PHOTO CAPTION: Ethan Dotson (right) is joined by Coltman Farms Racing owner Brett Coltman in Victory Lane at the Talladega Short Track on Saturday night after winning the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series Red Farmer Tribute Race.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – EASTABOGA, Alabama (Oct. 2, 2023) – In just his second race with Coltman Farms Racing, Ethan Dotson drove to victory during Saturday evening’s Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series feature at the Talladega Short Track.

Dotson made his debut with the team on Friday evening at the Talladega Short Track, setting fast time in qualifying and winning his heat before ultimately finishing fourth in the 38-lap main event.

As it turned out, that was just the appetizer for the main course that was to come on Saturday night.

The driver from Bakersfield, California, qualified third in his group for Saturday’s Red Farmer Tribute Race and raced to a victory in his heat race. Dotson would start second in the 40-lap feature following a redraw and quickly took the lead from polesitter Jason Hiett on the opening lap.

From there Dotson dominated the event, leading every lap on his way to his maiden victory with Coltman Farms Racing. The victory was also the first of the season for the team.

“I just can’t thank Brett Coltman and all the guys at Coltman Farms Racing enough. It’s so unreal for me and I’m so grateful,” Dotson said. “I can’t think everybody back at Longhorn Chassis, Steve Arpin, Tommy Greco, Ty Norder and Paul Leach, enough for helping.

“Thanks to David, Dwayne and all the guys back at the shop. We thrashed this week putting this car together and man, it’s just so freaking awesome.”

For team owner Brett Coltman, the impressive debut weekend for Dotson as part of the Coltman Farms Racing family reinforced why he wanted him to be part of his program.

“I’m so proud of Ethan and everyone who works on these cars at Coltman Farms Racing,” Coltman said. “We knew Ethan was talented, but to hear the gratitude in his voice and see just how excited he was after the race really made it that much more worthwhile. This is only the beginning.”

Dotson and Coltman Farms Racing will once again join the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series next Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7, when the series ventures to Georgia’s Swainsboro Raceway for the running of the Southern Showcase. Both events will be streamed live by HuntTheFront.TV.

SEXTON GATLIN RACING GOES FROM DISASTER TO BOTH DRIVERS IN USAC/CRA MAIN AT PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY

(Lakeside, CA, September 29, 2023) Sexton Gatlin Racing came back from a disastrous start to finish the night with 13th and 17th place finishes in the USAC/CRA Glenn Howard Classic at Perris Auto Speedway.  Up next will be a trip to Arizona’s Mohave Valley Raceway on October 14th. 

Drivers Grant Sexton, the USAC/CRA Series leading rookie, and his father Brent represented SGR at the series home track.  The father and son combo took laps in qualifying with Grant timing in 10th fastest of the 24 cars on hand with a lap of 17.019.  Brent, in only his third series start, was 21st at 18.198. 

The first event after qualifying was the Senior Sprint Car heat race.  In addition to USAC/CRA, Brent decided to race with the Seniors for the second time ever.  Unfortunately, he tangled with another car heading into turn one on the first lap.  The result was a spectacular two-car flip mere seconds after the green flag.  Fortunately, Brent and the other driver were uninjured, but their cars were heavily damaged.  The initial word from the pits was SGR did not have enough parts to repair Brent’s car.  As he was running the same car in both portions of the show, it also meant he was done in USAC/CRA as well. 

With Brent seemingly done, Grant was going to fly the SGR flag by himself the rest of the way at the Howard Classic.  The teen’s effort began in the first 10-lap USAC/CRA heat race of the night.  However, things did not go well.  While he ended up with a better fate than his father in the Senior’s, he left the race after only nine laps and finished in the ninth spot.

Grant’s issue in the heat created a conundrum for the crew.  While it was initially announced that Brent was done for the night, the team was busy trying to get the car repaired for the main event.  It was a race against time to get the mangled car repaired but everyone pitched in and was on it.

When the cars rolled onto the track for main event introductions, one of them was Brent’s repaired #44i.  Grant began the 30-lapper in 10th and Brent began in the 20th spot.  Grant ended up completing all 30 laps and placed 13th.  Brent advanced forward three spots and finished 17th despite leaving the action with three laps remaining.

Grant came out of the night eighth in the championship standings with four races to go.  His next action will be on October 13th at Arizona’s Mohave Valley Raceway.  The 360 engine previously owned by Rico Abreu that Brent used on Saturday will be set aside until Grant uses it in November’s Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Ventura Raceway.  Brent, the defending POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series champion, will hop back in his lightning sprint for that show.  Joining the lightning action will be his oldest son Dalton.  A past regular in the lightning sprint car wars, the soon-to-be 21-year-old will be making his fourth start of the 2023 racing campaign.

If you or your company are interested in becoming a partner with Sexton Gatlin Racing in 2023, please call (619) 454-6945 or E-mail mailto:sextonfire@cox.net or mail to.

Sexton Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2022 season possible. Keys Brothers, East County Electric Works, Maxima Oil, Automated Interiors, Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Troy Dirt, Victory Graphix, and Swift Powdercoat.

TSR Dodge//SRT Driver Hagan Banks Big Win at NHRA

Midwest Nationals, Teammate Pruett Races to Runner-up Finish

·       Three-time NHRA Camping World Champion Matt Hagan defeats four impressive rivals in his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) American Rebel Dodge//SRT Hellcat machine for fifth 2023 Funny Car victory

·       Hagan’s TSR teammate, Leah Pruett, also battles to Top Fuel final round in TSR Code 3 Associates Dodge//SRT dragster and moves to second in current NHRA points standings

·       With a new aggressive attitude in its Funny Car and Top Fuel teams, TSR jumps up in the NHRA “Countdown” points battles

·       Hagan records 48th career win and vaults to within 13 points of the NHRA Funny Car points lead

·       Hagan and his Dickie Venable-led crew overcome tricky track conditions and hot temperatures for an important win after losing by inches in previous two races at Reading and Charlotte

·       Pruett advances to the final round with impressive wins over Shawn Langdon, point leader Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence

·       In the final, Pruett posts a 3.775 to Clay Millican’s 3.758 for the runner-up finish, moves to second in the Top Fuel standings

●      Follow Dodge in NHRA action at DodgeGarage.com

OCTOBER 1, 2023, MADISON, Ill. – In the race shop this week in Brownsburg, Ind., the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Nitro teams made a decision to become more aggressive in the final four races in the NHRA Camping World drag racing series. That theory proved successful this weekend at the NHRA Midwest Nationals, with Dodge//SRT racers Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett racing to an event win and runner-up finish, respectively.

After losing races by inches at the Reading and Charlotte events the past two weeks, TSR Dodge//SRT drivers Hagan and Pruett made their presence known for the coveted points championships with sensational performances in the hot temperatures and a tricky track surface at the World Wide Technology Raceway drag strip near St. Louis.

For Hagan and his Dickie Venables-led crew, the NHRA Midwest Nationals was an important round in the six-race “Countdown to the Championship” with the driver of the TSR American Rebel Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car knowing a victory Sunday would put him back in the chase for his fourth NHRA World title.

After qualifying fifth in the 16-car field, Hagan drove his 11,000-horspower Dodge//SRT Hellcat past Alexis DeJoria, John Force and Bob Tasca III in early rounds before facing reigning World Champion Ron Capps in the final. Hagan posted the best reaction time of the day (0.029) to leave the starting line ahead of Capps and was never headed with a winning 3.991 run to Capps’ 4.025.

Hagan’s victory was his 48th career NHRA Funny Car win and vaulted him to just 13 points behind the points leader as the series travels to the Texas Motorplex on Oct. 13-15 for the Texas NHRA Fallnationals.

“We wanted to be aggressive going into these last four events,” said Hagan. “Dickie and I had a long talk about our plans to run for the championship and he said, ‘I need you to be great on the starting line,’ and I said to him, ‘I need you to be more aggressive with the race car.’ We are working hand and hand, and it worked well today. I wanted Leah to get a win today too, for a TSR double.

“Man, we are back in this thing for the championship, just 13 points back with third races to go. I know we are capable as a team to win another title. Beating Ron Capps in the final was big for us. I have a lot for respect for Ron, Guido (Dean Antonelli, crew chief) and that team. And beating them is a big win for us.”

Venables knew the Midwest Nationals race was a critical stop for the TSR team and a win was almost mandatory to get back in the World Championship fight.

“We knew coming here that we needed a win,” said Venables. “It was a very tricky track here this weekend and we did a great job managing it. Hagan did a super job all weekend driving, and I can’t say enough about the guys who work on this car. They work their hearts out and give us a flawless setup every round. We are excited with this win.”

Pruett, the Top Fuel winner in the NHRA Summit Nationals in June, made her fourth final round appearance of the year and secured victories Sunday over Shawn Langdon, point leader Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence in the early rounds before facing Clay Millican in the final.

Driving the TSR Code 3 Associates Dodge//SRT Top Fuel dragster, Pruett posted a 3.775 to Millican’s 3.758 for the runner-up position. With a strong showing Sunday, Pruett jumped to second in the NHRA Camping World Top Fuel points standings behind Kalitta with three races remaining in the 21-event national tour.

“What an incredible and solid weekend for our team, not only making points progress overall, but we’ve had the most reactive car to our tune-up changes we’ve had all season,” said Pruett. “It was a wild day starting off with round one and the win over (Shawn) Langdon. That was a big second round win with Doug Kalitta, the points leader. Going into the semifinals, we did not have lane choice and Steve (Torrence) put us over there in the left lane. I’m extremely proud of this team. The crew’s work ethic has been maintained throughout this whole season and that shows the attention to detail of the car.”

The Texas NHRA Fallnationals schedule includes two nitro qualifying sessions on Friday, Oct. 13, at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. CDT and two nitro qualifying rounds on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. CDT. The final eliminations will get underway on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 12 p.m. CDT.

Fox Sports 1 telecasts for the Texas NHRA Fallnationals will take place Sunday, Oct. 15, with the qualifying show at 1 p.m. EDT. The final eliminations will be televised on Fox Sports 1 on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 3 p.m. EDT.  

@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram
The @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel continues to share content capturing Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers on the track. Fans can see action from the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and NHRA Sportsman grassroots racers, competing in classes such as Factory Stock Showdown, Stock and Super Stock, as well as additional motorsports series.

DodgeGarage: Digital Hub for Drag Racing News
Fans can follow all the NHRA action this season at DodgeGarage, the one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news. The site includes daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events, galleries, available downloads and merchandise. For more information, visit www.dodgegarage.com. 

Dodge//SRT
 

BRODY ROA TAKES SECOND IN GLENN HOWARD CLASSIC – MOHAVE VALLEY UP NEXT ON OCTOBER 14th

(Cypress, CA, September 29, 2023) For fans attending races in the USAC/CRA series in 2023, there has only been one place to see driver Brody Roa.  That is, at or near the head of the pack.  The Garden Grove, California-based star was there once again when he placed second in the Glenn Howard Classic before an enthusiastic crowd at Perris Auto Speedway.  

 next to last sprint car race at the famous track in 2023.  Amidst the best season of his career, the veteran driver entered the night with a bulging 151-point advantage in the championship standings.  By the time the program ended, he drove home with a still comfortable 142-point lead with only four races remaining on the schedule.

When time trials were over, the scoresheet showed Roa as the fifth fastest qualifier with a time of 16.872.  Much to the chagrin of the competition, that meant that if the “Pride of Garden Grove” placed in the first four positions in his heat race, he would more than likely be on the front row for the main event.  With the way his season has gone so far, that seemed like a “slam dunk.”  However, things do not always go as planned or expected.

Roa confidently entered the 10-lap heat race in the fifth position on the inside of row three.  He quickly raced into the top four and his starting position on the front row seemed assured.  But the odds suddenly tilted against him when he bicycled his pristine white car in turn two.  It looked like the car was going to go over, but Roa saved it from flipping.  Unfortunately, a yellow flag due to the aeronautics meant that he would have to restart at the back. 

When the heat race resumed, Roa immediately went on the attack and began passing cars.  He needed to get by four of them.  He got past three and was closing on the fourth one but ran out of time when the checkered flag came down.  That meant instead of starting on the front row of the main, he had to begin on the outside of the fourth row in eighth. 

Roa put the moves on when the main began and advanced forward.  He fought and clawed his way all the way up to second and that is where he finished.  One can only speculate on what may have been if the bicycle had not happened in the heat race.

Roa is having one of the best-ever seasons in the 24-year history of USAC/CRA.  In the 14 races in the series this year, the likable driver has finished first or second 12 times with eight wins and four second-place efforts.  Combining those with a fifth-place finish at Perris in April, he has only placed out of the top five once.

Roa’s next appearance with USAC/CRA will come on October 14th when the series goes to Arizona’s Mohave Valley Raceway for the third and final time of the year.

The Inland Rigging drivers and cars have this weekend off.  Next week Tommy Dunkel and his #17A will return to action for the final USAC West Coast Series points race of 2023 at the Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield.  Details to follow in next week’s release.

Fans can pick up a 2023 Inland Rigging Racing Team shirt from the crew after the races or online brodyroa.com. 

As always, Brody Roa would be more than happy to jump in a race car on his weekends off from the #17R. His entire schedule is printed below.  If anybody wishes to contact him about open dates, they can do so at 714-932-7994 or mailto:brodyroa91@gmail.com    

The team wants to thank the following sponsors for making the 2023 season possible. Inland Rigging, Dunkel Farms, United Asset Sales, Osborne Speed & Machine, “Biker” Bruce Fischer, ALR Virtual Services, Burris Racing, Caltrol, Jambo Barbeque Pits, Competition Suspension, K-1 Race Gear, Molecule, Rod End Supply, Driven Racing Oil, Baldwin Filters, and NGK Spark Plugs. 

MARK MINER TO WHEEL VADEN CHEVROLET MODIFIED AT ROME, GA ON OCT. 7

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

              CARTERSVILLE, GA – A Georgia racing legend will return to the Peach State on October 7 to compete in the Open Wheel Modified Division at Rome Speedway in Rome, GA.  Mark Miner, formerly of Stockbridge, GA and now living in Fenton, MO, will drive the Mike Vaughn Racing Vaden Chevrolet Special.

               The car will have Miner’s traditional number 7 on it’s doors with longtime sponsor Wren’s Body Shop also displayed on the machine.  It will be Miner’s second appearance driving the Vaden Chevrolet Special, as he opened the 2023 racing season with a win in the Winter Freeze at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, GA on February 3 after coming out of a five-year retirement.

               Miner was a force to be reckoned with in both dirt and asphalt late models during the 1980s and 1990s after moving from Fenton, MO to Stockbridge, GA in 1982. Miner worked with and drove for some of the top competitors of the day that are now enshrined in the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame.

His career highlights include a Southern All-Star Dirt Late Model Series Championship in 1996, and a Lavonia (GA) Speedway Late Model Championship in 1991 on asphalt with 13 wins in the season. He moved back to Missouri in 1999 and continued his winning ways racing UMP Modifieds in the St. Louis area before he retired from competition in 2017.

With all the race wins and championships Miner has on his impressive racing resume, there is one accomplishment that is missing and that is a victory at one of his favorite dirt tracks, Rome Speedway.

“Rome Speedway is a fun place to race at,” Miner said.  “I have run pretty good at Rome Speedway in the past with several Fast Time Awards and second-place finishes, but I have never won a race there.  I know Mike Vaughn has a pretty good race car, and it is an unexpected pleasure that he called me to drive the Vaden Chevrolet Modified to have an opportunity to race for that Rome Speedway win.”

Miner said he has been staying busy enjoying life and having fun spending time with his family after semi-retiring from running his successful towing business in the St. Louis, MO area.  Miner has also done limited racing since his Winter Freeze win in the Vaden Chevrolet Modified in February.

“I haven’t been in a race car since February when I drove the Vaden Chevrolet Modified, but I know Mike Vaughn and his crew chief Don Jenkins will give me a race car capable of winning,” Miner said.  “The only racing I’ve done is hanging out with my good friend Ken Schrader for a few races.  I’m looking forward to getting back to Rome Speedway and seeing my Georgia friends and fans.  I have lots of good memories at Rome Speedway.”

The Chevrolet Performance 602 engine in the Mike Vaughn Racing Modified Sportsman race car came right out of the crate from Vaden Chevrolet in Savannah, GA ready for competition.  For more information or to place an order with free next day delivery anywhere in the Southeast, call Rick Freeman at Vaden Chevrolet at 833-823-3678.

The Vaden Chevrolet Open-Wheel Modified is also sponsored by Chevrolet Performance, Hoosier Racing Tires, KRC Power Steering, David Smith Carburetors, Federated Auto Parts, Gresham Race Parts, Schoenfeld Headers, Bert Transmissions, Wren’s Body Shop, and Mike Vaughn’s Auto Exchange.

Dover Continues Winning Ways With Victory at Beatrice Speedway

Inside Line Promotions - BEATRICE, Neb. (Oct. 2, 2023) - Jack Dover hustled from eighth to win last Friday at Beatrice Speedway, marking his second triumph of the season and first behind the wheel of his No. 53 winged sprint car.

"It was really special," he said. "I don't think I've went a year without winning in the No. 53. Plus, it was cool to run one and two with Tim (Estenson)."

Dover kicked off the night by advancing from seventh to fourth place in a heat race.

"In the first half I struggled to get by some cars," he said. "I was able to get them halfway through and ended up running fourth, just right there with third at the line. That put us starting eighth in the feature.

Hagar Produces Second-Place Showing at Riverside International Speedway as Big Weekend Awaits at Texarkana 67 Speedway

Inside Line Promotions - WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (Oct. 2, 2023) - Derek Hagar recorded a runner-up result last Saturday during the Fall Nationals hosted by Riverside International Speedway.

The night began with Hagar finishing where he started - second - in a heat race.

"We ran second to Sammy (Swindell) in the heat race," he said. "We started fourth in the feature and ran third most of the race until the last lap when I got around Sammy coming to the line to run second.

"The track stayed pretty locked down and one lane so to be able to pass any cars was good. Traffic was terrible, just trying to figure out where people were going to go. That's what got us set up to get by Sammy. He followed three cars on the bottom and I was able to rip the top to get enough speed to nip him at the line."