutzel in attendance at Knoxville with a cast on his leg. Back to Rico, he's now got a pair of 360 wins at Knoxville this year, as he did win his prelim night. He's also got three 410 wins, including two weekly shows and an Outlaw win. He also won the Capitani Classic in 2024 and will be looking to repeat tonight. The question will be though, can they carry this speed into this week and all the way to Saturday. Rico I believe is nearing 100 410 sprint car wins in his career, but is still seeking a big crown jewel score. He and Ricky Warner have put an incredible focus on Knoxville, and last year they had a front row start, but couldn't capitalize and finished seventh. Do you view these guys as one of the favorites this year? Let me know what you think. We talked last week about the 360 Nationals not being a great predictor of 410 success. Nobody has ever won both in the same season, and only two drivers have won both in their careers. That wouldn't seem to be a great sign for Rico. But a stat is only true until it isn't. Looking to tonight, I would expect a healthy car count for the Cappy. They had 82 last year, and this is it; the final chance to get on track before prelim nights start Wednesday.
A couple of sprint car news items before we talk more racing. First, last week we found out that Vermeer Motorsports with driver Hunter Schuerenberg was on the hunt for a new crew chief after splitting with Clinton Boyles. The team announced on Friday that veteran driver Mark Smith had been hired to replace Boyles. Smith took over the job for the Ironman wekend, and has made 11 starts himself this year. His best finish came at Port Royal in mid-July. Schuernberg ended up 19th and 13th the two nights at Pevely.
Also, after two B-Main exits against the Outlaws at Pevely, driver Scott Bogucki has parted with owner Justin Giddings and the 78 team. I'm a bit surprised to see this deal go south leading right into the Knoxville Nationals, an event we've seen Bogucki do well at before. In a social post, Bogucki said quote "After careful consideration and some life changes, Giddings Motorsports and I have mutually decided to part ways. The 78 will return home to Kansas City and we both plan to still enjoy the week at nationals with the family. I can't thank Justin and Karen enough for putting this deal together and giving me the opportunity" unquote. Bogucki was a main event starter each of the last two years at the Nationals. In 20 starts this season, Bogucki has four top fives and eight top tens. His best runs came early in the season during weekly action at Knoxville.
At Pevely for the Ironman weekend, I think we weren't far off from a Carson Macedo sweep. He was dominant on Friday, and led the first 38 laps on Saturday before suffering a flat right rear tire. That handed the lead to Sheldon Haudenschild, but it wasn't to be for him either, as Buddy Kofoid nipped him late for the victory. Outlaw win number eight on the season for Kofoid. The Roth guys will be hoping this momentum will carry into Knoxville for the Nationals where they struggled last year. We did have two High Limit guys go to Pevely, with Spencer Bayston and Tanner Thorson in the field. Thorson ran second last night to Kofoid, and looked really strong. Donny Schatz had a better weekend after four straight races of finishes 11th or worse. He was second on Friday and seventh last night. And a hat tip to Zach Hampton. He had his fifth Outlaw top ten on Friday, and backed it up last night with his first ever Outlaw top five. He was in the dash both nights as well.
Other weekend sprint car winners included Chase Stockon, Logan Seavey, and Kevin Thomas Jr. during Indiana Sprint Week's run to the end. KTJ never finished outside the top seven all week, and the win last night was also good enough to earn him the sprint week title and the rocking chair. It was his third career sprint week championship.
How about Kalib Henry winning in his first race back since getting injured at Attica. He grabbed the All Star win at Hartford on Friday. He went from being helicoptered out of Attica straight to the hospital, to sprint car victory lane in just a few weeks. Very good to see he's not suffering any ill effects. Incredibly he leads the All Star championship right now by 18 points over Zane Devault. Cap Henry and Tyler Gunn were FAST winners, Bud Kaeding won with NARC at Ocean, Dylan Norris won at the Grove, Freddie Rahmer took Lincoln, Jonathan Preston was a first time 410 winner at Port Royal, Scotty Thiel was a 360 winner at Eldora, and Karter Sarff and Kameron Key were Xtreme midget winners at Pevely.
Alright, that is plenty of daily shows for one day. Thanks everyone for tuning in. We'll see you back here tomorrow!