Double Down Sizzler sees 106 entries; Tyler Nicely extends his National Point Lead by winning DIRTcar Modified; Randy Smyser, UNSTOPPABLE; Point leaders in all divisions hang on to their lead--
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
9.16.2023 CHARLESTON SPEEDWAY: CHARLESTON, IL
The Double Down Sizzler was an opportunity for ALL competitors to capture DOUBLE Championship Points in their quest to become the 2023 Charleston Speedway Track Champion! 106 Drivers signed in to take advantage of this unique opportunity. The weather was absolutely picture perfect, and the racing surface was impeccable, providing multiple lanes of racing with plenty of 3 and 4 wide racing. Tyler Nicely, current DIRTcar Modified National Points leader stopped by to see if he had what it would take to outrun the stout competition that competes at The Charleston Speedway on a weekly basis. Nicely would have to settle for 2nd quick time as Drake Stevenson posted a time of 13.847, which has him tied with Everett Bradham, for the Charleston Speedway Track Record. 25 DIRTcar Modified entries qualified with the top 10 being separated by ONLY 0.702 SECONDS! These guys are all FAST and separated by such a narrow margin on a weekly basis! With qualifying in the books, it was time for the 8 lap heats. Heat 1 saw a bit of an upset with Roger Mills winning heat 1 from his 3rd starting position. Drake Stevenson looked to have the heat win in the bag until a late race caution flew. On the restart, Stevenson fired before his car was in the start zone, causing him to be penalized 2 spots. The green fell with him in 3rd, and Mills leading. Mills was able to hold off the last lap charge from Stevenson to hang on to win Heat 1. Heat 2 offered no real surprises as pole sitter Tyler Nicely took the lead from Deece Schwartz on lap 1 and never looked back, winning Heat 2 with a 4.137 second lead. Peyton Anderson had a good run in Heat 2, finishing 4th from his 7th starting position. Heat 3 would see a front row of fierce local competitors from Ashmore; season point leader, Kasey Schrock on the pole, with the #21D of Danny Schwartz on the front row outside. Both racers were convinced the heat was going to be decided in the “race” to turn 1. Both competitors approached the start zone, and the anticipation was palpable. The start, while controversial depending on which competitor was your favorite, was ruled by track officials as a clean start; and Danny Schwartz would lead lap 1, along with the remaining 7 to pick up Heat 3 victory. Heat races in the books, next up was the Feature event. Pole sitter Roger Mills started alongside Tyler Nicely, with the 2nd row being made up of Danny Schwartz and Drake Stevenson. When the green flag fell, it was all Nicely. Danny Schwartz would get to 2nd right away, but that was as close as anyone would get to Nicely. Lap 1 was not lacking excitement as there was a 6-car pileup in turn 2 that took track officials a little time to sort out. After the cleanup was done, the race was on again. Kaleb Wood in the #72W had his work cut out for him starting in 22nd, he went to work and was able to finish 9th. What an outstanding run for the gentleman from Sullivan, IL. JD Laster tried following Woods lead through the field but was only able to move up 9 spots to finish 15th. Zachary Stalker in the #11S started 12th and was able to move up 1 spot to finish 11th, doing so allowed him to be the LAST car on the lead lap as Tyler Nicely’s speed saw him lapping 12th. While fast, and ripping through the field, Danny Schwartz stayed right with him as well as Deece Schwartz who started 5th and finished 3rd. The DIRTcar Modified Feature NEVER disappoints, and Saturday was no exception! Deece Schwartz run from 5th to 3rd, allowed him to pass Kenny Carmichael Sr. in the points as he now finds himself within 5 points of leader Kasey Schrock. Kenny Carmichael Sr. is in 3rd, 32 points back from Kasey Schrock, but only 27 back from Deece Schwartz. It all comes down to this coming Saturday night, 9/23/2023. Who will be the 2023 Charleston Speedway DIRTcar Modified Track Champion? Be there to see it in person!!
If for some reason you were not able to see the Double Down Sizzler in person, you can see what you missed right here:
https://youtu.be/vuJLkjMCkXE?si=cb5sRWUqrnR5sHKI
At the conclusion of the DOUBLE DOWN SIZZLER, the only two drivers that can officially breathe a sigh of relief are Jesse Simmons, drivers of the #42 DIRTcar Street Stock, and Jimmy Dutlinger, driver of the #DA28 DIRTcar Hornet.
Jesse Simmons is officially your back-to-back Charleston Speedway Track Champion in the DIRTcar Street Stock division. Simmons entered the night with the points lead and was able to end the night with a HUGE lead of 87 points over second place Nick Miller. Simmons started his night off with a 5th place qualifying effort, he would continue his lack luster night by finishing 3rd from his 3rd starting position; but his Feature would show why he is the track Champion. His never give up approach carried him from a 5th starting spot in the Feature to finish 2nd behind Jerrad Krick as he would win his 8th Feature of the 2023 season. Jesse Simmons 2nd place finish solidifies him as your 2023 Charleston Speedway DIRTcar Street Stock Champion! Krick’s win allowed him to pull within 6 points of 2nd place Nick Miller, and with only one event left, this race will definitely come down to the wire. One other notable accomplishment in the DIRTcar Street Stock division was the Hard Charger Award going to the #XXX of Sawyer Longfellow with his 10th place finish from 17th. Awesome run! The DIRTcar Street Stock division is notorious for putting on a “must see” race and if you weren't able to attend in person, you can watch it here:
https://youtu.be/vJPQvcRBscY?si=_dm_b0X5EHwdNLyC
Back to the effort of Jimmy Dutlinger in his #DA28 DIRTcar Hornet. Jimmy started his night off with a 4th to 2nd place run in heat 2, giving him a 4th starting position in the Feature. Pole sitter James Trivitt was able to lead the first lap, but Dutlinger had his eye on the prize and was determined to win. Dutlinger took the lead on lap 2 and never looked back. Trivitt was able to hang on to finish 2nd while Dusten Galbreath finished 3rd. Hard Charger in the DIRTcar Hornet division clearly went to the #J28 of Jeremy Hancock with his 13th to 4th run in the Feature, picking up 9 positions! Dutlinger's win gave him a narrow 25-point advantage over 2nd place Jaekob Durbin who finds himself 37 points ahead of 3rd place Lynn Lash. With 24 points being the maximum number of points achievable in one event, Jimmy Dutlinger is your 2023 Charleston Speedway DIRTcar Hornet Track Champion. Having a 37-point lead over 3rd place Lynn Lash, Jaekob Durbin is guaranteed to finish 2nd in the Championship chase! The rest of the field is not separated by insurmountable numbers, so look for a potential shake up at the conclusion of Championship Night at the Races this coming Saturday night, 9/23/2023. If you have missed the FULL fields of DIRTcar Hornets that have been competing on a regular basis at The Charleston Speedway, you owe it to yourself to watch this video. Grassroots Racing At Its Finest. These guys and gals are 3 and 4 wide racing, lap after lap, showing a great deal of respect for one another, it’s worth your time to take a look at what you’ve been missing:
https://youtu.be/37IymBYeunc?si=pLwIqPREGK4HIIe7
Turning to the DIRTcar Factory Stock division; seems like a “copy and paste” from one week to the next. Randy Smyser struggled in the beginning of the season only to find the setup that seems to be unstoppable. Randy started the night with a 3rd place qualifying effort behind Steve Nolen in 2nd and Wally Kerst with a quick time of 16.205. “Birthday Boy” Steve Nolen wished for a quick time qualifying effort, and he looked to have his wish come true, until the final qualifying effort of Wally Kerst. Nolen nor Smyser would be discouraged as they headed into the heat races. Smyser would win Heat 1 over Kerst in 2nd and John Strawser in 3rd, while Nolen would win Heat 2 over Mike Reitz in 2nd and Wayne Russell in 3rd. Double Heat Race Points collected, it was time to dole out Double Feature Points! Randy Smyser, like he has done so many times this season, took the lead on lap 1 and never looked back picking up Feature Win #11 of the 2023 season, and this one makes #9 IN A ROW! Steve Nolen in the #66JR refuses to give up showing more and more speed every week, has kept Randy within 16 measly points; an amount that Smyser will make him earn, but not a big enough number that can’t be conquered. The DIRTcar Factory Stock division is incredibly competitive causing the 5th to 3rd place run of John Strawser to be the Hard Charger winner. This race is one to definitely keep an eye on, and if you missed it Saturday night, you can watch it here:
https://youtu.be/w9FMSJuj9X0?si=L9tZUNa3ZGtCPLew
Every point leader heading into the DOUBLE DOWN SIZZLER was able to leave with the points lead, and the DIRTcar Pro Late Model division was no exception. Despite this division having 50 different competitors over the 2023 season, Anthony Tucker’s consistency has netted him the point lead. Colby Eller, driver of the #10C with his 2 feature wins has drawn within 13 points of Tucker. The evening started with Anthony Tucker setting fast time with a 14.373 time, in front of Gary Schalmo in 2nd and Curtis Eller in 3rd. The qualifying times would not prove to be reflective of the Heat finishes. Heat 1 would be won by 3rd place starter Dane Arvin, while Heat 2 seemed to be well within Gary Shalmo’s hands until he experienced engine failure on lap 7 handing the lead and eventual victory to Colby Eller. The feature event would start with 3 cars not making the call, among those, the #7S of Morgan Staggs after his 8th to 4th place heat race run, mechanical issues would sideline his feature efforts. The DIRTcar Pro Late Model Feature was the first feature of the evening and did it set the bar high. 15 laps, green to checkered, no cautions, with tons of side-by-side action with Randy Eller capturing the Hard Charger award with his 11th to 5th run! Dane Arvin took the lead on lap 1 and would not let another competitor lead, despite numerous efforts by Kyle McMahon and Colby Eller, who would go on to finish 2nd and 3rd respectfully. Anthony Tucker rallied back from his 9th starting position to finish 6th allowing him to leave the event with a narrow point lead. There’s something special about Late Models ripping around The Charleston Speedway and we are excited to be able to offer the DIRTcar Pro Late Models week after week. If you haven’t seen them in person, make plans NOW to be there for Championship Night this Saturday, 9/23/2023. If you weren’t lucky enough to catch the DOUBLE DOWN SIZZLER in person, you can see what you missed right here:
https://youtu.be/hETIUXzaUaA?si=htjJzC-ew26dn4Y9
Last, but certainly not least: The entertainment that has been provided to the fans of The Charleston Speedway through the DIRTcar Pro Modified division, is quite frankly amazing. Week after week, we are blessed to be able to watch the reigning National Champion and 2023 points leader, Deece Schwartz, go to battle with the #2 guy in the Nation, Brayden Doyle. The front seat to something very special that we have been afforded may not be known for many years, but know this, what you are witnessing will be talked about for many years to come! After you understand that we have #1 and #2 in the Nation at our track every week, look a little further and you find #5, #7 and #9 in the Nation are our very own local favorites, Gabe Menser, JD Evans and Donnie Martin. We have a front seat to history in the making. If you have missed this, determine right now that you will not miss another opportunity to see these National icons do battle every week, at your home track, The Charleston Speedway. The DOUBLE DOWN SIZZLER DIRTcar Pro Modified event checked all of the expected boxes of “hair-raising excitement”. Scott Dunlap would start the night off with setting fast time with a 14.974 lap. Deece Schwartz would qualify 2nd with Brayden Doyle qualifying 3rd. Heat 1 would not go without a bit of controversy as Scott Dunlap who was scheduled to start P1, would be advised of an illegal part on his car, causing him to be disqualified from that event. With the fast time qualifier sidelined, Gabe Menser was moved into P1, but Brayden Doyle, determined to take advantage of the situation, led every lap of Heat 1 picking up the win. Gabe Menser gave a valiant effort finishing 2nd, but he seemed to be a little short of Doyle’s pace. Heat 2 had Deece Schwartz starting P1 and after leading every lap like Doyle, Schwartz won Heat 2. Brandon Bollinger rallied to 2nd from his 4th place starting position, but like Menser and Doyle, Bollinger was not able to match Schwartz’s speed. 20 DIRTcar Pro Modifieds, 2 heat races finished, could only mean 1 thing - Feature time! By taking one look at the front row, you knew you were in for a treat. Brayden Doyle P1. Deece Schwartz P2. The field set, the green flag dropped, and the battle was on. Back and forth, trading the lead multiple times, duking it out for the top spot, fighting through the 8 different cautions, Schwartz and Doyle proceeded to provide entertainment worth more than the value of the ticket price! The veteran, Gabe Menser, is constantly a force to be reckoned with, keeping the youngsters “honest”, lap after lap! Deece Schwartz would eventually take and keep the lead from Brayden Doyle forcing him to finish 2nd, while Gabe Menser was relegated to a 3rd place finish. The disqualification of Dunlap did not discourage him, after making the necessary changes to his car, he was able to take his 19th starting position and work his way through the field to finish 8th! Very impressive effort. This division is a real treat, one you want to keep your eyes on. If you weren’t lucky enough to see the DOUBLE DOWN SIZZLER in person, click to watch it here:
https://youtu.be/nkdeFlWZ4oM?si=p05hEL-iJbHT8M69
We ONLY have 3 more opportunities for you to catch the action LIVE and IN PERSON, so make plans now and BE THERE! This coming Saturday, 9/23/2023, is Championship Night at The Races. The following week, 9/29/2023 & 9/30/2023 The Charleston Speedway will host the DIRTcar Fall Nationals for Street Stock, Factory Stock and Hornets! Write it on your calendar, set a reminder in your phone, tie a string on your finger, do whatever you have to do to make sure you don’t miss a minute of the action!!
Here are your fast time qualifiers from 9/16/23;
DIRTcar Modified, #77D Drake Stevenson; 13.847
DIRTcar Pro Modified, #79 Scott Dunlap; 14.974
DIRTcar Street Stock, #99K Jerrad Krick; 15.119
DIRTcar Factory Stock, #65 Wally Kerst; 16.205
DIRTcar Pro Late Model, #55 Anthony Tucker; 14.373
Your run down of Heat Race winners for 9/16/2023
DIRTcar Modified: #42 Roger Mills & #25 Tyler Nicely & #21D Danny Schwartz
DIRTcar Pro Modified: #2 Brayden Doyle & #121 Deece Schwartz
DIRTcar Street Stock: #99K Jerrad Krick & #5 Ryan Taylor
DIRTcar Factory Stock: #X Randy Smyser & #66JR Steve Nolen
DIRTcar Pro Late Model: #09 Dane Arvin & #10C Colby Eller
DIRTcar Hornet: #9 James Trivitt & #38DD Dusten Galbreathj
Here are the Feature Winners for 9/16/2023
DIRTcar Modified #25 Tyler Nicely
DIRTcar Pro Modified #121 Deece Schwartz
DIRTcar Street Stock #99K Jerrad Krick
DIRTcar Pro Late Model #09 Dane Arvin
DIRTcar Factory Stock #X Randy Smyser
DIRTcar Hornets #DA28 Jimmy Dutlinger
ALL Video credits to Zack Carter.
Be sure to check out, and purchase a few of the MANY photos that were taken at the Speedway right here:
https://srldesigns.smugmug.com/
ALL Photo credits to SRL Designs.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON…………..AT THE CHARLESTON SPEEDWAY!!!
#chuckvegas