Josh Berry Picks Up iRacing Sponsorship

Josh Berry's JR Motorsports Late Model Stock Car

March 5, 2020March 5, 2020 ~ Jeff Kendrick ~ Leave a comment

JR Motorsports Late Model driver Josh Berry has added the iRacing colors to his Late Model Stock Car for the 2020 season.

The iRacing logo will be on the hood of number 88 Chevrolet Monte Carlo as Berry tries for another CARS Racing Tour championship. Berry leads the series in many areas wins, races led, poles, and money won.

The iRacing partnership involves Josh Berry as well as team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt has been a huge supporter and proponent of iRacing from its inception.

“iRacing is something I’ve done for a long time and it really was what connected me with Dale,” Berry said. “It led to me ultimately driving the Late Model for JR Motorsports. It’s important to me, and I greatly appreciate them coming on board to be part of the program. I’m equally appreciative of Mark (Thomas, owner of All Things Automotive) for allowing us to do this. It’s a great partnership among all of us and will help to make us better.”

Berry was one of many drivers who competed with Earnhardt Jr. online in the earlier days of iRacing.

Tony Stewart Will Return to Run Xfinity Race at Indianapolis

March 4, 2020March 4, 2020 ~ Jeff Kendrick ~ Leave a comment

NASCAR hall of Fame driver Tony Stewart will make his first start since 2016 in the Xfinity race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 4,

“Everyone knows what Indy means to me, so I can’t think of a better place to race on Fourth of July weekend,” said Stewart. “It’s going to be cool making history by turning left and right in a stock car at the Brickyard, and the racing will be full of action and contact. Any time you can drive any race car at the speedway is special, and you know I’m going for the win. The date is already circled on my calendar.”

The Xfinity cars will race on the Indianapolis Speedway 14-turn road course for the first time.

Stewart has not started a NASCAR Xfinity race since 2013. He has two wins in 18 Brickyard 400 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has also competed in five Indianapolis 500 races as well as four IROC races at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Details about Stewart’s sponsor and car number will be announced at a later date.

Billy Pauch Jr. Ready to Roar in East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals

February 17, 2020February 17, 2020 ~ Jeff Kendrick ~ Leave a comment

Coming off of a very successful 2019 racing season, Billy Pauch Jr. only has one regret. He feels that there is one race that he feels he should have won. The one that got away was the 2018 East Coast Dirt Nationals. Pauch says it still bothers him more than a year later.

The Indoor Dirt Nationals return to the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, New Jersey February 21-22. This is the third year for the event which features 100 wingless 600cc Sprint Cars on the banked clay oval. Pauch expounds:

We ran a close second to Erick Rudolph. He was hugging the bottom and I was trying to make something happen on the top. I got to him but by the time I did, the top of the track had changed. I didn’t want to dump him which was the only way I was going to pass him. It was a tough loss. You hate to let a race you feel you should have won get away.

The 2017 Indoor Nationals were also disappointing for Pauch. He was a strong contender but got dumped during the feature race and the car’s steering was broken in the process. That was the end of his race.

Pauch will enter the Indoor Nationals in the same car he has driven in the past two races, owned by Lamar Schaffer from Pennsylvania. Schaffer is a popular Micro Sprint engine builder. Pauch has driven for Schaffer for the last eight years.

Race teams will arrive in Trenton for the Indoor Nationals on Thursday, February 20 for a closed practice session on the tacky dustless black clay. Friday will be the draw in which the field will be divided into ten heat races. The top sixty from the heat races will run four A-Main qualifying races. The top three from those races will lock in their spot in Saturday’s fifty lap A-Main.

For Saturday’s racing program, all drivers who were unable to qualify will be split into qualifying races by their Friday results. Each of these events, starting with twin F-Main races, transfer the top four to the next main until two B-Mains are reached. In the final B-Main qualifying races, the top six transfer to the A-Main which will start 24 cars.

Tickets are available at indoorautoracing.com

Larry Wight Wins the Dirtcar Big Block Modified Big Gator Championship

Larry Wight - Big Gator Dirtcar Champion

February 16, 2020February 17, 2020 ~ Jeff Kendrick ~ Leave a comment

Wight only needed to finish fifteenth or better to beat out his teammate Billy Decker for the championship. Wight ended up sixth with Decker in fifth and his other teammate, Pat Ward in seventh.

It’s a combination of good preparation, a good car, a good motor, and a phenomenal crew. Having a family to back that up and allow us to put in the hours and put in the time at the track and come down here. The track threw us for a loop tonight. We didn’t think it would get as slick. We thought the top would be a little bit better so we tried to get the car freed up versus last night. I guess we should have left it a little bit snugger.

Mat Williamson took the victory in tonight’s race. Williamson’s car suffered a broken shock in Thursday’s race, virtually ending his championship hopes. Jimmy Phelps finished second in his new Bicknell chassis and setup package. The coil-over suspension is all new to Phelps and his HBR crew. The podium finish indicates good progress for the team. Matt Sheppard, Billy Dunn, and Billy Decker rounded out the top five.

Next up, the Dirtcar Big Block Modified Series moves to Can-Am Speedway in Lafargeville, New York for the first point race.

Jimmy Owens Pulls Hat Trick at Daytona Dirt World of Outlaws Finale

February 16, 2020February 17, 2020 ~ Jeff Kendrick ~ Leave a comment

Newport, Tennessee’s Jimmy Owens hit a $30,ooo trifecta from Thursday through Saturday in the World of Outlaws Late Model series Dirtcar Nationals week long finale at Volusia Speedway.

Also known as the “O-Show,” Owens passed race leader Kyle Bronson with just ten laps remaining and went on to win the finale. Canadian driver Ricky Weiss finished second in the race. Bronson was third followed by Darrell Lannigan and Brandon Sheppard. Owens also dominated the Thursday night race, leading all forty laps.

After this race, Brandon Sheppard is the WoO Late Model series point leader. The Late Models won’t race again until March 6 when the World of Outlaws roll into Lewisburg, Tennessee for a special Friday night race on the high banks of Duck River Raceway.