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Military Appreciation Night, Texas Dirt Truck Series, Fireworks, Power Wheels @ I-37 Speedway

IMCA Modified winner Johnny Torres
Limited Modified winner Cody Beddoe
Texas Dirt Truck Series winner Anthony Gordon
Factory Stock winner Jared Maupin
Fireball winner Lance Gaither
Sport Compact winner James Gottsch

By JM Hallas
Pleasanton, TX.,(July 7th, 2023) It's gonna be a blast, literally.

While many tracks celebrated the 4th of July during the previous week, I-37 Speedway is celebrating this weekend on the ¼ mile, semi-banked, dirt oval. Celebrating out freedom and independence, the track hosted their Military Appreciation Night with free admission to active/retired military, discounts for the rest of their families and loads of service members from the San Antonio bases. Last year the cannon was a big hit. #herecomestheboom

In the spirit of Independence Day, Gun Owners of America(GoA) sponsored the Factory Stock feature with $700 up for grabs to the driver picking up the victory.

This weeks racing slate was full with the Texas Dirt Truck Series returning to action, plus the IMCA Modifieds, Limited Modifieds, Factory Stocks, Fireballs and Sport Compacts, plus with the introduction of the Power Wheels class for the youngsters on the Go-Kart track.

Coming into the nights truck action Jamie “Lightning” McGreen in his Lightning McQueen themed truck leads the points by nearly 40 over AJ Wernette who has seven points on Donald Mick in third with Tony Bernal fourth and Buster Dean, in the Tow Mater colors, fifth, only two behind Bernal.

Rumors had former I-37 Speedway Late Model, TDTS and asphalt Late Model champion, Tommy Grimes, coming out of retirement for the event and new driver, a young lady, making her debut in a truck.

Debuting another new, different type class were the Power Wheels for kids. The brain child of announcer Kris Workman, teams and businesses sponsored 6 Power Wheels for the kids to race on the Go-Kart track. To say the idea was a success would be an understatement with dozens of kids taking their turn behind the wheel. The intermission was capped off with a moment that got everyone right in the feels. Through an effort from a shopping list of people, businesses and sponsors, Workman was awarded a Limited Modified that will be fitted with hand controls so he can continue his racing. For those not familiar with his story, I'll be doing a follow up.

Torres Tallies First IMCA Modified Trophy

At the start of the IMCA Modified 20-lap feature it was Greg Dinsmore getting a good launch to get the lead followed by Ryan Doyon, Rick Green, Johnny Torres and Chris Carroll. Doyon quickly began looking on G. Dinsmore getting the top spot on lap 2 with Johnny Torres getting third from Green. Logan Dinsmore would make his way past Carroll for fifth.

Darrell Boyd had his first of two spins for a lap 4 caution. Once back to green, Torres worked past G. Dinsmore for second while L. Dinsmore took fourth from Green. G. Dinsmore fought back running side by side with Torres for a couple laps for a couple laps with Green and Carroll wheel to wheel for fifth.

At halfway it was Doyon, Torres, G. Dinsmore, L. Dinsmore and Green in the top five. Torres moved to the top getting along side Doyon for the lead and after a couple laps finally got the point on lap 14 with the father-son Dinsmores side by side for third. They caught Doyon for second going three wide for second, both picked spots.

L. Dinsmore tried high, then low on his dad for second, but G. Dinsmore prevailed. The three way battle for second gave Torres(San Antonio) the opportunity to pull away to a half straightaway lead that he held until the checkers for his first ever IMCA Modified win in the Dustin Butcher owned, 89 Motorsports, 1st Class Towing, Nasty Cookers, CDR Consulting, Supreme Vinyl Works, G&M Oilfield Services, Sundowner Diesel Performance, WW Bodies, crate IRP by CDR Chassis.

“They can't say this car isn't fast,” said Torres. “If my fat butt can run the top and win a race, it must be pretty good. It took a while trying change cars having to wait on the scales to find it's 300 pounds overweight, again. I mean after finding it so far over five times, they should just let go over the scales.”

“I was just kind of searching. Then I saw Ryan(Doyon) get the rut a couple times. He was running the bottom so I figured my only hope was running the middle or top. Since I don't have a lot of experience in a big mod, I just call Stevie (Whiteaker) and do what he tells me to do on the car.”

“Running someone else's car you always worry about wrecking it. It's a real expensive car and not mine on top of that. I've spent five laps before trying to get around slower traffic just trying not to wreck it.”

“I hate it, I'm way too fat to run back to back races like that! I was just running this car for fun and see if I could win a Modified race. Pretty much the only class I haven't won in. So it's mission accomplished. Softball season is almost over so I'll have to give Dustin his toy back anyway. I'm ready to go back home(Factory Stock).”

Price Chevrolet IMCA Modifieds

90 Johnny Torres, 8g Greg Dinsmore, 5r Ryan Doyon, 8jr Logan Dinsmore, 82 Rick Green, 16 Dillon Coyne, 15 Chris Carroll, 22z Darrell Boyd

IMCA Modified heats

Heat 1; 8g Greg Dinsmore, 90 Johnny Torres, 15 Chris Carroll, 5r Ryan Doyon, 82 Rick Green, 16 Dillon Coyne, 22z Darrell Boyd, 8jr Logan Dinsmore

Beddoe Best in Limited Modified Bash

As green flew on the Limited Modified feature it was Daniel Preston with
the early lead over Tom Grothues, Cody Beddoe, Ryker Hernandez and Trent Beaver. Grothues got along side Preston for the lead getting the top spot on lap 4 bringing Beddoe along to second. Beddoe wasted little time looking under Grothues taking over the lead on lap 6.

Coming to halfway it was Beddoe, Grothues, Preston, Beaver and Anthony Gordon in the top five. Beddoe was stretching out his advantage with Preston and Beaver side by side for third. Beaver got the spot leaving Preston along side Derrick Gonzalez for fourth. As the white flag waved, Beddoe(Corpus Christi) had pulled out to full straightaway lead going unchallenged in the Nueces Brewing Company, On Demand Shirts, Aramendia Motorsports, Flanagans Muffler Shop, Central Texas Bookkeeping Services, Ace Machine Shop powered IRP Chassis.

“I saw the track was going to slick off,” replied Beddoe. “I finally guessed right on the set up this year. I just wanted to take it low and slow on the bottom. I knew there were quicker cars behind me. It was just about keeping around the bottom.”

“This year(with all the rain) we really haven't had many dry slick tracks yet. Lately I've been setting up for a wet track, only a few dry tracks so far. I've been loosening it up trying to get it going. I struggled a little in the heat race. It was way too free. We threw the book at it, tightening it up for the feature and it worked out.”

“We were leading a race a while back and had a distributor come apart. But we got it fixed back up with a lot of help from my dad Bruce, and other people helping work on it. My wife, Emily, lets me do this, so I've got to thank her too.”

Swenson Racing Products Limited Modifieds

77 Cody Beddoe, 11t Tom Grothues, 14 Trent Beaver, 73 Derrick Gonzalez, bd2 Daniel Preston, 55 Ryker Hernandez, 22m Anthony Gordon, 166 Sherrill Lewis, 96 Jared Maupin---dns, 13 Benjamin Mikulencak---dns

Limited Modified heats

Heat 1; 73 Derrick Gonzalez, 22m Anthony Gordon, 77 Cody Beddoe, 55 Ryker Hernandez, 166 Sherrill Lewis

Heat 2; bd2 Daniel Preston, 13 Benjamin Mikulencak, 11t Tom Grothues, 96 Jared Maupin, 14 Trent Beaver

Gordon Golden in Texas Trucks

Daniel Gaudette got a good push from Anthony Gordon into the lead at the start of the 20-lap Texas Dirt Truck Series main event. Behind Gaudette and Gordon were Colton Borlace, Aaron Leddy and Leo Sasso. Gaudette had the hood blow off, but land in the infield before the air cleaner cover found its way off too as Gordon flew past for the lead.

Borlace was able to put Gaudette back to third with Tony Bernal taking spots from Allen Alexander and Aa. Leddy. After a yellow for a spin, Alexander, Gaudette and Aa. Leddy were three wide fourth. Tommy Grimes and Jamie Green joined that battle going three wide with Gaudette for fifth. Alexander began looking low on Bernal, while Grimes caught both using the high side.

At halfway it was Gordon, with a nice lead, Borlace, Bernal, Grimes and Alexander in the top five. As the four-truck, second place fight caught lapped traffic, Grimes got clipped by Shaun Tracy sending him around in turn 4. The ensuing restart wasn't any cleaner with Green making contact with Borlace and the rest of field scattering or piling up in turn 3.

The, now single file, restart saw Grimes take third from Alexander as Gordon eased away. With five to go, Bernal looped it collecting Buster Dean for a late caution. As Gordon got away, Alexander and Grimes, slugged it out for second. This gave Gordon a clean run to the win in the RTM Construction, Compression Components of Texas, All in Designs, raceontexas, 1st Call Plumbing, Alamo Hot Rod Parts, Swenson Racing Shocks, Winners Circle Transmission, JGR, Alamo Powdercoating, 1st Call Leasing, crate powered, Frankenstien Chassis.

“I was lucky tonight,” said Gordon. “The truck wasn't perfect. It was just my night. It's kind of hard to know where they're at back there. When I did spin out under yellow I could see where they were at.”

“The Truck and the Limited Modified are two completely different animals so there's no comparison in driving them the same night. The truck was kind of a last minute deal. I wasn't planning on running here, but due to the deal with Kris, the car and our Power Wheels thing I wanted to be here. We were a part of both and wanted come here and support him.”

“The track here at 37 never really changes much so we had a game plan of what changes we wanted to make. The truck we just adjusted air pressures, the Limited Modified we just missed it. We'll get it better next time.”

“The truck guys are getting a lot better with car control. The trucks, to me, were something to do different and kind of cool. This one is for sale if someone wants to get into a fast truck. When they're running up front, that's the time to sell them.”

“This chassis is kind of a 'mutt.' I have no idea what it is/was. I hear the rear clip was done by Boyd and the front end done by John Heil, but Johnny Torres can make anything fast.”

Texas Dirt Truck Series

22m Anthony Gordon, 99 Allen Alexander, 6 Tommy Grimes, 693 Colton Borlace, 00 Buster Dean, 81 Tony Bernal, 17 Allen Leddy, 087 Adam Tracy, 1 Leo Sasso, 08 Evandent Carrasco, 05 Daniel Gaudette, 96 Donald Mack, 9 Pete Arce, 95 Jamie Green, 93 Aaron Leddy, 21t Shaun Tracy

TDTS heats

Heat 1
22m Anthony Gordon, 00 Buster Dean, 1 Leo Sasso, 93 Aaron Leddy, 96; Donald Mick, 9 Pete Arce, 6 Tommy Grimes, 21t Shaun Tracy

Heat 2; 99 Allen Alexander, 81 Tony Bernal, 95 Jamie Green, 693 Colton Borlace, 08 Evahdent Carrasco, 17 Allen Leddy, 087 Adam Tracy, 05 Daniel Gaudette

Money for Maupin Again

With $700 to win on the line sponsored by Gun Owners of America it was Dillon Gaither grabbing the early lead over Damon Bean, Mike Lyon, Cameron Dinsmore and Jarrett Payton. Before getting a lap in, Robert Keylich spun collecting Johnny Walker Brown for a complete restart. The next wasn't much cleaner as Lyon made contact with Dinsmore sending him around.

Take three! Again it was Gaither getting out front with Bean, Dinsmore, Payton and Michael Keylich sorting out in the top five. Bean would get out of shape doing tank slappers, giving up several spots. Payton then got by Dinsmore for third, Jared Maupin went by M. Keylich for fourth with Frank Okruhlik, Allen Torres, Zach Freeman three wide for eighth.

Maupin and Johnny Torres, now making the top five, both put Dinsmore back coming to halfway showing Gaither, Payton, Maupin, Torres and Dinsmore in the top five. Gaither, with a comfortable lead, caught traffic with five to go. A late caution might usually be a good thing in lapped traffic but not tonight, as a lap 16 yellow waved.

Maupin used the late restart to get around the top and take the lead on lap 17 with Torres following around of Payton for third. Gaither was unable to mount a return challenge as Maupin in the Jamie Fuller owned, JGR Fab, CNC Graffix, RNM Install, Reflective Wrecker, Longs Machine Shop, On Demand Shirts, Swenson Racing Shocks, JB Woodshed, Absolute Oilfield Services, Wells Race Engines, Lazer Chassis.

“I feel like I ran third for 18 of those 20 laps,” commented Maupin. “I was praying for yellow and luckily I got one. If it had gone green I wouldn't have caught Dillon(Gaither). I was too far back and we were all single file. No one was going to pass anyone. We went double file on that restart and I knew all I could do was shoot the top and luckily it worked out.”

“I knew Johnny(Torres) for sure would be around me. It was tough starting behind him. My thought was get by him before we got in open, clean air. Luckily someone bobbled on the front straightaway and I was able to get by him. After that I just tried to truck on forward.”

“This whole points average deal is a little sketchy starting farther back. We've learned to deal with it in the Modified and Trucks too. In the Factory Stocks those first few laps can be a bit sketchy. You've got to look three car lengths ahead of you and make sure no one is spinning out. I mean, it took us like 100 caution laps to finally get the race started. It is what it is, the beginning of the race is tough.”

“The Limited Modified broke a transmission in the heat race so I didn't get any track time. We just watched the track. It went slick pretty early today so it was easy to read. We went back to the book. The typical, usual, I-37 slick set up. It's a big page too. Seems like we've done ten different things and finally zeroed it in. Everyone's pretty much on the same page when it goes slick.”

All in Design Factory Stocks

91 Jared Maupin, 5 Dillon Gaither, 66 Johnny Torres, 18s Jarrett Payton, 41 Frank Okruhlik, 00 Zach Freeman, 8c Cameron Dinsmore, 44k Michael Keylich, 94 Allen Torres, 11 Brian Harbison, 21r Eric Ramos, 53k Kasey Krauss, 20 Mike Lyon, 7 Johnny Walker Brown, 44 Damon Bean, 92r Robert Keylich, 18 Kyle Kirkland, 10 Scott Jerkins

Factory Stock heats

Heat 1; 5 Dillon Gaither, 8c Cameron Dinsmore, 44k Michael Keylich, 92r Robert Keylich, 18 Kyle Kirkland, 94 Allen Torres

Heat 2; 44 Damon Bean, 91 Jared Maupin, 18s Jarrett Payton, 53k Kasey Krauss, 41 Frank Okruhlik, 7 Johnny Walker Brown

Heat 3;66 Johhny Torres, 20 Mike Lyon, 11x Brian Harbison, 21r Eric Ramos, 00 Zach Freeman,10 Scott Jerkins

Gaither Grabs Fireball First

The Fireball class has grown to seven cars with Matthew Hodge grabbing the early lead. Behind Hodge, Lance Gaither, JC Paull, Jerry Miller and Joseph Montemayor fell in line. By lap 5 the top three had separated from the field with Hodge, Gaither, Paull, Montemayor and Ronnie Schoenfeldt in the top five at halfway.

Gaither was on Hodge for the lead as they caught the back of the field. Gaither got along side Hodge, who said his car had lost grip, and took the lead with two to go. Hodge would try to fight back, but do a 360 in turn 1. Gaither(San Antonio) would cruise to the victory in the All in Designs, Difs by Dale, Dohogne Claim Services, Rangel Bail Bond, Supreme Foundation Repair, Spreen Race Engines, Geromiller Racecars Chassis.

“Patience,” exclaimed Gaither. “It was all patience. I was starting to chase him and knew I was burning my stuff up. So I just sat back decided to go back to my old asphalt days and just roll the throttle. I saw him coming to me and got to him. I knew if I got him to the outside, I had him. Once I got him up there, I just stayed on the bottom. It was definitely a bottom track for us. It was fun, a lot of fun.”

“Dry slick tracks are like running an asphalt car. Rolling the throttle and using the brake to turn the car. Not that you use the brake to turn, but you roll it in and coming off so you don't burn up your right rear.”

“Ya Dillon almost got us both cars up here. It is what it is, just one of those things. He drove a heck of a race, it just didn't work out. His car, Goldilocks, get most of the attention though of all our cars in the shop. We just got a Late Model too and I'm trying to get Chip Godfredson in it.”

Fireballs

5 Lance Gaither, 4j JC Paull, 58 Matthew Hodge, 18 Jospeh Montemayor, 98 Ronnie Schoenfeldt, 8 Bobby Jack, 75 Jerry Miller

Fireball heat

58 Matthew Hodge; 5 Lance Gaither, 4j JC Paull, 75 Jerry Miller, 8 Bobby Jack, 18m Joseph Montemayor, 98 Ronnie Schoenfeldt

'Gotcha' Moment for Gottsch

As green finally waved on the Sport Compact 20-lapper it was Kaden Moran jumping out front with James Gottsch, Rod Tait and Joshua Garcia three wide for second and Josh Jones door to door with Brandon McCall for fifth. Tait came out with the second spot while McCall got by both Jones and Garcia for third.

Tait caught Moran for the lead and made contact sending Moran around on lap 5 with some other making contact in the pack. Tait was sent to the tail, McCall retired showing some smoke. On the restart Moran got away with Jones and J. Gottsch side by side for second. The top five were nose to tail when Donald Lewis joined the fight getting along side Garcia for fifth.

At the crossed flags it was Moran, J. Gottsch, Jones, Lewis and Garcia in the top five. J. Gottsch was now challenging Moran for the lead looking high and low for the lead. Behind that scrap Jones and Garcia had their own little battle for third. As Moran and J. Gottsch caught traffic, J. Gottsch got by, but Jones got into Moran sending him around again for a yellow. Jones got sent to the back with Moran, being saved by the yellow, retaining the lead.

Back to green, Garcia using the high side, tried to grab second from J. Gottsch. They both caught Moran going three wide for the lead on lap 17 with the crowd roaring. Garcia was able to get the bumper out front for lap 18. With J. Gottsch on the bottom, Moran in the middle and Garcia up top, J. Gottsch(Von Ormy) got the lead as the white waved hanging on the final circuit for his first ever I-37 Speedway Sport Compact win in the Turtle Team Racing, Pontiac Sunfire.

“First ever win,” exclaimed Gottsch. “I've raced Pure Stocks in Colorado and Nebraska. This is my first year running Sport Compacts and first time winning.”

“Just hugged the corners as tight as I could. There were a couple times I caught an infield tractor tire and went in the air. I told myself I need to scoot out a bit, take time and be patient. I just tried to find the right moment, I took it. As soon as the 02(Moran) slipped up I took my chance and got the win.”

“While some may not have trust in other drivers going three wide, I was like, I'm either pulling through it or I'm not. I pulled through it. This car is completely bone stock. We haven't touched the computer or anything. It's a great car built by Turtle Team Racing.”

“We run a couple other tracks. We started out running for fun, but lately we're thinking more about the points. I'm way behind missing a couple races but it's a good foot in the door. I'll be coming out next season hotter.”

Iron Horse RV Sport Compacts

8 James Gottsch, 02 Kaden Moran, 76y Donald Lewis, 11j Josh Jones, 38 Donald Kinnaman, 32 Joshua Garcia, 43 Jennifer Kidd, 83 John Munson, 8j Andreah Gottsch, 51 Brandon McCall, 70 Rod Tait, 3% Sam Walker, 9t John Thomas---dns, 825 Justin VanWinkle---dns, 88 Justin Sitterle---dns

Sport Compact heats

Heat 1; 70 Rod Tait, 02 Kaden Moran, 8 James Gottsch, 88 Justin Sitterle, 76y Donald Lewis, 43 Jennifer Kidd, 825 Justin VanWinkle, 83 John Munson

Heat 2; 51Brandon McCall, 11j Josh Jones, 3% Sam Walker, 32 JoshuaGarcia, 9t John Thomas, 8j Andreah Gottsch, 38 Donald Kinnaman

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