10 Things We Learned About Sprint Cars from This Past Week July 25th-31st

I didn’t have much motivation to write this week’s ten things. Because, well there wasn’t much we learned this past week I feel like. But then Sunday night happened and Fhit hit the San and just like that. I found a few things to write about. So here are Ten Things We Learned about Sprint Cars from This Past Week of July 25th-31st

1. Race Fans are The Worst. 

I had a different #1 I was going to use. But looking at social media Sunday night. It feels fitting. I shouldn’t say all race fans are the worst. But there’s a good bit that are.For those that don’t know what I am talking about. I’m referring to the hate that is going towards Dave Farney for LITERALLY NO REASON WHATSOEVER. Farney, who is the normal flag man for The Super DIRTcar Series, Weedsport Speedway, and most major World Racing Group events, has been doing this for a long time. You may have seen videos of him spinning the flags during SDS events. It gives life to the flagman position I feel. Farney does, as a courtesy to the drivers,gives them signals as to where the guy behind them is at. During victory lane during Sunday’s night’s World of Outlaws event at Weedsport. Farney was caught on DIRTVision asking winner Donny Schatz if he saw his signal and if it helped him. Schatz said no. Where I don’t see a problem with that as I feel it adds to the character that Farney gives to the position. It’s not like Farney does it for certain drivers. He does it for every class, every driver in the top 3, every race. He also asks that question to the drivers in victory lane. 

I am full on the defended Farney train. There is no reason for him to be bashed on social media like this. Yes I will get into the bad weekend World of Outlaws officials had. But this is an unacceptable amount of hate by people who have no idea what this guy does, how he operates or how his passion and enthusiasm runs deep for this sport he loves.  It’s a witch hunt that social media loves to go on and it’s sad. Social media is the best thing but tonight. It’s the worst thing for this sport. 

2. Rain was a good thing Friday Night

It’s no doubt that we need rain in PA and need some rain bad in some areas.Friday was a blessing in a big way. While it wasn’t a lot it did help a little bit the drought we’ve been seeing. But ya know what else it helped ? The tire situation! 

Most of the allocation of Hoosier Tires for this past weekend were sent to New York with the Outlaws and over the next couple of weeks. Most of the Hoosier’s will be sent to Iowa for the Knoxville Nationals. So any chance race tracks that have the chance to pull the plug. It’s going to happen. But it’s not the worst thing in the world. As we all love racing and want to see the most we can in a year. We have been very fortunate this year to get a lot of the racing in. In a year with shortages galore. It’s been a busy season. But car counts are showing that attrition and lack of parts and tires are hurting. So if it’s a weekly race. If they cancel early. It’s only going to help in the long run. Short term it sucks. But long term it’s what we need to finish the rest of the season out. 

3. Dylan Cisney makes a Dream come True

I can’t think of a driver over the last few years that has had more last lap drives for the wins than Dylan Cisney. If memory serves me right. 3 of Cisney’s last 4 wins at Port Royal have come on last lap passes. 2 on Anthony Macri in 2019. Then this past Saturday Night Cisney chased down Lance Dewease on the final lap to win the first of the dual Living Legends Dream Races at Port Royal for his first win at Port in 2022. A Very nice drive for a team that hasn’t had the best season in 2022. 

4. It’s not too often Lance Dewease gets beat. Let alone twice in one night.

While Cisney did it with some last lap heroics. Danny Dietrich starts on the front row to get the 2nd Living Legends Dream Race Feature at Port Royal Saturday Night. Definitely makes up for the 2nd place to Larson last week with the Outlaws at Port. 

Meanwhile it’s still a good weekend for the 69k. Sure we all know 2nd sucks. But the runner up finishes for a team that hasn’t looked like the Dream Team of late. Has brought some life back to them as we are just a month away from the start of the Month of Money. 

5. A Late Night is alright when you end up in Victory Lane Like Freddie Rahmer

I am trying so hard to not use a Rumble reference after last week’s shenanigans at the Grove. But is it fitting that Freddier Rahmer won the Rack Daddy’s Rumble at Lincoln? I kid, I kid. But Seriously . Good win for Freddie and the crew in what turned into a late one at Lincoln. Coming from 8th to get the win on the final lap over Chad Trout. His first win at Lincoln since June 11th. While I’m on Lincoln here. Nice run for Chad Trout. Finishing 2nd to one of the best drivers at Lincoln. That win is coming for the 1x team here. Hopefully it will be soon. 

6. Macri Can win off the Porch 

 2 Posse members got off the porch this weekend and headed out west to go find some cash to bring back home. Anthony Macri finds a guitar and $26,000 Friday night at I-70 in Missouri as he gets win number 17 on the year and win number 5 with the All Stars Saturday night. Unfortunately Macri did not make the feature Saturday Night at Knoxville. But Brent Marks did after an 11th place finish on Friday he came back to get a 16th to 8th run at Knoxville in the second to last tune up before the Knoxville Nationals. 

7. Rico is Tuned Up For Knoxville/So is Gio 

Rico Abreu scored his first All Star win in 2022 Saturday Night at Knoxville. Rico has shown a ton of speed so far this year. But I still think the favorite to win the Knoxville nationals as of right now. Has to be Gio Scelzi. He’s looked so good at Knoxville this year and finished 4th on Saturday Night. The defending Knoxville 360 Nationals winner is looking to repeat that next weekend and add the 410 title in 2 weeks.

8. No one will remember Gravel’s win. Just Sheldon Throwing his Helmet.

David Gravel dominated Saturday Night’s World of Outlaws Feature at Weedsport. But no one gives a damn about that. The bigger store was Sheldon Haudenschild spinning in turn 1 and 2. Officials must have thought he was cleared of the track far enough to keep the race green. Sheldon thought otherwise and made his own caution as he threw his helmet on to the track. The 17 was parked for the rest of the night at a crew member of the Nos #17 gave the one finger salute to the tower driving back on the ATV. Not a good few weeks for Outlaw officials. 

But Gravel’s win and 2nd has him the only driver within 100 points of Brad Sweets points lead. Gravel is 36 points behind Sweet as the Outlaws have reached the halfway point of the season. 

9. URC is Some of the Best Racing in the Area Right Now and You Can’t Change My Mind 

Ok so this opinion may be a tad bit biased as well, URC trust me to hold a microphone for them week in and week out. Yeah I don’t know what they were thinking either. But one thing is for certain. After what was a disastrous race at Port Royal where nothing went right. URC has put on some BANGERS the last 3 races. 

That string continued Saturday Night at Grandview. With the RESCHEDULED Tim Higgins Classic. I put rescheduled in all caps because apparently people can’t put two and two together as to why there were only 15 cars. But that doesn’t matter. What mattered was the racing and it was a brilliant race. Brandon McGough showed a lot of speed at the start. Unfortunately faded back. But the two hometown boys, Josh Weller and Adam Carberry put on one heck of a battle that I’m sure TIm would have been proud of. Weller got around Carberry with 5 laps to go. To get his 3rd win of the season. But Adam Carberry might be the real winner. After so much disappointment so far this year. He comes home with  race car in one piece and a season best 2nd place finish

10. Justin Grant Rocks Indiania Sprint Week  

After 13 years of trying. Justin Grant can finally knock off Indiana Sprint Week Champion off his Bucket List. Grant finishes the week with a win at Kokomo and 6 consecutive top 5 finishes to clinch his first sprint week title. 

Meanwhile Briggs Danner took the trip out to try ISW and did very well in qualifying each night. But lack of experience with the Indiana bullrings showed. But, still made the feature each night and learned something. While Danner did not finish in the top 10 in Sprint Week Points. He still got 10th in the passing masters tally USAC kept during the week with + 11 passes. Not bad at all Briggsy