OneDirt Fall/Winter 2017 by Xceleration Media

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100% Dirt Track Racing

Olives and opinions

don’t like olives. I mean, I literally possess an endless disdain for them. In fact, my loathing of that bitter little fruit runs so deep that I won’t eat anything they’ve even remotely touched. Call me what you will, but there’s not a scenario where I’m going to eat even a part of one. Ben Shelton It’s not the olive’s fault that I don’t like it. It’s my personal preference, so I just avoid them altogether. At this point in my life, if I were to eat one, I couldn’t hold the olive accountable for my bad experience. Based upon my previous encounters with them, the outcome of my actions would rest solely on my shoulders. I like apples and oranges and a host of other fruits, so I stay on that path when choosing what I’ll eat. So, now that you’ve read my rant about olives, I’m sure many of you are thinking, “Come on Shelton, get to the damn point of this article.” Right you fine folks are, so let’s beat around the bush no longer. My unpleasant regard for olives is not that much different than some folk’s opinions of certain tracks and/or series. I see these entities getting bashed over and over again on social media and forums. The funny thing though is often, it’s the same person raising nine kinds of hell about the exact same thing. Early in my time in this sport, I used to think to myself, “Man that track should really get their act together, so that they don’t disappoint this person so bad.” And maybe sometimes that is indeed the case. However, more and more as I get older, I start to think to myself that maybe the track and/or series isn’t the one at fault. Einstein is widely accredited for an extraordinary definition of the term “insanity.” While I can’t prove nor disprove he was the one to coin it with this description, I do love the sentiment. Basically, he said insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Man, oh man, did that wild-haired genius hit the proverbial nail on the head. His description accurately describes many things that humans do in their daily existences. For me, it might be more times than not losing far more money than I make at the casino. For others, it might be perpetually eating unhealthy food and gaining weight. Yet, for others — a little closer to home — it might be going to the same track repeatedly, and 90 percent of the time, leaving unhappy about the way things are run. It seems to me that at some point, you have to make the educated decision to find somewhere else to get your racing fix. This place that puts you in such a foul mood is not the answer. There has to be a better solution. Try going to another track or racing with another series. See if the grass truly is greener on the other side. Maybe it will be, or maybe it won’t. However, if you don’t give it a shot, you’ll never really know. The one certainty is you aren’t going to find your happy place at your current locale. As I get older and start to notice more gray hairs taking residence on my head, I start to really appreciate that life is definitely too short to do things that don’t make you happy. Of course, for most folks, your daily job is not going to make you happy. That’s just a bitter pill that has to be swallowed. However, what we do in our recreation time is actually something that we can dictate. Many of us are lucky to live in areas where there are multiple tracks within an hour or so of us. Give a new one a shot. Maybe you’ll make the choice to ride out the one that currently drives you crazy. That’s your choice, but please remember that if the race nights continue to get on your last nerve, you can really only blame yourself. You put yourself in that situation, knowing what the likely outcome would be. For me, I’ll continue to dodge olives like the plague. I’ve found too many other foods that my taste palate desires far more. Best wishes on finding the best options to eliminate the “olives” from your own life.

Staff Operations Director Shawn Brereton Editorial Director Ben Shelton Senior Tech Editor Jeff Smith Tech Editor

Richard Holdener

Copy Editor

Cindy Bullion

Digital Editors

Jonathan Ertz Elizabeth Puckett

Production

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Art

Paul Graff

Contributors Brady Alberson Dave Argabright Clayton Johns Kevin Newsom

Elliott Aldrich Dan Hodgdon Billy Moyer Jr. Whitney Thomas

Advertising/Subscriptions

Ivan Korda John Nichols For advertising inquiries, call 901.260.5910 OneDirt is published bi-annually to promote the growth of dirt track racing as well as recognize the parts and services from participating manufacturers. The magazine consists of dedicated information from partner companies with the mission of disseminating unfiltered editorial on companies, products and services directly to dirt racing participants and fans. Editorial content and advertisements for each issue can originate from partner companies participating in the magazine. OneDirt is a hybrid of content that was originally published at OneDirt.com and original content that was created for this biannual print magazine. Magazine distribution occurs through direct distribution from parent company Xceleration Media and partner companies. OneDirt is a property of Xceleration Media. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent from Xceleration Media. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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LIVING LIFE KYLE LARSON TALKS RACING

BRAD DOTY THE HUMBLE LEGEND

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CONTENTS FEATURES 04 LEGENDS ALONG THE WAY Undaunted Doty

06 RACER SPOTLIGHT

What Landon Crawley lacks in age he makes up for in confidence

16 HEY PICTURE GUY

Learn about the guy behind the camera

28 NASCAR GETS DIRTY

Trucks plus dirt equal pure entertainment

34 HONORING A LEGEND

Larry Stacey looms large in Canadian racing history

42 FUN MAXIMIZED

Kyle Larson lives life to the fullest

50 SPEAKING OF SAFETY

Strides made in the name of racer safety

68 THE SILVER STANDARD

There’s a newbie on the crown jewel scene

76 MAD MAX

Thunder Dome no match for talented wheelman

84 DOUBLE DOWN FOR THE WIN

Jason Sides is a Sprint Car working class hero

92 IN HIS OWN WORDS

From podium to Panda Express, Spencer Bayston tells all

94 4-LAP DASH

TECH 18 THE JOIE OF SAFETY

Take a guided trip through safety history with a racing legend

20 WINNING IS EXHAUSTING Extra power in unexpected places

26 THINK THIN

Weight loss makes a difference even with piston rings

32 TECH MADE SIMPLE BMJ shocks us all

38 LET ME TELL YOU A STORY Schoenfeld Headers humble beginnings

48 IT’S TOOL TIME

Five must-have top drawer tools

54 THE DRIVING FORCE

Winning on and off the track drives these men

66 IGNITING SUCCESS

Unprecedented ignition technology enters the market

74 ECONOMICAL LIFEBLOOD

New kid on the block in the affordable oil market

80 KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TRACK

Custom parts position top racers in front of the bright lights

86 OLE IRON SIDES

Seeing the need and meeting it

90 START THE PARTY Guided tour of starter install

Fearless leader of FALS takes us behind the scenes

Even more tech, features, & videos

@OneDirt.com 2 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

SPEED SHOP

DEPARTMENTS

Ultra-Pro Solid Roller Lifters Crane Cams ........................... 58 Circle Track Engines Quicksilver............................................ 58 Trailing Arms Etheridge Race Parts......................................... 59 6CT Ignition Control MSD....................................................... 59 I-Beam Connecting Rods Lunati............................................ 60 Serpentine Water Pump Drive Jones Racing Products......... 60 GM Sportsman Tool Steel Camshaft COMP Cams............... 61 E6 CD Circle Track Ignition FAST.......................................... 62 Race Wax Driven Racing Oil..................................................... 62 8.1L Iron Cylinder Heads Quicksilver...................................... 62 Power Steering Fluid Jones Racing Products........................ 63 Crate Engine Headers Schoenfeld Headers.......................... 64 Ultra-Thin Ring Packs Total Seal........................................... 64 Hydraulic Universal Release Bearing Quarter Master....... 65

01 GOING GREEN Letter from the Editor

08 SPEED NEWS

The latest “dirt” from the racing world

10 DIGITAL GUIDE

The best sites, apps, and social media centered on dirt

12 SOCIAL MEDIA SOUNDOFF Your online comments to OneDirt topics

14 VIDEO REWIND

Racing, product, and entertainment videos

58 SPEED SHOP

Hottest products to hit the dirt

93 PUT IT TO THE TEST Oil Filter Cutter

96 PARTING SHOT Until we meet again

SPECIAL THANKS

The staff of OneDirt would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the talented photographers that supplied the images found in this issue. Without their talents and willingness to help, there would not be a OneDirt print magazine. Richard Allen insidedirtracing.com

Byron Fichter byronfichter.com

Jones Sports Media jonessportsmedia.com

Mike Ruefer mikerueferphotos.photoreflect.com

Paul Arch

Justin Fiedler

Todd Boyd photosbyboyd.smugmug.com

Jay Fish

Seth Lacewell slpracingpics.smugmug.com

Steve Schnars Schnarzy.com

Scott Frazier scottfrazierphotography.smugmug.com

Heath Lawson heathlawsonphotos.com

Rick Schwallie Latemodelphotos.com

Eric Gano epa-photography.smugmug.com

Dan McFarland

Robert Wojcik facebook.com/bertwojoimages

Jamie Brabson jbhotshots.com Lloyd Collins fasttrackphotos.net Jim DenHamer denhamerphoto.smugmug.com

Woody Hampton woodyhamptonphotos.com

Brian Nipe

Photo by Heath Lawson

OneDirt.com 3

Legends Along the WAY BY DAVE ARGABRIGHT

BRAD DOTY

e was born into a modest family, raised on farm chores amid a simple Ohio life. And then came the events that would make Brad Doty one of the most respected and beloved figures in American motorsports. This series is about legends I have known, and I suspect Brad would immediately quash any description of him that includes the word “legend.” I disagree; I have seen the effect he has on others, and his ability to inspire. At any rate, there can be no disputing the fact Brad has provided all of us with a glimpse of how one finds the strength — and grace — to deal with the unthinkable. Brad burst upon the Sprint Car scene in 1981, when he earned Rookie of the Year honors with the All Stars Circuit of Champions. The following season, he joined the World of Outlaws, where he also won rookie honors. Over the next few years, he became one of the most popular drivers on the tour, known for his easy smile and warm interactions with fans across the country. But, his racing career came to a shattering end on July 23, 1988, when he was caught up in a violent crash at Eldora Speedway. He suffered a spinal injury that left him a paraplegic, and at age 31, he was forced to adapt to a new life, a new world, a new reality. Brad soon returned to the sport in a new role: television analyst. During the past 25 years, he has brought considerable stature and respect to racing broadcasts on TNN, Speed TV, The Outdoor Channel, MAV TV, and other networks.

4 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

When you came upon a broadcast featuring Brad’s commentary, there was — and is — a sense that this is an important race. Life dealt Brad a cruel hand, stealing his ability to walk. Don’t think for one moment he accepted his fate cheerfully; he struggled with a range of emotions as he adapted to life in a wheelchair. He managed to push through the haze of anger and bitterness to embrace life and all it has to offer, in whatever form. The bottom line is Brad Doty didn’t allow a bad thing to define him, and steal his joy. That easy, happy smile has never gone away, not for very long. The most inspiring element of Brad’s story is how he rose up to go beyond the natural limitations of his injury. The wheelchair might have limited his mobility, but it could not limit his life and his living. He figured out how to use hand controls in an automobile,

Brad Doty

By Dave Argabright

and he uses an electric cart that enables him to mow his grass. He’s as much of a shop rat as he’s always been, crawling under a car to fix something or welding all sorts of different projects. At the time of his accident, I did not know Brad well. I had watched him race quite a bit, and had interviewed him briefly a time or two. But, our destinies were intertwined much more than we could have realized in those early years. In 1998, I made the decision to leave the corporate world to focus fulltime on motorsports writing. I figured I should write a book, because that’s what writers do, right? I thought about various topics, and Brad’s story crossed my mind. I gave him a call and presented him with the idea of writing a book together. After some reluctance, he finally agreed to proceed. “Nobody is going to be interested in reading about me,” he insisted. I believed otherwise, and I’m delighted to say this: I was right. Our finished project — Still Wide Open, published in November 1999 — proved to be a rousing success. People were fascinated with Brad’s story, in which he offered considerable candor

Brad Doty (right) working a TV broadcast with Bobby Gerould.

and insight into his life. Brad’s book was a very important episode in my life. It was my first book, and had it flopped, I probably would have abandoned my dream of a full-time career and returned to the corporate world. Still Wide Open began my association with Brad Doty, the legend. Yes, the legend. Writing the book called for us to spend a great many hours together, and in the post-production phase, we traveled together and did many book signings and appearances. I was amazed at the way people loved Brad; they lit up when they came face to face with him, eagerly sharing their respect and affection. Brad’s gentle personality and easy smile has allowed people to be immediately comfortable, and they always seem eager to shake his hand and exchange a greeting. I figured out this much right away: Everybody loves Brad Doty. Well, I suppose everybody might be an exaggera-

Dave Argabright (left) at a book signing with Brad Doty.

tion, because in today’s world of nasty voices, he has surely encountered a few haters. But, I think you could fit all of them in a Toyota Prius and still have enough room for a case of beer. In the years since Still Wide Open was published, I have been fortunate to have a steady association with Brad. We worked together on many racing broadcasts, and we updated the book with a second publishing in 2011. Most of all, we have enjoyed an enduring friendship. I have had the privilege of meeting Brad’s family and many of his friends, and he likewise has come to know my family. Our visits and phone calls always include rumors and shop talk and differing opinions — he’s usually wrong and I’m right, but I can’t always get him to see that. Every time we finish our visit, I’m feeling upbeat and more positive about life in general. The funny thing is that, despite his long and productive role in the media,

Left-to-right: Doug Wolfgang, Brad Doty, Dave Argabright

Brad still doesn’t realize he has affected and inspired a significant number of people. His work on television and his columns in SprintCar and Midget Magazine continue to reach a significant audience, and his voice remains respected and relevant. But when someone tells him how much they admire his work, he seems surprised, even amazed. His humility is genuine, and he is absolutely as grounded and down to earth as ever. In a private moment, Brad will admit he wishes he could throw that damned wheelchair in the recycle heap. After nearly 30 years, he still has to deal with an extra layer of work and preparation each day that the rest of us cannot fully appreciate. Don’t kid yourself; if he could press rewind and make things turn out differently, he would. He has lived through many moments of sadness and resentment and bitterness. He’s human. However, he doesn’t dwell on shoulda, woulda, coulda, and he rolls on through life with a great attitude and a warm sense of humor. Brad Doty, a legend? You bet he is. And then some. No matter how you define the term, few people in motorsports have made such a significant impact on those around them. I’m saying this from a personal perspective: Brad has inspired me with his courage and humility and toughness and determination. Our travels together have proven this influence goes well beyond his private circle of family and friends. If you ever happen to be at a track where Brad is, definitely take a moment to say “Hello.” Tell him I think he’s a legend, and don’t let him argue about it. OneDirt.com 5

RACER SPOTLIGHT

LANDON CRAWLEY By Kevin Newsom

“S

o, you’re saying I’m slow, you think you can go faster than me?” Crawley exclaims with his hands on his hips and his chest stuck out. No, not that Crawley named Tim, but rather his son, the fired up, 9-yearold version named Landon. Affectionately known by his ever-growing fan base as “The Craw-Puppy,” Landon has that look in his eye, and it was omnipresent that Saturday afternoon in April 2017 at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway. Landon had just made the transition from the Go Kart ranks, where he’d sometimes compete in three divisions in one night, to the super-tough 600cc Micro-Sprint class. “I wanted to get him some practice laps in before we turned him loose in the car to actually race, and man, he looked good,” father Tim explains. To which Landon responds, “What did you think would happen?” while signing an autograph for a new fan. I recently spoke with Landon — and his parents, Tim and Lora — to get know him better:

What grade are you in, and what do you like most about school? I am in the fourth grade, and I like reading, recess, and lunch.

PHOTO BY JONES SPORTS MEDIA

Why dirt track racing? So that I can go racing with my dad, whenever he races his Sprint car. It’s a lot of fun to spend time with him at the track. It’s a bonus that I get to race now too. How did you get started? When I was 6 years old, I went to Branson, Missouri, and rode Go Karts with a friend. I came home and told my dad I wanted to try and race Go Karts. Once I got comfortable with the Go Kart [about two years later], my dad bought me the Mini Sprint so that we could travel and race together. Other than your dad, who is your favorite Sprint Car Driver? Steve Kinser is my favorite because he’s better than Donny [Schatz]. [Note: Comically, a painful expression on Lora’s face was the non-verbal response to her son’s answer. Full disclosure, I already knew the answer to this question, I just wanted Lora to eternally see it in print here in OneDirt.] Do you want to keep racing when you grow up? Yes, because it is fun. I would love to race for a living with the World of Outlaws one day. What’s the one big race you hope to win one of these days? The Tulsa Shootout because all of the fast guys are there. I want to be able to say that I beat them all and got a Golden Driller trophy. Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you along so far? My parents, Doug Wright with Built Wright Engines, Butler Heat and Air, Southern Renovations, Big Jakes Complete Auto Care, Mid-State Golf Cars, Xtreme Towing, Stealth Recovery, XRG, James Autobody, Deatherage Optical, EFR, AMC, and Senter Farms. All of these people help me to do what I love most, which is race.

Spend five minutes with Landon and you’ll quickly see he has two different personalities. He’s a free-spirited, fun-loving kid that does the normal 9-year-old kid things. However, once the helmet goes on, he has a look in his eyes that reminds this old guy of that same look racers of past have had. Racers who would rather race than eat; racers that would race whenever and wherever. Time will tell how far this young racer can/will go. I’m betting it’s a long way.

PHOTO BY JONES SPORTS MEDIA

PHOTO BY SETH LACEWELL

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Speed NEWS NEWS / HEADLINES / HOT TOPICS VP Racing gets youth back on track

Batesville biggie Long known for always coming up with new and innovative events, Mooney Starr is back at it again. He’s announced details for the inaugural Race For Hope 74 at his Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Arkansas. The mega-event for IMCA Modifieds will be held September 26-30. The week of racing will climax with a 74-lap finale that will pay $20,000 to win and $2,000 to start at the 3/8-mile, red-clay oval. The total week’s purse is in excess of $150,000. Proceeds from the event will benefit Mark and Arlene Martin’s Hope for Arkansas Foundation, which places an emphasis on improving the quality of life for children and families across the state.

VP Racing Fuels recently announced its support for Prime Motivation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disconnected youth stay in school and focus on future personal and career-oriented goals. VP will help support events staged by Prime Motivation on high school campuses to showcase customized vehicles with the latest aftermarket and high-tech products and gadgets. The vehicles facilitate discussion of the work and skills needed to customize the vehicles, as well as associated career opportunities in the automotive industry. Teens can participate in hands-on workshops, educational seminars, and demonstrations that cover topics such as mobile electronics, manufacturing, research and development, auto body, and more. “The objective of Prime Motivation is to reduce the number of out-of-school, out-of-work youths by providing them with the opportunity to look, touch, hear, and see the tour vehicles and the products installed in them,” said Donato Bonaquisto, director of marketing for VP Racing Fuels. “It’s a fun, innovative, interactive strategy which promotes a positive message to motivate youths to further their education and seek vocational training as a possible career path to help lead them towards a path of self-sufficiency, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Bryan Clauson Suite Tower becomes a reality Construction of the Bryan Clauson Suite Tower at the legendary Knoxville Raceway in Iowa has been under way since June 15. “This truly is a groundbreaking time for the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum and for all of Sprint Car racing,” said National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Executive Director Bob Baker during a groundbreaking ceremony. “Bryan Clauson’s legacy continues to give back to the sport he so dearly loved, and his family and friends are right here with him. “We can’t thank Richard and Jennifer Marshall, Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and all of Bryan’s closest friends enough for helping us preserve Bryan’s legacy and insuring the future of our museum,” continued Baker. “Bryan Clauson showed us a lot more than the fast way around a race track. And we all owe him our thanks, for all he showed us”. The tower is located outside of Turn 2, adjacent to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum and existing suites. The June 15 groundbreaking date was a significant choice because Clauson would’ve celebrated his 28th birthday. 8 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

Speed NEWS

NEWS / HEADLINES / HOT TOPICS

Fallen officer saluted Jack Sullivan has won dozens of races in his career, as well as multiple track and series championships. However, the gesture he made in July may have been his richest accomplishment to date. Sullivan and his team paid homage to fallen officer Will McGary, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty on February 1, 2013. The hard-working 26-year-old was fatally struck by an impaired driver while protecting and serving the citizens of Conway, Arkansas. Since the officer’s passing, the Will McGary Foundation was formed to continue his legacy by benefiting both the youth and law enforcement in Central Arkansas. To bring awareness to the foundation and to salute the life of Officer McGary, Sullivan, also from Arkansas, donned a commemorative wrap on his Super Late Model at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway on July 15. Sullivan’s customary #18 was replaced by the #474 — McGary’s badge number. “It’s a huge honor to run Officer McGary’s badge number on my car,” Sullivan said. “I think we are all guilty of sometimes taking for granted the dangers that the men and women of law enforcement face every day to protect us. They are truly the bravest of the brave, and I thank them for all that they do.” Sullivan also had shirts made, with all money collected from sales at the event going to the Foundation. For more information on the Will McGary Foundation, visit www.willmcgaryfoundation.org.

The one and only

POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League racer Logan Seavey utilized his racing skills from the real world to claim a title in the virtual one — the inaugural title in the iRacing World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. Not only did the young driver from California find victory lane on the game, but he also was victorious in his Midget at Illinois’ Lincoln Speedway in early June. “I get on iRacing with my buddies, and we practice and race a lot,” he says. “I love the dirt racing feature and tracks. It’s just awesome how well they’ve modeled how the dirt tracks change over the course of a race, although being a racer, I’m always looking to take the next step. iRacing has always been about getting better and better and, good as the dirt racing is already, I’m sure it’ll only get better.”

The Wild West Shootout gets richer The Keyser Quarter-Million Challenge will expand for the 2018 Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout at Arizona Speedway, increasing the odds of a driver leaving the mid-winter Dirt Late Model meet with bonus money. When Dirt Late Model teams assemble at the 1/3-mile oval outside Phoenix for six nights of racing January 6-14, a checkered flag sweep of the mini-series by one driver will for the third consecutive year be worth a blockbuster $250,000 bonus. In addition, winning five of six features will again earn a racer an extra $100,000, and capturing four races offers a $25,000 prize. For the first time, however, three Wild West Shootout triumphs will provide a driver a bonus of $10,000. “The Wild West Shootout is the racing event in January everyone looks forward to after the off-season,” said Scott Keyser, who operates Keyser Manufacturing. “It has been great having the Challenge be part of the event the past two years. We decided to take it a step further this year and offer a bonus if a driver wins three out of the six races. The chances of that happening are pretty high, and we couldn’t be more excited to add that extra reward to the competitors.” Bobby Pierce won three events at the race in 2017, while Jonathan Davenport was also a three-time winner during the 2016 edition. OneDirt.com 9

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Social Media SOUND OFF FACEBOOK / TWITTER / MULTIMEDIA We like to provide photos and topics that promote good-natured debates amongst our more than 177,000 fans on Facebook. We shared this photo from Minnesota’s Ogilvie Raceway, where Jimmy Mars had an up close and personal encounter with an infield tire after a steering malfunction on his #28 Super Late Model. We decided to ask our patrons the always-polarizing questions of whether or not infield tires are a good idea. As expected, we got adamant opinions on both sides of the argument. To make sure you don’t miss the next great debate, please like us at facebook.com/onedirtdotcom

SOCIAL MEDIA

Things get crazy sometimes with infield tires at racetracks. Are tractor tires around the infield a good or bad idea?

FACEBOOK A FEW OF OUR FRIENDS

PHOTO BY BRIAN NIPE

EDDIE HEARN: Yes, tires tear up a lot of stuff, but there is 80-90 foot of race track above said tires. Use it!

JIM NELSON: All national series should tell track operators after hot laps that the tractor tires need to be pushed into the infield.

GREG ECKL: These tires only do damage and cost racers tons of money.

JAMES BETTIS: Looks like tire 1, racecar 0

VICTOR EARLE JR.: Tire will win every time. Best thing a track can do is get rid of them.

JOHN WINTERSTINE: I like racing, but hate to see cars get hurt

BEAU PURSELL: Rather there be tires than barrels. Barrels fly if they get hit and the end of a wall is far worse.

RAY MERLI: Most dumb thing ever at a racetrack. All they do is destroy good racecars. Should boycott tracks that use them.

BE SOCIAL!

When you are at the track, use hashtag #OneDirt on pics from the pits, racing shots, and any other cool dirt stuff that we all dig… or even give us a shoutout @OneDirtRacing to share something, and we might even repost it. facebook.com/OneDirtdotcom @OneDirt @OneDirtRacing youtube.com/OneDirtRacing 12 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

ROD CONNOR: Infield tires don’t work

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Video Rewind is where we point out interesting videos found on the Internet — whether historical, funny, dramatic, or technical. We like them and thought you might, too.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with our original and curated video content that is updated daily by the OneDirt editorial staff. youtube.com/OneDirtRacing

To watch all the videos below, head to: OneDirt.com/video-rewind

CAUTION TO THE WIND

In a OneDirt exclusive, Ben Shelton and Chris Douglas embark on a no-holds barred live show on the third Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m. CST. If it’s dirt track racing, then it’s fair game. Viewer questions are encouraged and rewarded with prizes. If you don’t catch the show as it happens on Facebook Live, fear not as we archive it on OneDirt.com.

TOOLBOX TALK

World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car racer Greg Wilson gives us a guided tour through the toolbox that keeps him in winning form. See if he has a cool new tool that’s a must-have for your own arsenal.

CHAIN RACE INSANITY

Three cars are chained together while racing other competitors. What could possibly go wrong? Find out in this hilarious video.

HOW TO MEASURE FOR A FIRE SUIT Always wondering why your new fire suits never fit quite right? Maybe the problem is that you aren’t correctly taking your measurements. Get your questions answered in this video.

For more videos, search “Video Rewind” at OneDirt.com. 14 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

TAKE A WALK

Take a guided tour with OneDirt through the pit area at the 2017 edition of the Show Me 100.

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800.772.2678 OneDirt.com 15

Editor Note: There’s no shortage of awesome photographers in dirt track racing. This is a fact that is not lost on our staff at OneDirt. As a result, we started this new feature profiling some of our sport’s brightest photogs.

teve Schnars grew up in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. He graduated from SUNY Brockport and moved to California in 1987 to attend the police academy. He was a cop for 23 years and worked in various roles, including patrol, narcotics, community policing, driving instructor, and tactical officer at the police academy. He retired from the force as a Captain in 2012, due to a serious neck injury. Since then, he’s been heavily involved in motorsports photography. We recently caught up with Steve to get his thoughts on life as a racing photographer.

PHOTO BY HEATH LAWSON 16 OneDirt.com 16 OneDirt.com // Vol. Vol. 4,4, Issue Issue 22

When and where did you get started taking racing photos, and what was your inspiration?

My first event to ever shoot was a weekly show at Lerneville Speedway in 2012. I went to the track with the Chub Frank Racing boys and jumped into shooting headfirst. I had no idea what I was doing, and that has served me well ever since. Speedway Motors bought some photos from me last year, and one of the photos from that night — of the cars in the line-up chute, focused on John Volpe #53 — was used as one of their covers. That was a really cool moment for me. I grew up in the sport at Pennsylvania’s Stateline Speedway, which was operated by Chub Frank’s family. I have no talent for driving or working on the cars, and a guy can only drink so much beer. Thus, shooting was about all that was left for me to try.

Who are some of your favorite racing photographers?

Steve Towery was a huge help early on when I first got started. He took the time to share settings and techniques with me. Mike Ruefer is a talented guy and shared his philosophy for a successful night of shooting. Obviously, Heath Lawson has become a very successful shooter, and he’s a good kid to boot. The California/Arizona Sprint Car group is always friendly and a pleasure to shoot alongside.

Which dirt track division is your favorite to shoot?

lucky enough to get hours on my Harley Davidson 12 months out of the year.

What’s the hardest part of racing photography?

It’s a social media driven world, and free products trump quality products. There’s ways to make some money, but it’s very time consuming. You do not want to do the math and figure out an hourly wage. Sadly, a plethora of talented shooters are hanging up their cameras this year due to money, time, and social media.

What’s your best pieces of advice for someone trying to break into the photography business? Buy quality gear. There’s a lot of great used gear available at a fair price. Talk to as many photographers as you can, as most are very approachable. Most importantly, understand the business and the culture. When you visit a track, find out who the track photographer is and go introduce yourself. Let them know why you’re there and that you understand it’s their track. Be brave. Try shooting from different (but safe) areas. Shoot with a flash, off-camera flash, no flash, and do some slow shutter speed panning. Do not get in a rut artistically. Last, but not least, do not upload your entire album on Facebook.

What’s an event you’ve never shot that’s on your bucket list?

I’m a Late Model guy. I grew up watching Bob Schnars, Jay Plyler, and Skip Furlow running Stateline Speedway and Eriez Speedway. Then, I hung out as the beverage manager for Chub Frank before I moved to California. The Late Models are hurting out West, so it’s hard to catch them very often. I appreciate the Non-Wing Sprinters, Midgets, and the Modifieds, and each has the potential to put on an outstanding show.

East Bay Raceway Park (Gibsonton, Florida) for the Winternationals and the Hell Tour in the Midwest are definitely on my bucket list.

Do you ever worry about having your camera damaged by flying dirt clods?

Reflective vests. Race cars don’t have headlights, and reflective vests reflect direct light, not ambient light. Also, everyone shooting in the same corner or location gets on my nerves. I know certain places, like Turn 1 at Tulare, are the action spots, but there are other places to capture shots that tell the story of the event.

I like shooting from the outside of the track, thus, it’s often a contact sport for me. It’s risk vs. reward for the equipment and myself. I shoot with filters on all my lenses, so if the glass takes a direct hit, I’m confident the filter will take the damage. So far, I’ve only been hit in the head a few times, so no real risk to me personally.

When not taking photos, what is your favorite pastime? I enjoy races as a spectator; I’ve been a fan for over 50 years. I love spending time with my grandkids and family. Living in SoCal, I’m

What’s your favorite track(s) to take pictures?

Fairbury American Legion Speedway (Fairbury, Illinois) and Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, Pennsylvania)

What’s your biggest pet peeve as a photographer?

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever had happen while shooting an event? Boom Briggs once waved at me with all his fingers, rather than flipping me off —like he normally does. That was weird.

OneDirt.com 17

THE JOIE OF SAFETY Randy LaJoie’s history helps shape company’s future By Ben Shelton

any of you fine readers have likely heard of the race seat company, The Joie of Seating. Furthermore, most of you are probably aware the business is led by racing veteran Randy LaJoie. However, during a recent conversation with a young racer, it blatantly occurred to me that not everyone truly knows who Randy LaJoie is. Nor do they know his deep roots as a champion racer ultimately led to his pursuit of building the safest race seats available. As a result, I decided to put together a quick-hitting piece on this great man and his vision for driver safety. LaJoie first got his taste of racing back in 1973 at the tender age of 12. You see, back then, you had to be at least 12 years old to race even a Go Kart. After four successful years in the Karting ranks around his Norwalk, Connecticut, home, LaJoie was forced to take a two-year sabbatical from racing. The reason you might ask? Young racers, take a seat because you might be blown away by this fact. Back then, you had to vacate Go Karts by the age of 16, but you weren’t allowed to race full-sized cars until you were 18. My, oh my, how the times have changed. LaJoie’s racing career hit the fast-forward button once he hit the pavement ranks. He moved from Modifieds to the NASCAR North Series in 1984, and by 1985, he was the series champion. Three years later, he moved south, where he was presented with a brief opportunity to pilot an entry with the NASCAR Busch Series. It would be there that he got a cold dose of reality in the NASCAR world. “I learned pretty quick that in the top level of racing, you could get bought off a ride in a heartbeat,” LaJoie painfully reminisces. “That’s exactly what happened to me, but I knew it was where I wanted to ultimately be, so I gritted my teeth and dug in.” Working any and all jobs he could find, LaJoie stayed relevant and afloat in the heart of NASCAR country. “I did everything from fabricating cars, to driving the trucks, to spotting for teams,” LaJoie recollects. “It wasn’t a glamourous lifestyle, but I found a way to survive until my golden opportunity arose.” In 1993, LaJoie received a great offer. Dick Moroso contacted the hungry 30-year-old with an offer he couldn’t refuse. “They needed a driver for a few races in the NASCAR Busch Series and asked if I was interested,” LaJoie notes. “Of course I was, and luckily we enjoyed success almost immediately.” 18 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

After finishing second to Dale Earnhardt at Talladega Super Speedway and in the runner-up position to Mark Martin at Darlington Speedway, LaJoie became a fixture in the team’s seat for the next two years. He would move to BACE Motorsports, where he claimed the NASCAR Busch Series championships in 1996 and 1997. While enjoying success on the track, LaJoie also began building seats on the side, and by 1998, his company, the Joie of Seating was officially formed. “Early on, I started building seats because nobody else was really fabricating both a comfortable and a safe seat,” LaJoie recalls. “Business really started to take off though when one day, Sammy Swindell asked if I could build a seat like I was running in my NASCAR entry for his Sprint Car.” As LaJoie’s company began to grow, he began to do more research on what could be done to improve the safety of both the seats and the harnesses. In 2001, the untimely passing of Dale Earnhardt ignited a fire inside of the personable LaJoie. “I’d say 99.7 percent of short track drivers don’t pay enough attention to safety,” he says. “Honestly, I didn’t pay as much attention to safety as I should have until we lost Dale Earnhardt. It’s too bad it took his passing, as well as five or six others in the top NASCAR levels, but we now realize we don’t want any more injuries or deaths in race cars.” LaJoie’s company is now the only seat manufacturer to stamp aluminum to fit driver’s rear ends, which adds more comfort inside the car. As the company approaches its 20th anniversary in 2018, they continue to offer lifetime warranties on their seats. Nineteen years after founding his company, LaJoie’s racing days are long behind him, but his passion for safety is stronger than ever. “So many times I see guys spending every penny they can on every aspect of their car, while electing to skimp by on the safety measures, and that’s very sad,” LaJoie comments. “Since the beginning, my goal has been to create seats that allow you to walk away from wrecks. My company is not price driven; we are racer safety driven.” Hopefully, this quick history lesson gives many of you folks a better understanding of just who Randy LaJoie truly is, as well as the mission with which he operates his company. His position on making safety every racer’s top priority is definitely something to ponder. Source: The Joie of Seating, joieofseating.com

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OneDirt.com 19

Circle track header test By Richard Holdener

ere is an important thing to remember in any form of racing, including circle track: Every track is a horsepower track. You can never go wrong with adding horsepower, since you can always use your right foot to dial in the power, but you can never push down any farther if you don’t have enough. The one complaint drivers always have is not enough power. In our quest for power, however, we often look for the big peak numbers, as those are what sell engines. Obviously, it is better to have 350 hp than 300 hp, but there is much more to the performance of an engine on the race track than simple peak values. After all, we don’t race dynos, we race cars, and those cars have to accelerate up and down, again and again, running through a very specific portion of the power curve. Success on the track (especially circle track) depends less on the peak power a motor makes and more on the average power production over the usable range. This header test was designed to illustrate how you can greatly improve acceleration without significantly altering the peak power output of your motor.

The right header design can make significant changes in the power curve of your circle track motor.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN FIEDLER

20 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

Our 350 small-block test motor featured a circle-track oriented, hydraulic flat tappet cam and lifters from COMP Cams.

COMP Cams also supplied a spring package, guided roller-tip rockers, and hardened pushrods for the iron Vortec heads.

The small-block Chevy was equipped with a dual-plane Eliminator intake from Speedmaster. We would compare the headers both with two-barrel and four-barrel carburetion.

How is that possible? Well, headers provide much more than just exhaust flow. They actually provide a tuning effect that bolsters power production in specific rpm ranges. Much like an intake manifold, the design criteria of the headers determine the effective operating range. Alter things like primary tubing diameter and length, collector size and style, and even the length of the collector extensions, and you can significantly alter power production of the motor. More importantly, you can shift power production in specific rpm ranges, where it might be most useful. In the case of this Street Stock motor, the desire was to improve power production to help get the car off the corner and motoring down the straight. The header

test shows choosing the right header for the combination achieved just that. For many racers, headers fall into the same category as cam timing and induction theory, meaning they are one of the least understood aspects of the entire exhaust system. Most racers understand exhaust, as in more flow can equate to more power, but unlike mufflers and exhaust tubing, headers do much more than just flow exhaust. Proper headers actually provide a tuning effect on the power band. This tuning effect is not unlike that offered by the design of the intake manifold on the induction side. The power gains offered by true, long-tube headers come not so much from absolute flow, but rather from

the scavenging effect offered by things like the primary (and collector) length. Though this scavenging effect helps get exhaust out of the combustion chamber, it also helps improve airflow into the chamber during overlap. The timing of this scavenging effect — basically at what rpm it is most effective — is a function of things like the length and diameter of the primary tubing and collector, along with the length of the collector extension. Dial in these design criteria to your combination, and you can maximize power production. To illustrate the gains offered by changes in header design, we set up a test on a mild 350 Chevy Street-Stock motor. The small block featured Vortec heads, a

The 1 3/4-inch sprint car-style headers were compared to these 1 5/8-inch chassis headers from Speedmaster.

The smaller 1 5/8-inch, stainless steel headers from Speedmaster featured smaller primary tubing and 3-inch collectors run with collector extensions.

The 1 3/4-inch headers featured 3.5-inch collectors run with collector extensions.

For our first test, the 350 Chevy was equipped with a Holley 4412XP two-barrel carburetor and Wilson two-to-four-barrel adapter.

Ignition chores were handled by an MSD ignition that included this billet distributor teamed with a 6AL ignition amplifier.

The dyno test started with these 1 3/4-inch, sprint-car style headers.

OneDirt.com 21

Run with the 1 3/4-inch headers, the 350 produced 382 hp at 5,900 rpm and 399 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm.

To illustrate that the changes in the power curve offered by the headers were not specific to the two-barrel combination, we also performed the same header test with a Holley 650 XP four-barrel.

Run with the smaller 1 5/8-inch Speedmaster headers, the test motor produced 383 hp and 409 lb-ft of torque. While the peak horsepower number change by only 1 hp, the smaller headers improved torque production significantly, from 3,000 rpm all the way to 5,400 rpm (see graph 1).

Run with the four-barrel Holley and 1 3/4-inch headers, the test motor produced 418 hp at 5,900 rpm and 421 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm.

COMP circle track cam, and guided roller-tip rockers. The motor was equipped with a dual-plane, Eliminator intake from Speedmaster, which we ran both with a two-barrel Holley 4412XP carb (using a Wilson adapter) and a 650 XP four-barrel carb. To illustrate that the changes in the power curve were not specific to the two-barrel combination, we also ran

the back-to-back header test with the four-barrel. The two headers we elected to test differed in both primary tubing and collector diameter. The first sprint car style headers tested featured 1 3/4-inch primary tubing and 3 1/2-inch collectors. Both headers were run with collector extensions that

After installation of the 1 5/8-inch Speedmaster headers, the peak numbers changed slightly to 417 hp and 424 lb-ft, but once again, the smaller headers dramatically improved torque production up to 4,400 rpm. Torque gains like this can help get any circle track car off the corner ahead of the competition.

extended their respective collector sizes. The 1 3/4-inch headers were tested against a set of 1 5/8-inch chassis headers from Speedmaster. The 1 5/8-inch primary tubing was combined with 3-inch collectors feeding collector extensions. We often see a trade-off in power, as the larger headers make more peak, but often lose power down low. Such was not the case in this test. For our first test, we configured the small block with the 500-cfm Holley 4412XP carburetor and two-to-four-barrel adapter from Wilson Manifolds. The motor was run first with the 1 3/4-inch sprint-car style headers and 3.5-inch collector extensions. Equipped as such, the 350 produced 382 hp and 399 lb-ft of torque. After installation of the 1 5/8-inch headers from Speedmaster and 3-inch collector extensions, the peak numbers stood at 383 hp and 409 lb-ft of torque. The results of the header test were somewhat surprising, as the smaller 1 5/8-inch headers not only improved torque production down low, but lost no power at the top of the rev range. Having extra torque production can really help get the car off the corner, as acceleration is less about peak and more about average power production. The right headers for the combination will offer the highest average power production over the usable rpm range. The 1 5/8-inch headers from Speedmaster improved torque production significantly from 3,000 rpm all the way to 5,400 rpm.

22â&#x20AC;&#x192;OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

To illustrate that the gains offered by header design were not specific to the two-barrel, small-block combination, we also ran the motor with a Holley 650 XP four-barrel. The differences in the power curves were similar to the two-barrel combination, as the smaller 1 5/8inch Speedmaster headers improved power production down low with no penalty in peak power production. Having an extra 30-35 lbft of torque will really help get the car up to speed.

The peak power output changed very little, but the smaller headers offered significant torque gains, from 3,000 rpm all the way to 5,400 rpm. Obviously, the combination responded well to the smaller headers, as the torque output changed by more than 30 lb-ft. To illustrate these gains were not specific to the two-barrel combination, we

ran the same test again after installing a Holley 650 XP carburetor. Run with the 1 3/4-inch headers, the four-barrel 350 produced 418 hp and 421 lb-ft of torque. Run with the 1 5/8-inch headers, the 350 produced 417 hp and 424 lb-ft. Once again, the smaller headers significantly improved torque production down low, with no penalty in peak power produc-

tion up top, meaning more average power production where it is needed most. More average power equals better acceleration, which in turns equals more wins. Boy, this testing stuff is exhausting! Sources: COMP Cams, compcams.com; Holley/ Hooker/Weiand, holley.com; MSD, msdignition.com; Speedmaster, speedmaster79.com; Wilson Manifolds, wilsonmanifolds.net

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D RIZE THOEALERS U A GH IES D D ROU E TH NCE BO L B A A L M I OR VA TS A PERF D U CD I E S & O R P O M D 3S T A R B FIVE OneDirt.com 25

THINK THIN

Gapless rings are smaller, make more power By Ben Shelton

very racer wants to win. That’s not exactly a big secret. It’s been that way for more than a century, and as long as there is racing, it will most definitely continue to be that way. More times than not, the difference in winning and losing can be found in the components that go into your race car. There’s no shortage of desire amongst competitors to have the best parts available. Unfortunately, though, for many teams, it can be hard to gain access to the “latest and greatest” technology. So many times, access to cutting-edge products can be limited to only the upper-echelon teams. With this problem in mind, Total Seal Piston Rings is stepping up to the plate to bridge the gap between the technologies that racers need and their ability to obtain it. “Basically what we are doing is bringing top-notch, piston ring technology to the masses that previously only NASCAR level guys could get,” says Keith Jones, director of technical sales at Total Seal. “Our AP Ultra-Thin Ring Packs offer maximum efficiency and significantly reduced friction for normally aspirated engines.” While Total Seal has really hit their stride in the past few decades, their drive to produce innovative and creative parts began 50 years ago in 1967. The late Joe Moriarty created the Arizona-based company with the intent of manufacturing

two-piece Gapless ring sets. Of his own design, these were originally developed for use in a rotary engine. Machining the Gapless piston rings out of his garage in Phoenix, Moriarty’s company quickly began to grow. An article in Hot Rod Magazine in the early 1970s brought national exposure to the company, and from that point, things really caught fire. “The thing about Joe is that he was always striving to be better, and he instilled that value in the company, and it’s still here today,” Jones comments. “Our main goal with our products is to continually find ways to improve efficiency. We work diligently to produce minimally-sized products so that the engine doesn’t waste horsepower on overcoming the demands created by friction,” he continues. “That led us to our AP Ultra-Thin Ring technology. While thickness and weight might be minimized in the piston rings, the strength and durability is stronger than ever.” With the AP Ultra-Thin Ring Packs from Total Seal, the thickness of the top piston ring and second ring are half the thickness of a conventional ring pack. This smaller thickness results in less surface area in contact with the cylinder wall, which means less opportunity for friction. The oil ring is also less than half the thickness of an oil ring from a conventional ring pack.

PHOTO BY HEATH LAWSON

26 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

This reduction in friction within the engine means more power to the crankshaft, which results in more overall power and better fuel economy. In addition, the AP Ultra-Thin Ring Packs offer more power by implementing a 0.126-inch radial depth — typical radial depth is 0.20 inch. This reduced radial depth results in excellent bore conformability. “The bore conformability is key for performance,” Jones notes. “The reality is that cylinders bend and twist a lot under load, so the rings need to conform to match the changes. This keeps the entire process operating more efficiently by limiting ‘blow by,’ which again leads to more power.” The AP Ultra-Thin Ring Packs are available in both Gapless and conventional styles. While there are options in what you can choose for your engine, Jones is quick to note which choice is most efficient. “For some racers and builders, there’s a bit of a comfort zone with conventional rings, and I fully understand that because they’ve been used for a long time,” he says. “However, the reality is that conventional rings just aren’t as efficient because they leave a gap. This gap allows air and fuel to escape on the intake stroke. Conversely, Gapless rings are sealing the

gap, so it makes the engine a more efficient air pump. “The bottom line is that we are more than happy to sell you either configuration, but the Gapless rings will always make more power.” Total Seal is also striving to offer piston ring options for racers who are limited by specific rules packages. “We’ve developed spacer sets for racers who are required to run big groove, stock pistons,” Jones comments. “The spacers allow these competitors to run our AP Ultra-Thing Ring Packs and get all of the great benefits they have to offer, while still remaining within the constraints of their track’s rules.” From a power standpoint, Jones says the differences can be shocking. “I’ve seen as much as a 28-hp gain with the use of these spacers and AP Ultra-Thin Ring Packs,” he says. “This comes because of a massive reduction in friction.” Fifty years after Total Seal Piston Rings first began producing race-winning products, the company is now stronger than ever. With their newest technology, they are truly providing racers (from just about any division) with products that will keep them a cut above the competition. Source: Total Seal Piston Rings, totalseal.com

OneDirt.com 27

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ Thoughts on the Eldora Dirt Derby By Ben Shelton Photos by Jim Denhamer

hen you think of legendary dirt tracks, Eldora Speedway is a place that quickly pops into the minds of both fans and racers. What Earl Baltes carved out in the corn fields of Rossburg, Ohio, is a true destination. Racers want to go there and win. Fans want to go there and see who is the best behind the wheel. It’s been that way for more than 60 years, and as long as this rock called Earth continues to spin in circles, I expect it will always be that way. It’s a true mecca of the motorsports world. With events like the World 100, the Kings Royal, the Four Crown Nationals, and the Dirt Late Model Dream, the facility has more than its fair share of prestigious events. Five years ago, the facility made history once again as it announced another signature event. The high-banked oval was selected to be the location of a homecoming of sorts. For the first time since 1970, one of NASCAR’s top tour-

28 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

ing series booked a dirt event. On July 24, 2013, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series invaded the track affectionately known as the “Big E.” Eyes from around the motorsports world turned their heads to a dirt track on a Wednesday night. For many of these onlookers, it was likely the first time they had ever expressed any interest whatsoever in what a dirt

track had to offer. Sure, they had probably been a party to some joke involving dirt track racing. Whether you are a dirt fan or not, you’ve heard them or maybe even said them before — hardcore stereotypes like “Dirt racing is full of nothing but toothless hillbillies” and “It’s just a bunch of broke good ole boys playing in the dirt.”

However, on that fateful night, they quickly realized how legitimate our sport truly is. It didn’t hurt that multi-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart now owned the joint. It goes without saying his involvement and passion for dirt racing had a strong influence on NASCAR giving dirt a chance again. It also goes without saying that five years ago, NASCAR was full bore experiencing a downturn in both their attendance and viewership. I remember thinking to myself that it was a genius idea on their part to make a bold move back to their roots. So, on a warm July evening in 2013, NASCAR came home to dirt. The Eldora field was full of not only the usual suspects from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, but there was also no shortage of ringers. Some of NASCAR’s top drivers from their highest series looked to stage an upset, while dirt pros also lined up one-time rides. The NASCAR guys quickly found that with an 11-inch Goodyear dirt tire, their trucks were more than a handful. Spins were aplenty, and at times, it was almost comical watching

the early practice sessions. Despite the challenge, many of the drivers were able to quickly adapt. When the inaugural checkered flag dropped on major league’s return to dirt, it was technically a NASCAR driver who took the win. I say technically because while Austin Dillon may have been claimed by the NASCAR world, he has strong roots in dirt racing. The end result was a huge success. Television viewership was through the roof. The event was sold out. There was a massive buzz in the international media. It was truly a win-win for both NASCAR and dirt racing. Fast-forward and the Eldora Dirt Derby returned on July 18-19 to Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway. A packed house saw a field of 30-plus entries take their shot at qualifying for the coveted feature. This field would have a little bit of a different feel though. Again, the normal suspects from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series were on the entry roster, but almost all of the NASCAR Monster Energy Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers decided to not take a shot at the event. There were a few dirt ringers in the field. Guys like Bobby Pierce, Chris

Windom, and Rico Abreu looked to score the upset win for the dirt track world. However, it just seemed like the entry list had lost a little of its pop. Don’t get me wrong; it was still a really diverse field, but it just seemed a bit off. The 150-lap finale itself seemed to be a bit “off ” as well. Again, it came down to an exciting finish between two drivers with dirt backgrounds — Matt Crafton and Stewart Friesen — but a plethora of cautions resulted in an event that just wasn’t as “edge of your seat” as in years past. While I was less than floored by the 2017 edition of the program, I still enjoyed it. And even though the live airing got bumped from Fox Sports 1 (FS1) to Fox Business, I was still gracious that a dirt track race was live on television. Apparently, I represented the minority in my enjoyment of the event. During the race and following the broadcast, I watched as social media and internet forums blazed about how terrible everything was. From complaining about the commentators to criticizing the racing to about anything you can fathom, it was like a free-for-all bash session. I’ll admit it was a bit disappointing OneDirt.com 29

For more great photos from the race, search "Dirt Derby" on OneDirt.com

to see all of the negativity, but at the same time, it wasn’t totally surprising. Some of the same individuals I saw slamming the event were the same ones who incessantly bash dirt racing. I even made a joke to a good friend that the NASCAR community was being exposed to some of the unstoppable negativity that exists in the dirt racing community. In hindsight, my comment may have been closer to a statement of fact than it was to just making a comical quip. Either way, after having some time to process the 2017 edition of the Eldora Dirt Derby, here are some of my thoughts and evaluations. On the commentator front, I understand some of the frustrations from diehard dirt heads. Yes, some of their terminology was a little inaccurate, but overall, I think these guys do a great job. I find it very flattering when I, along

30 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

with my dirt announcing brethren, get tagged in posts saying we should be the ones doing the event since we know dirt. The reality is that while these commentators might not be completely versed in the vernacular of dirt racing, they know 95 percent of these drivers and crews like the back of their hand. They all run in the same circle on a weekly basis. If a major dirt series went and ran a paved oval, we wouldn’t expect pavement commentators to announce the race just because they know asphalt. One would expect the dirt guys would be the ones on the call, since it’s their series and mainly their drivers. It’s no different with the normal NASCAR broadcasters commentating the event when their series comes to dirt. Regarding the number of cautions, I don’t think it’s a direct reflection that

these asphalt guys can’t handle dirt. Yes, there are some exceptions, but for the most part, these guys do a damn good job. Let’s not forget there were also a fair number of dirt guys that spun to draw cautions. This all points to one glaring fact for me: These trucks are a handful on dirt. Because of the challenge that presents, I find the event to be quite entertaining. Sure, it’s frustrating the race got bumped to a lesser-known channel, but the reality is that ratings for any type of racing on television are going to have a hard time measuring up against an internationally-renowned sport like soccer. For example, there is one dirt track within two hours of my home in Memphis. Conversely, there are roughly 40 soccer complexes housing hundreds of teams in that same area. Do the math on which sport is more popular to the

masses, and it’s easy to see why we got the boot. Again, on the same token, I’m just very thankful to see our sport on live television on a Wednesday night. As far as seeing fewer of the biggest names in NASCAR entering the event, I too would like to see a few more of them entered. Conversely, I understand the situation. Just like the Prelude to the Dream — which went away after the 2012 edition — as this event moves along, it will be harder and harder to entice the superstar names to drop in on the event. These guys are so busy with their existing schedule that once the luster fades off a new event, they just aren’t going to wear themselves out to participate. They might attend as an onlooker or watch it on television, but it’s just not feasible to squeeze it into their insane schedule. At the end of the day, I’m just thankful NASCAR and Eldora Speedway continue to have this event. It continues to put our little sport on display to the world for one night each year. It’s definitely not hurting the NASCAR cause either. Take a guy like me, who has lost connection with anything

NASCAR. Other than the Daytona 500, I might not watch another NASCAR race all year, but you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be tuned in for the Eldora Dirt Derby every July. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. In addition, this might even lead to some new or former NASCAR fans giving other events a shot.

The bottom line is it can’t hurt. So, take this article for what it’s worth. We all have our opinion, and that’s what makes America great. For me, I love seeing the NASCAR Camping World Trucks on dirt. In fact, I hope to see them on more dirt tracks in years to come. Until next year, keep on truckin’!

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By Billy Moyer Jr.

e are going to discuss one of the most important parts on the race car today — the shocks. They control how the car reacts all the way around the track, and adjustments can make a big difference in the ride. The main adjustments on a shock are compression and rebound. The Fox Shocks we use are double adjustable, and you can easily adjust the rebound and compression by clicking the knob on the top (compression) and bottom (rebound) of the shocks. Rebound in shock terms is how fast the shock comes out when it is compressed on the racetrack. An example would be your right front (RF) shock set at click 8. The 8th click could be 600 pounds at 1 inch of speed on the dyno. You can adjust the shocks to rebound higher or lower by simply screwing out or screwing in the adjuster knob. If you went to click 4 on the rebound shock, it would hold the car down more. If you went to click 12, it would mean less rebound and let the car’s corner come up faster.

PHOTO BY HEATH LAWSON

32 OneDirt.com 32 OneDirt.com // Vol. Vol. 4, 4, Issue Issue 22

You want to keep the RF corner of the car down when the track is faster, so you can steer into and exit out of the corner. When the track starts to get slick, you would want to reduce some rebound. This is done so the car doesn’t stay down on the RF, which would prevent the transition of weight to the rear of the car. The track getting slick and slowing down means the track doesn’t have as much grip and needs less force holding the front of the car down. If you leave too much rebound in the RF when the track gets slick, then it could result in a sideways-running car and less traction to go down the straightaway. The next adjustment would be the compression, which is simply the amount of force it takes to compress the shock. The RF corner shock would require more compression at a higher banked or a higher speed track. Thus, you would need the compression at a higher speed on the shock dyno, because it is far less than the rebound inside the shock. An example would be the compression set at click 12 on the shock. The 12th click would represent 100 pounds of compression at 5-inch speed on the dyno. If you were going to a slower race track, then you would typically want to go towards click 16 for less compression. A higher speed track might require you to go to click 8 to keep the car up under the faster speeds. An example of compression and rebound on the racetrack could go as follows: Volusia County Speedway (higher speed and big corner racetrack) starts out very fast and has a lot of force on the RF corner of car. A safe setting would be to set the RF rebound at click 4, which would be 800 pounds at 1-inch speed on the dyno. I would want more rebound to keep the RF corner of the car down, so I can steer into the corner properly and continue through the corner. If I was at this high-speed track and the nose did not want to stay down, I couldn’t carry enough speed into the corner. So, I’d add more RF rebound. The car needs to stay down all the way through the corner because if it starts to raise up before I get on the straightaway, then I would have to let out of the gas to keep the car from pushing. The same type of track would require more RF compression in the shock. You would want to increase the compression because the high speeds will make the car slam down on the RF corner of the car. A car that slams down too fast because of less compression is very difficult to drive, and you just cannot keep speed.

The rebound setting in a shock is typically more important than compression, but at the end of the day, each adjustment can really make or break your performance. It takes a lot of trial and error to find what does and doesn’t work. Every driver is going to want slightly different settings to match their driving style, but these guidelines give you a starting point. Dirt Late Model veteran Billy Moyer Jr. has a regular column at OneDirt.com, where he explains different race car setup and tuning aspects. OneDirt.com 33 OneDirt.com 33

HONORING A

LEGEND Curtis King pays tribute to Larry Stacey By Clayton Johns

he 2017 season is not just another year of racing for Curtis King. The Wooler, Ontario, driver has a special connection to Brighton Speedway’s 50th anniversary season. He is racing this year in memory of his late father-in-law, Larry Stacey, a Quinte racing legend in the late 1960s and early 1970s. King is married to Stacey’s eldest daughter, Patti. While he never got the chance to see Stacey race, his legacy looms large during Brighton Speedway’s 50th season, and the Kings are excited to honor him. “When he stopped racing in 1972, I

Larry Stacey's No. 007 sits in

front of his Wooler home.

Curtis King drives his No. 07 Canadian Modified through Turn 2 on opening day at Brighton Speedway. PHOTO BY ROD HENDERSON

34 OneDirt.com 34 OneDirt.com // Vol. Vol. 4, 4, Issue Issue 22

Larry Stacey celebrates one of many wins in his No. 007.

would have been only 4 years old at that time, but he talked about it,” King says of Stacey. “It was a part of his life that he enjoyed quite a bit.” Stacey was a multi-time champion at Brighton and the extinct Riverview Speedway (north of Trenton, Ontario), racing as much as three times a week, often in multiple divisions on the same

night, including weekly destruction derbies. He was well known for his success in all divisions, as well as his signature move of running the track’s top lane when few others would. That patented move earned him plenty of fanfare at the time and generated fan mail even more than 40 years after he had retired from racing. Fans

and reporters involved in the sport were aware of his excellence, even while he was still actively racing. “No matter who your favorite driver is, you can’t help but admire the way Stacey drives,” reads a local newspaper article published June 7, 1969. “Talking to him, it was all about going as fast as he could,” King says.

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PHOTO BY DALE CALNAN

Curtis King in Victory Lane at Brighton Speedway

“He used to say, 'You held on, you put it to the floor, and you rode the car.' He talked about the high line a lot. All the guys would be running around the bottom, and he would be around the top, wide open.” Stacey was inducted to the Brighton Speedway Wall of Fame a few months after he passed away in 2009. Former Brighton Speedway track announcer Huck Flindall, who raced in the 6-cylinder division during the same time period — before his days behind the microphone — recalls Stacey as simply the man to beat. “He was an awesome driver,” Flindall says. “He was the dominating man in the 8-cylinder class. He would hang the car out and run the right rear quarter panel against the wall. It never slowed him down.” There are plenty of newspaper articles and clippings to back up the statements. “As a rule, when Stacey gets the lead, he keeps it, and today was no exception,” reads another local article on October 27, 1968, the same year he was named Outstanding Driver of the Year at Riverview. While Stacey drove multiple car numbers in several divisions, he was best known for his No. 007 driven in the weekly Super Features, the top division at both tracks. Since he began racing in 2012, King’s car has been No.07 with a James Bond-esque gun on the side of the car, in tribute to Stacey. “He ran many different numbers over the years in different classes, but he’s best known for 007,” King recalls. “He and Mo Linde were a team, and they raced that number for many years. After Larry retired from racing, the Linde 36 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

family raced that number and continued to race it for many more years. “Just like the K5 of Danny Reid, that number has a lot of legacy at Brighton. I’m very honored to run it.” For King, this season is about honoring Stacey. Fans will be able to collect a special anniversary hero card that highlights the relationship between King and Stacey at Brighton Speedway. While the two are closely linked, King’s approach to racing is different. Stacey loved to drive and had the help of his mechanic Linde, while it’s the setup and performance aspects of racing that most intrigue King. “The biggest thing for me is the research and setup of the race car,” King says. “I live, breathe, and sleep that. I read as much as I can to educate myself. That’s the greatest thing for me, and it consumes seven days a week.”

That’s not to say King doesn’t enjoy making a pass in the outside lane himself. Some may need a quiet space to get rid of their stress, but he finds the cockpit of his Canadian Modified the best place to relax. “Getting behind the wheel and racing itself, I find it actually relaxing,” King says. “It’s something I enjoy.” His relaxed approach is certainly a more reserved driving style than Stacey’s and is one he has modeled after another Brighton legend in the making. “I try to keep the car controlled,” King says. “There’s times where I probably should take a little more chance, but I’m more apt to be cautious and maybe try the second time. I try to be as smooth as I can. “Doug Anderson is a family friend and worked with Larry for a number of years,” King continues. “The first time I met him was when he came to Larry’s shop asking for advice. Shortly after I went to a race and watched him, I realized there is a reason they call him the ‘Big Smooth.’ He’s a very smooth and very calculated driver. If anybody, I try to model after his style of racing.”

PHOTO BY DALE CALNAN

Curtis King at speed.

Over the course of the off-season, King made several changes to his program in hopes of chasing his first career track championship. He attended the Rocket Chassis development school in West Virginia and put together a new engine package with Trenton’s C. Smith Machine Shop. “This year, we made a lot of investment in the car, both money and time,” King says. “We felt this was the year we really wanted to do the best we could and be able to setup the car to drive on different parts of the track when needed. I feel like I’ve accomplished that

goal already so early in the season. The car’s feeling far more comfortable to drive.” King’s ultimate goal is to enjoy each week at the track with an end game of paying tribute to his late father-in-law with a championship trophy. “My goal is to focus on my program one race at a time and have fun,” he says. “We made a lot of changes with hopes of honoring Larry in the 50th year by winning a championship.” So far, King is off to an impressive start. He’s visited Victory Lane and been a frequent flyer at the front of the field.

“It’s definitely been a good season so far,” King says. “It means a lot to Patti. She’s a big supporter of the racing I do, and her dad means a lot to her.” Stacey is a cherished part of Brighton Speedway’s early years, and King hopes to make him proud by adding his own name to the track’s history books as a champion. Time will tell how this 50th chapter is written.

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OneDirt.com 37

The Schoenfeld Headers Story:

THE BEGINNING By Ben Shelton

rom dirt floors to industry domination, the story of Schoenfeld Headers is the epitome of the American dream. More than 40 years after its formation, the family-owned business continues to grow and thrive. With a foundation firmly based upon customer service, Schoenfeld Headers is genuinely an industry leader. In this two-part series, we are going to explore the fascinating history of this Van Buren, Arkansas-based success story. Long before Schoenfeld Headers was even remotely an idea in the back of his mind, the company’s patriarch, Don Schoenfeld, was elbows deep in the racing world. “All the way back in 1965, I worked for a local engine shop, and they had an old car sitting out back,” Schoenfeld recounts. “I was itching to get behind the wheel, so I worked up a deal with them, and they let me drive it. I guess you could say the rest is history.” He quickly expanded his racing career and moved on to compete in evDon Schoenfeld in Victory Lane with his boys early in his career.

38 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

From left-to-right, Doug, Dennis, and Don Schoenfeld

erything from Go Karts, to Modifieds, to Late Models. The credentials of his successful resumé weren’t limited to any one surface, as he was an ace on both dirt and asphalt. “We had both dirt and paved ovals within reasonable proximity of my Arkansas home, so it gave me a lot of opportunities to race on both surfaces early in my career,” Schoenfeld says. Schoenfeld also is quick to credit his success on asphalt to the way he had to drive on dirt. “Back in those days, we just had drum brakes, so you had to really sling the car around on dirt to help scrub some speed,” he remembers. “Knowing how to drive that way allowed us to run the car a little freer on the pavement side, while still maintaining some car control. This made us a lot faster.” Schoenfeld has a lot of fond memories from his racing career, but one comically sticks out. “I beat Larry Phillips, once…. when he broke,” Schoenfeld declares with a laugh. “In all seriousness, we enjoyed a lot of success and met some great people along the way. That’s my favorite memories.” While Schoenfeld burnt up the race tracks on the weekends, he worked as a mechanical engineer during the week for the Whirlpool Corporation. Designing refrigerators was not where the personable Schoenfeld wanted to

spend his long-term professional life. Somehow, someway, he wanted to find an avenue that would allow him to work full-time in racing. His gateway to working in racing would ultimately present itself in the most random of occurrences. “I was at an auction in 1974, where they were selling the company that had built headers for my car, so I decided to try and buy some of the equipment to build my own stuff. There really wasn’t a company that specialized in circle track headers in those days,” Schoenfeld remembers. “This other guy ends up buying the whole company and everything with it. He doesn’t really want to mess with running it, so we struck up a deal for me to run it for him.”

For roughly a year, he ran the company for the gentleman who won the auction, but soon, Schoenfeld had the opportunity to buy sole possession of the header business. “Again, the guy who won the auction really wasn’t interested in the header business, so I was able to buy him out,” he explains. “People ask all of the time if I was nervous about taking on such a big task, but I really wasn’t. My dad had a blacksmith shop, and I had already been in the Go Kart business, so we had some experience in running a business.” In 1974, Schoenfeld Headers was officially born. It operated in an old factory building in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The facility was humble to say the least. In fact, it had dirt floors.

OneDirt.com 39

Schoenfeld, along with a couple of employees, began fabricating headers for use in racing, and they also performed other random racing projects to keep the company afloat. Their initial specialty was 180-degree headers for pavement cars. Business quickly began to grow, and by 1976, the company was on the move — literally, to a 5,000-square foot building in town. “Don [Schoenfeld] can be humble about what led to the company’s rapid growth, but to everyone around him, it was pretty obvious,” notes Schoenfeld Production Manager Mark Brailey. “From day one, Don knew what racers needed because he was a racer too. He’s always had an uncanny ability to connect with people. Add that in with the great customer service and products that he offered everyone, and it was a recipe for total success.” Not only was the size of the company growing, but their areas of focus were expanding, as well. In addition to building headers for pavement racing, they also began producing exhaust products for dirt racing. This expansion came as many of the pavement tracks in the South began to either close or switch to dirt. With Schoenfeld Headers’ repertoire expanding, so was their clientele. Not only were regional standouts running their products, but some of the nation’s best racers began to join their winning team. “Having guys like Larry Phillips, Bobby Allison, and Mark Martin use our products early on really helped put us on the map,” Brailey reminisces. “Then when Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, and Rick Ferkel started using our products in the Sprint Car world, 40 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

it opened all kinds of new doors for us. Similarly, in the Dirt Late Model ranks, Freddy Smith and Billy Moyer were pivotal clients for our company. “The bottom line is that in racing, people want to run the same products as the guys who are winning. And man, oh man, did those guys win.” The year 1985 was another of transition for Schoenfeld Headers. While much of the pavement racing in the proximity of the company’s Arkansas location was waning, Schoenfeld found its core base of customers was situated in Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, and Michigan. As a result, the company relocated to Riverside, Michigan. The decision to make the move was further reinforced by the fact the Schoenfeld family was from the area. Schoenfeld Headers’ operational time in Michigan would be short-lived, though. Factors that included labor costs, harsh winters, and employees’ families wanting to go back home resulted in the company relocating to Van Buren, Arkansas, in 1987. Business continued to boom for the company, and it became apparent that regardless of location, Schoenfeld Headers was going to continue to thrive for decades to come. Not even a 1995 fire that leveled the facility could slow

down their momentum. The buildings were quickly rebuilt, and the company continued to forge ahead. The scope of work also continued to grow. From Mini Sprints to Sprint Cars, Midgets, and Late Models, dirt or asphalt, all the way up through the world of Truck and Tractor Pulling, and even Marine, Schoenfeld Headers could produce exhaust products for anything with an engine. While Schoenfeld’s vision continued to spur the company’s growth, his family became more and more involved in the day-to-day operations. While one son, Dennis, stayed busy working in the NASCAR world, his other son, Doug, became very involved with Schoenfeld Headers. By the early 2000s, Doug began to spearhead many of the company’s daily activities. While he assumed the helm, Don stayed active within Schoenfeld Headers and continues that role today. In 2004, the company grew once again as it moved into its current location in Van Buren, Arkansas. That’s the point where the second part of the story of Schoenfeld Headers will begin in the next edition of OneDirt. Now boasting more than 60,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse facilities, the future for the industry leader in exhaust applications is bigger and brighter than ever. For Don Schoenfeld, it’s all a dream come true. “Starting this company from scratch and building it into the country’s, if not the world’s largest circle-track header manufacturing facility, is definitely what I’m most proud to have accomplished,” he says. Source: Schoenfeld Headers, schoenfeldheaders.com

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IT’S FUN TO BE

KYLE

LARSON By Dan Hodgdon

PHOTO BY STEVE SCHNARS

ubilant is not a strong enough word. The emotions being felt by Kyle Larson, and many in the racing community, were something far greater. Larson had just taken the checkered flag at Michigan International Speedway for his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win, and a party was about to start. He did a series of smoky donuts in the Michigan infield while holding the steering wheel out the window. He then climbed out of his Chevrolet and stood atop the roof, arms raised in triumph. Amidst the excitement and congratulations from competitors, he had to sit down in Victory Lane. First though, he was sure to say he “parked it” for his friend, the late Bryan Clauson, who had lost his life just three weeks earlier. For many in dirt racing, that Sunday in late August 2016 was finally a chance to celebrate after nearly a month of mourning. 42 OneDirt.com 42 OneDirt.com // Vol. Vol. 4, 4, Issue Issue 22

PHOTO BY JEFF ZELEVANSKY / NASCAR VIA GETTY IMAGES

OneDirt.com 43 OneDirt.com 43

PHOTO BY STEVE SCHNARS

At the age of just 24, it was also the culmination of a lifelong dream for Larson, and proof to millions of kids that sheer talent and laser-focus can still pay off. “I always say, ‘just have fun,’” Larson, now 25, says of the approach he’d pass along to fellow racers. “I think that’s kind of how my parents raised me while I was growing up racing... If you’re not having fun and you’re not enjoying it, you shouldn’t really be doing it, and you’re probably not doing a good job either. So definitely, [my] number one life tip is just to have fun.” It certainly is fun to be Kyle Larson these days. He’s a multiple-time Cup Series winner, a doting father, and he drives stock cars for a living at the highest level of the sport. As a result, he could be doing nearly anything he wants with his free time. But, he chooses to just race more. “I love racing Sprint Cars, so anytime I can get back into a Sprint Car or Midget, I try to take full advantage of that,” he says. “They’re a lot of fun to drive, the competition’s really tough, and it’s fun to go back and race and do what I’m good at.” He’s clearly good at driving any type of vehicle he straps into, but open wheel dirt racing is where he cut his teeth, made a name for himself, and built the foundation for the life he currently leads. His girlfriend, Katelyn Sweet, grew PHOTO BY STEVE SCHNARS

44 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

up in a racing family, with brother Brad a World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car fixture. Kyle and Katelyn’s 2-yearold son, Owen, is in many ways being raised by the entire racing community, including those in both the NASCAR and dirt worlds. “Racing’s all we know, so most of our vacations are spent at the racetrack,” Larson says. “Owen totally loves racing, which is awesome. We go to the NASCAR races, and all he wants to do is play at the playground or go into the garage area and work on the race car.” Like fellow NASCAR stars and dirt series brethren Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne, racing has been good to Larson, which is why he wants to give back to the sport. Currently, he partners with Justin Marks to field a World of Outlaws team known as Larson Marks Racing with driver Shane Stewart, and he hosts the Outlaw Kart Showcase featuring cars he grew up racing each fall in northern California. Still, for Larson, nothing is better than driving. “The NASCAR stuff can get really stressful with not only the racing, but everything else that goes along with it,” he says. “So, when I have an off weekend and can escape and go race the dirt, it’s really kind of relaxing and fun at the same time.” Larson meteorically rose through the motorsports ranks, beginning as

PHOTO BY STEVE SCHNARS

a precocious Kart racer around his northern California home of Elk Grove, a city of 140,000 that lies just to the south of Sacramento. A longtime race fan, he has several photos of himself as a kid with racers he now competes against. He loved sporting Jeff Gordon gear in grade school, too. A unique, rare talent, Larson quickly conquered both the local and national Karting scene. He then collected Sprint Car wins at tracks around northern California in his teenage years, before bursting onto the national stage in 2011. That year, he pursued the USAC National Midget title for Keith Kunz / Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, a team he still drives for in the Midget ranks. During the season, he swept both the Belleville Midget Nationals and the 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora, finishing second in national Midget points. The following year, he won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship for Rev Racing as a Drive for Diversity participant. Larson’s mother, Janet, is of Japanese descent; Kyle and Owen’s middle names are the same as her maiden one: Miyata. Larson competed in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2013 before joining Chip Ganassi Racing full time in the Cup Series the following year. To date, he has eight XFINITY victories and two Camping World Truck Series wins to go along PHOTO BY STEVE SCHNARS

with four Cup Series triumphs. He’s also won five World of Outlaws races and has won multiple events in all three USAC series, as well as in other open wheel sanctions around the country. He even has a Rolex 24 win to his credit, serving as one of Ganassi’s drivers during the 2015 edition of the prestigious 24-hour race at Daytona. Larson is unassuming, loyal, and very polite. They are values he has clearly inherited from his his middle-class parents, Mike and Janet. He also has an older sister, Andrea, who works in motorsports public relations. Larson’s on-camera persona is sometimes seen as reserved; he doesn’t emanate the best-buddy vibe of recently retired Carl Edwards, the good-old-boy charm of Clint Bowyer, or the devilmay-care attitude of the Busch brothers. Behind the scenes, however, he is very funny and well-liked by his peers. He’s also part of the Golf Guys Tour featuring Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and other NASCAR personalities. On track though, he turns into an entirely different version of Kyle Larson. He’s somewhat diminutive in stature, standing just 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds on a good

PHOTO BY JUSTIN FIEDLER

day, yet he becomes one of the most aggressive and hard driving competitors in the sport. “He’s pretty quick to move around and pretty quick to experiment with things that he can do differently, versus just waiting for you to get the car perfectly right,” says his Cup Series crew chief, Chad Johnston. “He understands there’s a lot that he can do that affects the handling of the car with his hands and his feet that maybe some other guys don’t.” Larson is usually the first to run the

high side, inches from the wall on any given Sunday. Sometimes he hits it, sometimes it makes him go faster. “I absolutely enjoy that,” Johnston says. “It’s just a lot more fun to watch him pick up six spots on the restart when he’s on the topside. Or, I go back to Richmond [in 2016] where he’s four-wide on the top, which is unheard of at Richmond, and [he] ends up finishing second.” It’s that type of driving that has endeared Larson to not only the NASCAR

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crowd, but has given diehard dirt fans a reason to follow him. Nowhere is that melding of the two cultures more important than at Eldora Speedway each July for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Larson won the 2016 edition of the event. “Eldora is one of the most exciting races of the year that everybody looks forward to, whether you’re a NASCAR or a dirt fan,” Larson says. “So, for the NASCAR fans that don’t really know what dirt racing is, or understand it, or have ever watched it, it opens their eyes to it. When the race is exciting there, it may get them to get off the couch and go to their local dirt track on the weekend. “I think it goes both ways,” he continues. “When dirt fans can see myself and Bobby Pierce and Rico (Abreu) and Christopher Bell and Kenny Schrader get back on the dirt, it gets them really excited to watch, and gets them watching NASCAR for at least one night out of the year.” Larson says to him, the race has had a bit more of an asphalt vibe until 2016, when he believes Tony Stewart and promoter Roger Slack prepped the track just right for the Truck Series vehicles. Larson thinks they are comparable to Street Stocks on dirt. Always curious, he’d like to sample a Dirt Late Model at some point, too, and expresses disappointment he never had a chance to run the Prelude to the Dream. Larson is also part of a dirt brotherhood that prides itself on connecting with fans. That is what he sees as the biggest difference between a dirt race and a NASCAR event, noting the fans’ passion for the on-track product and personalities in each discipline. “I would say the after-the-race stuff is where it gets different,” Larson explains. “At the NASCAR races, we are 46 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

all heading out as quick as we can to go home. So, there’s no opportunity for race fans to get our autograph, or our picture, and stuff like that after the race.” He doesn’t get to go to the other side of the grandstands very often during NASCAR weekends, a result of the breakneck scheduling of on-track activity, sponsor appearances, and quick flight turnarounds. Fans have to catch their favorite driver at a scheduled appearance or in their brief moments of free time. At many dirt races on the other hand, the fans and drivers have the opportunity to intermingle and spend time one-on-one after events. Larson embraces the time spent with others who share his love for the sport, whether they are behind the wheel, turning wrenches, or watching as spectators. “I try to stay as heavily involved as I can because I love dirt track racing, and I want to do what I can to help grow it,” he says. Larson Marks Sprint Car driver Shane Stewart says the team tries to keep the car out after the race and greet fans in

the pits, acknowledging their importance to the general health of the sport. “I think the difference between what we do and the NASCAR scene is that those guys are so much more popular than we are as athletes, it’s really hard for the fans to get that close to them like it is at a dirt racetrack,” he says. “That’s what’s really cool about when Kyle and Tony Stewart and those guys come over and race Sprint Cars. The fans can get a little bit closer to them.” Shane Stewart drives for the team thanks to a years-old conversation between himself and Larson. The young driver specifically said he wanted Stewart behind the wheel of his car should he form his own team someday, and then followed up when the idea became reality. “They called me, and I think it’s just a true testament to who Kyle is as a person,” Stewart says. He has found driving for racers like Larson and Marks invaluable, as they speak a common language and understand the sport’s nuances. “The good thing about Kyle is when he does come to the racetrack and watches us, he’s really good about watching the race car, and I’m able to learn from him; what he sees on the racetrack, I can translate into what I’m doing in the race car,” he says. “He knows because he’s driven them, and he’s a good driver, so that part of it’s been really cool.” Regardless of their career trajectory and success, open wheel drivers tend to share a bond and friendship that could easily be seen as a byproduct of the sport’s inherent danger and the constant, grueling travel involved. Larson points to another reason. It has to do with trade secrets, or the lack thereof, in the open wheel world.

PHOTO BY SEAN GARDNER / NASCAR VIA GETTY IMAGES

PHOTO BY STEVE SCHNARS

“Sprint Cars are just really simple race cars, and the competition is heavy, but at least the competition between equipment and stuff isn’t that big of a deal,” he says. “There’s only four bars, four shocks, stagger, and wheel spacing really that separate you. So, I think that might also be why we kind of all get along. It’s fun to go to big events and

race and have a good time. Even though you might race hard with each other, you all share a beer afterwards.” Those big events Larson speaks of crisscross the country and the world. He’s allowed 25 races by Ganassi and primary sponsor Target, which in 2016 allowed him to compete in, among other events, the Chili Bowl, some events

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during Indiana Midget Week, the majority of Ohio Sprint Speedweek, the Knoxville Nationals, and the Turkey Night Grand Prix on Thanksgiving night, which he won for the second time in his career. This year’s Cup schedule wasn’t conducive to running all of the same races, but he still was on dirt often, including annihilating talented fields en route to six Sprint Car wins in a row at events that were part of the World of Outlaws, Ohio Sprint Speedweek, and Pennsylvania Speedweek in June and July. Last December, he also headed to Australia over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to compete in the Ultimate Sprint Car Championship events at Valvoline Raceway in Sydney. He was then back stateside for the Chili Bowl. He speaks glowingly of the fans on the other side of the world, talking about the energy and passion pulsing throughout the sold-out grandstands. In fact, he documented the trip using the hashtag #DirtDownUnder. It’s a demanding, year-round schedule, but Larson and his young family seemingly wouldn’t have it any other way. The reason? It’s really fun to be Kyle Larson.

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OneDirt.com 47

These simple additions to your tool box can make life much easier By Ben Shelton

theridge Race Parts not only sells race parts, but the owners are also racers themselves. Owned and operated by the father-andson duo of Ronnie and Rodney Etheridge, the company has grown from a part-time hobby into a successful, fulltime business. “When we started this deal, it was just to provide basic parts and accessories to racers in our area,” Rodney remembers. “We would just take a few containers of extra items to the track with us in our race hauler. It wasn’t anything just massive at the beginning, so it’s pretty crazy to see how big our little operation has

grown to be.” From their humble beginning in 2001, the company has now grown by leaps and bounds to offer thousands of parts to racers in all types of motorsports. They offer customers the option to purchase supplies from their storefront in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, online at EtheridgeRaceParts. com, or they also still sell products out of their race hauler at the track. Because of their hands-on approach to racing, the team has a firm grasp of what tools can be the most beneficial to a race team, while at the same time not breaking the bank. OneDirt recently caught up with

Rodney Etheridge to pick his brain on his favorite tools to have at both the shop and at the track. Not only did he give us five good selections, but he also filled us in on the details that make each one a must-have for your own team. “In the day and time that we now race in, scales are a must,” Etheridge says. “Whether you are at the shop or at the track, you can roll your car up on the scales and quickly pinpoint an issue with your setup.” Etheridge says Longacre’s AccuSet scales are one of his most popular items. “The AccuSet scales from Longacre are easy to use and cost-effective with

PHOTO BY CHRIS MCDILL

48 OneDirt.com / Vol. Issue 48 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, 4, Issue 22

All-Star Super Socket Cordless Riveter Aero Wheels Rim Wrench

plenty of options,” Etheridge notes. “They are available in wired and wireless options — based upon your preference, needs, and budget — and pricing starts at $1,045.” The next hidden gem he says is a must-have for any team is the Longacre Cordless Impact Gun. “This one pretty much speaks for itself,” Etheridge shares with a grin. “You don’t have a cord getting in your way, and you don’t have to worry about having electricity to be able to use it. Usually, the charge on a single battery lasts the entire race night. Best of all, you can use this thing for everything from lug nuts to changing bars to a wide variety of other uses.” The impact gun features a 1/2-inch drive and is available with one or multiple batteries for extended use. Etheridge Race Parts offers the useful tool for as low as $249.99. Speaking of lug nuts, we’ve all been there when changing a tire. Whether it be on your personal car on the way to the track, or on your racecar during a mid-race caution, we’ve all had that time when we desperately needed to remove the lug nuts, but the socket is being a pain. If it isn’t perfectly lined up with each lug nut, it just won’t go on. Alas, Allstar Performance has stepped up to the plate to offer a frustration-saving tool. “One of my hottest-selling items is the Allstar Performance Super Socket,” Etheridge comments. “This puppy is the real deal. It’s awesome for taking lug nuts on and off because it has a specially designed head that doesn’t require you to specifically line it up with the head of the nut. This is definitely one of those products that came about with the idea of making life easier.” The engineered head allows for fast-

Longacre Scales

er tire and wheel changes without the danger of jamming lug nuts. Etheridge Race Products sells the Super Socket for just $75. Etheridge’s final two recommendations both involve tools that allow for easy repairs. Nobody wants to think about having to fix their race car, but let’s be honest, accidents happen. Fear not, as Etheridge Racing Products has just the tools to get you back on track. “In dirt track racing, there’s no shortage of contact, whether it be with another racer or the wall,” Etheridge says. “Inevitably, you are going to bend a wheel. In the past, if you bent a wheel, it was just junk, but now Aero Race Wheels offers their Rim Wrench. It can be used to straighten the ends of steel wheels. If you bend the outer edge, you can straighten it without having to replace the wheel.” This money-saving tool retails for a mere $20.99. Last, but not least, it’s no big secret that body panels get bent and damaged. Sometimes, you need to remove them to either beat them out or replace them altogether. To reassemble the car, you

need your old friend, the pop-rivet gun. Luckily, thanks to the Racing Rivets Cordless Rivet Tool, the days of hand rivets are over and done. “Just like the Longacre Cordless Impact Gun, this tool is especially handy because you don’t need cords or electricity,” Etheridge states. “Also, since it’s battery powered, you don’t have to manually pop the rivets in with your hand. The Racing Rivets Cordless Rivet Tool is universal to all rivet types and is overall just a really handy device. We sell them for $269.99.” While these are some of Etheridge’s favorite tools, he’s quick to note everybody has different needs. “What makes our racing life easier might not be what the next guy is needing,” he says. “Whatever your need might be, odds are really good that we have exactly what you are seeking. So, the next time you’re in a bind, I recommend that you check out our website or give us a call. We’ll get your tool or part in the mail to you as soon as possible.” Source: Etheridge Race Parts, etheridgeraceparts.com

OneDirt.com 49

THE DIRT LATE MODEL

2017 measures long overdue By Mike Ruefer

very year, in the same fashion, events transpire from the last dirt race of the late fall to the beginning of the spring. Things change! Of course, there are the driver changes that go back and forth. We see racing technology upgrades to keep the wheels and tires planted to the ground for maximum handling and grip. There are track, series, and other changes or rumors that can make the conversations lively during the cold winters. Then, with the release of event schedules, it all seems too real that the next racing season is around the corner. Over time, the reality is that not much changes on the outside looking in. Racing is as it always has been. The names change under the hood, on the roof and roll cages, and on the corners of the car, and that’s about it.

PHOTO BY MIKE RUEFER

50 OneDirt.com 50 OneDirt.com // Vol. Vol. 4, 4, Issue Issue 22

Today, I’m much more interested in learning about racing from the inside looking out. I find the technology of the cars to be very interesting, and I’m always trying to learn more. The business of racing is a huge industry that’s quite complex. The politics and soap operas that take place are not for the faint of heart. Maybe this is why I still like it so much. It’s like a never-ending story that can rival the best made-for-TV drama, and we get to watch it play out live each and every race day. Every series, track, and region of the country has their own Emmy Award winner that emerges on Facebook, Twitter, and pay-per-view. Rule changes for the most part in racing are one of those inside-looking-out facts usually designed to level the competitive playing field. In the “everyone is equal and lets all be fair and play by the same rules world,” this happens. Creativity and ingenuity changes that can only be done by a few — either because they are just plain smarter or maybe have deeper financial pockets — are written out of the rule book. It’s just the way it works in all forms of racing. It’s all good until the cars all become so equal that the racing product

PHOTO BY HEATH LAWSON

OneDirt.com 51

PHOTO BY HEATH LAWSON

becomes boring to watch, and then at some point, fans quit watching because they’re asleep. On November 5, 2016, rule changes were issued from the Unified Dirt Late Model Council and adopted by the major sanctioning organizations. In my opinion, these revisions made total sense and were long overdue. The rule changes were not about speed and power, but rather about safety. I felt as though the sport of Dirt Late Model racing was finally spending the time to unify around the most important factor on the track, which is the safety of our drivers, teams, and everyone involved. I think this way, because I have spent most of my working career in the safety profession helping others with the identification of risk and implementing corrective measures. Today, I spend a lot of time working with organizations on safety culture that can improve their operational performance. Needless to say, safety is a big part of my life. To see the sport I love identifying this area for improvement is something I can definitely get behind. As a result, I 52 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

encourage everyone else in the sport of racing to support it, as well. The safety rules and mandates for change went into effect for the 2017 calendar season. Change is never easy with anything. There will be those that say that safety will cost too much and will ultimately drive them out of racing. Others will say, “I’ve never had a problem before, so why do I need to change.” The problem is serious injuries from crashes happen in an instant, and the only thing you might have to save your life is your safety equipment. The fire suppression system, FIA/FT3 fuel cell, electrical system, and all their components should be as vital to a race car as any engine, shock, or tire. The Personal Protective Equipment we have inside the cockpit is the last line of defense. SFI-rated suits, gloves, shoes, Snell-rated helmets, and SFI-rated head/ neck restraints all used while buckled in with a SFI-rated harness to our SFI-rated full containment seat does not limit us from injury. What it does do is reduce the consequences of crashes and the potential severity of injury. In many cases, we can still get hurt

in a crash, but hopefully, with the implementation of these safety measures, we are able to go on to race another day. I have heard many positive comments from drivers on the new rules. Conversely, I’ve heard concerns with where these new safety rules are going. Overall though, the buzz is very positive for the sport of Dirt Late Model racing and its newest safety measures. I hope all organizations that sanction Dirt Late Models will adopt the rules in the very near future. Over time, these rules need to be incorporated into all other classes of race cars, as well. It’s truly the right thing to do! Now, with this all said, there has to be accountability in the system for the rules to work. Having rules and not enforcing them is no better than not having the rules at all. The sanctioning bodies will have to inspect the cars and drivers to ensure they have the proper safety systems and equipment in place. Worrying more about car counts and letting those competitors race who have not updated their cars to the latest safety standards will undermine this safety paradigm. I’d like to see the day when pre-race

As a result, we need to anticipate crashes and work to reduce the serious injury potential — and totally eliminate death. These new 2017 rules are only the beginning of what can become a comprehensive safety system at dirt tracks across the country. I applaud the work that the Unified Dirt Late Model Council has done so far, and I look forward to its future resolutions. Nothing is more important than the safety of our drivers and all of us who call a dirt track our home away from home. PHOTO BY HEATH LAWSON

inspection is solely about safety and making sure the correct equipment is all present and installed in the approved method. Before entering the track, all drivers should at a minimum be inspected for gloves, as well as a helmet with a head/neck restraint attachment. Post-race could then be all about the car weight, tires, deck height, width, spoiler, and anything else for which the tape measure is used. This would be the philosophical paradigm shift that

would directly show safety is officially more important than speed. We all win when the race is over and we go home to our family, friends, and, ultimately, the next race. The bottom line is it’s truly a tragedy when an accident happens and nothing is done to prevent the likelihood of it happening again. In racing, wrecks and crashes are going to happen; as in life, people make errors, and so do drivers in an effort to go fast and win.

Mike Ruefer is 59 and has been an avid racing fan for 45 years. He’s worked in freelance media for 20 years as both a writer and photographer. A safety professional by trade, he has worked for the American Contractors Insurance Group in Dallas, Texas, for 17 years. Before that, he worked for various small companies, one of which was GE. Throughout his professional life, all of his jobs have been in the safety field. He attended the University of Dubuque, where he double-majored in Industrial Safety and Psychology. He is also a Certified Safety Professional, a Professional Engineer of Safety, and a Construction Risk Insurance Specialist. DRIVE THE LEGEND.

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The

Driving Force COMP Cams employees win on and off the track By Ben Shelton

amiliarity is always a virtue. When choosing where you purchase your products of choice, it’s definitely an added comfort to deal with someone who has a passion for what they sell. If you are looking to have your everyday vehicle fixed, you aren’t going to take it to a mechanic who has no interest in cars. Looking to get a tattoo? Odds are pretty good you aren’t going to choose an artist who doesn’t have a single bit of ink on his body. Similarly, when it comes to purchasing the parts that give you the best chance to park your race car in Victory Lane, you don’t want to deal with someone who isn’t passionate about racing. This is where COMP Cams separates itself from the crowd. Whether it be in the machine shop, the tech support line, or the warehouse, the staff at COMP Cams is loaded with diehard racers. “We are very proud to have a strong concentration of racers integrated into our staff,” notes Chris Douglas, COO for the COMP Performance Group. “Dozens of members of the COMP Cams family like to go fast on the weekend, while working diligently during the week to help others go fast.” Douglas knows the value of having racers helping other racers, because he is a veteran competitor with experience in everything from dirt Modifieds to pavement Late Models. “Winning races these days is a tougher proposition than ever before,” Douglas continues. “Having racers on our staff gives our company an advantage because it’s like having a nonstop R&D element built into what we do.” The diverse staff at COMP Cams truly has a lot to bring to the table. The background for many of these talented individuals tends to be as fascinating as their knowledge. For instance, let’s consider Derrick Hubbard. The story of this young man, who works in the Engine Builder Sales Department at COMP Cams, is quite interesting. “I’ve been around drag racing my entire life, and honestly, it’s where I thought I would always want to place my focus,” Hubbard says. “However, sometimes fate has a way of intervening, and it changes your course.”

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Joseph Leister's talents on dirt see him in Victory Lane (inset) in anything from Karts to his #89 Modified.

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRAZIER

OneDirt.com 55 OneDirt.com 55

Derrick Hubbard burning up the drag strip.

On December 23, 2015, his family’s entire drag racing operation was being stored at Holly Springs Dragstrip when a tornado obliterated the property. Luckily, no one was harmed, but he was left trying to pick up the pieces of his racing career. “It was totally heartbreaking because everything I had worked so hard for in my racing career was gone,” Hubbard painfully remembers. “I wasn’t financially secure enough to buy another drag car that matched the level of equipment I had. My racing career seemed to be completely ended by an 18-second tornado.” It’s often said when one door closes, another one opens, and such would be the case for Hubbard. “Jay Adams, who also works here at COMP Cams, had been on me for a while to try dirt track racing,” Hubbard recollects. “I honestly hadn’t given it a second thought until my entire drag racing operation had been blown away.” A few months after seeing his drag racing team get decimated, Hubbard — with the help of Adams — found and purchased a 2016 Millenium Chassis to compete in the Go Kart ranks. “Never in a million years did I ever think I would end up being involved in circle track racing, much less on dirt, but I fell in love with it immediately,” Hubbard admits. “It’s been an incredible experience, and I have even put other drivers in it. I’ve quickly learned that I can learn just as much watching somebody else drive my Go Kart as I can from being in the driver’s seat. It’s been an eye-opening experience thus far.” Speaking of Jay Adams, he’s another intricate part of the talented COMP 56 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

Derrick Hubbard's first Go Kart.

Derrick Hubbard was used to victories on the drag strip, but is having a blast Karting.

Cams team. The company veteran is a performance account manager. On a daily basis, he deals with racers and engine builders. His expertise in his field knows no bounds, as he works with builders and competitors in pretty much every type of motorsports. “My favorite thing about my job is all of the different gearheads that I come in contact with,” Adams says. “I might be on a phone call right now with a guy restoring a vintage flathead Ford, and then in five minutes, I might be talking to a Sprint Car racer. It keeps my job exciting.” Adams grew up at the dirt track. His uncle had a B-car in the early 1970s, and Adams spent every Saturday night at the historic Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Arkansas. “I would ride in the truck bed all the way to the racetrack, and that feeling of being ‘part’ of a race team just hooked me from the get-go,” Adams remembers. “The atmosphere, the smell, the competition, and just every aspect of the dirt track made me feel special. Forty years later, and it’s still the exact same for me today.” Adams’ racing career began in 1985

in the Go Kart division. While he continued to run Go Karts, he quickly expanded his resumé to also include drag racing and Sprint Cars. While these days, Adams mainly competes in Go Karts, he says his alltime love is Wingless Sprint Cars. “Wingless Sprint Cars are both the most fun and most challenging racecars that I’ve ever driven,” Adams says with a laugh. “One minute, they are making you pull your hair out, and the next you are having the time of your life.” A short walk away from Adams’ desk at the Memphis-based headquarters is the work station of racing ace Joseph Leister. The Memphis area driver has been racing in some facet for more than 23 years. “From Go Karts to Modifieds, I’ve been lucky enough to get to race a little bit of everything so far in my career,” Leister quips. “My family has always eaten, breathed, and slept racing. It’s all we know how to do.” Leister works as a new product engineer for COMP Cams, where he’s been an employee for nine years. The creative

Jay Adams competing in his Winged Sprint Car.

role that he gets to live on a daily basis is a dream come true. “I get to come into work every day and develop prints and models for all of the new cam cores and retainers,” he says. “There’s always a new block being made, an engine builder with an idea, or a racer wanting to go faster that is inspiring an innovative design from me. I stay pretty busy, and I love every minute of it.” Through the years, Leister has been a champion and race winner in both Modifieds and Go Karts. As of late though, he’s taken a step back from fullsized cars to again enjoy what the Go Kart ranks have to offer. This change in pace was ironically brought about by Adams. To bring things full circle, Leister also pilots Hubbard’s Go Kart. “We bought a Go Kart from Jay to race on the side, when we weren’t running the Modified, but this year we’ve had so much fun that we’ve left the big car parked,” Leister says. “I’m also now racing the Go Kart that Derrick bought. I guess you can say that many of the COMP Cams employees are one big family at work and at the track.” For these weekend warriors, they love chasing wins outside of the office.

Jay Adams loves getting behind the wheel of anything, especially his Go Kart.

However, they also get great satisfaction from helping their clients reach their own goals. “Honestly, for me, it probably gives me more enjoyment to help others win than I get from winning races myself,” Adams says. “Helping custom tailor a cam for a guy’s specific needs and then seeing it help get him to Victory Lane is an awesome feeling.” Hubbard echoes some of the same sentiments. “When I get a text from a customer, and he or she has won a race, it’s a definite feeling of accomplishment,” Hubbard proudly states. “I also get a lot of

Adams is known for great-looking cars, like his Wingless Sprint Car.

enjoyment out of not only winning races myself, but seeing drivers who race for me, like Joseph, pick up wins. It doesn’t matter who’s in the driver’s seat, we are all one big team and winning is the name of the game.” A company is only as good as its employees. With the awesome staff that COMP Cams has, it’s no major surprise that they are the absolute leader in valvetrain technology. Hubbard best sums up what the staff at COMP Cams brings to the table. “Racing is what we do. It’s our nonstop passion.” Source: COMP Cams, compcams.com

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Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

SPONSORED BY

OneDirt has compiled a list of some of the hottest products to recently hit the dirt track market. On the following pages of our Speed Shop, be sure to check out the variety of racing products offered. Product and company contact information is provided should you see something you wish to purchase—and we know you will!

Lubed-up lifters Crane Cams, Ultra-Pro Solid Roller Lifters with EDM Oiling These lifters from Crane Cams utilize EDM (electro-discharge machining) to ensure the bearing assembly receives a constant flow of pressurized oil via a precision hole aimed at the needle bearings. The needle bearings are precision-sorted by size to distribute load evenly and prevent wear or failure. A tool steel axle prolongs the life of the roller assembly, while a removable link bar provides utility and safety. The lifters are available in both .842- and .904-inch diameters. cranecams.com 866.388.5120

Even more new products

Dusting the competition Quicksilver, Circle Track Engines Ready for another winning season? Both the Quicksilver 383 CT and the 357 CT are ready to once again burn up the track. The 383 CT delivers 455 lb-ft of torque to leave the competition in the dust. This all-iron engine boasts 375 hp and revs to 5,800 rpm. Meanwhile, the 357 CT produces 407 lb-ft of torque, along with 350 hp and revs to 5,550 rpm. These engines use 1.94-inch intake valves to keep the torque, durability, and affordability high. A 9.0:1 compression ratio in the 383 CT and a 9.4:1 compression ratio in the 357 CT allow the use of lower-cost 87 octane fuel, if desired. Both engines are fully sealed. Available globally from Mercury Marine dealers & through LNS Distribution in the United States & Canada to independent dealers. quicksilver-products.com 800.432.7652

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@OneDirt.com

Happy Trails Etheridge Race Parts, Allstar Performance Trailing Arms The Allstar Performance Adjustable Trailing Arms can make a racer’s life much easier when it comes to choosing multi-functional suspension components for your race car. These adjustable steel 1978-88 G-body metric upper and lower rear end trailing arms are complete with left and right 3/4-inch rod ends, step spacers reducing to a 1/2-inch hole, and cut-to-fit stock GM-type mounts. The upper arm aids in adjusting pinion angle and centering the rear end. The lower arm will adjust the wheel base. etheridgeraceparts.com 877.371.RACE

In control MSD Performance, 6CT Ignition Control MSD’s 6CT Ignition Control is the most-advanced ignition to ever hit the circle track. Packed with legendary MSD ignition power, the 6CT offers a slew of features. A large digital LED display makes it easier than ever to see the rev limiter setting when making selections using the laser-etched rotary dials. The stateof-the art unit can also record the highest rpm achieved in the last 20 minutes of run time. The LED can also display cylinder select, start retard, battery voltage, and can be set up to display live rpm. A microprocessor-controlled rev limiter ensures the chassis is undisturbed when charging into turns. Rotary dials allow racers to choose between 4, 6-, and 8-cylinder applications and allow them to adjust the built-in start retard. The fully potted, tamper proof housing utilizes a single connector to tidy up wiring, and features reverse polarity and overheat protection for reliability. msdperformance.com 888.258.3835

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Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

SPONSORED BY

A strong connection Lunati, 4340 Fully Machined I-Beam Connecting Rods Connecting rods are subject to some of the highest stress levels of any bottom-end engine component. The forces on a rod when the piston direction reverses from top dead center can exceed 12,000 pounds in a hardcore race application. Lunati’s fully machined I-beam connecting rods are, on average, stronger and lighter than competitors' steel connecting rods. Each set is weight matched to +/- 1.5 grams and utilize ARP cap hardware, providing you with a top of the line connecting rod that can handle most anything you can throw at it. The rods are available for big-block Chevrolet engines. lunatipower.com 662.892.1500

Cool optimization Jones Racing Products, Serpentine Water Pump Drive System 1035-S-CE Jones Racing Products' lightweight serpentine water pump drive is designed to optimize cooling and efficiency. A variety of ratios are available to accommodate all rpm ranges, from crate engines up to high-rpm built engines. The drive will effortlessly turn a fan while saving horsepower. The billet aluminum pulleys reduce harmonics and load on the main bearings by sitting only 1/2 inch from the face of the balancer. This reduces the upward pull on the bearings amplified by the leverage a longer drive creates, while keeping a super lightweight rotating mass to greatly decrease the moment of inertia. Jones Racing Products has maximized the belt engagement surface, as well as the contact between the pulley and belt. This allows you to run less belt tension, while virtually eliminating belt slip (caused by the inertia generated from the fan and belt stretch) experienced with other conventional drives. In addition, by reducing the belt tension, it also reduces the wear on the bearings, water pump, pulleys, and the belt itself. Jones Racing Products manufacturing process produces a perfect match between the pulleys and the belt designs, eliminating any additional idlers. This technology promotes a durable lightweight belt drive for today’s horsepower-conscious crate racer. jonesracingproducts.com 610.847.2028

Even more new products

@OneDirt.com 60 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

Get aggressive COMP Cams, GM Sportsman Tool Steel Camshaft Custom GM Sportsman Tool Steel Camshafts from COMP Cams feature core technology widely used in professional race engines for its high strength and profile flexibility. Special ST4 grade tool steel, available only from COMP Cams, is 30 percent stronger than SAE 5150 or SAE 8620 options. The higher carbon content has been shown to wear less than the S7 tool steel that is popular in the industry. ST4 camshafts are also superior to those made from induction-hardened or carburized steel cores. Through-hardening allows engine builders to design more aggressive profiles with virtually any combination of duration, lift, lsa, and advance. These cams can also be reground multiple times for fine tuning or an annual refresh without degradation. Available for GM applications including SBC, BBC, LS, LT1, and more; if you’re looking for strength, look no further. compcams.com 800.999.0853

Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

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Tough contender

Dirty no more

FAST, E6 CD Circle Track Ignition

Driven Racing Oil, Race Wax

Earlier this year, the IMCA approved the FAST E6 CD Circle Track Ignition for use in its Modified, Stock Car, and Late Model divisions. That is good news for racers who are looking for a stronger, more reliable programmable ignition. The FAST E6 has a built-in 20-degree start retard for easier cranking and produces multiple, full-voltage sparks for reliable performance through high rpm. An included sequential rev limiter can be adjusted through sealed rotary dials, in 100 rpm increments, through 9,900 rpm. Designed with circle track racing in mind, the ignition box is encased in soft urethane for protection against moisture and vibration and also includes sturdy vibration mounts and Weatherpak connectors for easy installation. A kit including a FAST E93 Coil and aluminum mounting panel is also available. fuelairspark.com 877.334.8355

A dirty race car doesn’t have to be the norm, nor does clean-up have to be a massive chore. Driven Racing Oil designed its Race Wax to leave a smooth, glossy finish on a freshly washed car that not only helps shed dirt during a race, but also makes for an easier wash the next go-round. The spray detailer is safe for fiberglass, glass, chrome, paint, plastic, tires, and vinyl — practically any surface on your car, including those sponsor decals. Clean and shiny really are terms that can apply to your dirt racing car. drivenracingoil.com 866.611.1820

Back in business Quicksilver, 8.1L Cylinder Heads Popular with 3/4-ton trucks, Suburbans, RV’s, and sport boats, the 8100 V-8 built during 2000-2009 was the last of the automotive big-block engines. The 8.1L made huge amounts of torque and was very reliable, but like many other abandoned iron engines, the cylinder heads are no longer available from the original manufacturer. Quicksilver to the rescue! Starting with the L18 design, Quicksilver tooled new castings and improved the durability of the 8.1L cylinder head assembly with hardened valve seats, exclusive Black-X technology valves that reduce wear 42 by percent, and heavy duty valve springs. In fact, this head assembly is so tough it can be used to service industrial engines and high output marine applications. quicksilver-products.com 800.432.7652 62 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

Flow with the power Jones Racing Products, Synthetic Power Steering Fluid Jones Racing Products invested years of research and development into perfecting their own brand of power steering fluid. This crystal clear, fully-synthetic power steering fluid is capable of exceeding all others in overall performance. The steering systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demands of the fluid, with high pump flow rates and extreme temperatures, make this full synthetic a top choice, providing the driver with a confident and consistent feel from start to finish of a race. This fluid will not develop foam, causing cavitation of the pump, nor will it break down during long green flag runs at full operating temperatures. A major advantage of Jones Racing Productsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; clear power steering fluid is that it helps the team keep a watchful eye on the stability of the system with just a quick glance at the fluid itself. Racers are able to spot any type of contamination in the fluid, helping to catch any problems with the rack, steering box, or hoses. The quart bottles are key to a quick and easy fluid change; two quarts of fluid changed out around 1,500 to 2,000 laps will keep the entire steering system working like new. jonesracingproducts.com 610.847.2028

Speed SHOP PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

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Outside the box Schoenfeld Headers, Dyno-Tested Crate Engine Headers Schoenfeld Headers goes above and beyond to make sure that you’re getting the maximum performance out of your crate engine when you use these headers. Using their in-house dyno, they do extensive testing with crate engines from all types of motorsports. Whether it be pavement, dirt, street stock, modified, or late model, the in-depth analysis has already been done to develop a specific header that will maximize your crate engine’s horsepower. In addition, with the results from the dyno testing, they’ve worked tirelessly with other crate component manufacturers to fine-tune these headers to be the absolute best available. schoenfeldheaders.com 479.474.7529

Diet rings Total Seal, Ultra-Thin Ring Packs Total Seal announces new, AP Ultra-Thin piston ring packs that feature 0.9/0.9/2.0mm ring sets. They include AP steel top rings, ductile iron Napier 2nd rings (in most sets where available), and new oil rings that will be available in standard lowand high-tension configurations. These ring sets offer more than 50 percent total weight reduction, coming in at only 19.3 grams for the 0.9mm set vs. 52.1 grams on a 1/16-inch set. The AP steel top ring features the C-33 PVD coating, applied using vacuum deposition that won't flake or chip off, while the ductile iron Napier 2nd ring offers increased durability and improves oil control. The thinner combination of these rings dramatically reduces friction along with featuring a 0.126-inch radial depth for excellent bore conformability. Customers are reporting typical power gains of 10-15 hp when compared to .043/.043/3.0mm ring packs in the same engine. Available in most popular bore sizes, Total Seal’s AP Ultra-Thin ring packs are offered in both Gapless and conventional types. totalseal.com 800.874.2753 64 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

Easy release Quarter Master, 740-Series Hydraulic Universal Release Bearing Quarter Master has made selecting a clutch release bearing easy. Its 740-series Hydraulic Universal Release Bearings are available in 1.650- and 1.750-inch lengths and feature the company’s Tri-Lite internal bearing design that makes them easily adaptable to most transmissions. These bearings are tough, due to billet aluminum construction and black anodizing for corrosion resistance — a welcome feature when running on wet dirt that finds its way into every crevice of a race car’s undercarriage. Racers who go with a 740-series bearing from Quarter Master can also expect smooth shifting and an easy feel at the clutch pedal. quartermasterusa.com 888.258.8241

FIGHT UNFAIR AUTOMOTIVE LAWS ENLIST TODAY: SEMASAN.COM

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MSD storms to the forefront of ignition control By Ben Shelton

very piece of the puzzle on your race car has a significant role. Some think it’s the tires that are most important, while others may declare a thorough suspension system is the difference in winning and losing races. It seems likely that of all the components on a race car, most people will likely first point to the power plant as being the most significant factor in performance results. This aspect of a winning car is no doubt important, but let’s face a simple fact. If there is no ignition to set the whole process in motion, it doesn’t matter how stout your engine might be. With this in mind, MSD is stepping up to the batter’s box with a pair of cutting-edge new products. While these two new ignition boxes have separate areas of focus, they share the superior dependability and functionality all racers are seeking. MSD set the 2016 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) tradeshow abuzz when they used motorsports’ biggest promotional stage to unveil their brand-new MSD 6CT Ignition Control (PN 6427). “We had teased that we had cutting-edge new technology that we were going to unleash at PRI last year,” Holley’s Blane Burnett comments. “However, I don’t think anybody ever dreamed that we would be releasing an ignition control with such unparalleled capabilities.” Superior design makes the MSD 6CT Ignition Control the most advanced ignition to ever hit a circle track. Packed with legendary MSD Ignition power, the 6CT offers a slew of features. A large digital LED display makes it easier than ever

to see the rev limiter setting when dialing it in using the laser etched rotary dials on the face of the unit. If you’ve felt your car’s handling suffer in the past from uneven rev limiter reactions, you’ll be happy to learn this struggle is no longer an issue. “In the past, some racers have complained that certain ignition boxes operate unevenly, resulting in jerky reactions by the chassis,” Burnett notes. “This issue is eliminated by our state-of-the-art microprocessor. Racers now are experiencing such low effects from the rev limiter that the chassis is virtually undisturbed when charging into the corners.” If flexibility and conformity is what you seek, then this product is definitely for you. A rotary dial allows the user to select either a 4-, 6- or 8-cylinder engine. In addition, a rotary dial can be used to adjust the built-in start retard providing options of 0, 10, or 20 degrees of timing retard for easier starts. Also, if you are always worried whether or not you’ve charged your race car’s battery enough — but have no way to readily check — MSD has found a way to make your life easier. “The LED display is dually functional and can be used as a live tach or will display your race car’s battery voltage,” Burnett proudly states. “Throw in a fully-potted, tamper-proof housing using a single connector to tidy up the wiring, and racers are really loving this new product.” Racers aren’t the only ones enjoying the advantages boasted by the MSD 6CT Ignition Control. “It makes the life of the tech man much easier because

PHOTO BY JIM DENHAMER

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The MSD 6CT Ignition Control offers unparalleled capabilities.

The MSD Circle Track LS Ignition Control brings cutting-edge technology to the LS engine market.

when a car pulls into the scales after a race, a simple press of a button reveals the highest rpm that was achieved in the last 20 minutes of run time,” Burnett explains. “With this feature, there’s no second-guessing whether or not somebody was running within the rpm restrictions of their rule set.” Meanwhile, MSD wasn’t content to sit back on their laurels of a single new, groundbreaking release. Rather, they also recently brought to market the MSD Circle Track LS Ignition Control (PN 6014CT). “Over the past decade, we’ve started to see a strong influx of LS engines into the circle track market, so our engineers went to work and developed the MSD Circle Track LS Ignition Control,” Burnett comments. “Whether you are using a CT525 crate engine or a built LS mill, this new technology provides racers and engine builders alike with a dependable and durable way to control all eight coils, rpm, and timing.” Ease of installation is not sacrificed by this game-changing new product. It comes stock with factory connectors that plug directly into the LS cam sensor, crank sensor, and coils. For teams running a CT525, a preset timing curve and rev limiter setup is

pre-programmed to allow you to hit the ground running. Customization was not forgotten for those who might be running a built LS engine. Simply plug in your laptop to program a timing curve and rev limiter with the user-friendly MSD View software. Supply the unit with power and a ground, and you’re off to the races. Much like the MSD 6CT Ignition Control, the MSD Circle Track LS Ignition Control offers a special feature to make the technical official’s job far easier. “Again, we are always looking to make our products as user-friendly and efficient as possible for all concerned parties, so our LS controller features a dedicated plug for tech officials to utilize,” Burnett says. “We’ve already received a lot of positive feedback from officials from multiple series in regards to the ease of technical inspection with this new device.” No matter which of these products most adequately meets your ignition controller needs, there’s one thing for certain. Utilizing the latest and greatest technology from MSD Performance will keep you a cut above the competition. Source: MSD Performance, msdperformance.com

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I-80 Speedway puts up the money for spectacular racing By Ben Shelton Photos by Todd Boyd

hen sport’s fans think of Omaha, Nebraska, and its surrounding area, many of them might jump to the thought of the College World Series. Considering that the annual event has been held in the southeastern Nebraska town since 1950, this is not a bad conclusion to reach. However, about 30 miles west of downtown Omaha, another major event is rising to national prominence at a breakneck pace. Situated in the cornfields of Greenwood, the I-80 Speedway, owned by the Kosiski family, rises like a palace

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from the surrounding prairies. For seven years running, each July, racers and race fans from across North America converge on the facility to be a part of the annual Silver Dollar Nationals. Now boasting a purse well in excess of $200,000, the event offers the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) Super Late Models and United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) Modifieds a true crown jewel in the nation’s heartland. “When we started this event, we wanted to bring the

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For more great photos, search "Silver Dollar Nationals" on OneDirt.com

best of the best in Super Late Model and Modified competitors to an area that didn’t get much of a chance to see them throughout the year,” track promoter Joe Kosiski notes. “This deal started big, but I’ll admit that even our family didn’t expect to see it grow as fast as it has.” The inaugural Silver Dollar Nationals in 2011 saw Don O’Neal pocket a solid $25,000 for his triumph. Fastforward six years and Tim McCreadie bankrolled a $53,000 check for his victory in the finale.

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You don’t have to be a mathematician to recognize this was a substantial winner’s check increase in a very short time. “A lot of people think I’m crazy for adding so much money into the event, so quick,” Kosiski says. “However, my family and I were all racers long before we were track promoters. I know how much it costs to run these cars. With the great crowds we get, we want to always do our best to give back to the racers.” Not only does the Kosiski family share the love with the pilots from the LOLMDS Super Late Models, but they

also spread the wealth to the USMTS competitors. For 2017, the Modified winner’s purse was doubled to $10,000. “This is such an amazing event with a huge crowd and a huge payout,” 2017 race winner Ryan Gustin commented from Victory Lane. “I love coming to I-80 Speedway because you always know that you are going to have a great race track to race on. Winning $10,000 just makes it that much sweeter.” In addition to bolstering the winner’s checks in 2017, the Kosiski family also added money throughout the field

for both divisions. “We like paying out the big money to the winners, but at the end of the day, only one guy in each class is taking that,” Kosiski says. “Again, as racers, I know how I always looked at the payback through the field when going to events. With that in mind, we are hoping to continue to draw more and more racers from across the country to this

event each year, when they realize just how much money is on the line from top to bottom.” In recent years, the staff at I-80 Speedway has further grown the event to include the Belt Bash, which is a 20lap non-qualifier race for the LOLMDS Super Late Model racers. The winner gets $3,000 or has the option to tag the tail of the 30-plus car starting grid for

the 80-lap finale. 2017 Belt Bash winner Brandon Sheppard took the Kosiski family up on their challenge to start at the tail. While his choice may have created a lot of additional work for the Illinois racer, Sheppard made his decision look wise by advancing 30 positions to a runner-up finish behind winner Tim McCreadie. “What an incredible run for us,” an

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exhausted Sheppard said after the finale. “We got behind the 8-ball early in the weekend, but our team never gave up. I’m just thankful that they had the non-qualifier race, which gave us another shot to get into the feature. There’s not very many tracks where you can start at the tail of the of the field, and then pass 30 cars to almost win the race. Hats off to them for an awesome track.” Oh, and did I happen to mention my personal favorite part of the event? It’s the format! There’s no tired, old time trials here. Instead, racers in both divisions compete in double heat races, with passing points being accumulated in each race. The point totals from these heat races determine the consolation and main event lineups.

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In addition, each LOLMDS heat race winner receives a money bag with 250 silver dollars for their efforts. On a track that lends itself to plenty of passing, the end result is drivers having more control of their fate and fans getting more racing bang for their buck. Speaking of fans, not only do racers come from near and far to participate in the crown jewel, but spectators circle it on their calendars each year, as well. In a gas station that is located adjacent to the track, I met a gentleman who had traveled from California for the second straight year to catch the festivities. “It’s a long way to come for a race, and it’s usually really hot, but it’s so worth it,” he laughed, as he enjoyed some ice cream on a 100-degree day. “I don’t ever get to see these guys race

where I live, so it’s a no-brainer for me to come out here and watch 100 or so of the best in the business sling some dirt at a top-notch track.” This gentleman definitely hit the nail on the head about the weather. While the good news is rain is rarely ever an issue, the bad news is temps can soar at times. In fact, during this year’s event, temps eclipsed the 105-degree mark on Friday. Perhaps it’s just the price you pay for such a great program. “When you come to I-80 in July, you automatically know it’s probably going to be hot,” says Anthony Burroughs, crew chief for Don O’Neal. “You just stay hydrated during the day, and then the nights are usually pretty good temperature wise. It’s a hot event, but it’s a fun event.”

For race fans looking for just a little something extra, they can likely find what they desire with Thursday night’s program. The opening night’s extravaganza adds a nice flair of divisional diversity to an already loaded weekend. Not only do the USMTS and LOLMDS competitors get practice sessions throughout the evening, but the Carpetland Nebraska 360 Sprint Series competitors contest a complete show, and the Malvern Bank Super Late

Model Racing Series (SLMRS) hosts a complete show, as well. Throw a B-Mod program into the mix and Thursday night finds well over 150 cars crammed into the pit area. In true I-80 Speedway fashion, Thursday night’s program found a purse bump also. The Malvern Bank SLMRS racers competed for the richest single-night purse in the history of the tour. Nebraska’s own Kyle Berck picked up a $5,300 check for his efforts on

Thursday evening. The bottom line is that if you are a diehard racing fan, then this race is a must-see. Odds are pretty good if you ever go once, you’ll instantly be hooked and will go back every year thereafter. If you need a little more encouragement on why you should attend, then simply check out the photos that accompany this article. Todd Boyd brings us these awesome shots from the 2017 edition of the Silver Dollar Nationals.

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LUNATIPOWER.COM • 662.892.1500 OneDirt.com 73

Driven SR50 race oil solves clean vs cost dilemma By Cindy Bullion

irt racing is…well, dirty. Cars throw clods in the corners, dust clouds often form, and the smallest of particles find their way into tiny crevices, including those under the hood. Engine oil is not excluded from being affected, meaning racers must adopt frequent change intervals or risk decreased performance or, even worse, engine damage and failure. “In a dirt environment, oil health may be fine, but the dirt contamination is not good,” Driven Racing Oil’s Lubrication Expert Lake Speed Jr. says. “Atmospheric dirt gets sucked in and can cause excessive wear in the engine.” Increasing how often oil is changed is only part of the lubrication battle, however. Speed says skimping on quality simply because the oil is not living in the engine as long can also lead to problems.

Just as dirt and debris in an engine can prematurely wear components — causing a host of other issues — using an oil of the wrong viscosity, or without the proper blend of additives, can reduce the level of protection, increase operating temps, and rob horsepower. Saving a few dollars on off-the-shelf oil may seem attractive, he says, until you end up having to replace components or a whole engine because that cheaper oil didn’t meet the lubrication needs of your performance engine. Short-term savings can lead to long-term consequences. “Even if an oil bottle says high-zinc, if it has an API donut, that oil is not purpose built,” Speed says. “That basically means it can be used in a passenger car. It is not a racing oil.” Knowing the dilemma dirt racers face, Driven Racing Oil cre-

PHOTO BY HEATH LAWSON

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In testing, engine wear in an engine running Driven Racing Oil’s SR50 was 38 percent lower than in the same engine running a national brand synthetic oil of comparable viscosity. It also outperformed a leading high-zinc oil.

ated its new SR50 Conventional 20W-50 racing oil that provides maximum performance at an affordable price — $7.99 per quart. It’s specifically formulated for engines where frequent oil changes are needed to eliminate dirt build-up or fuel dilution, another problem in dirt racing, where carburetors are common. “They tend to be a bit rich, and that can introduce excess fuel into the oil,” Speed says of carb-equipped engines. With dirt contamination already a major factor in reducing an engine oil’s protective abilities, the addition of fuel into the mix only increases the need for frequent oil changes in dirt racing engines. “They’re not getting long oil life anyway,” Speed continues. “So, we developed an oil that will save them money compared to off-the-shelf competitors’ brands and give them more protection because it’s designed just for them. It’s bred to be in their racing engine.”

In dirt racing, rapidly changing engine speeds and long races create high heat that requires superior protection. Racers tend to go with higher viscosity engine oils or ones that contain extra additives and/or friction modifiers to fight viscosity loss and boost protection in such extreme conditions. Testing data shows SR50, with its proprietary anti-wear and friction-reducing additive package, provides up to 38 percent better wear protection than high-zinc, national brand synthetic oils. Compatible with most fuels, including methanol, E85, and race gas, it provides consistent protection for flat tappet engines and prevents lifter skidding in aggressive roller cam valvetrains using both needle and bushing lifters. SR50 is not recommended for use in engines with stamped steel rockers; in that case, use Driven’s XP9 or XP6 for optimal durability. Source: Driven Racing Oil, drivenracingoil.com

Branded as an economical race oil option for grassroots racers, SR50 Conventional 20W-50 was developed for maximum protection where frequent oil changes are needed, such as in dirt track racing, to eliminate the build-up of dirt or fuel dilution. OneDirt.com 75

Two

Men Enter

Mad Max takes on Big-Block Modifieds By Clayton Johns

here aren’t many 4 year olds trying to make their way in dirt track racing, but Max McLaughlin may be the first. Well, sort of. “I was born on a leap year, February 29, 2000. So, really I’m only four,” McLaughlin jokes. The 17-year-old native of Mooresville, North Carolina, is in his second full season of Big-Block Modified racing, and he’s doing it at the highest level possible. McLaughlin is driving the Textron Off-Road No. 6h for Heinke-Baldwin Racing (HBR) and competing with the New York-based Super DIRTcar Series. A former UMP Modified standout, he raced a Big-Block Modified for car owner Al Heinke for the first time at the 2015 World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte. He set fast time and earned 15th- and 20th-place finishes on back-to-back nights. The results weren’t what McLaughlin wanted, but he made a lasting impression on Heinke. “After the World Finals, we didn’t really hear anything until about Florida (in February 2016),” McLaughlin says. “I went down there to race my UMP Modified and

PHOTO BY JAY FISH

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PHOTO BY JAY FISH

PHOTO BY JIM DENHAMER

didn’t really think anything was going to happen because I didn’t hear much. We were down there racing the UMP Modified and got the call to go visit Al in Connecticut, and he told me I was going to be racing the car.” McLaughlin has been in the seat of one of the most-high profile rides in BigBlock Modified Racing ever since, and has been working to improve each time he hits the track in the challenging 800hp, center-steer car. Getting started McLaughlin’s dad, Mike, is a former NASCAR Modified champion, six-time NASCAR XFINITY Series winner and Dirt Modified Hall of Famer. He introduced Max to racing at a young age in Outlaw Karts at the popular Millbridge Speedway near Mooresville. “He won the NASCAR Whelen Modified tour and got enough recognition to be able to go into the NASCAR ranks,” Max says of his father. “He ran the Busch Series and a couple of Cup races.” Max continuously improved during his time at Millbridge until he made it into the track’s top class, the Open Division, racing against the likes of Kyle Larson, Rico Abreu, and the late Bryan Clauson on occasion. “We messed around at Millbridge Speedway for years,” he says. “I started in the Box Stock class and worked up to the Open Class. We had really heavy hitters out there all the time. I learned a lot out there from racing with those guys.” It was at Millbridge that Max met another driver who later became one of his closest friends, Nick Hoffman. During the 2014 season, Hoffman, a multi-time UMP Modified champion, offered Max his first ride in a full-size car.

“I had never even tested it,” Max recalls. “He said, ‘Do you want to drive one of these things?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ ‘Alright, you’re racing tomorrow night in Gaffney, (South Carolina).’ We went racing, and I think we finished fifth.” It led to a lasting friendship; Max will be a part of Hoffman’s wedding party later this year. On the track, a pair of successful UMP Modified seasons followed for the driver nicknamed “Mad Max.” It was a nickname he gained as a kid for his energetic personality. While he’s definitely mellowed out today, he’s certainly still Mad Max behind the wheel. “When it comes down to it, when there’s a little bit of a cushion up against the fence, I’m probably the only driver entering up there,” Max says of his driving style. “I come from that kind of background. I raced every week on a cushion, so entering right on the wall is kind of my comfort zone. Any place we go to, I’m not second-guessing it.”

That energy helped propel his UMP Modified success, and in the fall of 2015, McLaughlin tested a Big-Block Modified for New York driver and current Outlaw Speedway owner Tyler Siri and ran a rain shortened show at Brewerton Speedway. He also caught Heinke’s attention. “We ran Brewerton and got rained out,” Max says. “Al saw something in me and let me test the car the day after that. He put me in the car for the World Finals, and we went out and set fast time there. That’s what sparked the relationship with Al.” Heinke gave the then 15-year-old his shot in Charlotte and then offered him the car full-time for 2016. That meant Mike and Max had to relocate from Mooresville to the HBR home base in Weedsport, New York. A fresh start Mike and Max moved north in the spring of 2016. Max was hired to drive the No. 6h and finished high school online, while Heinke hired Mike to work in the team’s shop full time. With Max’s parents separated since he was 8, the move north meant he had to move away from his mom, Katie, at just the age of 15. “My dad and I kind of looked at each other and said ‘this is our chance’,” Max explains. “We were at the point where we were out of money, and we didn’t know if we were going to be able to go racing again. I was actually looking at baseball bats again. I was a pretty good baseball player in school. That’s kind of the point we were going back to, but I’m glad I didn’t. “She can't really get much time off work, but every time she's able to get free, she comes up here, and I really appreciate it,” Max says of his mother. “It wasn’t

PHOTO BY JAY FISH

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PHOTO BY JIM DENHAMER

easy moving away at 15 from your mom. I’ve always kind of been a momma’s boy.” While it was a big and challenging move, Max knew he had the unconditional support of his car owner, who expected the teenager to battle a learning curve in his first year. “That’s probably the coolest thing; there were no expectations at all,” Max says. “It was kind of all a learning thing. Al knows that nobody, not just me, is going to come out and run with these guys [on the Super DIRTcar Series] right off the bat. They’ve been doing it for longer than I’ve been alive.” In his first year, Max found out firsthand just how tough battling the best Big-Block Modified racers in the Northeast was going to be. Rookie battles Max’s rookie season with the Super DIRTcar Series had its fair share of trials and tribulations, as most expected. However, with only a single weekly track win to his credit and a 13th overall ranking in the series standings, Max faced a culture shock as he struggled to find Victory Lane on a regular basis for the first time in several seasons. “It was tough. There was definitely points where I probably gave up on myself,” Max admits. “I went from winning 20 races a year to one.” Max also experienced his fair share of critics in 2016. Fans and onlookers carved all kinds of rumors, including that his father had bought the ride for him. From the outside, the timing also fueled speculation. Max was hired to drive for HBR in the spring of 2016, just a couple of months following the organization’s release of reigning series champion Matt Sheppard. “I’ve seen that a lot or heard people 78 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

saying I bought the ride,” Max says. “Dad and I don’t even have a house. We live in a race shop in North Carolina (in the winter). We put everything we have into our racing program.” This season, armed with veteran crew chief Matt Hearn, Max was quick to quiet his critics with a strong start to 2017 in the DIRTcar Nationals at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park. He earned a pair of Top 5 finishes in the non-points races at the fast half-mile. “I kept pushing and pushing, and it wasn’t really until Florida that we really came out strong,” Max says. “Since Florida, we’ve been right up there with these guys, and that’s pretty cool.” It’s certainly showed. At the end of July, Max was already ahead of last year’s pace with two more Top 5 finishes since Volusia and five Top 10 results in 12 starts this year. Even with his success, Max is the first to admit he is still learning something new about his Big-Block Modified and how to drive it each time he rolls onto the racetrack.

PHOTO BY JAY FISH

“It doesn’t turn. That’s what I fought all year last year. I was not comfortable getting into the corner,” Max says. “I’ve driven every dirt car there is, and now jumping in a Big-Block, I can say it is the hardest car I’ve ever driven. They have more power than they would ever need. It’s a chore to drive. I’ve never gotten out of the car and just been like, ‘wow that was a perfect-handling car’.” Max wasn’t only fighting his adjustment to a new car, but also the different style of racetrack. He had become accustomed to tight bullrings and big cushions at racetracks in the South and Midwest. The hard and dry slick New York surfaces he was facing on a weekly basis were a complete curveball. Now, with a year under his belt, he has some experience to help him improve. “I haven’t seen one track this year, besides Eldora, where you can go up [on the cushion] and just be dominant,” Max says. “It’s been huge for me to learn how to carry momentum on these black-slick tracks, where you can only drive quarter-throttle or you’re going to blow the tires off it.” Max has been fortunate to have the help of veteran driver and teammate Jimmy Phelps to help him work through the issues. “He’s helped me in the slick a lot,” Max says of Phelps. “These cars are a different animal from any other dirt car on the planet. It’s a different approach to driving them in the slick than a Late Model or a UMP Modified. With those cars, you’re kind of always on the gas a little bit, keeping the car loaded.” “These things, you just have to drive them in, let off the gas and wait for them to set. Once you feel it set, you can pick it back up. That’s probably the biggest

PHOTO BY JAY FISH

thing I’ve had trouble with, and figuring out. It doesn’t really make sense to me, but now that I’ve kind of learned it a little bit, it’s coming around.” With the support of a well-organized HBR team, Max knows he continues to inch towards his first Super DIRTcar Series win. A second-place finish earlier this season at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, New York, is his best fin-

ish to date. As close as he’s come, Max knows gaining that final spot is incredibly difficult. “Everybody’s so close that you have to be on top of your game. You can’t make any mistakes,” Max says. “If you make one mistake, you’re getting passed by two guys. In this series, that’s just how it is. You have to run a perfect race to win one of these series races.”

Next steps Max has already shown he is willing to put forward the effort to learn and improve. That much is evident in his 2017 results. It’s clear Mad Max is talented and, if his initial work ethic is any indication, he’s willing to work to earn his spot behind the wheel of a racecar for a long time. “I’ve always said if I can make a living driving a race car, that’s my goal, ultimately,” Max says. “I don’t really have a plan of where I want to go yet. I don’t want to say it’s out of my control, but it kind of is in a way. Most racing these days takes money, and that’s something personally we don’t have.” While there’s no clear path for Max, he certainly has a couple of pit stops he’d like to make in his career. As a lifelong Donny Schatz fan, Max is eager to jump behind the wheel of a Sprint Car, a seat his parents reserved until after his 18th birthday in February 2017. Outside of that, Max would like a chance to follow in his father’s footsteps. “I’d like to try asphalt and at least get a shot with those guys, but I’d be happy running anything for the rest of my life,” he says. “I just want to drive a race car.”

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KNIGHTS of theROUND TRACK Dirt racing returns to the public eye By Ben Shelton Photos by Byron Fichter

t least a few times every night, I get asked the same question at the racetrack. It doesn’t matter what track it is or which division is being featured, race fans always have the exact same inquiry. When can we expect to see more dirt track racing on television? I get asked so often that I’ve become well versed in my response. The highlights of my answer include how expensive television can be, how dirt track racing is a bit of a niche sport, etc. Everything I say is true. I wish I had a better answer regarding what it would take to get more dirt racing on television, but I just haven’t been able to crack the puzzle yet. While I’ve been in the corner scratching my head about what it would take to make racing more prevalent in primetime television, others have been putting the proverbial rubber to the road to make it happen.

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Enter Corey Dripps, who is breathing life back into the once wildly-popular show The Dirt Knights. In 2011, the show originally aired for a single season on the Versus channel. Cameras followed a group of six racers as they chased glory on the ultra-competitive United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS). While the show was highly regarded by the racing community, it saw the red flag dropped by the network after just one season. “We had a strong product that gained momentum really fast, but unfortunately, we were a victim of politics and business deals,” Dripps recounts.

“Comcast bought NBC Sports — which owned Versus — and they wanted to make a push toward a more ESPN type-scenario with only live events. We clearly couldn’t budget to broadcast live, so we hit the cutting room floor.”

Show organizers even considered moving The Dirt Knights to Fox Sports 1 (FS1), but due to contractual deals, the program couldn’t be aired anywhere else. For Dripps and other show organizers, it was a sobering blow. It also left a bitter taste in the mouths of racers and race fans alike. We finally had a dirt racing show that was very well produced and wasn’t overrun with pre-staged drama. Just like that — poof — it was gone. Luckily, you can’t hold a good man (nor a good idea) down, and new life has been breathed into The Dirt Knights. “We’ve got some great new backers on board who are allowing it to come back to life, and the Pattison family at MAVTV has helped us put together a TV package that makes it affordable for us,” Dripps notes. “We learned from so many mistakes the first time around. I’m really excited on where we can take it this time. The support thus far has been incredible.”

From left: Al Walters, Hunter Marriott, and CJ Jones

One of the racing industry’s top manufacturers, Jones Racing Products, recently had the chance to see some of the filming for the upcoming season. Company president CJ Jones, along with fiancée Melanie Trimper, attended a handful of events during the 2017 Dakota Classic

Modified Tour. He was instantly hooked on the racing and the product. “I was truly blown away by not only the number of competitors, but also the competition level on the tour,” Jones notes. “The racing was awesome, and it

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Hunter Marriot - Series Champion

was especially cool to see so many of our customers running the tour and involved in the filming of The Dirt Knights.” During his jaunt to the Upper Midwest, Jones also had the opportunity to meet with Dripps. “I was very impressed with his vision for bringing major dirt track racing to broadcast television again,” Jones comments. “Bringing the great racing action, and also the behind the scenes footage, to the general public is going to only help our sport grow.” While The Dirt Knights, focused on the USMTS tour its first go-round, this time, it has its sights set on the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) Modified ranks. Filming began with the six-night Dakota Classic Modified Tour held July 8-13. Six different tracks — including five stops in North Dakota and one in Saskatchewan — were part of the docket. “Brett Root and IMCA really got behind us when they heard about our idea to want to bring back The Dirt Knights,” Dripps recounts. “From a logistical and a cost standpoint, it made sense to start our filming with the Dakota Classic Modified Tour. Plus, there’s a ton of great racers and great tracks that we could feature in that six-race run.” Filming for the first season will conclude in September during the 2017 edition of the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals at Iowa’s Boone Speedway. Drivers featured this season include Hunter Marriott, Johnny Scott, Jason Wolla, Cody Bauman, and Corey Dripps. Twenty episodes are slated for the return season of the program, with airing tentatively slated to begin on 82 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

Corey Dripps

MAVTV in November. Seeing several of his clients taking part in the rebirth of The Dirt Knights,, Jones is even more excited. “Drivers like Marriott, Scott, and Dripps are some of the toughest racers out there, and to have them utilizing our products is very exciting,” Jones says. “As a company, we are very proud to be working with not only them, but also great engine builders from the tour and the GM engine suppliers, like Friesen Chevrolet.” Al Walters, performance sales manager for Friesen Performance, echoes Jones’ excitement. “Series like the Dakota Classic Modified Tour and shows like The Dirt Knights, makes this a great time for our sport,” Walters states. “Furthermore, to have companies like Jones Racing Products supporting both entities is a major shot in the arm.” Selling more than 250 engines per

Hunter Marriott

year, Friesen Performance supplies GM crate power plants for many of IMCA racing’s top performers. The company is focused on providing engines with the most dependable and durable parts available. This led them to a partnership with Jones Racing Products in 2013. “I was having a hard time getting the custom components that I needed for our engines, and that’s when I came in contact with CJ [Jones],” Walters remembers. “He told me he could build me custom belt drives for the front of any motor that we had. I gave him a chance to prove it, and he did just that. I immediately started exclusively using Jones Racing Products for my front belt drives, and it’s been that way for four years now.” The company takes pride in putting top-of-the-line components on their engines. “At Friesen Performance, we are focused on producing motors that will win

Johnny Scott

races and still have longevity,” Walters notes. “Sometimes, there’s cheaper options out there, but more times than not, I see racers paying more for multiple motors in the same time frame that they could’ve paid less with us and just bought one.” The Dirt Knights world has seen its top two performers running products from Jones Racing Products and Friesen Performance. Missouri’s Hunter Marriott has been a standout in the Modified ranks during the past few seasons. With double-digit wins in 2016 and 2017, he is a contender anywhere he unloads, recently clinching his second-straight Dakota Classic Modified Tour title. “I’ve been with Friesen [Performance] since 2013, and their engines with the Jones Racing Products on them are pretty amazing,” Marriott says. “With any motor, there’s always a chance for something random to go wrong, but it’s been really impressive to see how powerful and durable they really are.” Becoming involved with The Dirt Knights is a bit of a dream come true for the 25-year-old racer. “If you had told me even last year that I would be a featured driver on a TV show, I would’ve told you that you were

Hunter Marriott

Johnny Scott

crazy,” Marriott laughs. “It’s really cool to be featured, and what I like even more is that they just tell us to be ourselves on the show. It’s not like a soap opera or anything like that.” While Marriott claimed the Dakota Classic Modified Tour crown in 2017, he had a newcomer on the IMCA scene nipping at his heels. New Mexico transplant Johnny Scott actually led the standings by a few markers heading into the final event, before ultimately finishing second in the final points. “I know lots of people have told me that they know how bad it must sting to come up short on the title like that, but really I consider it a huge accomplishment to finish second in the points in my first year on the tour,” Scott proudly comments. “Before this year, I had never seen any of these tracks, and this competition is amazingly tough. Sure, I wanted to score the title, but to do what we did, I consider it a big win for me and my team.” Late in the 2016 season, Scott was approached by Dripps about the possibility of becoming a featured driver on The Dirt Knights. He regarded it as a great opportunity. “When Corey came to me to see if I

wanted to be part of the show, I was like, ‘Heck Yeah! This sounds awesome,’” Scott remembers. “I always like trying new things, and I’ve been wanting to race up this way for a long time.” While he enjoys new challenges, Scott quickly admits just how tough the IMCA scene is in the Upper Midwest. “I knew it was going to be tough because I had never even seen most of these places, but it was even that much harder,” he says. “On that Dakota Modified Tour, there was roughly 100 guys every night, and over half of them have a real chance to win. It’s been fun, but it’s definitely been an eye opener.” Scott has a long and successful relationship with Jones Racing Products. “I’ve been working with CJ [Jones] and the gang at Jones Racing Products for about 10 years now, and they’ve always been top notch,” Scott comments. “They are really easy to deal with and can build you pretty much anything you could ever need. Best of all, when you are in a pinch for a part, they go out of their way to get you exactly what you need, when you need it.” With a strong game plan for its return season, The Dirt Knights is already looking at 2018 and beyond. “Based on the support and enthusiasm that I’m seeing, I really believe this show is here to stay,” Dripps says. “2018 could be an even bigger and better year for us, so definitely stay tuned!” For Jones and Jones Racing Products, they are loving everything The Dirt Knights represents. “Grassroots guys out battling every night to beat 100 other guys — that’s what dirt track racing is all about,” Jones says. “Jones Racing Products and I are just honored to be a part of the winning puzzle.” Source: Jones Racing Products, jonesracingproducts.com

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Jason Sides is a mainstay with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars By Dan Hodgdon

ason Sides looks the part of a dirt racer. His long hair is often pulled back in a ponytail, white-rimmed sunglasses are on his head, and his goatee greets you head on. He takes drags off his cigarette as he works on his car. He personally drives his hauler track to track, a staple of the grassroots racer. What Sides does though is far from grassroots. In fact, it is quite the opposite, as he competes every single weekend against the best Sprint Car drivers in the country with the World of Outlaws. But while he does it differently, Sides still fits in that category

of the very best. He’s a 15-time winner on the World of Outlaws circuit and has been racing Sprint Cars in some capacity since the early 1990s. Among his Sprint Car wins across a variety of sanctions are the prestigious King’s Royal at Eldora Speedway, a triumph at Volusia Speedway Park in the DIRTcar Nationals during Speedweeks, and a popular victory close to his Memphis-area home in the Short Track Nationals at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway. Sides, 44, is a native of the Memphis suburb of Bartlett, Tennessee, and he knows how to do a lot with a little.

PHOTO BY PAUL ARCH

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PHOTO BY PAUL ARCH

PHOTO BY WORLD RACING GROUP

“There’s places I know that we’re decent, that we can run good at,” Sides says of his philosophy. “There’s [also] places that I don’t really care for, so I know just to go in there and make the show, make the best of it, and then get out and try not to tear anything up. Then there’s places where we’ll contend for the win. So, you just kind of have a different mindset at different racetracks.” Clearly, Sides is a thoughtful racer who is mindful of the budget required to make the entire 94-race Outlaws schedule. Not only is he smart, while possessing superb reflexes, he is also known to have some of the best eyesight in the business. During this year’s Outlaw Showdown at the Dirt Track at Charlotte for instance, he stopped during pace laps in Turn 2 to point out a pair of eyeglasses on the track to officials. Despite his obvious talents in Sprint Cars, Sides didn’t initially have his sights set on the discipline. His career began on two wheels, starting out on BMX bicycles and making the move to dirt bikes when he was 13, winning multiple championships. He raced dirt bikes for about 10 years early in his life, following in the footsteps of his parents. It was his older brother, Paul, who first got Jason into Sprint Cars. Paul got a Sprint Car in 1992, when the Sides family operated the dirt track at Memphis Motorsports Park. One night, Paul let his brother sample his car, and Jason was instantly hooked. “One night, he let me drive his car, and it was just a new adrenaline rush,” Sides remembers. “It was kind of fun, and it had a roll cage. I was getting older, kind of old for the dirt bike scene, so I got into the Sprint Car and loved it. So I started to sell the dirt bikes and got a Sprint Car.” Not only did Sides race at Memphis Motorsports Park, he and his brother also prepared the track for the four years the family ran the facility. “He graded, I watered,” Sides remembers. He began racing full-time in 2001 and has been a nearly constant and large presence on the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series ever since. He earned the longstanding nickname “Double Down” his first year on the tour, by playing blackjack at a bar in Fargo, North Dakota, when the buy-in was

PHOTO BY WORLD RACING GROUP

five dollars a hand. Sides won on nearly every hand he played. Longtime series announcer Johnny Gibson took note, and one of the sport's most enduring nicknames was born. Sides stands out in other ways, too. Ask the driver for an autograph in recent years and you were likely to get a signature from a red Sharpie, as opposed to the black offered up by most drivers. “Now it’s gone to blue,” Sides says of his unique writing tool, which matches his car’s primary color this year. “Most people have got black, so if you’ve got something different, you stand out. It’s just a way to be different.” It’s easy to root for Sides, both for his quirks and his roughneck, underdog image, as well as his talent on track. He’s worldly though, having experience running a race team, traveling all over the country, and even competing with his Sprint Car brethren in Australia. “It might be a little bit bigger in Australia as far as the fan turnout,” Sides says about the racing on the other side of the world. “They don’t have as many races as we do, but they still have a 12- or 18-race series. And they have big races like the [Grand Annual SprintCar] Classic and the Scott Darley Memorial. For those few big races, people come out in big numbers.” Australian Sprint Car racer Shane Finch joins Sides for part of the year each season, and the duo have now been together for a dozen years. Paul Sides also joins his brother on the road for some stretches every year. Often though, Jason Sides rolls into the track alone, having called ahead to have area crew members help on the car each week. Sides admits he’s thought about slowing down or changing his role. He says the travel can be grueling, but for the most part, he loves what he’s doing as much as ever. “If I find a young driver that’s ready to get out there and do it, I might step out and put him in the car or something,” Sides says. “But, I don’t see that being any time soon. It might be the end of this year, might be next year, might be three or four years, I don’t know. I’m still having fun. “I still enjoy working on them and doing a lot of the stuff. Just going up and down the road a lot gets kind of tiring, but that’s part of it. We’ll just see how long it lasts.” OneDirt.com 85

THE

POWER TO

PLAY Quicksilver products meet the needs of your power plant By Ben Shelton

o matter your age, odds are pretty good you still have a favorite toy. That one beloved release that lets you automatically tune out the stresses and complications of daily life. For some folks, this toy of choice might be a race car. For others, it might be a bass boat. Perhaps it’s your motorhome, or maybe, just maybe, it’s simply your favorite old truck. No matter your device of enjoyment, they all have one thing in common. They need to have a dependable engine. Whether it’s burning up a dirt track in your hot rod or setting the water on fire in your trusty boat, you want to know for sure that you can count on the durability of the components that

go into your power plant. With an ever-growing product line, Mercury and its Quicksilver brand have stepped up to the plate to offer a wide range of products to meet your power needs. From complete engines to cylinder heads, the company has the gambit covered. Of course, when most people hear names like Mercury and Quicksilver, they automatically assume the accompanying products are only applicable to marine use. While that might’ve once been true, the companies now have a great deal to offer the general automotive industry. “We have long designed our marine products for durability and torque production, and over the past few years we’ve begun

Quicksilver is keeping Street Stock racers on track with dependable engines.

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Black-X Composite Valve Technology adds additional corrosion resistance to engines.

For additional info and photos, search "Quicksilver" on OneDirt.com

designing products for various other applications as well,” notes Mike Horak, powertrain director for Mercury Marine. “Whether it be for use in a race car, a recreational vehicle, or a passenger car, we have a strong arsenal of products to offer the public.” Quicksilver stormed onto the dirt track scene in late 2015 with a pair of brand new crate engines. The first piece they brought to the market was a 357 CT engine, which is comparable to a 350-hp GM crate engine. The second motor was a 383 CT power plant, which falls in between a 350-hp and 400-hp GM crate engine in terms of performance. While the engines have faced adversity in some areas, due to specific crate engines being required, Horak has heard nothing but great feedback from the racers running the power plants. “It’s been a battle in some areas because some of the tracks currently limit which crate engine manufacturer that competitors can run,” Horak says. “We’re actively working with many of these tracks to allow our engines to become an option. It’s been a slow process, but I feel like we’re picking up some steam in the process.” While it’s been a definite challenge for Quicksilver to get

Quicksilver offers a wide variety of iron cylinder heads to meet your specific needs.

some tracks on board with their new program, the good news is racers are loving the engines. “Racers are loving the power from these engines, and they are definitely loving the price tag,” Horak comments. “They are paying a fraction of the price of their old engines, and the power and durability is as good, if not better, than ever.” Keeping in mind that not everyone gets a chance to drive a race car, Quicksilver has expanded their powerful and durable product lines to include many other facets. One of the notable developments for Quicksilver is the vast expansion of their line of iron cylinder heads. Not only do these cylinder heads offer a variety of options for different configurations, but they also utilize the exclusive Black-X Composite Valve Technology. “Our Black-X Composite Valve Technology has been a game changer,” Horak says. “The valves are engineered with a composite construction of quality stainless steel, using cobalt/ chromium seats sealed in a nitrogen hardened black case. This adds another level of corrosion resistance against high-percentage alcohol fuels.” Quicksilver’s new valves have shown to exhibit a 42-percent reduction in wear. “The addition of E15 into fuels has been a hot button topic over the past few years,” Horak quips. “As alcohol combusts, it becomes extremely corrosive, and this does serious damage to most engines. In fact, in many cases, only the newest engines are resistant to the damage created by alcohol. By the time you find damage in your old cylinders, most times it’s already too late. “So, we are now offering a wide range of iron cylinder heads that can be used as replacements. Until now, some of these replacement parts weren’t available anywhere.” From 3.0L to 8.1L cylinder head assemblies, Quicksilver is really bringing a lot to the table. These cutting-edge products are breathing fresh life into some of our favorite toys. “Whether it’s helping people motor down the race track, the river, or the interstate, we are focused on keeping our customers moving forward,” Horak says. “A great deal of engineering and testing has gone into our new product lines, and we honestly believe that what we have to offer now is better than anything we’ve ever had before. “Whether it affects your livelihood or your recreation, we have a product to keep you moving full speed ahead.” Source: Quicksilver, quicksilver-products.com

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Big Block Modifieds tackle New Egypt Speedway. PHOTO BY ROBERT WOJCIK

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Starter swap essential, easy Words and Photos by Cindy Bullion

hen hitting the dirt, an OEM or budget replacement starter could spell bad news. High-compression engines need a high-torque starter made from high-quality materials in order to not only turn over the crank, but hold up under the extreme pressures long term. A common issue with inferior starters is breakage due to kickback, or sudden reversed engine rotation at starting, which can occur with the high-compression engines found in dirt racing. Internal parts, like gears, that are made of plastic or powdered metals also increase the risk for starter failure. It takes a strong starter to overpower the resistance of a racing engine. For his Dirt Modified, racer Joseph Leister turned to Quarter Master for one of their Ultra-Duty starters designed with gear reduction engineering to generate the high torque that

high-compression engines need to get going. The reverse-mount/reverse-rotation starter (Pt# 114267B) Leister picked pairs perfectly with the Quarter Master Magnesium Clutchless Bellhousing and 91-tooth flywheel already installed on his car, making the install simple and quick. In the shop, Leister and his brother swapped out an old starter with the new Quarter Master one in 30 minutes. The process could easily be completed trackside in 15 minutes when the race is on the line — and a photographer isn’t in the way. Follow along as we document the starter install. It’s easy enough for one man. If not for those three bolts, it could even be done with one hand. Source: Quarter Master, quartermasterusa.com

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRAZIER

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The Quarter Master Ultra-Duty Starter came ready to mount with all hardware included, as well as a jumper for use with a remote solenoid, as commonly found in stock classes. Anyone using the jumper would likely need to enlarge the spade terminal hole using a 1/8inch drill, to accommodate a screw.

Weighing 10 pounds, the starter could be held in place with one hand, freeing the other for hand-tightening of two 1/4-20 bolts.

Due to space confines, the third bolt located between the starter and bellhousing required use of a ratchet with ¼-inch drive and thin wall 7/16-inch socket to get started.

All three bolts were eventually torqued to the recommended spec, in this case 8-10 ft/ lb. Then, pinion-to-ring gear clearance was checked. Quarter Master recommends that with the starter pinion disengaged, there should be .100 inch (give or take .040 inch) of clearance between the pinion and ring gear. Backlash should be about 0.25 inch if used with a Quarter Master ring gear, as was the case with this install.

After double-checking that the car’s battery was unhooked, the positive battery cable was connected to the unused stud on the solenoid — no torqueing necessary. Note the Ultra-Duty starter is designed for use with 12 volts, but can be used with 16 volts.

The final step in this two-wire (versus remote solenoid) install method was connecting the starter switch lead to the spade and re-establishing power from the battery.

The finished product.

A Quarter Master-recommended heat shield was not used, due to the reverse-mount starter’s position lower and away from the headers than it would be if traditionally mounted (noted by the green oval). The starter also avoids high heat exposure from the engine in this position.

MADE FOR ULTRA-DUTY Quarter Master’s Ultra-Duty starters are made of premium components and blueprinted, hand-assembled, then dyno tested before heading out the door to racers. Gear reduction engineering produces the increased torque, while CNC-machined adapter mounts ensure a precise flywheel fit. The unique pinion gear also features a lightweight head to enable tighter tolerances in run-out for a more efficient flywheel engagement. Ultra-Duty starters have a massive 1.4 kW or 2.0 kW of cranking power — plenty for high-compression Chevy, Ford, and Dodge engines. A heavy-duty solenoid and ball bearing assembly make the starter tough enough to withstand the temperatures and demands of performance engines. Quarter Master offers blockand reverse-mount options, in both standard and reverse rotation. Running a Bert-Brinn transmission? They have a replacement starter (above and left below) for that setup, too.

Quarter Master customizes its mounts for optimal pinion gear to flywheel connection. This shows the difference in an Ultra-Duty starter for a Bert-Brinn transmission (left) and the one installed on Leister's Dirt Modified with clutchless transmission and Quarter Master bellhousing.

OneDirt.com 91

IN HIS OWN WORDS Spencer Bayston DRIVER

Spencer Bayston is yet another driver hailing from the Hoosier State who has put himself on the radar as one of motorsports’ fastest rising stars. The Lebanon, Indiana, driver pilots Midgets for Keith Kunz Motorsports and Winged Sprint Cars for Kevin Swindell. OneDirt contributor Whitney Thomas recently caught up with Spencer to get his perspective on various topics. PHOTO BY DAN MCFARLAND

ON HAVING THE CHANCE TO REDO A RACE

It would be the 2015 Chili Bowl. I was locked into the main event and started 11th. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I kind of had more of a “whatever happens, happens” attitude and was just happy to be in the big show. I wish I would have taken that opportunity more seriously and made something happen. It’s so hard to make that main event. There are hundreds of good drivers competing for a chance to run that race.

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRAZIER

ON HIS REPUTATION AS A DRIVER

I’m not the type of guy to take people out intentionally, but I’m also not going to back down either. I don’t put people in the fence, but if there’s an opening, I’m going to take it. I guess you could say I’m aggressive, but respectful. ON DRIVING FOR KEITH KUNZ MOTORSPORTS

There is definitely extra pressure when you consider the past drivers who have driven for Keith. Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell are big shoes to fill. There is always a competition between teammates because you want to be the best on the team. It motivates you to do better. ON WHAT HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY WOULD BE TITLED

“When in doubt, throttle it out.” ON HIS RETALIATION POLICY

I’m not the type of guy to go confront someone, and I’m not the type of guy that’ll take them out, but I’ll always keep it in the back of my mind. I’m definitely not doing them any favors. The best way to get them back is to beat them. ON WHAT HE WOULD CHANGE ABOUT OPEN WHEEL RACING

If I could change anything about racing, I would get it back to the days of Thursday Night Thunder. Races were televised. There were more sponsors and teams, and there were big opportunities. ON HIS RACE DAY ROUTINE

My race day routine isn't anything special. I get up and eat a good breakfast with a cup of coffee. I get some Panda Express for lunch, and head to the track. I was recently joking around with my teammates, and I told them all you need in life is Panda Express and watermelon. It’s become kind of a running joke. 92 OneDirt.com//Vol. Vol.4,4,Issue Issue22 92 OneDirt.com

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRAZIER

Put it to the TEST

SPONSORED BY Easily open any cartridge-type oil filter for inspection. Cutter includes one blade and ball bearing roller wheels for ease of operation. Optional stand makes it easier.

Powerhouse

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FEATURES Adjustable design accommodates most filters Cutting wheel included Ball-bearing roller wheels Optional stand for stability

IN THE FIELD

BRANDON SAYS: The tool goes over the open end of the filter and tightens like a pipe cutter. The bearing wheels allow it to spin around and let the blade cut.

Tighten and repeat until the top comes off.

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The filter cartridge can then be removed and inspected.

PRICE: FUNCTION: COOLNESS:

SUGGESTIONS: To see other product tests, search “Put it to the Test” at OneDirt.com

Although there are more economical ways of cutting a filter apart, this is by far the easiest. If you are tired of fumbling with tin snips or shaving contamination from cutting discs or hacksaw blades, this is the answer. For engine shops and racers who need to know, this is a must-have. Not all debris ends up in the pan. With the cartridge out, it can be cut apart and inspected both visually and with a good magnet or a white cloth. We usually chuck our filters up in a vice and spin the top off like butter. Brandon Flannery is a globe-trottin’ automotive photojournalist, content developer, and certified shop rat now living in Hernando, Mississippi, with a herd of projects and a daily-driven ’73 Satellite Sebring known as The Blue Goose. OneDirt.com 93

4-LAP DASH Matt Curl Matt Curl is the Promoter and Director of Race Operations for Fairbury American Legion Speedway (FALS). Located in Fairbury, Illinois, the 1/4mile bullring is regarded as one of the nation’s top tracks. OneDirt recently caught up with Curl to talk about both the honor and pressure that come with leading such a touted facility.

What’s your favorite part of being at the helm at Fairbury?

What’s it like to have a track where literally the whole town is behind you?

By far, my favorite part is the atmosphere. This place has such an amazing vibe to it that it motivates you to be at the top of your game each and every day. You can’t have an off night. You have to bring your A-game to every single race.

It’s just incredible. I sat at a city council meeting a few weeks ago [leading up to the Prairie Dirt Classic], and the whole board perked up when the topic of our track came up. The town recognizes how much this racetrack brings to it, and on the same token, the racetrack greatly appreciates how the town goes out of its way to help us in any way that we may need. It’s a very special relationship that I realize a lot of tracks and towns don’t have.

FALS has gained a strong reputation in the dirt world as one of the best tracks that you’ll find anywhere. Does that make you feel added pressure?

No question at all. Not only do I feel pressure on big event weekends — like the Prairie Dirt Classic — but I also feel pressure to perform at the top of our game on our weekly events. We have a high standard, which I set for myself and our staff every race night. The Fairbury fans are great, and they are going to praise you every night that you do a good job. On the same token, they’re going to let you know when you’ve done a less than stellar job. It’s only fair that if you are going to embrace the positives that you have to embrace the criticisms as well. All of that together results in a lot of pressure, but it also results in an amazing feeling when you reach your goals. PHOTO BY JOSH JAMES ARTWORK

PHOTO BY BRENDON BAUMAN

You also work at other events in your free time. What’s an event that’s on your bucket list?

Honestly, it would have to be the World 100 at Eldora Speedway. That event is the biggest scene. I’ve been to almost every one of them ever since I was a little boy. In my opinion, it’s truly the greatest event in Dirt Late Model racing each year. It would be a dream come true to get to be a part of it one day.

PHOTO BY JOSH JAMES ARTWORK

PHOTO BY BRENDON BAUMAN

94 OneDirt.com / Vol. 4, Issue 2

Protects Like A Synthetic E IC R P E H T F O N IO T C A FOR A FR

If you make frequent oil changes because of dirt build up or fuel dilution, SR50 will save you money in the long run. Better still, it’s a conventional oil that provides up to 38% better wear protection than other synthetic high-zinc oils from the leading brands. SR50 is a premium-quality conventional racing oil that features proprietary anti-wear and friction-reducing additives. This additive package not only fights valvetrain wear and internal scuffing, it prevents harmful lifter skidding on aggressive roller cam grinds. The special high-zinc formulation also provides consistent protection for bushing and needle-bearing flat tappet lifters that you can count on under the most gruelling conditions. It is ideal for race engines needing a 20W-50 weight oil and is compatible with most fuels, including race gas, E85 and Methanol. Get the protection you need at a price you want, and start spending your winnings on something other than expensive oil.

Up to 38% better wear protection than the leading high-zinc synthetic oils Proprietary high-zinc formulation for flat tappet and roller lifters Compatible with most fuels, including Methanol, E85 and race gas Proven to reduce roller lifter skidding with both needle and bushed designs

3.0

Engine Wear Rate

2.5 2.0 1.5

NOTICE:

SR50 isn’t recommended for use with stamped steel rocker arms.

For the very best in stamped steel rocker arm protection, Driven recommends XP9 10W-40 synthetic for high output steel blocks and XP6 10W-40 for aluminum blocks and looser clearance engines. Both are compatible with Methanol and high octane race fuels.

1.0 0.5 0.0

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Parting SHOTS

PHOTO BY STEVE SCHNARS

WHEN THE CHECKERED FLAG DROPS, IT IS NOT THE END. IT IS SIMPLY THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT RACE.

PHOTO BY JONES SPORTS MEDIA

JIM DENHAMER PHOTO

PHOTO BY JONES SPORTS MEDIA

96 OneDirt.com 96 OneDirt.com // Vol. Vol. 4, 4, Issue Issue 21

PHOTO BY JONES SPORTS MEDIA

Proper Belt Size Provided, no tensioner is required, increasing efficiency & reliability

Dual-dowel front design allows pulleys to be added for race or dyno

2001-CS-WC Add-on Tandem Pump Kit

1020-PS Add-on Power Steering Kit

Positive-Engagement Radius Tooth Belt Drive w. Billet Aluminum Pulleys

1/2" Thick Billet Alum. Bracket Supplied with Proper Length Billet Spacers & Hardware

Mini One-Wire Alternator 75 Amp High-Ouput 6 Lb. Lightweight Design

WP-9104-17-H3

602/604 CRATE

Large billet crankshaft nut. Independent balancer bolt for strength & weight savings

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