DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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No! Tyler Bruening! Big Sunday win for Parker Price-Miller | Daily 5-9-2022
Coming up we are talking the Outlaws at Mississippi Thunder, USMTS modifieds, a Knoxville score for Carson Macedo, and Parker Price Miller's feel good Sunday win at Huset's. Let's go!
Today is Monday, May 9th, two thousand and twenty two. Welcome into DIRTRACKR Daily. I'm Justin Fiedler.
With so much racing called off because of weather over the weekend, the biggest show on the docket was the World of Outlaws Late Models and USMTS modifieds at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Wisconson for the Dairyland Showdowon. On the late model side, we had all three races won by guys who are not series regulars, with Bobby Pierce, Jonathan Davenport, and Mike Marlar bagging victories. Another storyline from the weekend is Dennis Erb Jr. extending his points lead after three not-so-great nights for Max Blair. We did end up adding some more Lucas guys on Friday and Saturday, with Brandon Sheppard coming in to drive Boom Briggs' backup car. We also had Tyler Erb and Spencer Hughes join Garrett Alberson already in the field. On Friday night, Jonathan Davenport went from eighth to the win, in a super methodical performance. Tyler Erb led more than half the race, but he knocked the right rear quarter off his car, and Davenport was able to run him down and drive by on lap 34. Thursday night winner Bobby Pierce ended up second, with Erb third, Spencer Hughes fourth after sitting on the pole, and Cade Dillard fifth.
On Saturday night, last year's Outlaw rookie of the year Tyler Bruening looked like he was on his way to his first career win, and it would have been a good night to do it with $50 grand on the line for the winner. But into lap traffic with less than 10 laps to go, Bruening tangled with the lap car of Lance Matthees, sending both drivers around in turn one. Bruening went to the rear and that handed the lead back to pole sitter Mike Marlar, who led the final seven laps en route to the win. Tyler Erb finished second, Josh Richards hard charged from 21st to finish third, James Giossi was fourth, and Dennis Erb Jr. was fifth. The incident between Bruening and the lap car was almost inexplicable. The whole field had shifted to the bottom, and I don't know if Bruening just got impatient, but into one he just flat drove through the 90 machine. Marlar was chasing him at the time, but the 16 wasn't under a ton of pressure. I've watched it probably ten times, and I can't seem to figure out what he was doing. Bruening ended up 20th on the night. Davenport was also fast again, but finished 10th after bowing out of the lead battle earlier in the night with a flat left rear. As for the points battle, finishes of 15th, 17th, and 25th were not what Max Blair needed. He's now 98 back of Erb, who ended up with finishes of 7th, 14th, and 5th. Tanner English and Bruening remain within reasonable striking distance in third and fourth. The series is off this weekend, with a three night trip to Pennsylvania on tap in ten days. With his experience in that part of the country, Blair really needs to capitalize on those races to stay in the hunt with Erb.
With the USMTS on Friday night, it was all Jake Timm. He started on the pole and led all 40 laps to score the victory. Zack VanderBeek tried to run him down in lap traffic, but picked up damage inside ten to go, and faded back. He ended up second, with Thursday winner Lucas Schott third. On Saturday night, we had four different drivers lead, but late in the going seventh starting Dustin Sorensen, who is also the series points leader, slipped by Shane Sabraski and drove away to the $10,000 victory. Cayden Carter ended up second with Sabraski third. Sorensen leaves Mississippi Thunder with a 63 point advantage over Rodney Sanders in the championship standings. They travel to Red Dirt Raceway and Tri-State Speedway, both in Oklahoma, this weekend. I picked up a RacinDirt subscription this past week to get more into the USMTS, and I thought the racing over the weekend was really solid. Both Friday and Saturday's features were slowed by just a single caution and guys were able to race all over the track. I need to watch some more races though, so I can start recognizing the cars and who is who. I was also impressed by the track itself. Super racey join for the late models and modifieds.
As expected with so much racing called off or not on the schedule, the 410 sprint car field at Knoxville on Saturday night was deep, with 43 cars on the property. It seems like when possible, there are a lot of guys that head to Knoxville to get laps and build those notebooks for later in the year. Carson Macedo was the only World of Outlaws regular who made the trip, and it paid off for the JJR 41 squad. They started fifth, took the lead with five to go, and snagged the $5000 win over Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Justin Henderson. The field also included names like Kerry Madsen, Aaron Reutzel, Gio Scelzi, and a bunch of the All Star regulars. Not shocking to see Macedo and the 41 fast at Knoxville. They should be a favorite there when the Outlaws go to Iowa in June, and again for the Nationals in August.
On Sunday, a lot of those teams that we are Knoxville went to Huset's for their weekly 410 program. Mark Dobmeier led early from the pole, but with 14 laps to go and Parker Price-Miller coming after him, Dobmeier lost the handle in between one and two. He didn't spin all the way out, but the mistake was all PPM needed. He survived a few late restarts and drove away to the win. Aaron Reutzel finished second and Austin McCarl was third. It was a big time feel good win for PPM who has been battling cancer this season. Afterwards he said quote "It’s my first win since starting treatment. After the checkered I was getting a little teary-eyed. I didn’t know if I was ever going to race again. This is going to mean something special in my heart forever" unquote. Super cool to see him get the victory, and we'll see if that turns into some momentum for him and that McGhee 11 as they are currently just 24 points behind Tyler Courtney in the race for the All Star championship.
Other weekend open wheel winners included Clint Garner in the 360 at Knoxville, Tye Mihocko at Lincoln Park, Kyle Cummins with the POWRi midgets at Macon, Michael Faccinto with the USAC Western States midgets at Placerville, Justin Sanders in the sprint car at Placerville, Scotty Thiel with the IRA at Sycamore. Thiel has now won the first two IRA events this season. And the Passing Points Podcast guys got a win with Lane Goodman bagging a 305 score at Valley Speedway.
In other weekend late model action, Brandon Overton bagged $10 grand with the Spring Nationals at East Alabama. He topped Ashton Winger and Michael Page in a race that also included Carson Ferguson, Tim McCreadie, Joseph Joiner, Shane Clanton, and Ricky Weiss. And at I-75, Cory Hedgecock was a $5000 winner with the Southern All Stars.
The nationwide tire shortage continues to plague dirt racing, and the cancellations and postponements keep coming. The ASCS has already been a victim this year, and this coming weekend's national tour races at Black Hills are the next in line. The series was supposed to be at the South Dakota track for two nights, Friday and Saturday this week, but yesterday it was announced that the weekend is off because of the lack of tires available from Hoosier. The track will still run local sprint cars for $1200 to win on Friday night and are offering an extra $200 in two money for any travelers. So with the weekend sacked, the next time we are scheduled to see the ASCS National Tour is May 20th and 21st at Tri-City Speedway. With just four race nights complete so far, Wayne Johnson leads Blake Hahn and Seth Bergman in the ASCS points standings.
There are two shows on today's streaming schedule. Speed Sport has IMCA action from the Clay County Fair Speedway, and there is FloRacing 24/7. To see the full daily streaming schedule with links to watch, visit dirtrackr.com/watchtonight.
That's it for the show today, have a good Monday. If you have thoughts about the topics on today's show, leave them in the comments below or tweet at me.
Thanks everybody for tuning in, I'll see you tomorrow for more DIRTRACKR Daily!