DirtonDirt Dispatches
Dispatches: Owens goes low at Duck River
Among the latest notes and quotes from around Dirt Late Model racing during the first weekend in August (look for World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series coverage from Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., elsewhere). Also find a listing of live-streaming video from specials around the country:
Low, low, low
Dale McDowell led most of Friday’s Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series feature at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tenn., but late in the race, he opened the door — the inside door — for fellow fiftysomething driver Jimmy Owens.
And Owens, the HTF points leader and Newport, Tenn., standout, took advantage, driving under McDowell in a near dead heat on the 38th lap, then edging away from McDowell the final two circuits for an $8,000 payday in the Deep Fried 75 opener.
Owens, McDowell and the rest of the HTF gang will return to Duck River on Saturday for the weekend finale with a $15,000 payday on the line.
Owens, who came from the eighth starting spot, kept his Rocket Chassis glued to the hub in grabbing the victory in a race that Sam Seawright also led in the early laps.
“That's best I've run around the bottom of track in a while. We had some good dig down there and luckily Dale never got down low enough,” the 53-year-old Owens said. “He kept sliding out a little bit, and I thought if I just hit (turns) one and two a little bit better, I might be able to sneak up beside him and it worked out, especially that last restart.”
McDowell, driving his brother’s Shane McDowell Racing entry, couldn’t repel the late charge of Owens.
“It sucks to lead. You don't know where to go … so I just kind of ran the middle where it was brown,” the 59-year-old McDowell said. “The car was a little free, so I think Shane can make adjustments in that condition and change it up a little bit, but I just kind had to float my middle and and carry some middle speed across there and Jimmy was able to slow down and just drive up off the corner better. Hats off to him and his guys. We'll just work hard on this thing and see if we can get it a little bit better tomorrow night.” — Series reports
Streaming schedule
Among upcoming Dirt Late Model special and sanctioned events available via live streaming:
Friday, Aug. 1
• World of Outlaws Real American Late Models prelims at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis. (DIRTVision)
• Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tenn. (Hunt the Front TV)
Saturday, Aug. 2
• World of Outlaws Real American Late Models at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis. (DIRTVision)
• Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tenn. (Hunt the Front TV)
• Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway ninth annual Dylan Kennedy Memorial (Dirt Rich TV)
• Northern Allstars Late Model Series at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway (Hunt the Front TV)
• Iron-Man-Ultimate Heart of America Series at 201 Speedway in Sitka, Ky. (Pit Row TV)
• American Crate All-Star Series at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, Ky. (Dirt Rich TV)
• Malvern Bank West Series at Off Road Speedway in Norfolk, Neb. (Dirt Crown TV)
• Xtreme Late Model Series at Placerville (Calif.) Speedway (Cali Dirt TV)
