DirtonDirt Dispatches
Dispatches: Slide-or-die Winger wins at Senoia
Ashton Winger (12) and Sam Seawright (16) at Senoia. (Anthony Neff)
Among the latest notes and quotes from around Dirt Late Model racing heading into the third weekend in July, including Schaeffer's Southern Nationals and MARS Championship Series (look for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series coverage elsewhere). Also find a listing of live-streaming video from specials around the country:
Winger’s win
Ashton Winger isn’t shy about making bold moves on the racetrack, or owning up to them afterward. So when the 25-year-old Hampton, Ga., driver let it all hang out in outdueling Sam Seawright to win Thursday’s Schaeffer's Southern Nationals event at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway, he freely admitted he took some chances with high-side runs and diving under Seawright en route to capturing the 44-lap Roscoe Smith Classic.
"When you're stupid like me, kind of slide or die,” he said. “Sometimes it works out.”
Winger was glad to come out on top during a challenging season with only one other victory. He’s abandoned a return to the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series and has bounced between the team’s self-developed Fusion Race Car and the Rocket Chassis he drove at Senoia.
“I've probably not been very fun to be around the last three months,” Winger said in victory lane at Senoia. “We’ve really, really struggled, and to come back to somewhere where we know and have success is awesome.”
He spent most of his time in victory lane thanking Roscoe Smith and family, his father Gary, his crew members and many sponsors. Then paused for a moment.
“That was cool,” he said. “I’m out of breath.”
The back-and-forth battle with Seawright, one of Winger’s buddies who hugged him in victory lane, was a good one with multi-grooved action in lapped traffic, which ended up hampering Seawright.
“The racetrack was so wide. I mean you could round that top if you wanted. You could blitz the bottom and carry your speed, it was so rough leaving (turn) two, it just made for a really good race there,” Winger said. “Sam was better than me. I mean, he had a little bit of front-end damage from the start — I'm not sure what happened — but I felt like really my best chance was I needed to get to lapped traffic. I felt like when we got to lapped traffic, I was able to gap out a little bit.”
Winger’s de facto home track, Senoia has been the site of much of his success during his career. He plans to go for a second straight Southern Nationals victory Friday at Swainsboro (Ga.) Speedway.
"I got my grandma here,” Winger said in concluding his victory lane remarks. “She don't get to see me race a lot. She sure as hell don't get to see me win a lot. It's awesome, and we'll try again tomorrow at Swainsboro.” — Series and staff reports
Streaming schedule
Among upcoming Dirt Late Model special and sanctioned events available via live streaming:
Thursday, July 17
• Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D. (FloRacing)
• Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway (FloRacing)
• Malvern Bank West Series prelims at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D. (FloRacing)
• Red Clay 602 Crate Late Model Series at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway (FloRacing)
Friday, July 18
• Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D. (FloRacing)
• Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals at Swainsboro (Ga.) Raceway (FloRacing)
• MARS Championship Series at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway (FloRacing)
• Comp Cams Super Dirt Series at Arrowhead Speedway in Colcord, Okla. (ArrowVision Live)
• Jay’s Automotive United Late Model Series at Path Valley Speedway in Spring Run, Pa. (Dirt Rich TV)
• Ponderosa Speedway 604 Crate Late Models in Junction City, Ky. (Start2Finish TV)
• Structural Buildings WISSOTA Challenge Series twin features at Gondik Law Speedway in Superior, Wis. (Dirt Race Central)
• Nutrien Ag POWRi Revival Super Dirt Series at Electric City Speedway in Butler, Mo. (Start2Finish TV)
Saturday, July 19
• Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D. (FloRacing)
• Cedar Lake Speedway Duane Mahder Memorial in New Richmond, Wis. (Racin’ Dirt)
• Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga. (FloRacing)
• Ultimate Heart of America Series at Richmond (Ky.) Raceway (Pit Row TV)
• Jay’s Automotive United Late Model Series at Latrobe (Pa.) Speedway (Dirt Rich TV)
• MARS Championship Series at I-55 Federated Raceway Park in Pevely, Mo. (FloRacing)
• Structural Buildings WISSOTA Challenge Series at Ogilvie (Minn.) Raceway (Dirt Race Central)
• Comp Cams Super Dirt Series at Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Ark. (ArrowVision Live)
• Topless Outlaw Late Model Series at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, Ky. (Mad Speed TV)
• Nutrien Ag POWRi Revival Super Dirt Series at Central Missouri Speedway in Warrensburg, Mo. (Start2Finish TV)
• BMF 604 Crate Late Model Series at Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway (Dirt Rich TV)
Sunday, July 20
• MARS Championship Series at Quincy (Ill.) Raceway (FloRacing)
• Structural Buildings WISSOTA Challenge Series at Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids, Minn. (Dirt Race Central)
• Karl Chevrolet Pro Late Model Tour at Benton County Speedway in Vinton, Iowa (IMCA TV)
