KENNEDALE, TX (Feb. 8, 2024) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will bring the best Sprint Car drivers in the country to Kennedale Speedway Park for the first time, March 8-9.The doubleheader weekend will be the Series’ first Texas stop of 2024, boasting two $12,000 to win Feature races.Series stars like 10-time champion Donny Schatz, who drivers for Tony Stewart’s Sprint Car team, David Gravel, Carson Macedo, Logan Schuhcart, Sheldon Haudenschild and more will duel for the big prize money and key points toward the championship battle. Fans will be treated to non-stop excitement on, and off, the track with a midway loaded with driver merchandise and fan activites and then heart-pounding, wheel-to-wheel, action around the 1/4-mile track. Race Schedule: 2PM Gates Open 5PM Grandstand Gates Open 6:30PM Hot Laps/Qualifying Opening Ceremonies and racing to follow Tickets are on sale now at WorldofOutlaws.com/Tix. If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live on DIRTVision.

BARBERVILLE, FL (Feb. 7, 2023) – Wednesday night DIRTcar UMP Modified Features at Volusia Speedway Park put three new faces and three returning drivers in Victory Lane, awarding them the signature gator trophy in the 53rd Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

Dustin Sorensen, Trevor Neville and Raymond Kable each scored their first career Volusia wins in Features 1-3, while Kenny Wallace, Charlie Mefford and Tyler Nicely revisited Victory Lane in Features 4-6.

Feature #1 – Dustin Sorensen

The first Feature of Wednesday night put a first-time winner in Victory Lane when Dustin Sorensen crossed the stripe.

The 23-year-old from Rochester, MN, took the lead on Lap 3 after Lap 1 leader Mitch Thomas and Lap 2 leader Will Krup each brought out cautions early. Sorensen was there to pick up the pieces, advancing into the lead for a Lap 3 restart and leading the rest of the way to bag his first career victory at Volusia.

“I thought for sure [Thomas and Krup] were gonna be tough, those guys have been fast all week,” Sorsensen said. “I was looking forward to racing with them really, and I didn’t really get the chance – they dropped out pretty early. I don’t really know where we stack up against them, but we’ll find out tomorrow.”

Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 19-Dustin Sorensen[3]; 2. 77D-George Dixon[4]; 3. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[6]; 4. K9-Will Krup[2]; 5. 5-Jonathan Taylor[10]; 6. 95-Michael Altobelli[7]; 7. 4TW-Tim Ward[8]; 8. 28B-Jason Brookover[5]; 9. 2T-Ty Norder[11]; 10. 6ST-Joseph Thomas[16]; 11. 01-Brayden Weller[15]; 12. 18-Miles Beaulieu[14]; 13. 5B-Bobby Bagley[12]; 14. 40-Ronald Wadforth[19]; 15. 89W-Rick Weitekamp[17]; 16. 57-Charlie Sandercock[9]; 17. 58F-Donnie Farlling[13]; 18. 2G-Troy Girolamo[18]; 19. 97-Mitch Thomas[1]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 1 (3 Laps): 1. 97-Mitch Thomas, 00:17.598[9]; 2. K9-Will Krup, 00:17.703[2]; 3. 19-Dustin Sorensen, 00:17.791[13]; 4. 77D-George Dixon, 00:17.840[6]; 5. 28B-Jason Brookover, 00:17.971[14]; 6. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski, 00:18.038[12]; 7. 95-Michael Altobelli, 00:18.085[10]; 8. 4TW-Tim Ward, 00:18.131[15]; 9. 57-Charlie Sandercock, 00:18.155[3]; 10. 5-Jonathan Taylor, 00:18.166[1]; 11. 2T-Ty Norder, 00:18.294[18]; 12. 5B-Bobby Bagley, 00:18.665[5]; 13. 58F-Donnie Farlling, 00:18.686[19]; 14. 18-Miles Beaulieu, 00:19.049[8]; 15. 01-Brayden Weller, 00:19.097[4]; 16. 6ST-Joseph Thomas, 00:19.194[16]; 17. 89W-Rick Weitekamp, 00:19.704[7]; 18. 2G-Troy Girolamo, 00:19.704[17]; 19. 40-Ronald Wadforth, 00:19.704[11]

Feature #2 – Trevor Neville

Heading into Turn 1 on the final lap, Trevor Neville said he was prepared to settle for a respectable second-place finish to David Stremme. That was, until Stremme broke going through Turn 2.

Neville, 23, of Mackinaw, IL, had chased Stremme the entire race and entered the corner right on his heels. When one of Stremme’s brake calipers busted apart going through Turn 1, the car suddenly pushed up the track and out of the bottom lane, opening the door for Neville as they raced out of Turn 2.

Neville raced into the lead down the backstretch, brought it through Turns 3-4 and back to the checkered to clinch his first career gator trophy.

“This is a dream come true,” Neville said. “There’s two platforms that a guy should win on to become something or achieve something, and this is one of them. This is breathtaking, and to beat some of the guys we beat and compete where we are, I can’t thank enough people for it.”

Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 777-Trevor Neville[2]; 2. 96M-Mike McKinney[4]; 3. 35-David Stremme[1]; 4. 18L-Michael Long[5]; 5. 27-Michael Turner[8]; 6. 7D-TJ DeHaven[3]; 7. 17T-Tyler Evans[7]; 8. 18K-Brandon Kinzer[14]; 9. 9-Ken Schrader[10]; 10. 21C-Drew Charlson[6]; 11. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann[15]; 12. 12M-John McClure[17]; 13. 21-Scott Ladner[9]; 14. 2J-Troy Johnson[11]; 15. 32-Chad Roush[12]; 16. 59-Doug Stine[16]; 17. 4UW-Bobby Regot[18]; 18. 17N-Dillon Nusbaum[13]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 2 (3 Laps): 1. 35-David Stremme, 00:17.659[1]; 2. 777-Trevor Neville, 00:17.932[11]; 3. 7D-TJ DeHaven, 00:18.074[9]; 4. 96M-Mike McKinney, 00:18.105[13]; 5. 18L-Michael Long, 00:18.112[15]; 6. 21C-Drew Charlson, 00:18.128[8]; 7. 17T-Tyler Evans, 00:18.178[10]; 8. 27-Michael Turner, 00:18.250[5]; 9. 21-Scott Ladner, 00:18.292[7]; 10. 9-Ken Schrader, 00:18.307[4]; 11. 2J-Troy Johnson, 00:18.338[6]; 12. 32-Chad Roush, 00:18.501[17]; 13. 17N-Dillon Nusbaum, 00:18.526[2]; 14. 18K-Brandon Kinzer, 00:18.710[14]; 15. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann, 00:18.815[16]; 16. 59-Doug Stine, 00:19.046[3]; 17. 12M-John McClure, 00:19.436[12]; 18. 4UW-Bobby Regot, 00:19.627[18]

Feature #3 – Raymond Kable

Maryland racer Raymond Kable had been a DIRTcar Nationals regular for the past several seasons but had never had any hardware to show for it, until Wednesday night.

Kable started third and turned on the jets in the second half of the race, getting by Shannon Fisk for second by Lap 10 and hunting down Monday night winner Brian Ruhlman five laps later to take the lead in traffic. From there, Kable was smooth sailing out front, winning Wednesday’s third Feature right before a notable face joined him in a Victory Lane celebration.

“It’s kind of unreal,” Kable said. “We just really struggled the first night – we were horrible – and then we picked it up last night, and tonight I’m sharing Victory Lane with Kenny Wallace. It was awesome.”

Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 90H-Raymond Kable[3]; 2. 49-Brian Ruhlman[1]; 3. 10Y-Trent Young[4]; 4. 60-Shannon Fisk[2]; 5. 463-Daniel Sanchez[5]; 6. 7B-Brad Deyoung[8]; 7. 8W-Gregory Moore[9]; 8. 51-Dalton Lanich[7]; 9. 11W-James Whittredge[11]; 10. 17C-Coleman Evans[17]; 11. 4S-Craig Shaw[10]; 12. 3D-Makayla Tyrrell[13]; 13. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt[14]; 14. 99-Cole Hilton[6]; 15. 33-Kenny Mihalik[18]; 16. 77S-Jim Shipman[15]; 17. 0-Dylan Murray[16]; 18. E85-Jesse Strange[12]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 3 (3 Laps): 1. 49-Brian Ruhlman, 00:17.840[11]; 2. 60-Shannon Fisk, 00:18.197[5]; 3. 90H-Raymond Kable, 00:18.271[16]; 4. 10Y-Trent Young, 00:18.394[2]; 5. 463-Daniel Sanchez, 00:18.446[15]; 6. 99-Cole Hilton, 00:18.455[10]; 7. 51-Dalton Lanich, 00:18.522[12]; 8. 7B-Brad Deyoung, 00:18.543[9]; 9. 8W-Gregory Moore, 00:18.613[6]; 10. 4S-Craig Shaw, 00:18.789[7]; 11. 11W-James Whittredge, 00:18.867[14]; 12. E85-Jesse Strange, 00:18.881[18]; 13. 3D-Makayla Tyrrell, 00:19.020[17]; 14. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt, 00:19.124[1]; 15. 77S-Jim Shipman, 00:19.183[4]; 16. 0-Dylan Murray, 00:19.412[3]; 17. 17C-Coleman Evans, 00:19.412[8]; 18. 33-Kenny Mihalik, 00:19.412[13]

Feature #4 – Kenny Wallace

Since 2012, Kenny Wallace had gone winless at DIRTcar Nationals.

But as he crossed the finish line first Wednesday night and stepped into Victory Lane, emotion filled the 60-year-old as he hoisted his fifth career gator trophy and first in nearly 12 years.

“I almost started crying,” Wallace said. “You don’t know how bad you want something until you accomplish it. I’m just so excited and so happy.”

Wallace, of Arnold, MO, was stout all night long, setting quick time in his group before grabbing the lead on the opening lap of the Feature and never looking back, leading all 20 laps virtually unchallenged to score the win in a car fielded by seven-time Big Gator points champion, Nick Hoffman.

“The key to Nick giving me this car is our friendship,” Wallace said. “I’ve said this before – when I look at Nick, I see myself, because you couldn’t outwork me when I was his age. And that’s the same way he is; he just works so damn hard.”

Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 36-Kenny Wallace[1]; 2. 8S-Kyle Strickler[2]; 3. 11X-Tom Berry Jr[3]; 4. 4-Mike Learman[7]; 5. 24-Zeke McKenzie[4]; 6. 8A-Austin Holcombe[11]; 7. 90-Jason Beaulieu[6]; 8. 16C-John Clippinger[9]; 9. 88-Matt Crafton[8]; 10. 43A-Mark Anderson[17]; 11. 1S-Brian Shaw[5]; 12. 82-Gary Dillon[13]; 13. 6-Ryan Ayers[16]; 14. 72-Todd Neiheiser[12]; 15. 95J-Justin Cullum[15]; 16. 0S-Glenn Styres[14]; 17. 8-Dave Pinkerton[10]; 18. 78-Raymond Rogers[18]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 4 (3 Laps): 1. 36-Kenny Wallace, 00:17.739[13]; 2. 8S-Kyle Strickler, 00:17.991[1]; 3. 11X-Tom Berry Jr, 00:18.115[9]; 4. 24-Zeke McKenzie, 00:18.150[7]; 5. 1S-Brian Shaw, 00:18.254[16]; 6. 90-Jason Beaulieu, 00:18.280[5]; 7. 4-Mike Learman, 00:18.325[14]; 8. 88-Matt Crafton, 00:18.347[12]; 9. 16C-John Clippinger, 00:18.393[4]; 10. 8-Dave Pinkerton, 00:18.462[18]; 11. 8A-Austin Holcombe, 00:18.532[8]; 12. 72-Todd Neiheiser, 00:18.586[11]; 13. 82-Gary Dillon, 00:18.603[15]; 14. 0S-Glenn Styres, 00:18.627[3]; 15. 95J-Justin Cullum, 00:18.635[6]; 16. 6-Ryan Ayers, 00:18.642[10]; 17. 43A-Mark Anderson, 00:18.778[17]; 18. 78-Raymond Rogers, 00:20.354[2]

Feature #5 – Charlie Mefford

“Chargin’ Charlie” has done it again, winning DIRTcar Nationals for the second night in-a-row at Volusia Speedway Park.

The 17-year-old from Belton, KY, started second and trailed Michael Leach through the first half of the race before reeling him in on Lap 10, shooting to the inside of Leach’s #09 in Turn 1 and sliding up in front of him through Turn 2 to take the lead.

From there, Mefford held strong on the multiple restarts he faced and led the field back around to the checkers to bag his third career gator trophy.

“This thing was pretty good tonight,” Mefford said. “It wasn’t as good as last night; we’ve gotta tweak on it before we go into the points day tomorrow.

“We’re just really good at Volusia.”

Feature 5 (20 Laps): 1. 13-Charlie Mefford[2]; 2. 5CS-Curt Spalding[3]; 3. 09-Michael Leach[1]; 4. 7T-Evan Taylor[5]; 5. 11M-Michael McGee[7]; 6. 91-Chris Beaulieu[4]; 7. 27G-Jason Garver[6]; 8. 4K-Jason Kinney[8]; 9. 54-Zachary Hawk[12]; 10. 25B-Greg Belyea[10]; 11. 6B-Dave Baldwin[11]; 12. 77C-Jason Cox[16]; 13. 55-Alyssa Rowe[13]; 14. 187-Tyler Wiles[14]; 15. 1-Randy Giroux[9]; 16. 23-Jerol Stepp[15]; 17. 114B-Clayton Bryant[17]; 18. 97G-Jason Crose[18]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 5 (3 Laps): 1. 09-Michael Leach, 00:17.914[3]; 2. 13-Charlie Mefford, 00:17.931[6]; 3. 5CS-Curt Spalding, 00:18.080[7]; 4. 91-Chris Beaulieu, 00:18.423[2]; 5. 7T-Evan Taylor, 00:18.576[14]; 6. 27G-Jason Garver, 00:18.666[17]; 7. 11M-Michael McGee, 00:18.692[9]; 8. 4K-Jason Kinney, 00:18.703[1]; 9. 1-Randy Giroux, 00:18.761[18]; 10. 25B-Greg Belyea, 00:18.918[8]; 11. 6B-Dave Baldwin, 00:19.083[10]; 12. 54-Zachary Hawk, 00:19.127[11]; 13. 55-Alyssa Rowe, 00:19.180[15]; 14. 187-Tyler Wiles, 00:19.419[4]; 15. 23-Jerol Stepp, 00:19.544[13]; 16. 77C-Jason Cox, 00:19.948[5]; 17. 114B-Clayton Bryant, 00:19.948[16]; 18. 97G-Jason Crose, 00:19.948[12]

Feature #6 – Tyler Nicely

Tyler Nicely’s streak of perfection at DIRTcar Nationals this week lives on. He’s now three-for-three in pursuit of his first Big Gator points championship.

Nicely, 28, of Owensboro, KY, once again led all 20 laps en route to the checkered, unchallenged by Justin Allgaier and Ray Bollinger who completed the podium behind him. Despite his success, Nicely still is not satisfied with everything going on in his operation.

“I feel like we were still a little bit out there,” Nicely said. “The longer the run goes, I just keep getting tighter getting in and it’s just killing my speed.”

Now that he’s clinched his 10th gator Feature winner trophy – tied for third-most all-time with Austin Dillon – Nicely’s focus is the Big Gator points title and the Gator Championship Feature on Saturday.

“That’s my main focus this year – I really wanna win Saturday,” Nicely said. “Just trying to get the balance right on the racecar.”

Feature 6 (20 Laps): 1. 25-Tyler Nicely[2]; 2. 7-Justin Allgaier[3]; 3. 77-Ray Bollinger[6]; 4. 114-Jordan Koehler[4]; 5. 23Z-Austin Self[8]; 6. 26-Ryan Gierke[11]; 7. 21B-Hunter Breland[5]; 8. 11N-Gene Nicholas[15]; 9. 07-Eric Moon[12]; 10. 12L-Lucas Lee[1]; 11. 12-Robert Gast[9]; 12. N8-Nathan Huffingham[18]; 13. 07K-Curtis King[16]; 14. 3-Josh Sanford[10]; 15. 99W-Wade Olmsted[17]; 16. 57M-Fletcher Mason[14]; 17. 3F-Rob Fuqua[13]; 18. 99G-Mark Grosvenor[7]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 6 (3 Laps): 1. 12L-Lucas Lee, 00:18.111[4]; 2. 25-Tyler Nicely, 00:18.149[8]; 3. 7-Justin Allgaier, 00:18.323[17]; 4. 114-Jordan Koehler, 00:18.433[12]; 5. 21B-Hunter Breland, 00:18.485[10]; 6. 77-Ray Bollinger, 00:18.527[6]; 7. 99G-Mark Grosvenor, 00:18.595[11]; 8. 23Z-Austin Self, 00:18.686[13]; 9. 12-Robert Gast, 00:18.692[7]; 10. 3-Josh Sanford, 00:18.731[14]; 11. 26-Ryan Gierke, 00:18.803[15]; 12. 07-Eric Moon, 00:18.847[16]; 13. 3F-Rob Fuqua, 00:18.892[1]; 14. 57M-Fletcher Mason, 00:19.132[18]; 15. 11N-Gene Nicholas, 00:19.271[2]; 16. 07K-Curtis King, 00:19.440[5]; 17. 99W-Wade Olmsted, 00:19.456[3]; 18. N8-Nathan Huffingham, 00:19.643[9]

UP NEXT

DIRTcar UMP Modified racing at Volusia Speedway Park continues Thursday night, Feb. 8, with another six-pack of Features, also on the card with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

The five-time champion holds off Tyler Courtney for seventh Series win at the half mileBARBERVILLE, FL (February 7, 2024) – Brad Sweet loves to go gator hunting at Volusia Speedway Park. The five-time and reigning World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car champion consistently contends for the win whenever visiting the Barberville, FL oval. And Wednesday night proved to be no different when The Greatest Show on Dirt unleashed its 47th season.Sweet led all 25 laps as the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals kicked off the World of Outlaws campaign to bank a $12,000 payday. “The Big Cat” started on the pole in the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 and held off a strong challenge from Tyler Courtney to make his 91st trip to Victory Lane with the Series.“It’s just a lot of fun to come here and start out so strong,” Sweet said. “We’ve had a lot of success here at Volusia over the years. It’s going to be a long week, so hopefully we can keep celebrating in Victory Lane.”The win marked Sweet’s 10th overall at Volusia and seventh with the World of Outlaws. That equals the track with Cedar Lake Speedway as the winningest on his résumé. Only Donny Schatz’s total of 14 Volusia victories with the World of Outlaws outranks the Grass Valley, CA native’s mark.Sweet brought the field to green in the NOS Energy Drink Feature with Tyler Courtney alongside after the two claimed the top two spots in the Toyota Racing Dash. The duo raced wheel-to-wheel through Turns 1 and 2, and Courtney managed to nose ahead down the back straightaway. Sweet quickly responded by powering right back by the Clauson Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink #7BC Turns 3 and 4. In the early portion of the race Sweet set a solid pace, but Courtney wouldn’t let him escape. One lap Sweet would be faster. Then Courtney would clock a quicker lap. The gap stayed below a second throughout the opening 10 laps and as they begin to navigate traffic.A yellow flag on Lap 12 for a slowing Sheldon Haudenschild appeared to give Sweet a break as it removed him from traffic and provided clean air. But on the restart Courtney flexed his muscle with a challenge for the top spot.Courtney got his momentum built up around the cushion while Sweet remained committed to the bottom. The margin shrank as the two worked opposite lines of the racetrack. On the 15th lap Courtney pulled alongside Sweet and looked poised to snag the lead. But a yellow flag spoiled those hopes when Michael “Buddy” Kofoid slowed to a stop on Lap 16.Having seen Courtney’s challenge, Sweet opted for the top when the green flag brought the field back to life. And Courtney wasn’t able to find the run he had before as Sweet moved around the racing surface.“I could hear him (Courtney) on my outside at the end of the back straightaway,” Sweet explained. “It’s just a lot of experience. Obviously, I’ve raced here a lot. I was making good speed. My car was really good on the bottom, but sometimes momentum just starts to build. I could hear him, and when that yellow came out I looked over at the screen and saw he was right there. So, then I opened my entry in (Turn) 1 and started using the banking to create momentum, and I think it just kind of took the air that he had.”Courtney began to fade as Sweet stretched the advantage north of a second on Lap 19. But hope was restored as traffic became a factor late. Sweet struggled to navigate a slower car and allowed Courtney to cut the margin to less than half a second with only two laps remaining. But it was too little, too late as Sweet held on to secure the first checkered flag of 2024.“My car was just phenomenal,” Sweet said. “We made it better all night. Eric (Prutzman, crew chief). It’s Tye’s (Wolfgang, car chief) birthday, so happy birthday to Tye. And we’ve got a new tire guy, Zane. Happy to get in Victory Lane for them. Happy that my wife and daughter are here.”Courtney held on for second to begin his 2024 Sprint Car season. The runner-up result gave the Indianapolis, IN driver seven career World of Outlaws podiums. The ill-timed caution when challenging Sweet left Courtney a little disappointed, but he wasn’t sure that he would’ve gotten by Sweet even if the race remained green.“I think one more lap he was going to keep hearing me and probably move up and just take my air away like he did there after the caution,” Courtney said. “When you’re racing a guy like him that’s done this a lot and has a lot of success, it’s tough to pull one over on him. I’m just excited about our whole Clauson Marshall, NOS Energy Drink, Elliott’s Custom Trailers team. We came down here last year and were just barely making the shows.”Rounding out the first podium of the season was David Gravel aboard the Big Game Motorsports/Huset’s Speedway #2. The Watertown, CT driver admitted they may have gone slightly the wrong direction with the car ahead of the Feature with how track conditions played out. But even with that, Gravel came away encouraged with the top three run.“I just think that was the fastest and stickiest track we had nearly all night long,” Gravel said. “We didn’t think it was going to stay that wet, so we just got too tight when we got close to those guys. In open track our car was really, really good. But once we got close to Tyler or lapped traffic and restarts I just couldn’t get going that good. Still a really strong night.”Brian Brown and Logan Schuchart completed the top five.A 25th to 14th drive gave Carson Macedo the first KSE Racing Hard Charger of the year.Making his World of Outlaws debut, Landon Crawley set Simpson Quick Time in Sea Foam Qualifying aboard the Sides Motorsports #7S.NOS Energy Drink Heats One, Three and Four went to Giovanni Scelzi, Rico Abreu, and David Gravel. Tyler Courtney topped Milton Hershey School Heat Two.Austin McCarl won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars return to Volusia Speedway Park on Thursday, Feb. 8 for night two of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. For tickets, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.RESULTS:NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 2. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[2]; 3. 2-David Gravel[3]; 4. 21-Brian Brown[8]; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart[14]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz[10]; 7. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[6]; 8. 17B-Bill Balog[4]; 9. 9-Kasey Kahne[16]; 10. 39M-Anthony Macri[9]; 11. 19-Brent Marks[12]; 12. 24-Rico Abreu[7]; 13. 13-Justin Peck[13]; 14. 41-Carson Macedo[25]; 15. 48-Danny Dietrich[22]; 16. 55-Chris Windom[15]; 17. 1A-Jacob Allen[11]; 18. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[24]; 19. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[17]; 20. 14-Corey Day[20]; 21. 7S-Landon Crawley[5]; 22. 26-Zeb Wise[23]; 23. 6-Bill Rose[26]; 24. 83-Michael Kofoid[19]; 25. 88-Austin McCarl[21]; 26. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[18]

TAMPA, Fla. (February 7, 2024) – Tyler Erb earned a hard-fought victory on Wednesday night during the 48th Annual Wieland Winternationals – Presented by Lucas Oil at East Bay Raceway Park. Erb pulled away from a trio of cars who were battling for second to take a 2.653 second advantage at the finish line for his 21st career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win. Mike Marlar, who started 23rd edged out Davenport at the finish line for second to earn the Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race. Davenport rounded out the Big River Steel Podium finishing third. Daulton Wilson and Dennis Erb Jr. completed the top five drivers. The action was fast and furious in the first 20 laps of the 40-lap main event as Davenport led the first 11 circuits until Erb rolled around him on the outside to take the lead on lap 12. Erb, Davenport, and Daulton Wilson were battling nearly 3-wide for the lead as Wilson took his only lead of the race on lap 20.  Davenport then came back to hold the point until Erb powered by him on lap 26. From there, Erb stormed away to pick up a convincing victory.  Erb in taking his fifth career East Bay victory fought back after a disappointing race on Tuesday night where he finished sixth after leading in the early part of the race. “I think just racing a little smarter today. I chased JD [Davenport] and was really patient and finally got by him. On the restart they obviously started running the top or something to get such a really good run. I just had to hunker down and fight back. I have got an awesome car and an awesome group of people helping me. I love East Bay it produces some of the greatest racing and it was a really good race.” “I can’t believe JD left the top open down there in one and two,” said the New Waverly, Texas driver who became the fourth different winner this year on the tour. “His [Davenport’s] car was really good. That was fun, that’s East Bay that’s how it’s supposed to be where you can run all over the place. Honestly the first 20 laps I never really spun my tires, so I knew I had a lot left in the tank. I just had to find the right place on the racetrack to use it.” Marlar had the drive of the night coming from the inside of the last row to nip Davenport at the line to finish in second. “We have just been struggling the whole trip. We kind of figured out we had a bent rear end in the car. I was kind of bad early in the night, but I got it going for the feature. I want to thank Greg Bruening for giving me this opportunity. I hope we put on a good show there. There at the end I got to rolling the top. They knew I was coming.” Davenport finished third for the second night in a row. “The lane moved several times there. My guys gave me the best car they could. Congratulations to Tyler [Erb] and Mikey [Marlar]. The last second, I heard him [Marlar], so I turned to the left so hopefully that helped us both in these heat races coming up, so we don’t have a lot to fix.” The winner’s Best Performance Motorsports, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Bulk Material Lift, Anthony’s Pizza, First Class Septic, Base Fuels, Keyser Manufacturing, Roberts Bee Company, Integra Racing Shocks, JRR Trucking, and Sani-Weld. Completing the top ten were Jimmy Owens, Tim McCreadie, Brian Shirley, Kyle Bronson, and Garrett Smith. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary 48th Annual Wieland Winternationals | Night 3Wednesday, February 7, 2024East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Jensen Ford | 14.281 seconds Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport | 14.221 seconds (overall) Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 15K-Jensen Ford[1]; 2. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[3]; 3. 14X-Wil Herrington[4]; 4. 4-Amanda Robinson[6]; 5. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[5]; 6. 18-Chase Junghans[9]; 7. 7T-Drake Troutman[8]; 8. 19M-Spencer Hughes[2]; 9. 82B-Jason Milam[11]; 10. 25B-Mike Benedum[10]; 11. 51-Dean Carpenter[12]; 12. 07-Brian Ledbetter[13]; 13. 2*-Logan Hitt[7] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 4. 3S-Brian Shirley[5]; 5. 6T-Tim Dohm[4]; 6. 12R-Ryan Payne[8]; 7. 1Z-Logan Zarin[7]; 8. 96V-Tanner English[6]; 9. 21-Kenny Howell[12]; 10. 81J-Jack Riggs[9]; 11. 3-Brennon Willard[11]; 12. 15-Blake McClain[10]; 13. (DNS) 21M-Tre Martin Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 7-Ross Robinson[1]; 2. 6-Clay Harris[2]; 3. 75-Daniel Adam[3]; 4. 71C-RJ Conley[6]; 5. 97-Cody Overton[7]; 6. S21-Seth Daniels[4]; 7. 214-Haiden Cowan[5]; 8. USA1-Chris Hawkins[8]; 9. 4S-Danny Snyder[12]; 10. 93-Cory Lawler[9]; 11. 42-Terry Casey[10]; 12. 48-Tim Lance[11] Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[3]; 3. 1-Hudson O’Neal[2]; 4. 157-Mike Marlar[4]; 5. 12-Ashton Winger[5]; 6. 187-David McCoy[7]; 7. 47W-Brandon Weigle[6]; 8. 66C-Matt Cosner[9]; 9. 31-Tyler Millwood[11]; 10. 33-Jeff Mathews[8]; 11. K&B-Kerry King[12]; 12. 71R-Rod Conley[13]; 13. (DNS) 111-Max Blair Lucas Oil Heat Race #5 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1T-Tyler Erb[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 3. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[4]; 4. 81-Jason Riggs[5]; 5. 10-Garrett Smith[6]; 6. 17SS-Brenden Smith[7]; 7. 8-Dillon McCowan[9]; 8. 27-Michael Lake[8]; 9. 128-Kylan Garner[11]; 10. 29-Larry Grube[10]; 11. 69-Brandon Thirlby[12]; 12. (DNS) 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr Lucas Oil Heat Race #6 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[3]; 3. 39-Tim McCreadie[4]; 4. 174-Ethan Dotson[5]; 5. 99B-Boom Briggs[6]; 6. 6H-Ross Bailes[7]; 7. 9-Levi Yetter[12]; 8. 11C-Trevor Collins[10]; 9. 20B-Todd Brennan[11]; 10. B5-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 11. 30-Ryan Gustin[8]; 12. (DNS) 4G-Bob Gardner Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 2. 7T-Drake Troutman[7]; 3. 18-Chase Junghans[5]; 4. 1Z-Logan Zarin[8]; 5. 6T-Tim Dohm[4]; 6. 82B-Jason Milam[11]; 7. 81J-Jack Riggs[14]; 8. 21-Kenny Howell[12]; 9. 12R-Ryan Payne[6]; 10. 3-Brennon Willard[16]; 11. 25B-Mike Benedum[13]; 12. 51-Dean Carpenter[15]; 13. 07-Brian Ledbetter[17]; 14. 15-Blake McClain[18]; 15. 4-Amanda Robinson[1]; 16. (DNS) 25-Tony Jackson Jr; 17. (DNS) 19M-Spencer Hughes; 18. (DNS) 96V-Tanner English; 19. (DNS) 2*-Logan Hitt; 20. (DNS) 21M-Tre Martin UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 71C-RJ Conley[1]; 2. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 3. 12-Ashton Winger[4]; 4. 97-Cody Overton[3]; 5. 47W-Brandon Weigle[8]; 6. S21-Seth Daniels[5]; 7. 66C-Matt Cosner[10]; 8. 187-David McCoy[6]; 9. USA1-Chris Hawkins[9]; 10. 33-Jeff Mathews[14]; 11. 31-Tyler Millwood[12]; 12. 4S-Danny Snyder[11]; 13. K&B-Kerry King[16]; 14. 93-Cory Lawler[13]; 15. 111-Max Blair[19]; 16. (DNS) 214-Haiden Cowan; 17. (DNS) 42-Terry Casey; 18. (DNS) 48-Tim Lance; 19. (DNS) 71R-Rod Conley MyRacePass B-Main Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 174-Ethan Dotson[2]; 2. 10-Garrett Smith[3]; 3. 99B-Boom Briggs[4]; 4. 8-Dillon McCowan[7]; 5. 81-Jason Riggs[1]; 6. 17SS-Brenden Smith[5]; 7. 27-Michael Lake[9]; 8. 6H-Ross Bailes[6]; 9. 20B-Todd Brennan[12]; 10. B5-Brandon Sheppard[14]; 11. 9-Levi Yetter[8]; 12. 69-Brandon Thirlby[15]; 13. 128-Kylan Garner[11]; 14. 11C-Trevor Collins[10]; 15. (DNS) 29-Larry Grube; 16. (DNS) 30-Ryan Gustin; 17. (DNS) 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr; 18. (DNS) 4G-Bob Gardner 48th Annual Wieland Winternationals | Night 2 Feature Finish (40 Laps):

Race Statistics  Entrants: 75Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Jensen FordLap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-11); Tyler Erb (Laps 12-18); Jonathan Davenport (Lap 19); Daulton Wilson (Lap 20); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 21-26); Tyler Erb (Laps 27-40)Wieland Feature Winner: Tyler ErbArizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/aBrandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/aMargin of Victory: 2.652 seconds Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Earl Pearson, Jr. (Lap 17); Garrett Alberson, Brandon Overton (Lap 17 restart); Devin Moran (Lap 21); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 23); Jensen Ford (Lap 30)Series Provisionals: n/aFast Time Provisional: n/aSeries Emergency Provisionals: n/aTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Tyler Erb, Mike Marlar, Jonathan DavenportPenske Shocks Top 5: Tyler Erb, Mike Marlar, Jonathan Davenport, Daulton Wilson, Dennis Erb, Jr.Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Mike Marlar (Advanced 21 Positions) Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Tim McCreadieDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Hudson O’NealMD3 Most Laps Led: Tyler Erb (21 Laps) Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Tim McCreadieMidwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 1 – 15.590 seconds) Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Tyler ErbMiller Welders Hard Luck Award: Devin MoranOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Kody Karl (Tyler Erb)ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (14.674 seconds)Time of Race: 26 minutes 06 seconds

Reigning NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national champion Julie Nataas will compete with Randy Meyer Racing for one more season in 2024, and two-time national event winner Hunter Green will return to join Nataas as the team’s pair of primary drivers for the 2024 season. Celebrating its 45th season of drag racing, Randy Meyer Racing will compete in 26 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events. Scott Dean will also compete on a limited schedule in pursuit of a regional title, and two-time national champion Megan Meyer and newcomer Deni Jensen will drive team cars in a few match race appearances. 

“We’re looking forward to another full season with Julie and Hunter as our primary drivers,” said Randy Meyer, team owner and tuner. “It was very fulfilling for all of us to power Julie to her first NHRA national championship and the team’s fourth in the last five years. Our goal is to help Julie and Hunter win more races and championships before they move on to the nitro ranks.”

Nataas, who’s entering her sixth and final season as a full-time driver for RMR, clinched the 2023 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national championship and the Central Region title. Driving the Oslo Tapet & Gulvbelegg (OTG) A/Fuel dragster, she won three national events and four regional races. The highlight of her season came at the NHRA Texas FallNationals in Dallas, where she won the JEGS Allstars for the third year in a row before winning the event and securing the national championship.  https://www.youtube.com/embed/DdMhKLlX-5k?si=kw4ZUq6FWpfhcv0P

“It’s a little extra exciting going into a season as a reigning world champion for the first time, but I’m prepared to work harder than last year to secure another world championship title for the team,” Nataas said. “I know there’s at least a couple new drivers this season and our competitors stepped it up big time last year, so I’m expecting nothing less for this year. We have OTG back on board for the season in addition to two new sponsors: Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts and Airmine.”

Last season, Green won his first NHRA national event at the Topeka race before joining his father, first-time Funny Car winner Chad Green, in the winner’s circle at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., to close out the year. He will drive the Bond-Coat A/Fuel dragster. 

“I’m excited to be entering my third season with Randy Meyer Racing in 2024,” said Green, who is also licensed in Top Fuel. “This will also be our biggest season together so far. We plan to do a full schedule of 15 races this year. I only competed in 10 last year, and with the win at the final race in Pomona we were able to break into the top 10 in points, so we plan on finishing the 2024 season even stronger.”

Dean, an experienced bracket racer, competed in three Top Alcohol Dragster events with RMR in 2023. He will step up to a seven-race schedule this season, alternating between the two RMR dragsters depending on which seat is available. 

“Excitement does not even begin to describe competing for a regional championship in Top Alcohol Dragster with Randy Meyer Racing for the 2024 season,” Dean said. “Having a final round appearance out of three races in 2023, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to burn even more nitromethane in 2024. It fires me up to continue learning every pass alongside the former, reigning, and defending, world championship Randy Meyer Racing family.”

Jensen, who made her NHRA regional competition debut with RMR in 2023, will compete in match races alongside Megan Meyer in the Gunk A/Fuel dragsters. The first scheduled match race will take place at Mo-Kan Dragway’s Memorial Day Weekend race. Additional match race events will be announced later this season. 

Randy Meyer Racing will kick off its 45th season of drag racing action Feb. 23-25 at the NHRA Lucas Oil Series regional race at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, La. Fans can find the full 2024 RMR schedule at www.randymeyerracing.com/race-schedule/. 

BARBERVILLE, FL (Feb. 6, 2024) – DIRTcar UMP Modified competition continued Tuesday night at the 53rd Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, putting six more drivers in Volusia Speedway Park Victory Lane – five who added to their growing gator trophy collection and one first-timer.

The lone first-time gator winner was Tom Berry Jr, who made the trip out from his home in Des Moines, IA, for his DIRTcar Nationals debut in a car from out of the Lethal Chassis stable, built by UMP Modified veteran David Stremme. He joined Kyle Strickler, Charlie Mefford, Tyler Nicely, Ken Schrader and Lucas Lee as victors of their 20-lap main events and gained the most valuable 80 points toward the event points standings.

Feature #1 – Kyle Strickler

He was bested Monday night, but Tuesday night was Kyle Strickler’s turn to visit Victory Lane as winner of the opening Feature.

Though he led the final 14 laps of the race, the 39-year-old Modified veteran from Mooresville, NC, did not have the greatest start. Polesitter Dustin Sorensen pushed way up the track through Turns 1-2 on the opening lap, sending Strickler over the cushion and back to third.

“I got such a good run down the front-stretch and through (Turns) 1 and 2, and he kinda hung in the slick a little bit,” Strickler said. “I was up alongside of him and he didn’t know I was out there and he was trying to the grip. It was nothing dirty on his part, but it about was… really big.”

However, Strickler was able to rebound to second before the race’s first caution on Lap 6. On the ensuing restart, Sorensen faulted on the top once again, jumping over the Turns 1-2 cushion and allowing Strickler to go by for the lead to his inside.

“I don’t know if he was trying to protect, or he didn’t know where I was at, but he drove in and kinda got tight and it opened up the door for me to be able to drive down in there and be able to slide him back,” Strickler said. “Once I got out in clean air, I thought we were alright.”

From there, Strickler was able to keep Sorensen and the field in the rearview, leading the remaining 15 laps en route to his 13th career gator trophy.

Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 8S-Kyle Strickler[2]; 2. 19-Dustin Sorensen[1]; 3. 7-Justin Allgaier[8]; 4. 95-Michael Altobelli[6]; 5. 7T-Evan Taylor[13]; 6. 5-Jonathan Taylor[3]; 7. 7D-TJ DeHaven[7]; 8. 72-Todd Neiheiser[15]; 9. 07-Eric Moon[9]; 10. 21C-Drew Charlson[10]; 11. 4-Mike Learman[11]; 12. 28B-Jason Brookover[12]; 13. 25B-Greg Belyea[14]; 14. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann[16]; 15. 32-Chad Roush[17]; 16. 12-Robert Gast[4]; 17. 99W-Wade Olmsted[19]; 18. 77C-Jason Cox[18]; 19. 8W-Gregory Moore[5]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 1 (3 Laps): 1. 19-Dustin Sorensen, 00:17.688[6]; 2. 8S-Kyle Strickler, 00:17.803[1]; 3. 5-Jonathan Taylor, 00:18.108[14]; 4. 12-Robert Gast, 00:18.225[12]; 5. 8W-Gregory Moore, 00:18.338[9]; 6. 95-Michael Altobelli, 00:18.338[16]; 7. 7D-TJ DeHaven, 00:18.339[3]; 8. 7-Justin Allgaier, 00:18.353[18]; 9. 07-Eric Moon, 00:18.412[19]; 10. 21C-Drew Charlson, 00:18.528[11]; 11. 4-Mike Learman, 00:18.547[8]; 12. 28B-Jason Brookover, 00:18.598[2]; 13. 7T-Evan Taylor, 00:18.607[13]; 14. 25B-Greg Belyea, 00:18.857[5]; 15. 72-Todd Neiheiser, 00:18.877[4]; 16. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann, 00:18.908[10]; 17. 32-Chad Roush, 00:19.055[7]; 18. 77C-Jason Cox, 00:20.877[17]; 19. 99W-Wade Olmsted, 00:22.281[15]

Feature #2 – Tom Berry Jr.

His Lethal Chassis teammate David Stremme won the battle on track Monday night, but Tuesday night was Tom Berry Jr’s turn to win a gator.

Berry, of Des Moines, IA, linked up with the Lethal Chassis owner/builder to take on his first DIRTcar Nationals this week and has already secured a piece of hardware. The two raced closely for several laps Monday and did it again Tuesday, swapping the lead back-and-forth multiple times before Berry was able to pull away in the end.

“I told him after last night, I had to give it to him,” Berry Jr. said. “I’m glad he got the win, I’ve got the win now, and I guess the pressure’s off both of our backs.”

After race-long leader Mitch Thomas spun out 12 laps in, Stremme inherited the lead and some pressure from Berry on the restart. Berry soon saw an opportunity to make a move and took it, throwing a slide-job in Turn 1 and making it stick out of Turn 2.

“The top was so fast; you could get to a guy but it was hard to get by him,” Berry said. “That restart – I knew if I got a good restart, I’d dive bomb him. I thought I was gonna keep it in front of him, but he crossed me over again and we raced it out, nobody touched, it was just an awesome night.”

While Stremme battled back with tenacity, he was unable to make up the ground in the end as Berry cruised to a first DIRTcar Nationals win.

Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 11X-Tom Berry Jr[3]; 2. 35-David Stremme[2]; 3. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[5]; 4. 27G-Jason Garver[12]; 5. 463-Daniel Sanchez[13]; 6. 90-Jason Beaulieu[4]; 7. 10Y-Trent Young[7]; 8. 3-Josh Sanford[8]; 9. 2J-Troy Johnson[9]; 10. 0S-Glenn Styres[14]; 11. 114-Jordan Koehler[11]; 12. 40-Ronald Wadforth[10]; 13. 97-Mitch Thomas[1]; 14. 55-Alyssa Rowe[15]; 15. 8-Dave Pinkerton[16]; 16. 4S-Craig Shaw[6]; 17. 2G-Troy Girolamo[17]; 18. 77S-Jim Shipman[18]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 2 (3 Laps): 1. 97-Mitch Thomas, 00:17.519[3]; 2. 35-David Stremme, 00:17.809[11]; 3. 11X-Tom Berry Jr, 00:17.904[12]; 4. 90-Jason Beaulieu, 00:18.102[6]; 5. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski, 00:18.220[8]; 6. 4S-Craig Shaw, 00:18.229[13]; 7. 10Y-Trent Young, 00:18.347[16]; 8. 3-Josh Sanford, 00:18.348[10]; 9. 2J-Troy Johnson, 00:18.394[14]; 10. 40-Ronald Wadforth, 00:18.442[2]; 11. 114-Jordan Koehler, 00:18.498[7]; 12. 27G-Jason Garver, 00:18.512[17]; 13. 463-Daniel Sanchez, 00:18.527[4]; 14. 0S-Glenn Styres, 00:18.657[5]; 15. 55-Alyssa Rowe, 00:18.752[15]; 16. 8-Dave Pinkerton, 00:18.896[18]; 17. 2G-Troy Girolamo, 00:18.928[1]; 18. 77S-Jim Shipman, 00:19.260[9]

Feature #3 – Charlie Mefford

One year ago at DIRTcar Nationals, Charlie Mefford scored one of the biggest wins of his career and has come back to Volusia again this year for more gator gold.

The 17-year-old Kentuckian scored that second golden gator from the pole of Feature #3 after setting quick time in his Qualifying group. He took off at the drop of the green and never looked back, leading all 20 laps on the path to his second career gator trophy.

“It feels awesome, especially coming down here and going back-to-back,” Mefford said. “Everybody thought it was a fluke; heck I thought it was a fluke last year.”

Mefford’s got some close crew members helping him throughout the week who he always takes time to thank.

“It’s pretty special – every win is,” Mefford said. “Just me, mom and dad, that’s pretty much all we got. To come out here and be as competitive as this, it really means a lot to us.”

Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 13-Charlie Mefford[1]; 2. 36-Kenny Wallace[7]; 3. 4TW-Tim Ward[4]; 4. 18L-Michael Long[5]; 5. 88C-Matt Crafton[3]; 6. 7B-Brad Deyoung[11]; 7. 114B-Clayton Bryant[9]; 8. 2T-Ty Norder[12]; 9. 60-Shannon Fisk[6]; 10. 18K-Brandon Kinzer[10]; 11. 99G-Mark Grosvenor[8]; 12. 59-Doug Stine[17]; 13. 54-Zachary Hawk[13]; 14. 33-Kenny Mihalik[16]; 15. 4UW-Bobby Regot[15]; 16. 1S-Brian Shaw[2]; 17. 11W-James Whittredge[14]; 18. 6-Ryan Ayers[18]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 3 (3 Laps): 1. 13-Charlie Mefford, 00:17.762[12]; 2. 1S-Brian Shaw, 00:17.993[3]; 3. 88C-Matt Crafton, 00:18.006[1]; 4. 4TW-Tim Ward, 00:18.096[13]; 5. 18L-Michael Long, 00:18.110[16]; 6. 60-Shannon Fisk, 00:18.118[2]; 7. 36-Kenny Wallace, 00:18.238[8]; 8. 99G-Mark Grosvenor, 00:18.297[5]; 9. 114B-Clayton Bryant, 00:18.303[10]; 10. 18K-Brandon Kinzer, 00:18.323[11]; 11. 7B-Brad Deyoung, 00:18.369[18]; 12. 2T-Ty Norder, 00:18.374[15]; 13. 54-Zachary Hawk, 00:18.402[4]; 14. 11W-James Whittredge, 00:18.861[14]; 15. 4UW-Bobby Regot, 00:18.975[6]; 16. 33-Kenny Mihalik, 00:19.355[17]; 17. 59-Doug Stine, 00:19.950[9]; 18. 6-Ryan Ayers, 00:19.950[7]

Feature #4 – Tyler Nicely

In what was the most dominant display seen all night with the UMP Modifieds, Tyler Nicely put on a clinic in Feature #4 and showed all 108 other drivers exactly how fast his new Elite Chassis is, crossing the stripe over six seconds ahead of the field.

The 28-year-old Kentuckian led all 20 laps after setting quick time in his Qualifying group and claiming the pole position. He took off at the drop of the green and never looked back en route to collecting his eighth career gator trophy.

“It felt really good; last night I felt like our balance was a little bit off,” Nicely said. “Me and Nick [Hoffman] and Ryan at Jerovitz Shocks, we just kinda put our heads together just trying to get me more comfortable.”

As fast as his car is, Nicely knows he’ll be one to contend for this week as he shoots for his first-ever Big Gator trophy.

“That was our main goal this year,” Nicely said. “I want to be able to try and win the Big Gator on Saturday and the points. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. We’ve always been close, just haven’t been able to get it done.”

Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 25-Tyler Nicely[1]; 2. 27-Michael Turner[3]; 3. 77D-George Dixon[5]; 4. 09-Michael Leach[4]; 5. 17N-Dillon Nusbaum[9]; 6. 5CS-Curt Spalding[15]; 7. 16C-John Clippinger[7]; 8. 1-Randy Giroux[13]; 9. 49-Brian Ruhlman[2]; 10. 57-Charlie Sandercock[8]; 11. 58F-Donnie Farlling[10]; 12. 95J-Justin Cullum[16]; 13. 82-Gary Dillon[11]; 14. 99-Cole Hilton[6]; 15. 89W-Rick Weitekamp[17]; 16. 07K-Curtis King[14]; 17. 97G-Jason Crose[18]; 18. 17-Rob Pitcher[12]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 4 (3 Laps): 1. 25-Tyler Nicely, 00:17.736[5]; 2. 49-Brian Ruhlman, 00:17.865[2]; 3. 27-Michael Turner, 00:18.038[3]; 4. 09-Michael Leach, 00:18.137[1]; 5. 77D-George Dixon, 00:18.147[6]; 6. 99-Cole Hilton, 00:18.196[11]; 7. 16C-John Clippinger, 00:18.211[12]; 8. 57-Charlie Sandercock, 00:18.377[17]; 9. 17N-Dillon Nusbaum, 00:18.429[18]; 10. 58F-Donnie Farlling, 00:18.578[16]; 11. 82-Gary Dillon, 00:18.652[4]; 12. 17-Rob Pitcher, 00:18.682[13]; 13. 1-Randy Giroux, 00:18.686[14]; 14. 07K-Curtis King, 00:18.771[15]; 15. 5CS-Curt Spalding, 00:18.779[10]; 16. 95J-Justin Cullum, 00:18.868[8]; 17. 89W-Rick Weitekamp, 00:20.117[9]; 18. 97G-Jason Crose, 00:21.140[7]

Feature #5 – Ken Schrader

For the first time in over 10 years, Ken Schrader is back in Volusia Speedway Park Victory Lane.

The two-time DIRTcar Nationals champion of the UMP Modified division – whose last event win came in 2013 – led Feature #5 flag-to-flag from the pole, running an unwavering line around the bottom of the half-mile and holding off his competition to bank his third career DIRTcar Nationals Feature win.

“We’ve struggled here, especially the last three or four years,” Schrader said. “It’s been ugly, but we got this thing going a little better in the middle of last season and we’re happy with it tonight.

“We know why we were struggling, because we just weren’t getting our job done. Yeah, [winning] made it a lot better.”

Though he was never seriously challenged for the lead, Schrader did have a few big Modified veterans behind him in Will Krup, Ray Bollinger and Zeke McKenzie, who would have pounced on the opportunity to steal the lead had Schrader gave them the chance.

“I felt pressure, but the pressure was just to not screw myself up,” Schrader said. “It was gonna be hard for somebody to get around if I didn’t screw up. But it’s easy for me to screw up, so that’s all we had to worry about.”

Feature 5 (20 Laps): 1. 9-Ken Schrader[1]; 2. 24-Zeke McKenzie[5]; 3. K9-Will Krup[4]; 4. 77-Ray Bollinger[3]; 5. 21-Scott Ladner[6]; 6. 17T-Tyler Evans[2]; 7. 43A-Mark Anderson[11]; 8. 4K-Jason Kinney[13]; 9. 11M-Michael McGee[12]; 10. 21B-Hunter Breland[8]; 11. 6B-Dave Baldwin[7]; 12. 5B-Bobby Bagley[15]; 13. 51-Dalton Lanich[10]; 14. 0-Dylan Murray[16]; 15. 26-Ryan Gierke[9]; 16. N8-Nathan Huffingham[17]; 17. E85-Jesse Strange[14]; 18. 23-Jerol Stepp[18]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 5 (3 Laps): 1. 9-Ken Schrader, 00:18.241[8]; 2. 17T-Tyler Evans, 00:18.287[2]; 3. 77-Ray Bollinger, 00:18.338[18]; 4. K9-Will Krup, 00:18.360[5]; 5. 24-Zeke McKenzie, 00:18.401[16]; 6. 21-Scott Ladner, 00:18.650[12]; 7. 6B-Dave Baldwin, 00:18.709[13]; 8. 21B-Hunter Breland, 00:18.743[6]; 9. 26-Ryan Gierke, 00:18.786[11]; 10. 51-Dalton Lanich, 00:18.883[3]; 11. 43A-Mark Anderson, 00:18.952[10]; 12. 11M-Michael McGee, 00:19.051[17]; 13. 4K-Jason Kinney, 00:19.066[7]; 14. E85-Jesse Strange, 00:19.092[1]; 15. 5B-Bobby Bagley, 00:19.490[14]; 16. 0-Dylan Murray, 00:19.747[4]; 17. N8-Nathan Huffingham, 00:20.045[9]; 18. 23-Jerol Stepp, 00:20.045[15]

Feature #6 – Lucas Lee

The UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks points leader is back in Victory Lane at Volusia.

Lucas Lee bagged his second career gator trophy last year and got his third Tuesday night after inheriting the lead from Mike McKinney just past the halfway point.

McKinney, who had led since the drop of the green, had an untimely water pump expiration on Lap 11 and came to a slow stop to bring out the yellow and be pushed back to the pits. That handed the lead over to Lee, who took it and ran with it all the way back to the checkered.

“Nick’s (Hoffman) really fine-tuned these cars to where they’re so good here,” Lee said of his Elite Chassis. “They’re so good here; he’s made it pretty simple for us.”

Feature 6 (20 Laps): 1. 12L-Lucas Lee[4]; 2. 23Z-Austin Self[5]; 3. 777-Trevor Neville[2]; 4. 90H-Raymond Kable[6]; 5. 6ST-Joseph Thomas[9]; 6. 11N-Gene Nicholas[11]; 7. 17C-Coleman Evans[7]; 8. 91-Chris Beaulieu[8]; 9. 01-Brayden Weller[14]; 10. 57M-Fletcher Mason[12]; 11. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt[15]; 12. 18-Miles Beaulieu[19]; 13. 3D-Makayla Tyrrell[17]; 14. 78-Raymond Rogers[16]; 15. 12M-John McClure[13]; 16. 96M-Mike McKinney[1]; 17. 3F-Rob Fuqua[18]; 18. 05-Dave Wietholder[3]; 19. 11-Jesse Rupe[10]

Hot Lap / Qualifying Group 6 (3 Laps): 1. 96M-Mike McKinney, 00:18.137[18]; 2. 777-Trevor Neville, 00:18.296[9]; 3. 05-Dave Wietholder, 00:18.496[17]; 4. 12L-Lucas Lee, 00:18.526[12]; 5. 23Z-Austin Self, 00:18.566[1]; 6. 90H-Raymond Kable, 00:18.588[11]; 7. 17C-Coleman Evans, 00:18.760[5]; 8. 91-Chris Beaulieu, 00:18.890[6]; 9. 6ST-Joseph Thomas, 00:18.894[3]; 10. 11-Jesse Rupe, 00:19.047[14]; 11. 11N-Gene Nicholas, 00:19.227[4]; 12. 57M-Fletcher Mason, 00:19.242[2]; 13. 12M-John McClure, 00:19.441[16]; 14. 01-Brayden Weller, 00:19.446[8]; 15. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt, 00:19.509[10]; 16. 78-Raymond Rogers, 00:19.574[19]; 17. 3D-Makayla Tyrrell, 00:19.580[13]; 18. 3F-Rob Fuqua, 00:19.580[15]; 19. 18-Miles Beaulieu, 00:19.580[7]

UP NEXT

DIRTcar UMP Modified racing at Volusia Speedway Park continues Wednesday night, Feb. 7, with another six-pack of Features, also on the card with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

Tickets and information are available at DIRTcarNationals.com. If you can’t be at the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

Brent Marks leads the way in Tuesday practice sessions at VolusiaBARBERVILLE, FL (February 6, 2024) – Racing doesn’t start until Wednesday, but the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars hit the track Tuesday night for Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals practice.Nearly 40 cars unloaded in the Volusia Speedway Park pit area to get their rides dialed in for the start of 2024. Three practice sessions set the stage for who to potentially expect to compete for the Big Gator championship.SESSION ONEBrent Marks opened the practice night by topping the charts in the first session. The Myerstown, PA native ripped a 13.752 around “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.” Californians claimed three of the remaining top five spots with Rico Abreu (13.921) going second quickest, Buddy Kofoid (13.961) third, and Cory Eliason (14.007) fifth. David Gravel (14.004) was fourth.Another noteworthy name could be found in the ninth position. 18-year-old Brenham Crouch laid down a 14.141 in the CMS Racing #1 to place himself in the top 10. The reigning Interstate Racing Association (IRA) champion has less than 10 appearances with the World of Outlaws.FULL RESULTS:Practice Session 1: 1. 19-Brent Marks, 00:13.752; 2. 24-Rico Abreu, 00:13.921; 3. 83-Michael Kofoid, 00:13.961[13]; 4. 2-David Gravel, 00:14.004[12]; 5. 8-Cory Eliason, 00:14.007; 6. 15-Donny Schatz, 00:14.078[5]; 7. 41-Carson Macedo, 00:14.116[14]; 8. 21-Brian Brown, 00:14.122[4]; 9. 1-Brenham Crouch, 00:14.141; 10. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 00:14.144; 11. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 00:14.145; 12. 49-Brad Sweet, 00:14.152; 13. 39M-Anthony Macri, 00:14.170[2]; 14. 18-Giovanni Scelzi, 00:14.187[8]; 15. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 00:14.216[3]; 16. 13-Justin Peck, 00:14.232; 17. 9-Kasey Kahne, 00:14.280; 18. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 00:14.281; 19. 14-Corey Day, 00:14.325; 20. 55-Chris Windom, 00:14.345[6]; 21. 5T-Ryan Timms, 00:14.400; 22. 7S-Landon Crawley, 00:14.432[11]; 23. 1A-Jacob Allen, 00:14.442; 24. 26-Zeb Wise, 00:14.519; 25. 11M-Brendan Mullen, 00:14.596; 26. 0-Justin Whittall, 00:14.735; 27. 44-Chris Martin, 00:14.737; 28. 17B-Bill Balog, 00:14.945[10]; 29. 22-Riley Goodno, 00:14.980; 30. 7B-Ben Brown, 00:15.115[7]; 31. 16T-Jake Swanson, 00:15.125; 32. 15K-Creed Kemenah, 00:15.212; 33. 97UK-Ryan Harrison, 00:15.264; 34. 34-Sterling Cling, 00:15.323; 35. 64-Andy Pake, 00:16.038[1]; 36. 16TH-Kevin Newton, 00:16.047; 37. (DNS) 70-Kraig Kinser, 00:16.047; 38. (DNS) 16G-Austyn GosselSESSION TWOThe second session provided the same name atop the charts as Brent Marks laid down a 14.218 to lead the way. Marks has never won at Volusia with a best finish of second in 28 Feature attempts, but the stopwatch suggests he has a favorable chance at his first Volusia victory.Many of the same drivers maintained speed from the first to second session with seven competitors fixing themselves inside the top 10 in both. The three new names to enter the top 10 were Anthony Macri (14.292, third quick), Landon Crawley (14.500, ninth quick), and Zeb Wise (14.525, tenth quick).FULL RESULTSPractice Session 2: 2. 19-Brent Marks, 00:14.218; 3. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 00:14.224[7]; 4. 39M-Anthony Macri, 00:14.292; 5. 24-Rico Abreu, 00:14.319[4]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz, 00:14.364; 7. 2-David Gravel, 00:14.377; 8. 41-Carson Macedo, 00:14.417; 9. 21-Brian Brown, 00:14.482; 10. 7S-Landon Crawley, 00:14.500; 11. 26-Zeb Wise, 00:14.525; 12. 49-Brad Sweet, 00:14.527; 13. 13-Justin Peck, 00:14.538; 14. 18-Giovanni Scelzi, 00:14.542; 15. 1-Brenham Crouch, 00:14.550[8]; 16. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 00:14.596[3]; 17. 14-Corey Day, 00:14.600; 18. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 00:14.601; 19. 17B-Bill Balog, 00:14.604; 20. 55-Chris Windom, 00:14.644; 21. 1A-Jacob Allen, 00:14.667[5]; 22. 9-Kasey Kahne, 00:14.710; 23. 8-Cory Eliason, 00:14.814[9]; 24. 5T-Ryan Timms, 00:14.880; 25. 15K-Creed Kemenah, 00:14.954[13]; 26. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 00:15.027[2]; 27. 11M-Brendan Mullen, 00:15.068; 28. 70-Kraig Kinser, 00:15.131; 29. 44-Chris Martin, 00:15.159; 30. 0-Justin Whittall, 00:15.251; 31. 16T-Jake Swanson, 00:15.497; 32. 34-Sterling Cling, 00:15.831[6]; 33. 7B-Ben Brown, 00:15.962; 34. 16TH-Kevin Newton, 00:16.322; 35. 16G-Austyn Gossel, 00:16.358[11]; 36. 22-Riley Goodno, 00:16.385[10]; 37. 64-Andy Pake, 00:17.059; 38. 97UK-Ryan Harrison, 00:17.059[12]; 39. 6-Bill Rose, 00:17.059[1]SESSION THREEBrent Marks departed prior to the final session leaving the top spot up for grabs. Buddy Kofoid capitalized aboard the Roth Motorsports #83 with a lap of 15.114 to top the charts. Rico Abreu continued to display plenty of speed by running a 15.155 – the second quickest of the session. Abreu’s average spot on the charts over the three sessions was a stout 3.0. The final session brought a handful of new names toward the top as Justin Peck (15.186, third quick), Kasey Kahne (15.243, fourth quick), and Corey Day (15.318, fifth quick) all made their way into the top five.FULL RESULTSPractice Session 3: 1. 83-Michael Kofoid, 00:15.114; 2. 24-Rico Abreu, 00:15.155; 3. 13-Justin Peck, 00:15.186[5]; 4. 9-Kasey Kahne, 00:15.243[11]; 5. 14-Corey Day, 00:15.318[10]; 6. 39M-Anthony Macri, 00:15.336; 7. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 00:15.372; 8. 15-Donny Schatz, 00:15.474; 9. 8-Cory Eliason, 00:15.477; 10. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 00:15.479; 11. 1A-Jacob Allen, 00:15.611; 12. 21-Brian Brown, 00:15.643; 13. 18-Giovanni Scelzi, 00:15.646; 14. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 00:15.709; 15. 11M-Brendan Mullen, 00:15.888[3]; 16. 17B-Bill Balog, 00:15.893; 17. 0-Justin Whittall, 00:16.014[9]; 18. 34-Sterling Cling, 00:16.180; 19. 16T-Jake Swanson, 00:16.694[6]; 20. 16TH-Kevin Newton, 00:17.048[4]; 21. 64-Andy Pake, 00:17.066; 22. 19-Brent Marks, 00:17.066[1]; 23. 44-Chris Martin, 00:17.066[2]; 24. 88-Austin McCarl, 00:17.066[12]; 25. 49-Brad Sweet, 00:17.066[7]; 26. 5T-Ryan Timms, 00:17.066[8]; 27. 26-Zeb Wise, 00:17.066[13]The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are set for four straight nights (Feb. 7-10) of racing at Volusia’s DIRTcar Nationals. For tickets, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.

TAMPA, Fla. (February 6, 2024) – Hudson O’Neal won the opening round of the 48th Annual Wieland Winternationals – Presented by Lucas Oil on Tuesday night at East Bay Raceway Park.  O’Neal picked up right where he left off, ending last year’s Winternationals at East Bay winning the Thursday and Friday night programs as Saturday’s finale was rained out. O’Neal battled with Tyler Erb for the first 10 laps of the race until taking the lead for good on lap 11. Daulton Wilson tracked down O’Neal on occasion, but never got the opportunity to pass O’Neal as O’Neal raced through traffic towards the end of the race to score his 27th career win on the tour. Wilson finished second followed by Jonathan Davenport, Ashton Winger, and the Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of Race, Devin Moran who came from the 18th starting spot to round out the top five drivers. O’Neal went to Lucas Oil Victory for the fifth time ever at East Bay and for the third time this year with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. “It looked like they shoved those tires in three and four a little bit. I knew that if I could just stay patient enough eventually that top was going to go away. Tyler [Erb] went down there in front of me one time and it came down to a crucial pass coming off of two he just missed the bottom a little bit and let me sneak in. We rubbed some doors, but I knew that was probably going to be the only chance I had to get back by him. We had a little different tire on I feel like that the rest of the field, but it ended up working out.” Wilson finished second for the ninth time in his career in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competition. “The racetrack was pretty bottom dominant and starting sixth I knew we had to get to the front quickly. It was a great night for us, we had good speed and moved moved forward tonight. We brought home everything in one piece. Since we went to this new car it’s really easy to drive. I feel like I can go wherever I want to. Hats off to my guys for building a great race car.” Davenport who came into the final Winternationals at East Bay with eight career wins at the “Clay by the Bay” rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. “I would have bet this thing would had rubbered in no time and it never did for sure. I don’t know why it didn’t. We went a little harder on tire. I lost my grandpa today. He was probably one of the pioneers of the sport that nobody knows about. He probably owned a car for 40 or 50 years. We hate that we lost him but he lived a great life, he was 94 years old. We was hoping we could win one for him and hopefully tomorrow night we can do that.” The winner’s Mark Richards Racing, Rocket Chassis is powered by Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Performance Grading, Ace Metal Works, Stiles Marine and Maintenance, Wheeler Metals, O’Neal’s Salvage and Recycling, Professional Concrete Cutting and Drilling, Gunter’s Honey, Fox Shocks, WR1 Sim Chassis and Sunoco Race Fuels. Completing the top ten were Tyler Erb, Chase Junghans, Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Thornton Jr., and Spencer Hughes. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary 48th Annual Wieland Winternationals | Night 2Tuesday, February 6, 2024East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Hudson O’Neal | 14.666 seconds (overall)Fast Time Group B: Tyler Erb | 15.004 seconds  Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1-Hudson O’Neal[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 3. 19M-Spencer Hughes[2]; 4. 111-Max Blair[3]; 5. 2*-Logan Hitt[10]; 6. 11C-Trevor Collins[7]; 7. 82B-Jason Milam[11]; 8. 7T-Drake Troutman[5]; 9. 9-Levi Yetter[6]; 10. 42-Terry Casey[8]; 11. 6H-Ross Bailes[9]; 12. 45D-Dan Battaglia[13]; 13. (DNS) 214-Haiden Cowan Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 12-Ashton Winger[3]; 2. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[1]; 3. 99B-Boom Briggs[2]; 4. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[9]; 5. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[4]; 6. 128-Kylan Garner[6]; 7. 17SS-Brenden Smith[7]; 8. 71C-RJ Conley[8]; 9. 4G-Bob Gardner[10]; 10. 29-Larry Grube[11]; 11. 21M-Tre Martin[12]; 12. 81J-Jack Riggs[5]; 13. (DNS) K&B-Kerry King Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 10-Garrett Smith[1]; 2. B5-Brandon Sheppard[6]; 3. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 4. 14X-Wil Herrington[2]; 5. 4-Amanda Robinson[7]; 6. 81F-Jadon Frame[4]; 7. 6T-Tim Dohm[5]; 8. 187-David McCoy[11]; 9. 51-Dean Carpenter[8]; 10. 22M-Sean Mattingly[12]; 11. 12R-Ryan Payne[9]; 12. (DNS) 21-Kenny Howell Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1T-Tyler Erb[1]; 2. 18-Chase Junghans[4]; 3. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 4. 6-Clay Harris[2]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[5]; 6. 7-Ross Robinson[8]; 7. 3-Brennon Willard[9]; 8. 69-Brandon Thirlby[6]; 9. 20B-Todd Brennan[7]; 10. 27-Michael Lake[11]; 11. 71R-Rod Conley[10]; 12. 07-Brian Ledbetter[13]; 13. 32-Jason Jack[12] Lucas Oil Heat Race #5 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 66C-Matt Cosner[2]; 3. 1Z-Logan Zarin[3]; 4. 75-Daniel Adam[6]; 5. 81-Jason Riggs[4]; 6. 47W-Brandon Weigle[7]; 7. 8-Dillon McCowan[9]; 8. S21-Seth Daniels[10]; 9. 48-Tim Lance[8]; 10. USA1-Chris Hawkins[12]; 11. 15K-Jensen Ford[5]; 12. (DNS) 33-Jeff Mathews Lucas Oil Heat Race #6 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[9]; 4. 39-Tim McCreadie[4]; 5. 96V-Tanner English[3]; 6. 31-Tyler Millwood[7]; 7. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[8]; 8. 93-Cory Lawler[6]; 9. 4S-Danny Snyder[12]; 10. 25B-Mike Benedum[10]; 11. 174-Ethan Dotson[5]; 12. 15-Blake McClain[11] Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 111-Max Blair[1]; 2. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[2]; 3. 11C-Trevor Collins[5]; 4. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[4]; 5. 82B-Jason Milam[7]; 6. 7T-Drake Troutman[9]; 7. 17SS-Brenden Smith[8]; 8. 128-Kylan Garner[6]; 9. 2*-Logan Hitt[3]; 10. 9-Levi Yetter[11]; 11. 71C-RJ Conley[10]; 12. 4G-Bob Gardner[12]; 13. 214-Haiden Cowan[19]; 14. 21M-Tre Martin[16]; 15. 29-Larry Grube[14]; 16. 42-Terry Casey[13]; 17. (DNS) 6H-Ross Bailes; 18. (DNS) 45D-Dan Battaglia; 19. (DNS) 81J-Jack Riggs UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 14X-Wil Herrington[1]; 2. 40B-Kyle Bronson[4]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[2]; 4. 81F-Jadon Frame[5]; 5. 7-Ross Robinson[6]; 6. 4-Amanda Robinson[3]; 7. 187-David McCoy[9]; 8. 6T-Tim Dohm[7]; 9. 51-Dean Carpenter[11]; 10. 71R-Rod Conley[16]; 11. 27-Michael Lake[14]; 12. 3-Brennon Willard[8]; 13. 21-Kenny Howell[17]; 14. 07-Brian Ledbetter[18]; 15. 22M-Sean Mattingly[13]; 16. 20B-Todd Brennan[12]; 17. 69-Brandon Thirlby[10]; 18. (DNS) 12R-Ryan Payne; 19. (DNS) 32-Jason Jack MyRacePass B-Main Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 39-Tim McCreadie[2]; 2. 31-Tyler Millwood[6]; 3. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[8]; 4. S21-Seth Daniels[9]; 5. 81-Jason Riggs[3]; 6. 96V-Tanner English[4]; 7. 174-Ethan Dotson[16]; 8. 48-Tim Lance[11]; 9. 8-Dillon McCowan[7]; 10. 25B-Mike Benedum[14]; 11. 4S-Danny Snyder[12]; 12. 47W-Brandon Weigle[5]; 13. 15K-Jensen Ford[15]; 14. USA1-Chris Hawkins[13]; 15. 93-Cory Lawler[10]; 16. 75-Daniel Adam[1]; 17. (DNS) 15-Blake McClain; 18. (DNS) 33-Jeff Mathews 48th Annual Wieland Winternationals | Night 2 Feature Finish (30 Laps):

Race Statistics  Entrants: 75Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Hudson O’NealLap Leaders: Hudson O’Neal (Laps 1-3); Tyler Erb (Laps 4-10); Hudson O’Neal (Laps 11-30)Wieland Feature Winner: Hudson O’NealArizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/aBrandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/aMargin of Victory: 0.654 seconds Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: n/aSeries Provisionals: n/aFast Time Provisional: n/aSeries Emergency Provisionals: n/aTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Hudson O’Neal, Daulton Wilson, Jonathan DavenportPenske Shocks Top 5: Hudson O’Neal, Daulton Wilson, Jonathan Davenport, Ashton Winger, Devin MoranTodd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Devin Moran (Advanced 13 Positions) Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Chase JunghansDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Max BlairMD3 Most Laps Led: Hudson O’Neal (23 Laps) Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Hudson O’NealMidwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Hudson O’Neal (Lap 2 – 16.417 seconds) Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Hudson O’NealMiller Welders Hard Luck Award: Daniel AdamOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Danny White (Hudson O’Neal)ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport (14.765 seconds)Time of Race: 8 minutes 48 seconds

BATAVIA, Ohio (February 6, 2024) – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series officials are excited to announce Coltman Farms Racing has signed on to sponsor the series in 2024. As part of the agreement, Coltman Farms Racing will serve as the sponsor of a new year-end award. The Coltman Farms Racing Sportsmanship Driver of the Year award will pay $2,500 cash at the year-end awards banquet to the driver that demonstrates the definition of sportsmanship. The award will be based on, but not limited to their treatment of others as well as how they deal with and overcome adversity. The recipient will be the one that best exemplifies a championship attitude on the track, while being a hero and positive role model off the track. Only drivers that maintain perfect attendance and follow the series in 2024 will be eligible for this award. Coltman Farms Racing will also be the title sponsor of the Fastest Lap of the Race for each feature event in 2024. The driver that records the fastest lap of the feature event will be named the Coltman Farms Racing Fastest Lap of the Race winner. Coltman Farms Racing, owned by Brett Coltman, is a Dirt Super Late Model Race Team based in Maysville, Georgia, that fields drivers who are not only champion drivers on the racetrack, but also heroes and positive role models off the race track. Led by Drivers David McCoy and Ethan Dotson, Coltman Farms Racing competes in Super Late Model events all across the United States. To learn more about Coltman Farms Racing visit www.facebook.com/ColtmanFarmsRacing. “We’re excited to add this new category to our long list of incentives for drivers to follow the Lucas Oil LMD Series. A sportsmanship driver of the year category exemplifies the professionalism and integrity the series brings to the industry and shines light on the stars that follow the series. We appreciate all that Brett Coltman does for the entire sport and now adding additional awards to the Lucas Oil Series,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Corporate Sales, and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT FEBRUARY 6, 2024  Kyle Larson, No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, met with media via Zoom following a test he completed at Phoenix Raceway in preparation for the “Hendrick 1100”. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion previously completed his Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program in October 2023, with this test marking Larson’s latest on-track activity in preparation for the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Press Conference Transcript –

THE MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone. The countdown to the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge continues. Yesterday afternoon, Phoenix time, last night as well, Kyle Larson taking part in a rookie evaluation test for Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports at Phoenix Raceway as he continues to get comfortable in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and his Chevy-powered Dallara. Kyle, thanks for doing this. You kind of beat the rain and got in a lot of really solid hours of testing. Tell us a little bit. How would you characterize it? KYLE LARSON: Yeah, it was great to be able to test. Again, kind of like the Clash this last weekend for NASCAR, I was not expecting to race then, and I wasn’t expecting when I woke up yesterday that I was going to be running an INDYCAR. Had to kind of get my mind right to prepare myself for that. Overall was pleased to get the test in. Great, great conditions with weather yesterday. Looks like it’s going to rain here shortly. Glad we were able to do that. Yeah, I thought it went smooth. Got three or four hours in of laps, I think five sets of tires. Yeah, it was good to run through some things, get comfortable out there making laps, but get to do some pit stop sort of stuff. Got loose at one point and almost spun out, so that was good to kind of feel the limit there at slower speeds. Kind of just worked through some balance stuff. THE MODERATOR: I know you’ve been in the car a couple of times. How much more comfortable was yesterday compared to the rookie orientation program back in October? KYLE LARSON: Honestly, yesterday was probably more uncomfortable just because it’s a smaller track. Things are happening quicker. You’re having to lift off the throttle a little bit. At Indy, once we got through the different stages and stuff, we were wide open pretty easy by yourself. It was a cool day and all that.Yesterday was fun to kind of have to work on the timing of the corner and work through some balance things because, yeah, I mean, the balance was definitely not perfect, which was good to feel. At Indy, like I said, I’m out there by myself. They have downforce packed into it. I’m comfortable. Didn’t really feel much about the car changing there, so… It was good to feel the car not be quite perfect at times yesterday. THE MODERATOR: Let’s go ahead and open it up for questions. Q. Sounds like the Arrow McLaren team is starting to put together a pretty talented group around you. Talk about some of the folks you’ve worked with so far. Hear there might be some familiar folks coming to the timing stand. Beyond what you’ve done on-track, can you share some insights of the folks surrounding you.KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I honestly don’t know, like, a ton of the details. I think a lot of the people that were there yesterday are going to be a part of my team going forward. It was good to get around them a little bit. It was so kind of fast-paced, and none of us were expecting to run. I didn’t really get a chance to hang out, get to know people, stuff like that. Honestly, don’t even know most of their names still at this point.It was still good to get familiar with them and to work on, like, the pit stop stuff. That’s going to be really important with the guys that were there yesterday. Sounds like everything was going smooth there.Yeah, Brian Campe, he was there yesterday with us. I don’t know exactly what his role is going to be going forward, but it’s nice to have him there for now, somebody who I’m familiar with on the Hendrick side of things, who has had a lot of success in INDYCAR and at the Speedway. I would love there to be a way to utilize him some more once we get to the month of May. I haven’t really talked to anybody yet.No, it’s good. It’s good to get repetition with everybody and all that. Look forward to getting to spend more than one day with the INDYCAR and have some downtime to get to learn everybody. Just a little bit of the talking I got to do with a few guys yesterday… I’ve known this, too, because of my days around the Ganassi days, there’s a lot of dirt fans in the INDYCAR paddock. Good to talk sprint car racing with some of those guys and learn about each other. Q. Brian Campe will be on the timing stand for you. His journey is the ultimate example coming from NASCAR, wins the Indy 500, wins a championship, jets back to NASCAR. Tell me about that, knowing one of the people you’re familiar with from Hendrick will be there with you in the month of May.KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I didn’t know his kind of path to where he’s at right now until we went to Indy last year during the month of May just to hang out for one day. I didn’t know at that point I knew he had won the Indy 500. When we walked in there, all these race fans and mechanics were coming up to him. I was like, Man, this guy is like a celebrity around here. That was really eye-opening to me. From then, I kind of asked him some questions on the flight home of, like, I didn’t know this about you. He went through his career path. I thought it was very unique. Coming from Penske on the NASCAR side of things to INDYCAR, have so much success really quickly, then end up in the role that he’s at now at Hendrick… before I knew all this, I was like, Man, this Brian Campe guy, he’s super smart. Just throughout our competition meetings, stuff like that. Once we got to Indy, it all made sense why he is who he is. Yeah, I hope we can utilize him a lot. He’s obviously well respected, got a great résumé, a really smart mechanic/engineer person. You want all the best people in your corner, and he’s definitely a really, really smart guy. Q. Super Bowl predictions this weekend?KYLE LARSON: Obviously we hope that the 49ers win. Yeah, I mean, it’s going to be a tough game. Mahomes is so good. Would love to see the home state team win. My kids and my family, my side and Katelyn’s side, are huge 9ers fans. I’ll admit I’m a little bit on the bandwagon since they’ve been good the last few years. I don’t follow sports super close, but I always cheer for the teams from my home state that are doing good. Like to see the 9ers do good. Loved to see the Kings in the Playoffs last year. Hope they can make the home state proud. THE MODERATOR: Do you rock a jersey? KYLE LARSON: I have a couple of hoodies. Katelyn got me a jersey for Christmas. We’ll probably have to bust that out. THE MODERATOR: Which player? KYLE LARSON: I don’t even know who is mine. I know she’s got McCaffrey. I’m probably Brock. Q. You mentioned how very different Phoenix is compared to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. How do you envision that test day benefiting you? What did you learn in terms of trying to get ready for what you’ll tackle in May?KYLE LARSON: I think it was good for me to go to Phoenix. It’s a totally different racetrack and all that. The banking through three and four is not too different than Indy. Like, I mentioned earlier, I had a few moments where I was uncomfortable. I thought that was good to feel at 190 or whatever we’re going, 180 maybe in the corner, compared to going 220 at Indy, having the moment, being surprised by something. I think that was a benefit. I think just getting more reps of pulling in and out of the box, messing with the weight jacker and bar and all that. I didn’t really mess with any of that during my rookie orientation just ’cause the balance was so good, I didn’t really feel like I needed to do anything. Yesterday my balance was kind of transitioning quickly. Kind of had to try to keep up with that a little bit. I’m not used to having cockpit adjustors. That’s what you have to do a lot of in an INDYCAR.Yeah, it was just good to kind of do all that stuff, log some notes in my brain. Hopefully make the transition, when I get to Indy, smoother and quicker, and we can really just get to working on the important stuff with the car and things like that once we get to the month of May. Q. Can you tell us more the loose moment you had on track, where that was, how you saved that?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, it was the last run of the day. We had been doing kind of shorter runs, running through changes, tires were cycling. I was getting much tighter each run, more understeer I guess you guys call it. We went to do a long run, had different air pressures and stuff to start. The car felt a lot different early in the run. I kind of had my mind made up that it was going to build tighter. It was like starting to get loose pretty quickly. I was a bit confused, wasn’t quite expecting that. I was trying to make adjustments on the weight jacker and things like that. Yeah, just got caught off guard a little bit. I had some warnings a few laps before. I went into INDYCAR turmoil. Got a little bit loose into the corner, got to the apex. As I was leaving the bottom, it just started to get sideways. Was able to catch it. Honestly, though, nothing about yesterday felt way different than what a Cup car, Next Gen car, feels like. That was good for me. I think the characteristics of the INDYCAR versus the Cup car, at least at Phoenix, felt very similar. You’re just going a lot faster in an INDYCAR. The moments happen a lot quicker. The edge of good versus not good feels a lot sharper. Yeah, it didn’t feel way, way different than what I was, I guess, used to. Even with those moments of getting sideways, it didn’t feel way different. Q. You mentioned one of the places you didn’t feel as comfortable was getting adjusted to pit lane, hitting the right buttons. Whether it’s that or something else, where do you still feel like you need to get more comfortable before May and the open test here in April?KYLE LARSON: All that same stuff really. It’s all the little details that you think you have to master if you really want to have a good shot at winning or running up front. Those details are pulling in your pit box, pulling out of your pit box. The steering wheel is so small, the cockpit is so tight, the steering so slow, turning in I have to turn way further than normal, be quick back the other way. Just getting all that timing pulling in is difficult. The more reps you get, the better at it you are. Yesterday we did some kind of live pit stops at the end of the day. That was good because pit stops are a lot quicker than what I’m used to. In a stockcar, all you’re really worried about is popping it into neutral, coasting in, holding the brake pedal, they drop the car, put it in first gear and you take off. It’s similar to that. Now I’m listening to tones in my headphones when they unplug. I can’t go into first gear until it’s unplugged. The timing and the window for that are much smaller. Yesterday, doing it, it feels like it’s all happening so fast. With the more reps I think I get, that will slow down for me. I’ll get to where I can nail things a little bit better more consistently. So, yeah, just getting more reps is going to be important. Q. How many laps did you do yesterday in your test?KYLE LARSON: I have no clue. We had five sets of tires. We probably did 40 laps apiece on each set or so. Q. Did you get a chance to take it close to the limit yesterday?KYLE LARSON: I almost spun out, so I’d like to think I did (smiling).No, I mean, I still think there was room for me, when my car was balanced close, I still think there was room for me to at times go another 10th or two faster. That was me I think being confident and committing to the throttle, knowing and trusting that the car was going to stay gripped, like mostly off turn four probably. So, yeah, I felt like when the car was gripped up, I was close to optimizing it I would like to think. It’s so hard to say when it’s just me out there. Like, I wish there could have been, like, one other guy there that I could judge myself off of, look at data and compare. We were just comparing data to 2018. The cars were quite a bit different then. The tire was different, all of that. I’m just out there kind of guessing and going off of feel, which is kind of cool because it’s like old-school style testing, I guess, than what I’ve been accustomed to the last, gosh, I don’t know, six to eight years probably. But yeah, I felt like I got close to the limit. That last run when my balance was starting to get free, I felt it coming and felt like I was getting close to having a moment, then I did. I like what my brain was registering actually happened. What I was feeling in the car on the other runs, I felt like I could feel the balance well and describe it okay, too. Q. Because you drive so many different race cars, how quick are you able to determine the different environment in the race car and what you have to do to get it to go fast?KYLE LARSON: I don’t know. I’m not sure. Again, I’m not able to compare to anybody else yet. I could have been half a second or more off the pace yesterday. I just have no clue. But when I’m out there just judging off myself, I feel like I’m coming up to speed okay. Again, I don’t really know. Once we get to the month of May or the open test in April, that’s when I’ll be able to kind of judge myself based off of the guys who do this for a living. As of right now, I think it’s kind of good to have that pureness of trying to learn on our own. Hopefully that will help me when I get to Indy. Q. From a business angle, how much excitement are you starting to sense from a lot of the people involved in your businesses and your sponsors?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, I think everybody is really excited about it. I think I’m the, I don’t know, fifth or sixth guy to ever attempt it. It’s a rare thing. I think that brings a lot of eyes and stuff to what’s going on. I’m with a great brand with Arrow McLaren. Also on the NASCAR side, things with Hendrick Motorsports. It doesn’t get much bigger and better than the two teams I’m with. Yeah, I think that also helps things.I don’t know. I’m just excited honestly to get going, get there. I don’t really worry too much about the business side of it. I do know there’s a lot of race fans that are excited to see me out there. That makes me excited, as well. I feel like I’m a grassroots type of racer. Even though I race on Sunday in the Cup Series, I still feel like I resonate with the local short track fans. I think that’s exciting. That excites fans. That’s what gets people liking me. I know I’ve got a lot of support on the fan side of things. I’m sure the whole NASCAR garage will be paying attention to how my couple weeks is going there. That’s all fun. Yeah, I look forward to it. Q. You have another big one coming up here in less than two weeks. What is your outlook heading to the Daytona 500? How well do you think you’re prepared for that?KYLE LARSON: Hendrick Motorsports is always really fast there. I know our race car is going to be good. It obviously takes some luck to get to the finish, all that. But you also have to make good decisions and be prepared, all that. I feel like our team has done a really good job. Although on paper we’re literally like the worst team on superspeedways, I do believe that we are much, much better than what we show on paper. I feel like 90% of the time we’re in the top six to eight at the end of the race, the final 10 laps, then we get caught up in a crash, end up finishing 28th or worse. Eventually it’s got to work out. We keep putting ourselves in position. I’m confident that we can go out there and win or at least get a good finish and get off to a good start for the year. There’s a lot of factors that come into play at those superspeedway races. You have to cross your fingers that you can be in front of the pack and then you execute at the finish. Q. It’s interesting to hear you talk about Phoenix, how stuff was happening so quickly. With the sprint car stuff, how quickly things happen there, how much different did a moment like that at Phoenix feel compared to something you would face on the sprint car side?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, the feel of the moments are way different. Like a moment in a sprint car, you hit a hole, you bike up and almost flip. I would say the INDYCAR and the stockcar, the Next Gen cars, are more alike than anything. I got sideways and almost spun. I think where the INDYCAR and the sprint car will be more similar than the style of racing in NASCAR. The INDYCAR and sprint car stuff, runs happen so fast. You pass somebody, you put 10 car lengths by the time you get to the next corner. Where stockcar, you have to inch toward that, slowly, slowly. You spend two laps inside of them, then you finally get clear. It’s harder to get to somebody, pass them, and get away. INDYCAR and sprint car stuff, those runs happen quicker, checkups happen quicker, stuff like that. I think – or I hope – being used to the sprint car and how quickly moves happen, I hope that allows me to be more confident when we get into kind of racing situations in the INDYCAR. I have yet to be on track with anybody else, so I don’t know. That’s all me just assuming from watching videos and stuff. Yeah, just the quickness, the weight, all that I think will be similar. The balance stuff I think INDYCAR and stockcars are more similar. Q. Phoenix 2021 Cliff Daniels talked about he was an East Coast asphalt guy, you’re a West Coast dirt guy, he went to school to learn dirt racing to learn what made you click. Are you able to do that from your side to the INDYCAR side learning this terminology, weight jackers? How much time is involved in that? Do you have the time to learn between now and May kind of like Cliff learned for you?KYLE LARSON: I definitely think I have the time to learn. Once we get on track for two weeks in May, I’m sure we’ll run through a lot of those adjustments. Even yesterday, I was figuring the weight jacker and the bar stuff out, where to touch the corner for balance and things. It’s difficult for me, like I really have to think about what is oversteer and what is understeer just ’cause my whole life I’ve been loose or tight. I think that’s more of something like they maybe, the engineers, need to get comfortable with my terminology more than me getting in touch with their terminology. But I’m not really sure. I’m getting better at speaking their language, but it’s just weird. I don’t know why I can’t just say ‘loose’ or ‘tight’ (smiling). There’s time. It’s simpler than I make it sound I think to figure out weight jacker stuff, cockpit adjustment stuff. Q. Obviously there’s only four races and an exhibition before Indy in May. How much do you foresee yourself paying attention more to the INDYCAR side? Do you foresee yourself paying attention more to INDYCAR than you would in previous years?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, probably. It’s always been so hard for me to pay attention to INDYCAR just because we’re racing at the same time as they are. Two, I mean, I think the road course stuff is obviously quite a bit different than the oval at Indy. Yeah, I mean, for sure I’m going to be paying attention more often to it than I would be before, trying to pay attention to the drivers on the racetrack, maybe their aggression levels, how people race. Even though it could be a road course versus the oval, if you see somebody who is aggressive on a road course, they’re probably going to be aggressive on an oval, as well. Just learning peoples’ driving styles a little bit, things like that. Yeah, the race strategy stuff is way different. That’s not something I ever get involved in anyways. Yeah, just try to pay attention and learn whatever I can. Hopefully it translates to Indy. If not, at least I studied. Q. You’re known for your adaptability with multiple different racing series and cars. With the INDYCAR specifically, all the extensive laps that you’ve had at Indy, you touched on the difference between the Cup and INDYCAR, but do you see that extra track time over the course of the next few months…KYLE LARSON: What was the end of that? You broke up. Q. Wondering whether the INDYCAR and Cup cars, all the extensive lap testing in the next few months, how that is going to help you with multiple racing series?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, I don’t think it hurts at all. It’s always good when you can, as a driver, put yourself in new situations where you’re challenging your brain, you’re challenging yourself to evolve and learn something new, figure out the differences or similarities between race cars. Yeah, I mean, I think there’s still a ton for me to learn and a ton left out on the table for me to get comfortable. The more reps I get with everything, not just making laps around track, but in and out of the box like I mentioned, exiting pit road hard, stuff like that is going to be important. As far as, like, car balance stuff, I was really kind of surprised, like I mentioned, that it feels a lot like a Next Gen Cup car, the way that just the grip of the tire felt like when I turned to the wheel to a point, get past the slip of the tire. The sidewall, I felt like it all felt really similar to the Cup car. You’re just going faster. It feels like you’re going to Phoenix, like when I was just there testing a couple months ago in a Cup car, we added downforce, the conditions were cooler, the amount of mid-corner speed you carry, it all felt pretty relative to me and very similar. I don’t think they’re as far apart from each other as what the previous model NASCAR Cup Series car was like or what an Xfinity car might be like. Those are quite a bit different than a Next Gen car.I feel like these new cars have really transitioned to an INDYCAR. Even adjustments that we made yesterday, they weren’t telling me the adjustments they made these few times, but I went out and I was like, Oh, I felt looser on entry. We made another change. I was like, I felt like I was out of the track, less grip there. The first change I think they raised the back of the car up. That made me loose in. That would have made me loose in the Cup car. Next they raised the front up to match the rear. That’s when I said I had less grip. I’m pretty sure that’s what that adjustment would have felt like in a Cup car, as well.Between the underbody and all that, the mechanics of the car, I feel like our stockcars are much similar. I guess what I’m getting at is that I hope it makes the transition between the two simpler than what it would have been four or five years ago. THE MODERATOR: Sounded like they’re testing you at the same time, make a change and you can figure out what they did. KYLE LARSON: Yeah, no. I was happy that the changes they were making I could feel ’em, kind of relay it, and it matched up with what I guess should have done. It was all good. THE MODERATOR: We’ll leave it there for now. Kyle, thanks for doing this. We look forward to seeing you at the Indy 500 open test coming up the 10th and 11th. First and foremost, good luck at Daytona this year. KYLE LARSON: Thank you.

YORBA LINDA, Calif. (February 6, 2023) – John Force Racing will feature three full-time hot rods in the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. John Force and Brittany Force return in familiar forms while Austin Prock will make his debut in a Funny Car as they chase the organization’s 23rd and 24th NHRA world championships.  On 16-time world champion John Force’s PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant / BlueDEF Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, Danny Hood, son-in-law to John Force, and Tim Fabrisi will continue to crew chief with the addition of Chris Cunningham coming on board in 2024. Cunningham is coming off the former Top Fuel ride of Austin Prock where they earned one victory, and two No. 1 qualifying positions is 2023.  Austin Prock will be making his debut in Funny Car when he takes over driving duties on the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car from Robert Hight who has temporarily stepped out of the seat for personal medical reasons. Prock will have the unique opportunity to drive for his father, Jimmy Prock, and brother, Thomas Prock, who are crew chiefs on the Cornwell Tools / AAA Funny Car along with Nate Hildahl.  Two-time world champion Brittany Force will enter her 12th professional season continuing to drive the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster with crew chief David Grubnic being joined by John Collins. Collins most recently was the crew chief at Cruz Pedregon Racing from 2021-2023. Collins started as a full-time crew member in 2000 and picked up his first crew chief job under Rahn Tobler before taking on the full duties for former driver Tommy Johnson Jr. in 2014.    “The 2023 season was a bit of a whirlwind for us, and the off-season wasn’t much different with Robert Hight having to step away from the seat but Austin being available to step in. Robert has to take care of himself, and we want the best for him,” said John Force, founder and CEO of John Force Racing. “Austin, he gets a chance to race with his family, Brittany with Monster has a new crew chief with David Grubnic and I’ve added Cunningham to my team. We’re in a great position for 2024, we have all the right people in place and after last season with all of us not getting wins and no championship, we definitely have the motivation.” John Force Racing will kick off racing in 2024 this week with testing at Bradenton Motorsports Park before participating in the PRO Superstar Shootout February 8-10. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season will begin March 8-10 with the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

BARBERVILLE, FL (Feb. 5, 2024) – In a packed pit area of 113 DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, six drivers found Victory Lane to open the 53rd running of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationalsat Volusia Speedway Park Monday night.

Brian Ruhlman, Mitch Thomas, Tyler Nicely, Tim Ward, David Stremme and Will Krup each began their week on the right foot, capturing the checkered flag in their respective 20-lap Features and earning the maximum 80 points toward both the event championship standings and UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks.

Feature #1 – Brian Ruhlman

For the first time in almost seven years, Brian Ruhlman is a DIRTcar Nationals Feature winner after dominating the first Feature of the 53rd DIRTcar Nationals.

And wouldn’t you know it, the 53-year-old racing veteran had just pulled the car out from hibernation.

“We kinda figured this deal out right at the end of last year,” Ruhlman said. “It literally sat on jack stands all winter. Changed the oil in it last week, wiped the dust off of it. It’s still got last year’s body on it; I think we put one panel on it. If it’s working good, we don’t change it.”

Ruhlman, of Clarklake, MI, was strong all night long, turning the fastest lap of all 113 cars in Qualifying before starting the first 20-lap Feature from the pole. At the drop of the green, Ruhlman asserted his dominance early, jumping to the top spot and controlling the pace right away.

He held strong through multiple restarts and was not shy about showing his speed, crossing the finish line over two seconds ahead of runner-up Clayton Bryant.

“It’s what we always hope for,” Ruhlman said. “We get to come down with something this balanced and just hope to keep luck on your side.”

Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 49-Brian Ruhlman[1]; 2. 114B-Clayton Bryant[2]; 3. 27-Michael Turner[5]; 4. 77-Ray Bollinger[7]; 5. 17T-Tyler Evans[3]; 6. 7D-Brad Deyoung[12]; 7. 51-Dalton Lanich[11]; 8. 57-Charlie Sandercock[4]; 9. 5B-Bobby Bagley[13]; 10. 12-Robert Gast[10]; 11. 77S-Jim Shipman[16]; 12. 25B-Greg Belyea[8]; 13. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt[15]; 14. 23-Jerol Stepp[18]; 15. 97G-Jason Crose[17]; 16. 1S-Brian Shaw[9]; 17. 43A-Mark Anderson[6]; 18. 95J-Justin Cullum[14]; 19. M12-Chris Meyer[19]

Qualifying Group 1 (3 Laps): 1. 49-Brian Ruhlman, 00:17.301[4]; 2. 114B-Clayton Bryant, 00:17.978[14]; 3. 17T-Tyler Evans, 00:17.999[17]; 4. 57-Charlie Sandercock, 00:18.055[2]; 5. 27-Michael Turner, 00:18.150[12]; 6. 43A-Mark Anderson, 00:18.153[19]; 7. 77-Ray Bollinger, 00:18.267[10]; 8. 25B-Greg Belyea, 00:18.283[1]; 9. 1S-Brian Shaw, 00:18.288[11]; 10. 12-Robert Gast, 00:18.323[16]; 11. 51-Dalton Lanich, 00:18.595[15]; 12. 7D-Brad Deyoung, 00:18.644[18]; 13. 5B-Bobby Bagley, 00:18.764[8]; 14. 95J-Justin Cullum, 00:18.780[3]; 15. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt, 00:18.900[9]; 16. 77S-Jim Shipman, 00:19.325[5]; 17. 97G-Jason Crose, 00:22.429[13]; 18. 23-Jerol Stepp, 00:25.494[6]; 19. M12-Chris Meyer, 00:27.774[7]

Feature #2 – Mitch Thomas

Putting on one of the most dominant displays seen in Monday’s program, Mitch Thomas wheeled his brand-new Elite Chassis #97 to his second career gator trophy on the back of what was, at one point, a six-second lead in the second Feature event of the night.

Thomas said his speed was largely due in part to the new equipment testing he did in Georgia last week.

“This car’s brand-new; it’s the first 25 laps ever on the car,” Thomas said. “We had my backup car there and my new car; we tested them both. I told Matt, I said, ‘I like this car a little bit better.’

“The front-end’s better, and the FOX (Factory shocks) package we had – we tested four or five different shocks and really balanced out where the car worked the best with the front-end and the steering. I definitely think that’s how we won that gator is by doing that testing.”

During the 13-lap, green-flag stretch the race had after taking the green, Thomas had expanded his lead out to over six full seconds as he worked through lapped traffic. The 18-year-old from Oakland, MD, went the 20-lap distance unchallenged, taking heed from the driver who had won only minutes before he – Brian Ruhlman.

“By watching him, as good of a racecar driver as he is, I learned a lot,” Thomas said. “So when I rolled on the racetrack, that first lap – I made it really count to get that lead. I had the options if I was in out front in clean air that I could move around to make the car better if I needed it to be.

“Watching them guys and the old veterans like that, talking to Nick Hoffman – it’ll make you good in a racecar before even sitting in it.”

Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 97-Mitch Thomas[1]; 2. 777-Trevor Neville[5]; 3. 36-Kenny Wallace[9]; 4. 60-Shannon Fisk[4]; 5. 17N-Dillon Nusbaum[6]; 6. 5CS-Curt Spalding[8]; 7. 24-Zeke McKenzie[7]; 8. 28B-Jason Brookover[10]; 9. 91-Chris Beaulieu[2]; 10. 8M-Gregory Moore[3]; 11. 82-Gary Dillon[11]; 12. 11W-James Whittredge[19]; 13. E85-Jesse Strange[13]; 14. 5-Jonathan Taylor[12]; 15. 88-Nicholas Byrd[16]; 16. 187-Tyler Wiles[17]; 17. 07K-Curtis King[15]; 18. 57M-Fletcher Mason[14]; 19. N8-Nathan Huffingham[18]

Qualifying Group 2 (3 Laps): 1. 97-Mitch Thomas, 00:17.322[16]; 2. 91-Chris Beaulieu, 00:17.725[11]; 3. 8M-Gregory Moore, 00:17.834[7]; 4. 60-Shannon Fisk, 00:17.873[1]; 5. 777-Trevor Neville, 00:17.908[9]; 6. 17N-Dillon Nusbaum, 00:17.972[14]; 7. 24-Zeke McKenzie, 00:17.991[15]; 8. 5CS-Curt Spalding, 00:18.024[3]; 9. 36-Kenny Wallace, 00:18.028[5]; 10. 28B-Jason Brookover, 00:18.154[10]; 11. 82-Gary Dillon, 00:18.188[17]; 12. 5-Jonathan Taylor, 00:18.427[12]; 13. E85-Jesse Strange, 00:18.816[2]; 14. 57M-Fletcher Mason, 00:18.967[18]; 15. 07K-Curtis King, 00:19.031[8]; 16. 88-Nicholas Byrd, 00:19.406[19]; 17. 187-Tyler Wiles, 00:19.974[6]; 18. N8-Nathan Huffingham, 00:19.974[4]; 19. 11W-James Whittredge, 00:19.974[13]

Feature #3 – Tyler Nicely

In Monday’s only caution-free Feature, Tyler Nicely showed he’ll be every bit as difficult to beat at DIRTcar Nationals as he was one year ago.

Nicely, the reigning DIRTcar UMP Modified national points champion from Owensboro, KY, won three Features during the week at Volusia last year and continued that precedence with a flag-to-flag victory to begin the week.

“This is a brand-new car, so any time you can bring a new car out first race and win, it feels good,” Nicely said. “Car feels really good until we get into dirty air with lapped traffic, so we’ll work on that a little bit tonight and just get ready for tomorrow.”

Though he went largely unchallenged, Nicely was able to collect some notes for things to work on during the week.

“Whenever we get to lapped traffic, I kinda slowed down to their pace,” Nicely said. “Saturday for the big race, you’re not going to be able to do that. We’ll work on that a little bit.”

His eighth career gator trophy moves him up the ranks on the all-time DIRTcar Nationals UMP Modified wins list, now tied for fifth with 2009 Big Gator points champion Jared Landers.

Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 25-Tyler Nicely[2]; 2. 12L-Lucas Lee[4]; 3. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[1]; 4. 19-Dustin Sorensen[5]; 5. 13-Charlie Mefford[6]; 6. 18K-Brandon Kinzer[7]; 7. 9-Ken Schrader[3]; 8. 114-Jordan Koehler[8]; 9. 88C-Matt Crafton[9]; 10. 6-Ryan Ayers[11]; 11. 72-Todd Neiheiser[12]; 12. 4-Mike Learman[10]; 13. 26-Ryan Gierke[15]; 14. 0S-Glenn Styres[14]; 15. 3D-Makayla Tyrrell[17]; 16. 4UW-Bobby Regot[16]; 17. 0-Dylan Murray[19]; 18. 59-Doug Stine[18]; 19. 27G-Jason Garver[13]

Qualifying Group 3 (3 Laps): 1. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski, 00:17.617[5]; 2. 25-Tyler Nicely, 00:17.668[3]; 3. 9-Ken Schrader, 00:17.807[1]; 4. 12L-Lucas Lee, 00:17.838[6]; 5. 19-Dustin Sorensen, 00:17.871[17]; 6. 13-Charlie Mefford, 00:17.890[19]; 7. 18K-Brandon Kinzer, 00:17.948[14]; 8. 114-Jordan Koehler, 00:18.004[12]; 9. 88C-Matt Crafton, 00:18.070[4]; 10. 4-Mike Learman, 00:18.256[9]; 11. 6-Ryan Ayers, 00:18.280[10]; 12. 72-Todd Neiheiser, 00:18.325[13]; 13. 27G-Jason Garver, 00:18.355[8]; 14. 0S-Glenn Styres, 00:18.430[2]; 15. 26-Ryan Gierke, 00:18.522[11]; 16. 4UW-Bobby Regot, 00:18.821[18]; 17. 3D-Makayla Tyrrell, 00:18.971[16]; 18. 59-Doug Stine, 00:19.648[15]; 19. 0-Dylan Murray, 00:20.532[7]

Feature #4 – Tim Ward

Coming from sixth on the grid, Iowa driver Tim Ward won his first career gator trophy from the furthest back on the starting grid of any driver.

After a quick caution flag on Lap 5, Ward restarted from the fourth position and executed one of the biggest moves of the night, ripping the top side of the half-mile oval and jumping from fourth to the lead in a single lap.

“I had a bad initial start, luckily a yellow came out at the beginning,” Ward said. “I ended up starting sixth and got to fourth on the restart and was able to kinda start on the outside. I just blasted in there around the leader and took off and was able to kinda momentum around the track. It worked out.”

From there, Ward held the lead through traffic and even through a green-white-checkered finish at the end to secure his first-ever DIRTcar Nationals win.

“This deal is so tough,” Ward said. “We were here last year and it was tough just to run top-five, let alone a gator. We’re super excited, and we’ve worked really hard this week-and-a-half getting two cars ready.”

Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 4TW-Tim Ward[6]; 2. 95-Michael Altobelli[1]; 3. 2T-Ty Norder[4]; 4. 1-Randy Giroux[10]; 5. 07-Eric Moon[8]; 6. 463-Daniel Sanchez[13]; 7. 21-Scott Ladner[5]; 8. 3-Josh Sanford[7]; 9. 54-Zachary Hawk[12]; 10. 11M-Michael McGee[16]; 11. 32-Chad Roush[15]; 12. 77C-Jason Cox[19]; 13. 33-Kenny Mihalik[18]; 14. 18-Miles Beaulieu[17]; 15. 4S-Craig Shaw[11]; 16. 12M-John McClure[14]; 17. 05-Dave Wietholder[2]; 18. 21C-Drew Charlson[3]; 19. M20-Mike Potosky[9]

Qualifying Group 4 (3 Laps): 1. 95-Michael Altobelli, 00:17.764[17]; 2. 05-Dave Wietholder, 00:17.974[10]; 3. 21C-Drew Charlson, 00:17.976[3]; 4. 2T-Ty Norder, 00:18.020[2]; 5. 21-Scott Ladner, 00:18.122[13]; 6. 4TW-Tim Ward, 00:18.162[6]; 7. 3-Josh Sanford, 00:18.177[19]; 8. 07-Eric Moon, 00:18.251[8]; 9. M20-Mike Potosky, 00:18.325[15]; 10. 1-Randy Giroux, 00:18.335[9]; 11. 4S-Craig Shaw, 00:18.441[12]; 12. 54-Zachary Hawk, 00:18.457[11]; 13. 463-Daniel Sanchez, 00:18.512[7]; 14. 12M-John McClure, 00:18.539[5]; 15. 32-Chad Roush, 00:18.721[18]; 16. 11M-Michael McGee, 00:18.871[14]; 17. 18-Miles Beaulieu, 00:18.956[16]; 18. 33-Kenny Mihalik, 00:19.076[4]; 19. 77C-Jason Cox, 00:19.638[1]

Feature #5 – David Stremme

Gator trophies are earned, not given out, and David Stremme was forced to work for his fifth one Monday night.

After jumping out to the early lead, Stremme held the top spot into the final laps of Feature #5 but had Iowa racer Tom Berry Jr. reeling him in. With three laps-to-go, Berry looked to the outside of Stremme and pried the spot from his grasp at the start/finish line, but Stremme wouldn’t lie down. He threw a slidejob in Turns 1-2 as Berry jumped the cushion, took the spot back and led the final two laps.

“I was just too conservative; I ran around that bottom too long and I should’ve just been up in the middle and the top,” Stremme said. “My car’s really good, I’m happy with it, we can work on some stuff.”

Feature 5 (20 Laps): 1. 35-David Stremme[1]; 2. 11X-Tom Berry Jr[2]; 3. 18L-Michael Long[5]; 4. 10Y-Trent Young[6]; 5. 7T-Evan Taylor[9]; 6. 96M-Mike McKinney[4]; 7. 99G-Mark Grosvenor[10]; 8. 21B-Hunter Breland[8]; 9. 2J-Troy Johnson[11]; 10. 01-Brayden Weller[17]; 11. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann[15]; 12. 17-Rob Pitcher[13]; 13. 90-Jason Beaulieu[3]; 14. 99-Cole Hilton[14]; 15. 7H-TJ DeHaven[7]; 16. 8-Dave Pinkerton[12]; 17. 99W-Wade Olmsted[18]; 18. 11-Jesse Rupe[19]; 19. 2G-Troy Girolamo[16]

Qualifying Group 5 (3 Laps): 1. 35-David Stremme, 00:17.650[7]; 2. 11X-Tom Berry Jr, 00:17.775[8]; 3. 90-Jason Beaulieu, 00:17.793[9]; 4. 96M-Mike McKinney, 00:17.838[11]; 5. 18L-Michael Long, 00:17.912[19]; 6. 10Y-Trent Young, 00:18.048[16]; 7. 7H-TJ DeHaven, 00:18.099[2]; 8. 21B-Hunter Breland, 00:18.123[18]; 9. 7T-Evan Taylor, 00:18.161[17]; 10. 99G-Mark Grosvenor, 00:18.217[14]; 11. 2J-Troy Johnson, 00:18.231[10]; 12. 8-Dave Pinkerton, 00:18.483[1]; 13. 17-Rob Pitcher, 00:18.486[4]; 14. 99-Cole Hilton, 00:18.526[15]; 15. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann, 00:18.559[12]; 16. 2G-Troy Girolamo, 00:18.962[13]; 17. 01-Brayden Weller, 00:19.563[3]; 18. 99W-Wade Olmsted, 00:19.805[6]; 19. 11-Jesse Rupe, 00:19.805[5]

Feature #6 – Will Krup

With the defending DIRTcar Nationals champion of the UMP Modified division breathing down his neck the entire race, Will Krup never once broke his concentration in pursuit of victory.

Krup, of Mt. Carmel, IL, led all but the first lap but did not have an easy time with Kyle Strickler on his rear bumper. Through multiple restarts, Krup was able to keep Strickler at bay, using the caution flags to his advantage in getting out of lapped traffic – especially after Strickler nearly passed him on the inside going into Turn 1 on Lap 13.

“I could see him coming – the stick guy told me,” Krup said. “I couldn’t mess up too bad there.”

After the race’s final restart on Lap 15, Strickler reeled Krup in once more but was unable to get close enough to make a move.

“I just tried to hit my marks; honestly, I wasn’t feeling too comfortable up there,” Krup said. “I felt like the racetrack kinda went that way, and I just had the line to protect.”

Feature 6 (20 Laps): 1. K9-Will Krup[2]; 2. 8S-Kyle Strickler[3]; 3. 6ST-Joseph Thomas[12]; 4. 23Z-Austin Self[9]; 5. 16C-John Clippinger[4]; 6. 09-Michael Leach[1]; 7. 11N-Gene Nicholas[13]; 8. 6B-Dave Baldwin[16]; 9. 17C-Coleman Evans[5]; 10. 90H-Raymond Kable[11]; 11. 4K-Jason Kinney[10]; 12. 40-Ronald Wadforth[8]; 13. 3F-Rob Fuqua[15]; 14. 58F-Donnie Farlling[7]; 15. 55-Alyssa Rowe[14]; 16. 89W-Rick Weitekamp[17]; 17. 7-Justin Allgaier[6]; 18. 77D-George Dixon[18]

Qualifying Group 6 (3 Laps): 1. 09-Michael Leach, 00:17.720[12]; 2. K9-Will Krup, 00:17.760[7]; 3. 8S-Kyle Strickler, 00:17.878[1]; 4. 16C-John Clippinger, 00:18.181[4]; 5. 17C-Coleman Evans, 00:18.187[18]; 6. 7-Justin Allgaier, 00:18.230[9]; 7. 58F-Donnie Farlling, 00:18.311[11]; 8. 40-Ronald Wadforth, 00:18.358[2]; 9. 23Z-Austin Self, 00:18.415[10]; 10. 4K-Jason Kinney, 00:18.453[13]; 11. 90H-Raymond Kable, 00:18.470[6]; 12. 6ST-Joseph Thomas, 00:18.769[14]; 13. 11N-Gene Nicholas, 00:18.897[15]; 14. 55-Alyssa Rowe, 00:18.984[16]; 15. 3F-Rob Fuqua, 00:19.004[5]; 16. 6B-Dave Baldwin, 00:19.065[8]; 17. 89W-Rick Weitekamp, 00:19.860[3]; 18. 77D-George Dixon, 00:19.860[17]

UP NEXT

DIRTcar UMP Modified racing at Volusia Speedway Park continues Tuesday night, Feb. 6, with another six-pack of Features, also on the card with a night of practice for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

Tickets and information are available at DIRTcarNationals.com. If you can’t be at the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jordan DeLucia, DIRTcar Racing PR CoordinatorPlease contact jdelucia@dirtcar.com to arrange driver interviews.You may duplicate this content with credit to DIRTcar Racing and a link to DIRTcar.com. For more photos, video b-roll and other digital assets, click here.WHAT TO WATCH FOR: UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks Continues at 53rd DIRTcar Nationals at VolusiaWallace, Lee, Strickler, Allgaier and more names set to join projected field of 100-plus cars BARBERVILLE, FL (Feb. 5, 2023) – DIRTcar UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks multi-week grind continues with a weeklong affair at Volusia Speedway Park – Monday-Saturday, Feb. 5-10 – and the single toughest endurance test in all of open-wheel dirt Modified racing – the 53rd Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. Over 100 UMP Modifieds are projected to chase nightly Feature winner’s trophies and a starting spot in the 30-lap, $5,000-to-win Gator Championship Feature on Saturday. New for 2024 are the cash bonuses for the top three in the final DIRTcar Nationals points standings and a nightly purse increase, making all Features run Monday-Friday $1,000-to-win and $125-to-start. Read More: UMP Modifieds Receive Purse Upgrade For 53rd DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia The revamped event format unveiled in 2023 will outline this week’s Modified happenings, consisting of six separate Features on each of the first five nights of competition. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday’s Features will be lined up by Qualifying laps, while Thursday will set the field according to points accumulated by each driver over the previous three nights. Friday’s field will be split in half for the Gator Qualifier night before Saturday’s Gator Championship. The driver with the most points at week’s end will be crowned the DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator champion and hoist the iconic Big Gator trophy. Drivers will also be earning points toward the UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks championship chase, which crowns its champion after the conclusion of Saturday’s Feature. To get your tickets, visit DIRTcarNationals.com. If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch the entire week of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals live on DIRTVision. Here are the drivers to watch and storylines to follow this week: GUESS WHO’S BACK – He took one year off, but Kenny Wallace admits it. He just “can’t stay away” from DIRTcar Nationals. This year, Wallace – the four-time DIRTcar Nationals Feature winner from Arnold, MO – returns to Volusia to compete in the UMP Modified division for the first time since 2022, piloting a car fielded by the only seven-time Big Gator champion, Nick Hoffman. Wallace was last a winner at DIRTcar Nationals in 2012, when he nearly clinched the Big Gator points championship but was forced to miss the final race of the week due to his NASCAR obligations in Daytona. He’ll have his best chance since to go for another gator trophy behind the wheel of the Hoffman-prepared, JEGS-sponsored Elite Chassis #36. Hoffman is the winningest UMP Modified driver in DIRTcar Nationals history with 23 Feature victories, including his first in 2012. He will serve as Wallace’s crew chief throughout the week, wrenching on the ride he built and owns in addition to providing support for several of his other Elite Chassis customers in the pits. GATOR GETTER – After years of suffering defeat at the hands of his closest rivals, Kyle Strickler finally hoisted the Big Gator points championship for the first time in his career last year and will return to defend it in 2024. Strickler, 39, of Mooresville, NC, clinched the weeklong championship on the back of three Feature wins, including the prestigious Gator Championship finale, which earned him his first of two Big Gator trophies that week. He and the Melanie Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis #8 are coming off a solid ending to a week of racing in Tampa at East Bay Raceway Park, compiling three-straight top-five finishes including a runner-up in the Winternationals Championship Feature. He and the team have good reason to believe they’ll be contenders again at Volusia this year as their historical records shine bright. Strickler has amassed 12 Feature wins in DIRTcar Nationals competition – including three Gator Championship Feature wins – and ranks second on the all-time wins list. NICELY (NOT) DONE – Tyler Nicely comes into DIRTcar Nationals as the reigning national DIRTcar UMP Modified points champion after a stout weekly racing season in 2023, complete with a nation-high 24 Feature wins from January-to-October. Included in those 24 wins were five UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks wins – one at North Florida Speedway, his first career Winternationals win at East Bay, and three-straight at Volusia during DIRTcar Nationals. Despite his success at the half-mile last year, Nicely ended up third in the event points standings after a P3 finish in the Gator Championship race. Nicely, 28, of Owensboro, KY, will have his Elite Chassis #25 ready to go in search of his first career Big Gator win in 2024. He currently sits tied for sixth on the all-time DIRTcar Nationals UMP Modified Feature wins list with seven. GENERAL LEE – Following a strong first week out on the Speedweeks trail, defending UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks champion Lucas Lee will head on to Volusia this week, shooting for his first Big Gator trophy. Lee, 36, of Paris, TN, has raced DIRTcar Nationals several times before but has been admittedly disappointed with his overall results, having won only two Features at Volusia in his career. However, he had a personal best DIRTcar Nationals last year, finishing sixth in event points after a runner-up finish in the Gator Championship Feature. He captured his third career UMP Modified Winternationals Championship Feature win at East Bay Saturday night and expanded his Speedweeks points lead to 17 over Cole Czarneski, making him the early favorite to win the Speedweeks points chase, which would be Lee’s third-straight after clinching the honors in 2022 and 2023. WISCONSIN’S FINEST – Completely unknown to the DIRTcar UMP Modified world until last week, 18-year-old Cole Czarneski has taken the Speedweeks trail by storm. He bagged a win and three podium finishes at East Bay and now heads to Volusia for his DIRTcar Nationals debut in pursuit of the points championship. The young Wisconsin driver has been cutting his teeth in the Sport Mod and Stock Car divisions back home for the past four years and recently took the step up to a full-size Modified. Piloting his brightly colored Pro 1 Property Services, Elite/Mullins No. 21cz, Czarneski comes into Volusia firing on all cylinders, ready to take on one of the largest and deepest fields of competition he’ll see all year. Czarneski is coming off five-straight top-five finishes, including one win, in his first week out at East Bay. For his efforts, he now sits second in Speedweeks points – 17 back of leader Lucas Lee – and will also meet Volusia for the first time this week. LITTLE GATOR – Every February, Justin Allgaier comes to Volusia to compete with the UMP Modifieds at DIRTcar Nationals before his NASCAR duties – driving for JR Motorsports – in Daytona and will return to the half-mile track again in 2024 searching for more little (and big) gator gold. The 37-year-old NASCAR Xfinity Series star from Riverton, IL, has had success at Volusia in the past, bagging his first career gator trophy in 2016. His next came on the big stage, scoring a marquee victory in the Gator Championship Feature in 2021 to claim his first Big Gator trophy. He went back to Victory Lane in the event one year later in one of the 11 UMP Modified Features run in a single day in 2022. Allgaier returns to the seat of his Federated Auto Parts, Elite Chassis No. 7 this week looking for his fourth career DIRTcar Nationals win, representing the heap of NASCAR names that annually compete in the division including Kenny Wallace, David Stremme, Ken Schrader, Matt Crafton, Austin Wayne Self, among others. DIRTcar Nationals UMP Modified Big Gator champions:2023 – Kyle Strickler2022 – Nick Hoffman (7)2021 – Nick Hoffman (6)2020 – Nick Hoffman (5)2019 – Nick Hoffman (4)2018 – Nick Hoffman (3)2017 – Nick Hoffman (2)2016 – Nick Hoffman2015 – Austin Dillon2014 – Ty Dillon (2)2013 – Ken Schrader (2)2012 – Ty Dillon2011 – Clint Bowyer2010 – Dave Hess Jr.2009 – Jared Landers2008 – Ken Schrader2007 – Steve Arpin2006 – Scott Drake2005 – Craig Thatcher

BATAVIA, Ohio (February 4, 2024) – The East Bay Raceway Park Winternationals have been a staple on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series schedule since the tour inception in 2005. This year, that long standing tradition is slated to come to an end. The Mosaic Co., a Fortune 500 company that mines potash and phosphate that it processes into crop nutrients, is poised to complete its purchase of the property following the 2024 season. The 48th Annual Wieland Winternationals – Presented by Lucas Oil kicks off with an open practice on Sunday, February 4. The pit gates will open at 2:00PM with practice slated from 6:00PM to 9:00PM. The general admission area will be open free of charge. Fans are encouraged to visit East Bay Raceway Park for a sneak peek at the top dirt late model drivers expected. A full program is scheduled for each of the six nights, which includes: Dirt Draft Hot Laps, Allstar Performance Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series main event.  Monday and Tuesday, February 6 and 7, teams will compete for a $5,000 top prize. Wednesday, February 8 will see drivers gunning for $7,000 in top prize money. On Thursday, February 9 the winner’s prize increases to $10,000 before the stakes get even higher on Friday, February 10, with teams competing for a $12,000 paycheck. The week will end on Saturday, February 11, boasting a $15,000 top prize. Each day, the pit gate will open at 2:00PM followed by general admission gates at 5:00PM. The on-track action is scheduled to begin with Hot Laps at 5:30PM. All times are eastern time.  For ticket and camping information, visit www.ebrp.co. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Purses:Mon. Feb. 5 – 1. $5,000, 2. $3,000, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,000, 6. $800, 7. $750, 8. $700, 9. $650, 10. $600, 11. $550, 12. $500, 13. $500, 14. $500, 15. $500, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500, 23. $500, 24. $500, 25. $500, 26. $500 = $24,050 Tues. Feb. 6 – 1. $5,000, 2. $3,000, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,000, 6. $800, 7. $750, 8. $700, 9. $650, 10. $600, 11. $550, 12. $500, 13. $500, 14. $500, 15. $500, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500, 23. $500, 24. $500, 25. $500, 26. $500 = $24,050 Wed. Feb. 7 – 1. $7,000, 2. $3,500, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,400, 6. $1,300, 7. $1,200, 8. $1,100, 9. $1,000, 10. $950, 11. $900, 12. $850, 13. $800, 14. $750, 15. $725, 16. $700, 17. $700, 18. $700, 19. $650, 20. $625, 21. $625, 22. $600, 23. $600, 24. $600, 25. $600, 26. $600 = $31,975 Thurs. Feb. 8 – 1. $10,000, 2. $5,500, 3. $3,500, 4. $2,700, 5. $2,500, 6. $2,300, 7. $2,200, 8. $2,100, 9. $2,050, 10. $2,000, 11. $1,600, 12. $1,400, 13. $1,200, 14. $1,000, 15. $950, 16. $925, 17. $900, 18. $875, 19. $850, 20. $825, 21. $800, 22. $800, 23. $800, 24. $800, 25. $800, 26. $800 = $50,175 Fri. Feb. 9 – 1. $12,000, 2. $6,000, 3. $3,500, 4. $2,800, 5. $2,500, 6. $2,300, 7. $2,200, 8. $2,100, 9. $2,050, 10. $2,000, 11. $1,600, 12. $1,400, 13. $1,200, 14. $1,100, 15. $1,050, 16. $1,000, 17. $1,000, 18. $1,000, 19. $1,000, 20. $1,000, 21. $1,000, 22. $1,000, 23. $1,000, 24. $1,000, 25. $1,000, 26. $1,000 = $54,800  Sat. Feb. 10 – 1. $15,000, 2. $7,000, 3. $5,000, 4. $4,000, 5. $3,000, 6. $2,500, 7. $2,400, 8. $2,300, 9. $2,200, 10. 2,100, 11. $2,000, 12. $1,800, 13. $1,600, 14. $1,500, 15. $1,400, 16. $1,300, 17. $1,200, 18. $1,100, 19. $1,000, 20. $1,000, 21. $1,000, 22. $1,000, 23. $1,000, 24. $1,000, 25. $1,000, 26. $1,000 = $65,400 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tire Rule:Left Front – Any (90) Hoosier TireRight Front/Left Rear – Hoosier (90) NLMT2Right Rear – Hoosier (92) NLMT2, (92) NLMT3

The Greatest Show on Dirt’s 47th season begins with four nights of racing at Volusia

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 5, 2024) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are ready to go gator hunting to kickoff Year 47.

Sprint Car teams from all over will converge on Barberville, FL’s Volusia Speedway Park this week for the 53rd Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. A practice night (Feb. 6) precedes four consecutive nights of racing (Feb. 7-10) to get the 2024 campaign rolling for The Greatest Show on Dirt.

The Wednesday through Saturday slate of racing boasts nearly a $300,000 total purse. The opening three nights showcase $12,000-to-win, $1,200-to-start Features before the week wraps up with a $20,000-to-win, $1,500-to-start finale. In addition to chasing the Big Gator, drivers are also pursuing a DIRTcar Nationals point fund allocated to the top three drivers when the event concludes.

A stacked roster is expected; plenty of money is up for grabs; all during four straight nights of high speed, half-mile racing. The 2024 Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals promises to provide a week of action you don’t want to miss.

BUY DIRTCAR NATIONALS TICKETS HERE

Let’s look at the week’s top storylines:

GRAVEL’S GATORS: There may be no driver hungrier to make a strong opening statement than David Gravel. Three runner-up finishes in the standings over the last three years have elevated the desire for a championship more and more. And the pursuit of a title begins at Volusia.

Last year, Gravel came out on fire, topping the first two Features of the season in Florida. The Watertown, CT native owns four total Series victories at the half mile, good enough for the fifth most all-time through 56 visits.

Gravel also has his sights on DIRTcar Nationals history this week. The 2017 and 2022 Big Gator champion looks to join Daryn Pittman (2013, 2015, 2019) as the second driver with a trio of the coveted Big Gators. 

SUNSHINE STATE SCHATZ: There has been no driver more comfortable with the high speeds of Volusia than Donny Schatz. The 10-time Series champion has been dominant at the half-mile track throughout his illustrious career.

He owns 23 overall Sprint Car triumphs at the facility. A Series-high 14 of those have come with the World of Outlaws, which outranks the second highest total by more than double. The team Schatz drives for – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing – holds the most Series wins for a team at Volusia with 17.

The Fargo, ND native is a one-time winner of the Big Gator, claiming the 2017 DIRTcar Nationals championship.

SHARK CHASING GATORS: There’s a Shark following the World of Outlaws tour who’s had plenty of success hunting gators in the past and looks to continue the trend.

Logan Schuchart – driver of the Shark Racing #1S – is the defending Big Gator champion. A trio of top fives fueled Schuchart’s 2023 DIRTcar Nationals title run. The 2021 Big Gator is also in Schuchart’s trophy room, so he’ll join Gravel in the hunt to become the second with three.

The Hanover, PA native is also a multi-time Feature winner at Volusia. Schuchart topped three Sprint Car main events during a remarkable stretch from 2020 to 2021 in which he finished outside the top two only once in seven races.

VOLUSIA VICTORY: Two more competitors among the full-time World of Outlaws roster for 2024 have been to Volusia Victory Lane with The Greatest Show on Dirt.

It took Carson Macedo some time, but he’s gotten comfortable at the half mile. In his first 10 Volusia Sprint Car starts, the Lemoore, CA native cracked the top five only once with a 9.2 average finish. The 14 starts since have yielded four wins, eight top fives, and a 5.2 average result. Two of those wins have come in World of Outlaws competition.

Back in 2018, Sheldon Haudenschild bagged the first of his now 34 career World of Outlaws wins at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.” The 30-year-old returned to the Volusia winner’s circle in 2022 and aims to do so again this week aboard the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing NOS Energy Drink #17.

Both Macedo and Haudenschild are in search of their first Big Gator championship.

COMING OUT HOT: Year two with the World of Outlaws begins this week for Giovanni Scelzi, and “Hot Sauce” is looking for a hot start to his sophomore season.

His rookie campaign got off to a slow start at DIRTcar Nationals last year, mustering a 15.7 average finish. However, his whole season told another story. Scelzi posted a season-long 9.13 average finish.

The Fresno, CA pilot has previous strong outings in his Volusia attempts, including posting one of his 21 career Series podiums in 2021.

ROOKIE STRIPES: A diverse battle for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year will ignite when the green flag waves on the 2024 season this week.

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid headlines the trio of contestants. He’ll embark on his inaugural campaign behind the wheel of the Roth Motorsports #83. Last year, Kofoid competed at DIRTcar Nationals and posted back-to-back runner-up finishes along with leading 11 Feature laps.

Bill Balog is taking his family-owned B Squared Motorsports team on the road with the World of Outlaws for the first time. “The North Pole Nightmare” made his first visit to DIRTcar Nationals last year and will kick off his 2024 campaign at Volusia.

Freshly turned 16-year-old – Landon Crawley – completes the 2024 rookie class. He’s teamed with Sides Motorsports and ready to take a major step on his racing career. The Benton, AR teenager has impressed behind the wheel of a 360 and joins the nation’s best 410 drivers for 2024.

HEADIN’ SOUTH: The full-time stars of the World of Outlaws will be accompanied by many more of the sport’s top talents in the journey to Florida this week.

Five-time and reigning World of Outlaws champion – Brad Sweet – plans to get his 2024 Sprint Car slate in the States rolling at Volusia. The Kasey Kahne Racing pilot is a six-time World of Outlaws Feature winner at the Barberville, FL oval (second most). The “Big Cat” is also a two-time Big Gator champion (2016 & 2020).

A handful of competitors that took part in Volusia’s Southern Sprint Car Shootout (SSCS) two weeks ago plan to return for DIRTcar Nationals. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX), Austin McCarl (Altoona, IA), and Ryan Timms (Oklahoma City, OK) were all victorious during the event, and the entire trio aims for more trips to Volusia Victory Lane this week. Justin Peck (Monrovia, IN) and Danny Dietrich (Gettysburg, PA) were also present at the Sprint Car Shootout and will be back in action.

Many more are expected to fill the Volusia pit area this week including Spencer Bayston (Lebanon, IN), Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO), Anthony Macri (Dillsburg, PA), Corey Day (Clovis, CA), Brent Marks (Myerstown, PA), Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, IN), Zeb Wise (Angola, IN), and more.

If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE:

WHEN AND WHERE

Wednesday – Saturday, Feb. 7-10 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL

TRACK INFO

Track Record: 12.569s by Paul McMahan on 2-10-11
Online: VolusiaSpeedwayPark.com

SPRINT CAR BIG GATOR CHAMPIONS

2023-Logan Schuchart
2022-David Gravel
2021-Logan Schuchart
2020-Brad Sweet
2019-Daryn Pittman
2018-Donny Schatz
2017-David Gravel
2016-Brad Sweet
2015-Daryn Pittman
2014-Paul McMahan
2013-Daryn Pittman
2012-Sammy Swindell

February 4, 2024

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team were among 13 drivers and teams that came up short in qualifying for the third-annual Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. 

With the forecast for Sunday calling for heavy rain, NASCAR officials on Saturday made the decision to move the main event to Saturday night and eliminate the heat races and last-chance feature that normally determine the line-up for the feature race.

The field for the non-points exhibition race was set based on speeds in the final practice session with 22 drivers earning starting spots based on their best lap time in the session, with one provisional starting spot that went to defending series champion Ryan Blaney. 

Burton had a best lap at 66.094 miles per hour. It took a lap at 66.746 mph to make the cut.

Burton and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team now turn their focus to preparing the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse for the regular season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.

LAKE CITY, Fla. (February 3, 2024) – Tim McCreadie completed a perfect night of racing on Saturday night at All-Tech Raceway. The two-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion set the overall fastest time in qualifying, won his heat race, and then led all 50 laps to earn the $15,000 victory in the main event. McCreadie was able to hold off his only challenger, Daulton Wilson to become the third different winner this season. Wilson finished second with Ryan Gustin rounding out the Big River Steel Podium in third. The remainder of the top five finishers were Tyler Bruening and Clay Harris. McCreadie bolted to the lead at the start of the race from his outside front row starting spot. Wilson, who started on the pole moved into second on the opening lap. McCreadie and Wilson pulled away from the field opening a huge margin over the rest of their competitors. Wilson started to surge closer to McCreadie before the only caution of the race came for a slowing Mike Marlar with 26 laps complete. On the restart McCreadie set sail widening the gap between himself and Wilson, but when McCreadie caught the tail end of the field Wilson again pulled close. As the two battled through traffic, Wilson pulled within two car lengths. However, as McCreadie worked his way through traffic, Wilson fell several car lengths back in the final 10 circuits. In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 37th time in his career, McCreadie was all smiles after his dominating performance. “It’s just a pleasure to be out here with these guys. You take it for granted and 20 years fly by just like that. I am just happy to get to do it and I want to thank Donald and Gena Bradsher for giving me great equipment. Scott Fegter, my crew chief, built this car at Wesley Page’s. It’s amazing to drive a car like this that does what you want it to do. It maneuvers great so hopefully it’s just the beginning, because it used to be that I just couldn’t drive much anymore and now I am feeling pretty saucy out here in the rough stuff.” “I thought I had better not move off the cushion. It was just so sticky all night and I honestly just eased getting into one and backed my car up a little bit through the hole a little better. I always feel like somebody is always behind me the whole race. I always give 100% all of the time out there,” said the winner, as he moved into sixth place in the championship points heading to East Bay. Wilson, who closed the gap twice on McCreadie during the race came up just short of his first ever Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win. “I had just got to Timmy there when the caution came out and then I thought lapped traffic was going to help me out and there at the end I was with Timmy and the lapped car was racing us pretty hard. Maybe we’ll get one next week at East Bay. We just need to keep building as the night progresses. We’ve got speed early in the night and the last couple of nights we have been able to maintain and go forward.” Gustin, who posted his best finish with the series this year, rounded out the podium in third after starting 15th. “To be honest with you I didn’t realize we were up that far until they called me to the droop check. It was elbows up style tonight, so it was usually what we run good on. I knew it was time to get up on the wheel and that’s what we did. I wish we would have seen a caution there at the end because I think we had something for them.” The winner’s Paylor Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Mega Plumbing HVAC, Baker Mitchell Company Inc., Armslist.com, Bilstein Shocks, Brad Benton Trucking, Inc., Wesley Page Racing, and Mark 4. Completing the top ten were Ashton Winger, Kyle Bronson, Brandon Sheppard, Dennis Erb Jr., and Devin Moran. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Winter Nationals | Night 2Saturday, February 3, 2024All-Tech Raceway – Lake City, FL Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Tyler Bruening | 17.259 seconds Fast Time Group B: Tim McCreadie | 17.141 seconds (overall) Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[4]; 2. 16-Tyler Bruening[1]; 3. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[2]; 4. 96V-Tanner English[5]; 5. 6-Clay Harris[6]; 6. 4G-Bob Gardner[7]; 7. 23-Cory Hedgecock[10]; 8. 388-Jackson Hise[9]; 9. 10-Joseph Joiner[12]; 10. USA1-Chris Hawkins[11]; 11. 7T-Drake Troutman[8]; 12. (DNS) 75-Daniel Adam Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 12-Ashton Winger[1]; 2. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[4]; 3. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 4. 19R-Ryan Gustin[3]; 5. 8-Dillon McCowan[6]; 6. 14JR-Trey Mills[5]; 7. 111-Max Blair[8]; 8. 1T-Tyler Erb[7]; 9. B5-Brandon Sheppard[9]; 10. 3S-Brian Shirley[11]; 11. 4S-Danny Snyder[12]; 12. 128-Kylan Garner[10] Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 39-Tim McCreadie[1]; 2. 97-Cody Overton[2]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 4. 20-Jimmy Owens[6]; 5. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[3]; 6. 58-Garrett Alberson[5]; 7. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[7]; 8. 99B-Boom Briggs[8]; 9. 18-Chase Junghans[9]; 10. 79-Donald McIntosh[11]; 11. 93-Cory Lawler[10]; 12. 51-Chad Tuten[12] Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 2. 44-Chris Madden[1]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 4. 19M-Spencer Hughes[4]; 5. 174-Ethan Dotson[8]; 6. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 7. 7-Ross Robinson[7]; 8. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[9]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[11]; 10. 1-Hudson O’Neal[6]; 11. (DNS) 11-Austin Smith Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 6-Clay Harris[1]; 2. 8-Dillon McCowan[2]; 3. 14JR-Trey Mills[4]; 4. 111-Max Blair[6]; 5. 388-Jackson Hise[7]; 6. 1T-Tyler Erb[8]; 7. 4G-Bob Gardner[3]; 8. 3S-Brian Shirley[12]; 9. B5-Brandon Sheppard[10]; 10. 10-Joseph Joiner[9]; 11. USA1-Chris Hawkins[11]; 12. 4S-Danny Snyder[14]; 13. 75-Daniel Adam[15]; 14. 128-Kylan Garner[16]; 15. (DNS) 23-Cory Hedgecock; 16. (DNS) 7T-Drake Troutman UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[4]; 3. 174-Ethan Dotson[2]; 4. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 5. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[5]; 6. 18-Chase Junghans[9]; 7. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[8]; 8. 93-Cory Lawler[13]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[10]; 10. 1-Hudson O’Neal[12]; 11. 7-Ross Robinson[6]; 12. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 13. (DNS) 79-Donald McIntosh; 14. (DNS) 51-Chad Tuten; 15. (DNS) 11-Austin Smith Winter Nationals | Night 2 Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics  Entrants: 47Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Daulton WilsonLap Leaders: Tim McCreadie (Laps 1-50)Wieland Feature Winner: Tim McCreadieArizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/aBrandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/aMargin of Victory: 2.456 seconds Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Mike Marlar (Lap 26)Series Provisionals: Hudson O’Neal; Tyler ErbFast Time Provisional: n/aSeries Emergency Provisionals: Max Blair; Earl Pearson, Jr.; Brandon Sheppard; Garrett AlbersonTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Tim McCreadie, Daulton Wilson, Ryan GustinPenske Shocks Top 5: Tim McCreadie, Daulton Wilson, Ryan Gustin, Tyler Bruening, Clay HarrisTodd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Brandon Sheppard (Advanced 19 Positions) Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Kyle BronsonDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Chris MaddenMD3 Most Laps Led: Tim McCreadie (50 Laps) Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Tim McCreaideMidwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Tim McCreadie (Lap 2 – 18.053 seconds) Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Tim McCreadieMiller Welders Hard Luck Award: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Scott Fegter (Tim McCreadie)ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Cody Overton (18.488 seconds)Time of Race: 19 minutes 14 seconds  Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

TAMPA, FL (Feb. 3, 2024) – It was only fitting the final edition of East Bay Raceway Park’s famed UMP Modified Winternationals event gave those watching an unforgettable finish.

For the final 10 laps, Lucas Lee and Kyle Strickler delivered.

The two DIRTcar UMP Modified veterans waged war around the historic Tampa oval, battling side-by-side for the win, swapping the lead back-and-forth multiple times before the checkered flag was thrown. In the end, Lee’s lane of choice around the bottom propelled him back into the lead with three laps left and outlasted Strickler’s high-side momentum to score the $5,000 grand prize for the second year-in-a-row and third time in his career.

“It means a lot – I’ve been coming down here since 2011,” Lee said. “It wasn’t the easiest thing to do. Keep coming back, keep coming back, then I felt like we got really good.

“It feels good. I’m glad to win it back-to-back.”

Though Strickler – who has never won the Winternationals Championship Feature – came up one spot short after leading 62 of 75 laps, he admitted Saturday was “the happiest I’ve ever been to run second.”

“I think that’s what all the fans wanted to come see,” Strickler said. “Lucas there catfishing on the bottom and me ripping the top.

“Lucas was digging too deep of ditches for me tonight.”

Both drivers began their 75-lap journey from inside the first three rows of the starting grid – Strickler on the pole and Lee starting sixth. Strickler took command early, pacing the field around the 1/3-mile oval for the first 31 laps before Cole Czarneski took advantage of Strickler’s mistake slipping off the bottom lane in traffic to get the lead.

A competition caution was thrown three laps later to allow teams to refuel, as is tradition in the Winternationals main event. Under yellow, Strickler considered his options to get the lead back.

“I was just getting way too loose on the bottom, so after the fuel break there, I saw there was a bunch of moisture right through the middle, and it all went to the top,” Strickler said. “We talked about it. Ryan (crew member) actually said, ‘Do you think we should restart on the top?’”

Living up to his nickname, Strickler shifted his focus to the high side, wound-up his Longhorn Chassis #8 and blasted back by Czarneski to retake the lead on Lap 37. While Czarneski battled back with determination, briefly taking the lead back for one circuit on Lap 47, Strickler was too quick on the top and drove back by.

“When Cole got past me and was leading, I could move around and try some things,” Strickler said. “[If] you go back another spot, you can just try something different.”

Through multiple caution periods and restarts in the second half of the race, Strickler held strong and kept Czarneski at by while Lee began to make his presence felt, taking second from Czarneski on Lap 51.

As the race dipped under 15 laps-to-go, Lee still trailed Strickler by over a full second in traffic. Then, the final yellow flag was displayed with 63 laps complete, putting Lee right on Strickler’s bumper for the restart.

Strickler, favoring the middle lane, held strong as he crossed under the flag stand with 10-to-go, but Lee was closing fast on the bottom. He reeled Strickler in, took a look underneath on Lap 66, and on Lap 67 got enough grip on the bottom out of Turn 4 to take the lead at the start/finish line.

“I just stayed patient,” Lee said. “I had to get into (Turns) 3 and 4 hard enough to be able to stick and turn left, and then it would. [In] 1 and 2 I wasn’t very good, but 3 and 4 I felt like it was my spot.

“I knew if we got to where we had to run to the line, I felt confident. I really wasn’t confident in 1 and 2; I felt like I was just waiting too long, waiting too long to get going again.”

While Lee would have preferred to keep his opponents in the rearview, Strickler was not done. Over the final 10 circuits, Strickler pounded the high side and Lee stuck to the bottom, swapping the lead three times before Lee finally muscled it away for good with three-to-go and went on to capture the checkered flag.

Strickler crossed the line only two tenths-of-a-second behind Lee. Though he was disappointed to lead so many laps and come up empty-handed, he was still in positive spirits after being part of an entertaining show.

“Of course, I was pissed-off that I didn’t win, but it was still an awesome race,” Strickler said. “It was fitting for the last year here. That’s why I love Modified racing so much – you just get up on the wheel and drive the hell out of them.”

Czarneski wrapped-up his first full week in a UMP Modified with a third-place run in the main event. The 18-year-old Wisconsin-driver was also bummed to come so close, considering how good he said his car felt early on.

“It was good until the second-to-last restart,” Czarneski said. “I hit the hole pretty good, and for some reason, my car went away really, really bad.”

UP NEXT

UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks continues with another weeklong racing venture starting Monday, Feb. 5 at Volusia Speedway Park in the 53rd annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

Tickets are on sale now at DIRTcarNationals.com. If you can’t be at the track to watch, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

RESULTS

A Feature 1 (75 Laps): 1. 12L-Lucas Lee[6]; 2. 8S-Kyle Strickler[1]; 3. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[2]; 4. 99J-Treb Jacoby[8]; 5. 33W-Rodney Wing[9]; 6. 09-Michael Leach[5]; 7. 2-Devin Dixon[7]; 8. 20-Brian Skaggs[10]; 9. 27T-Michael Turner[18]; 10. 25W-Allen Weisser[19]; 11. 7-Brad Deyoung[3]; 12. 8A-Austin Holcombe[11]; 13. 33-Jeff Mathews[15]; 14. 8-Jimmy Lennex[21]; 15. 88-David Pollen[12]; 16. 27G-Jason Garver[17]; 17. 26G-Ryan Gierke[4]; 18. 64-Austin Sanders[22]; 19. 17-Chris Wilson[14]; 20. 24-Zeke McKenzie[16]; 21. 0-Damian Kiefer[13]; 22. 90-Tim Gay[24]; 23. 14M-Mavrick Varnadore[23]; 24. 9-Cory Balkey[20]; 25. 205-Travis Varnadore[26]; 26. 0L-Mason Love[25]

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet Team Unable to Defend Last Year’s Podium Finish at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

N/A

DNQ

N/A

“I applaud NASCAR for the way they recognized the impending weather and got the race in tonight. Unfortunately for us, it meant no last chance race and we needed it after struggling in practice and qualifying. I had high hopes leading into the weekend because we’ve been able to earn podium finishes the last two years. We just struggled with the handling of the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet in practice and qualifying today. The left front of our Chevy would lock up into the corner and we just couldn’t go anywhere. I’m looking forward to Daytona International Speedway to kick off our 2024 season.” -Austin Dillon

Kyle Busch and The No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Team Earn Strong Second-Place Finish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

2nd

5th

N/A

“It was a good run for us tonight at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Camaro was good. It was solid. I felt like we were a little bit better in the first half of the race. In the second half, we were not as good, but we still came out of Los Angeles with a second-place finish. I’m happy with that, but we know we have work to do on our short track program. Maybe some of the stuff we tried today will help us get there. We had a decent shot at the end of the race. We had a decent start, and I knew the No. 11 car was going to keep blowing off the bottom because he kept locking up his tires. I knew there was going to be a hole at the bottom and I got there off of Turn 2, but I couldn’t accelerate late in the run. There was just too much wheel spin to keep that position on him and to be close enough on the next end to get to the inside of him while he locked up. It definitely stings, but all-in-all, I’m glad to have a good night and come out of here in one piece, even with all of the bumping and banging and everything else that happens.”  -Kyle Busch

NASCAR CUP SERIES LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM BUSCH LIGHT CLASH AT THE COLISEUM POST-RACE REPORT FEBRUARY 3, 2024 Busch Leads Chevrolet to Podium Finish in Clash at The ColiseumCamaro ZL1 takes Four Top-10 Finishes

·       Eight drivers from five different Chevrolet teams posted a qualifying lap in the Top-22 of the speed chart to secure a starting position in the 46th Running of the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.  ·       At the stage break caution on Lap 75, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson led Chevrolet on the leaderboard in the second position. The running order saw three Team Chevy drivers in the top-five, with Larson leading teammate William Byron in fourth and Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch in fifth.  ·       Involved in contact that resulted in a caution on Lap 77, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott suffered suspension damage on his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 – ultimately forcing the team to retire early from the race.  ·       With a green-white-checkered finish, Kyle Busch led Team Chevy in the final running order – driving his No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL1 to a second-place finish.  ·       Four Team Chevy drivers recorded a top-10 finish, with Kyle Busch leading Kyle Larson in fifth, Alex Bowman in sixth and William Byron rounding out the Top-10.   ·       The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season officially kicks off at Daytona International Speedway with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 18, at 2:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS:POS.   DRIVER2nd     Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL15th      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL16th      Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL110th    William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1

TEAM CHEVY TOP-FIVE POST-RACE QUOTES:  Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL1Finished: 2ndIt looked like you had a shot there at the end. Walk though that last restart, especially when you know it’s a one-lap shootout to the finish. “I got a decent start, and then I knew the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) was going to keep blowing off the bottom because he kept locking-up his tires – he couldn’t get left-front lockup out of it. I knew there was going to be a hole at the bottom and I got there off of (turn) two, but I just couldn’t accelerate late in the run, late in the race, up off the corners. There was just too much wheel spin to keep that position on him and to be close enough on the next end to get to the inside of him while he locked-up.  It was a good run for us. The No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro was good; it was solid. I felt like the first-half of the race, we were a little bit better. The second-half, we were not as good, but we still came out of here with a second-place finish. Happy with that, but we know we have work to do on our short-track program and get better on that. Maybe some of the stuff we tried today will help us there.” Busch continuing on his runner-up finish: “It definitely does sting. The first-half we were better – we had a better car and we were better than the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin). Some of the adjustments we made weren’t as good and some of the adjustments they made were better. All-in-all, I’m glad to have a good night. Glad to come out of here in one piece, even with all the bumping and banging and everything else that happens.” Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Finished: 5thOverall, what did you think about the decision moving the race to tonight?“Yeah, it was awesome. I was not planning on racing anything other than a heat race tonight and had no thought that racing was an option. Cliff (Daniels) had asked me if I had heard the rumors around 11:30 a.m., or so, and I got excited. I’m happy that we were able to do that. Obviously I’m sure NASCAR took a huge financial hit. I think, at the same point, the crowd was awesome out there for a spur-of-the-moment race with free admission and all of that. Hopefully a lot of these fans, who maybe have never been to a race before, will now fall in love with the sport and it can kind of grow from there. Maybe this could accidently work out really well for NASCAR.” You and Bubba (Wallace) kind of got together there at the end. With it being an exhibition-style race, do you think the drivers are more willing to ‘forgive and forget’? “I don’t know – obviously Bubba (Wallace) and I have a history in the past. I don’t really know – hopefully you ‘forgive and forget’. I mean like I said, he ran through me three times and I was just the one that happened to get him at the end. I hope he understands that part of it. Given our history, who knows. But I’m over it. I probably would have been over it too if roles were reverse and I ran through him three times and he finally spun me out the last corner. But we have different personalities too.. we all do out there. Everyone handles it differently. But yeah, it’s just the product of this racing, really. I try to tell myself to let things slide a little bit more, just knowing hits are coming from behind and stuff. Usually when you’re out there, you can get a good sense of when it’s happening – from the car wrecking behind you or before that. Yeah, it’s just kind of the way it goes with this race. It’s just the Clash.”