XR Red River Modified Tour @ I-37 Speedway, 8-14-21

[rebelracewriter]

XR Red River Modified Tour @ I-37 Speedway, 8-14-21

By JM Hallas

 

(Pleasanton, TX.,(Aug. 14^Th, 2021)

The XR Red River Modified Tour rolled into I-37 Speedway Saturday night for big night of racing on the ¼ mile, semi-banked, dirt oval just south of San Antonio. Drivers in the series were in competition vying for one of the top 20 spots available for the Texas Dirt Nationals at Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track in September.

 

The four-race series started in south Texas in Corpus Christi at South Texas Speedway Friday night. Jesse Sobbing from Iowa(Texas Modified), Brian Rye(Southern Limited Modified) and Dalton Faulkner(Factory Stock) took home the honors, and big paydays. The series boasts $2500 to win for the Modifieds, $750 to win for both the Limited Modifieds and Factory Stocks for each night, plus a nice championship payout.

 

Sunday the series moves to north Texas for a Sunday/Monday night back to back show at Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track and then on to Grayson County Speedway(Bells) to wrap up the tour on Tuesday.

 

The series is presented by racexr.com and streamed online by subscription. For more info or to follow the tour and TMS Dirt Track Monday series visit the racexr website or facebook page.

 

California Kid Claims Modified Cash

Once again the winning share of the Red River Modified Tour cash is going out of state as Ethan Dotson(Bakerfield, Ca.) took home the $2500. As the field took the green it was Dotson first into turn 1 trailed by Chris Morris with Steve Whiteaker, Craig Oakes and Robby Minten three wide for third.

 

Whiteaker took the spot, then got past Morris for second and quickly closed in on Dotson. A spin by last nights winner, Jesse Sobbing who had contact with a lapped car, slowed the pace on a lap 6 caution. Dotson got a good launch on green leaving Morris and Whiteaker side by side with Oakes battling with Fred Wojtek for fourth.

 

Coming up on halfway Whiteaker was pressuring Dotson for the lead as they ran up on a slower car. The leaders split him and as Dotson cleared the slower car he moved up for turn 1 entry. Dotson and Whiteaker, who was carrying the momentum up top, made contact sending Whiteaker into the front stretch wall, ending his run.

 

The restart got a bit sketchy as Morris slid up in front of the pack giving PJ Egbert, Garrett Gregory, Oakes and Sobbing the opening to drive by. This left Dotson with a big lead. Gregory made a late run on Egbert for second, but Dotson in his Big Sky Scientific, Speedwerx, crate powered by Longhorn by Loenbro Chassis was checked out by nearly a full straightaway taking the checkers.

 

“It was a good night, we were able to hold them off,” said Dotson. “Coming to a new track we try to watch as many races as possible and learn what we can. See where the other classes are running, entering/exiting. We make our adjustments and hope for the best.”

 

“We changed quite a bit from the heat to the feature. The track stayed pretty slimy and we didn't really prepare for that today. We changed a lot, but I think we got better.”

 

“It was a bad deal, I'm sorry his stuff is torn up. We can't see behind us and I didn't know he was there. Getting into (turn) 1 on the bottom was slimy and I knew I couldn't make it down there. Once I got by the lap car I tried to get back to my line up top. He(Whiteaker) happened to be there. It wasn't my intention. It is what it is, a racing deal.”

 

“We'll see how the series goes. We plan on hitting them all.”

 

“I want to thank Paul Leech and all his kids in Montana, this is his car. Steve Arpin, Austin Bloom, Nicholas, my dad, Longhorn by Loenbro and all the guys at their shop.”

 

Texas Modifieds

01 Ethan Dotson, 77 Garrett Gregory, 707 PJ Egbert, 99 Jesse Sobbing, 44 Fred Wojtek, 91 Craig Oakes, 12 Cody Leonard, 14t Talon Minten, 94 Chris Morris, 8gII Logan Dinsmore, 5r Ryan Doyon, 89 Steve Whiteaker jr., 129 Jamie Campbell, 53x Chandler Fox, 24r Robby Minten, 8g Greg Dinsmore

 

Texas Modified heats

Heat 1; 94 Chris Morris, 44 Fred Wojtek, 89 Steve Whiteaker jr., 91 Craig Oakes, 01 Ethan Dodson, 12 Cody Leonard, 8gII Logan Dinsmore, 53x Chandler Fox

 

Heat 2; 99 Jesse Sobbing, 707 PJ Egbert, 77 Garrett Gregory, 24r Robby Minten, 14t Talon Minten, 129 Jamie Campbell, 5r Ryan Doyon, 8g Greg Dinsmore

 

Torres Takes Top Spot

The start of the 20-lap Limited Modified feature saw Shane Hebert and I-37 Speedway race director, Johnny Torres stay wheel to wheel into turn 1. Torres, using the top, was able to pull ahead of S. Hebert to lead lap 1 trailed by S. Hebert, Marcus Mikulencak, Trent Beaver and Jackie Davis. Torres got away by five car lengths early while Cody Leonard swapped fifth with Davis.

 

Coming to halfway S. Hebert closed in on Torres with Mikulencak, Beaver and Leonard in the top five. The lead duo came up on traffic Allowing S. Hebert to get to Torres bumper while Beaver caught Mikulencak for third. S. Hebert tried to pin Torres behind a slower car, but Torres dove low leaving S. Hebert stuck behind the lapper.

 

A lap 17 spin by Johnny Brown slowed the action to set up a three lap shootout. Torres got away by a couple car lengths on green, but a spin by Davis the next lap would set up a green, white, checker finish. Torres again got a good jump on S. Hebert with Beaver and Mikulencak swapping third. Torres, in his Scott Ball Racing, Allens 24/7 Towing, Sundowner Performance Diesel, Tator Plumbing, All in Designs, G&M Oilfield Service, Mission Auto Parts, F-Bomb Diesel, Swenson Race Shocks by JT, Wells Race Engines, IRP Chassis held S. Hebert off to score the win.

 

“Luckily I started outside the front row after the redraw.” replied Torres a multi-time I-37 track champion. “It's always the guy that barely makes the redraw that starts up front. I've been on both sides of that, so I'll take it.”

 

“I really felt like if I just hit marks no one could get by. The track was pretty hammer down. I had some trouble with lap cars and figured if it was that tough to get by them it was going to be even tougher to get around me. I was trying some new stuff in the heat race, and it didn't work out at all. I changed front springs and a bunch of things. We pretty much put it back the way it was.”

 

“JJ's(Jennings) car is pretty much the same as Shane's(Hebert) car. Shane built it and puts his set up on it. Those guys are good, they can adapt to another car. It didn't really matter if it was JJ or Shane. They're both pretty good at what they do. They're going to be on top of their game either way.”

 

Southern Limited Modifieds

66 Johnny Torres, 26 Shane Hebert, 79 Marcus Mikulencak, 12r Roly

Rodriguez, h15 Joseph Pontin jr., 14 Trent Beaver, 24r Johnny Brown, 87a David Anderson, 38 Jackie Davis, 9c Chace Hebert, 30k Cody Leonard, 4j Hayden Parsley

 

Southern Limited Modified heat

Heat 1; 26 Shane Hebert, 14 Trent Beaver, 87a David Anderson, 38 Jackie Davis, 79 Marcus Mikulencak, 66 Johnny Torres, 4j Hayden Parsley, 12r Roly Rodriguez, h15Joseph Pontin jr., 30k Cody Leonard, 9c Chace Hebert, 24r Johnny Brown

 

Temple Tames Factory Stock Field

The start of the 20-lap Factory Stock feature saw Dakota Hurley get to turn 1 first, but it was a past track champion, Tryton Temple, getting past on the back stretch to lead lap 1. GW Hessong followed Temple by Da. Hurley to second with Da. Hurley, Donald Cain and Aaron Leddy in the top five. Leddy took fourth from Da. Hurley as the top two began to ease away.

 

Hessong gave Temple a couple looks low as they approached the crossed flags with the top five holding as Temple, Hessong, Cain, Leddy and Da. Hurley. Scott Jerkins slowed on the back stretch for a caution at the mid point. On the restart, Cain got past Hessong for second bringing Da. Hurley along to third.

 

The top three were nose to tail with Da. Hurley now showing Cain the nose. Da. Hurley was able to get the spot a lap later and start to close on Temple for the lead. Da. Hurley almost threw away a chance on lap 15 when he half spun, jumped an infield tire and took a side trip through the infield, but only loosing some ground to Temple.

 

Temple, now out front by a half straight with two to go saw that lead erased when Cameron Dinsmore spun while battling with Leddy for fifth. Once back to green Da. Hurley and Hessong battled side by side for second giving Temple a little breathing room to take the victory in his new Wild Child Chassis.

 

“The track was heavy, gripped up, it was fun,” exclaimed Temple. “We started out front and I felt some pressure coming in the last laps. I just had to hold my line and hope they couldn't get under me.”

 

“This(new car) is basically the same as my old one, except one is easier to work on than the other. This is the second race with it, it's proven to be pretty good so far.”

 

“I'm always concerned if someone if finding a better line behind me and pass me on the high side. It's been done here before so I'm always kind of leery.”

 

“I wasn't sure about chasing the series points, but I don't know. We have a pretty good points lead now. We'll see what happens tomorrow.”

 

I want to thank James Parks with Proline Fabrication for building the body in two days. My dad and step dad, without them I wouldn't be where I am right now. My mom, Donald Cain, John Lieta and Drew, the best crew I could ask for.”

 

Factory Stocks

99 Tryton Temple, 40 Dakota Hurley, 747 GW Hessong, 24 Donald Cain, 93 Aaron Leddy, 98 Dillon Gaither, 54 Melvin Kemp, 44 Michael Keylich, 4d Dustin Hurley, 3 Abraham Mares, 68 Kenny Wright, 20 Mike Lyon, 8c Cameron Dinsmore, 30 Riley Heil, 9c Caitlin Leonard, 10 Scott Jerkins, 34h Hunter Peterson, 31 Allen Torres---dns, 99h Danny Herbert---dns, 75 Jerry Miller---dns

 

Factory Stock heats

Heat 1; 8c Cameron Dinsmore, 99 Tryton Temple, 44k Michael Keylich, 40 Dakota Hurley, 24 Donald Cain, 98 Dillon Gaither, 9c Caitlin Leonard, 99h Danny Hebert, 75 Jerry Miller, 31 Allen Torres

 

Heat 2; 30 Riley Heil, 747 GW Hessong, 68 Kenny Wright, 4d Dustin Hurley, 93 Aaron Leddy, 20 Mike Lyon, 3 Abraham Mares, 10 Scott Jerkins, 34h Hunter Peterson, 54k Melvin Kemp

[rebelracewriter]

[NickHolt]

Looks like good money on the line for this series.

[arob]

Car count should double for each class in the Dallas area as well.