5 Races That Made 2014 Memorable

From Gary Heeman and Tyler Beichner



Every year, this time of the year, there are all sorts of great lists of the things that made the year great.....this is one of them!


There were too many moments that we won't forget to list. But we'd be defaulting on our duties here at TDN to not bring up five unforgettable moments that made 2014 a great year on dirt.

Bloomquist From Worst to First

Scott Bloomquist bested a stout field of 100+ late models en route to the win in the World 100. Okay, we've seen that before, and it surprises absolutely nobody.

But, not this year. He started toward the front in typical Bloomquist fashion at Eldora speedway, but was penalized after he took the lead in the early going, for an illegal window net. (Which one of you told on him?).

At any rate, after removing the illegal part, he moved from the tail of the field to the lead again with methodical precision. It wasn't just the fact that he went from worst to first in less than fifty laps, against the best late model drivers in the world, it was simply that he made it look so easy. It ranks atop our list here as one moment in 2014 that we'll be talking about for years to come.

Gravel Defeats Posse On Home Turf

Well what can we say, nobody will forget this one for years to come, that's for sure.  David Gravel had a 2014 to remember. He landed a high profile full time WoOSTP ride (well deserved by the way), and had some terrific moments. But on one night at the legendary Williams Grove Speedway, Gravel etched himself in the memory of every central PA sprint fan.

He did that by winning the biggest race of his career, against the toughest home track competition in the world. But the manner in which he did so, will be a point of discussion forever. With seven laps to go in the amain, Gravel and race leader Stevie Smith made contact entering turn one which caused Smith to spin and Gravel to inherit the lead he would never relinquish on the way to his first crown jewel victory on the tour. The contact, it's in a grey area, not quite charcoal, and not quite silver, is a part of what makes it so memorable. Either way, it'll go down as one of the most dramatic National Open finishes in history!

Gravel then proceeded to apologize in victory lane, in a stand up move that garnered a good measure of respect.

Kevin Rivoli Photo

Friesen Pulls Off Syracuse Thriller

The last time Stew Friesen won at Syracuse, there was outrage by many. The Canadian hot shoe was found to have an illegal fuel cell.

In 2014, he not only won it fair and square, but also with a ballsy move that'll be remembered for a long time.

With 10 laps remaining in the 200 lap classic, Friesen put his mount on the top side of turn three, a very narrow place to do so with a low probability of success, and pulled it off as he eased around leader Matt Sheppard. Friesen hung on over the final laps to clinch his third victory in the Syracuse 200, and it's one that will never be in question. It was a day he cemented his legacy at the mile. And he did all this while battling a broken shock mount and a fuel pickup problem for the majority of the race.

Photo by Tyler Beichner

King Kinser/ Victory at Volusia

Kinser's rally to win at Volusia as part of Florida Speedweeks may not just be a favorite memory from 2014, but possibly all-time. 

We've known for years that anytime the years of piloting a sprint car for one Steve Kinser were winding down, so we've begun to cherish each victory more than the previous one. 

So here we were, a chilly February night in Florida, fresh off the announcement that Kinser was making his last full WoO campaign, when magic happened right before our eyes.

The King put on a show during the World of Outlaws STP Dash (moving up 4 spots in 6 laps) but that only marked the beginning of a special night.

Kinser made his move early and blasted to the lead from his 4th place starting spot, overtaking Daryn Pittman on lap 5. He seemed to be in control much of the race, but a restart on lap 22 closed the gap between the two with the always dangerous Donny Schatz sitting in 3rd. As green flag racing resumed, Pittman took command of the race but only for a lap as Steve Kinser through a slide-job to take back the top spot. The remaining laps were intense but The King never surrendered the lead, continuing on to grab his 577th career WoO Feature win.

Birky's Swan Song

Was there a better way to say goodbye? Probably not if you ask us. Brian Birkhofer announced his retirement in 2014 (we'll see how long that lasts), but he went out with style.

He'd had a great car at the Late Model Nationals at Knoxville Raceway, and was among a small handful of drivers who had the best chance to take home the crown jewel event.  But when Scott Bloomquist took the lead on lap 62, most everyone in attendance could have written the rest of the story....

What happened in the final laps provided a surreal moment though, as Birkhofer made the pass for the win on the final set of turns as Bloomquist's car suffered driveline issues.

Some might call it a "gift", but you've got to be there at the end and Birkhofer was, taking home the checkers in the 11th annual Nationals, the last of his career for the foreseeable future. Ironically, Birkhofer was winner of the very first Late Model Nationals.

He was emotional in victory lane, and his typical classy self while he delivered the news that it would mark the end of his racing. But what a way to go out!





Honorable Mentions:

Mike Ruefer Photo

Davey Johnson Delivers Popular Win

It had been quite some time since the Juice had been a factor on a national scale and 2014 saw him return to victory lane in two national touring races. He took home $20,000 in May with the World of Outlaw Late Models in their appearance at Tyler County Speedway (WV). And although the cash was great, his win in February at East Bay in Lucas Oil Series action was just as impressive, and perhaps more important.

Johnson bested a 34 car field, taking the lead on lap 12 and never looking back to collect his first win at East Bay since 2001, holding off Earl Person Jr, Scott Bloomquist and the rest of the Lucas Boys over 50 laps.  It was a common purse, but the win resonated with many late model fans across the country, many of which asked the question in unison that night, "Where the hell has Davey J been?", followed with "It's about time, great to have you back Davey J!"

Hein Brothers Photo

Pettyjohn Delivers for Veterans

Allow us one sentimental moment that was awesome to see in 2014. And what's more, it was a great win!  Deleware's Kenny Pettyjohn scored the biggest win of his 30+ seasons in racing at Volusia during the DIRTcar Nationals in February, defeating a very stout field that included both WoO and Lucas regulars.

He pulled away from Brady Smith following a lap 20 caution and cruised to the win in the 30 lap feature, taking home $7,000 in the process. It was a night to remember for Pettyjohn, but the best news was yet to come. Following the victory, he announced that he was donating his entire Speedweek's earnings to the wounded warrior project, a sum that totaled $11,500. For us at TDN, this moment was as good as any other on the list!

Tim Johnson Photo

Crockett Hangs On

It took 66 tries for Medford, Oregon's Roger Crockett to win his first World of Outlaw sprint car race! He never gives up! And proof of that was on display back in June at I-94 Speedway.

Crockett took the lead from Brad Sweet on lap 8 and worked up a tremendous advantage over him over the course of the next 21 laps.  The lead enabled Crockett to survive what at the time appeared to be a moment destined for the heartbreaks of 2014 list.

His right rear blew just after he took the white flag, but he'd build up enough of an advantage to cross the line first.

"I take the white flag and I come off of turn two and I'm thinking, 'Oh my gosh, after all these years I've finally won an Outlaw race' and the tire blows right there," said Crockett, who was making his 66th World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series start since 2002. "I'm like, 'Oh my God.' So I go into turn three and I see a lapped car I passed eight laps ago go by me and I think, 'Man, we might have enough of a lead to do this.' ... I'm not one to give up, and there's a perfect example. You never give up until you cross that line or until she won't go no more."

Our Christmas Wish List

Ah, the most wonderful time of the year, next to the Knoxville Nationals, World 100, Super DIRT Week and the World Finals, is here at last!

It's time to put away petty grievances ,(the guy that put you into the wall, the official that failed you in tech, and being forced to wear a Donny Schatz tshirt because you lost a TDN bet one night), and have a peaceful time spent with loved ones! We hope you enjoy opening up ties that nobody will ever see you in, socks, and all sorts of stuff that'll be put in your closet and never brought out.

And we really hope you enjoy getting your favorite driver tshirts and hoodies, race tickets, and maybe for some of you, a new chassis or engine!

So with that being said, it's time to reveal our Christmas wish list for 2014.

Dear Santa,

Please bring us as much of you can of the following!

Sincerely,

The Staff at TDN!

• Bottles of wine from Abreu Vineyards, and a Chili Bowl win for Rico, but the wine is definitely a "gotta have"
• More Donny Schatz Late Model Appearances in 2015
• A successful return to full time WoO Late Model action for Josh Richards
• A successful launch of local audio broadcasts for us
• An autographed Danny Johnson walking stick
• A few WoO Sprint starts for Stew Friesen in a fast car
• One of those "Bloomquist/Sweet" Window nets
• More Super Late Model Appearances for Rodney Sanders in 2015
• For Renegade and ASCoC Sprints to have fantastic shows in 2015 and have healthy car counts and fan support
• Likewise for SDS/Roc/and STSS in Modified land
• A Dale Blaney win at the Kings Royal
• A hug for David Gravel and Stevie Smith
• A second date for WoO Sprints at Lernerville
• An SDS tour race at Lernerville or Sharon
• A great showing for Brandon Matus in the Chili Bowl
• A great year for our faithful sponsors!
• A 410 Sprint win for AJ Flick, he was so close in 2014!
• Some media credentials for our contributors at the central PA tracks
• A WoO LM win for Chub Frank
• A successful launch for the NSL (National Sprint League)
• A contract for a LIVE TV showing of Knoxville Nats, World 100, or World Finals, and on a station that all of us have at least!

and lastly,

• For our fans to get to the track as often as they can, unhampered by rain or cancellations, and for those fans to build great memories and introduce as many new fans to the sport as they can!

We hope you have a terrific holiday season! Please don't drink and drive, and if you're travelling to and from, please be careful, and enjoy the time with family and friends.


So from all of us to all of you, MERRY CHRISTMAS DIRT NATION!

May all your wishes come true,

Commentary: "Let not your heart be troubled"

Silly Season is fun. It is, you can't deny it. All the rumors and speculation, the schedule releases, the chassis switches, it helps keep us warm this time of year.

It sucks not to be at the track right now, we're lamenting every day that passes that we're not there. And, we're still trying to figure out the practical purpose of winter, while trying to figure out how to build an indoor 3/8 mile semi banked, red clay speedway (anybody want to help us with a telethon to raise construction funds?). But for now, there's nothing on the clay till January, so we'll monitor the offseason as best we can, it shows the way to the light at the end of the tunnel. But there's a dark side to every light....

Accompanying the silly season, there's the standard "pissing match" season. And, it's already seen it's first exchanges. Tracks scheduling over other tracks, sanctions, likewise over other sanctions within reasonable driving range. There's rumors of unpaid drivers (some true, some unfounded), and new series that spring up, primed to show the racing world that they're going to show the fans and drivers how it's done, plus fans with agendas spewing negativity left and right.  These matches happen regionally, locally and nationally, in all divisions as we all know.  This year so far we've got 410 sprints and NE Modifieds  on the card. So whether it's Renegades vs All Stars, or SDS (Super DIRTcar Modifieds) vs STSS (Short Track Super Series Mods) with a very interested RoC looking on, there's conflict to go round this time of year. And don't worry late model fans, there'll be something headed your direction soon most likely.

To be honest, I could care less. Know why? Because these things happen, and at the end of the season, or even further down the road, dirt racing still happens despite the best or worst intentions of any administrators at every level. Everything works out folks, always does, but in the meantime, take the opportunity to view this objectively as an opportunity.

Could the Renegades, NSL, or STSS provide a new approach? Can they open doors to more opportunities for fans and drivers? Can they show us that there's more room for growth than we thought? Absolutely! And it's actually important to give them a fair chance while at the same time taking in the action from the elder series at the same time. Perhaps one may fail, but the lessons we learn from that are important. And maybe, just maybe, there's room for all.

Here's what I can't stand. Perhaps you've heard this before. "I won't support  (fill in name of track/series here)"   Because of (list unfounded rumor or personal grudge here)

As a fan, it makes absolutely no sense to waste a perfectly good night at home instead of at the track to try to prove your point. The races will still be going on and you'll have missed them.

Right now, the sanction heads, administrators and promoters of our sports are planning and preparing their best hope of a successful 2015. Their decisions will be judged and their fate will be sealed, by drivers and fans. Your ticket or pit pass purchase is an efficient vote on what these series directors have organized for you.  It's simple. You know what you like to see, where you like to see it, and what drivers you want to throw down your hard earned cash to see. It doesn't matter whether that's an All Star/Renegade/SDS/STSS/RoC or any other series that's experiencing conflict. What's important, is that you still go!

Let the people at the top of the organizations shift the balance for a period of time, there's going to be racing, in fact more racing. And trust me, even the decision makers in these series really don't want to see anybody go out of business altogether, they're protecting their brand, running a business, and probably are taking nothing personally as they glimpse the press releases from their competitors. After all, it's always understood, by those that play the game....

So let not your heart be troubled DIRT Nation! Start making out your 2015 racing plans, start getting excited, and let none of this off track bs get you down. Even when times seem tough, racing comes down to people, and racing's a fairly strong addiction with an inelastic demand, it's going to be just fine at the end of the day.

The TDN Race Updater All Stars for 2014

It wasn't that long ago that the days were hot, and there was a race every night of the week. Yeah, we know it's cold right now, and the season seems far away, and the memories of 2014 have started to fade around the edges. That's time for ya.  But if you reach back in your memory, you'll find a moment in time, a moment that made you feel great. It was a night that you couldn't be at the track...

The tragic thing for most of us in DIRT nation, is that we can't magically appear at every race we want. Work, family, other obligations, they all keep us away sometimes. And although we cherish every precious second we get to spend at the races, part of us hates not being there when external forces dictate that we must be absent. So, we do the next best thing...

We turn on twitter, and we find that if we've followed enough of the right people, we're graced with instant updates. A streaming timeline of time trial, heat, and feature results and sometimes some insight as to what's going on at the track outside the results too. Of course, the major sanctions and larger speedways offer some updates and ways to keep track of the action, but what about the other races that are important to us?

At TDN we strive to help you connect to those types of race chasers that do the updating. It's hard and selfless work sometimes, and for anybody that does it, there's a good deal of sacrifice. To surrender some of the atmosphere of the night, to split the brain into what the senses take in, and the fingers transmit almost instantly, it's not easy and it takes a special type of passionate race fan to do it. And in our estimation, they don't get enough credit or appreciation.

We talked earlier about that moment that made you feel great when you weren't at the track. Maybe it's the time you found out via one of these dedicated fans, that one of your favorite drivers just took their first big regional checkered flag, or a moment when you found out a driver had a nasty accident and was actually okay. There are a lot of great race chasers and updaters out there, and we can't list them all. But we do take special notice of the best of the best, in our area and beyond.

So we'd like to present a special All Star Team, some individuals who keep us updated and informed when we can't be there. It's time they got their due. And if you're not following them, you need to be.....

Mike Mallett:
One of the most dedicated race chasers in the game. Mike travels the Northeast and does a fantastic job covering not only the Big Block Modifieds at SDS, RoC and weekly venues, but covers sprints and late models when close by on occasion too with equal passion! He can also be found at dirttrackdigest.com as a key member of a great team that prides itself on well done pieces from the tracks, promoters and drivers that make the sport go round. Mike probably reports from about 70+ races a year and is one of our most re-tweeted follows. Thank you Mr. Mallet, well done!

Twitter Handle: @DTDMike

Patrick Davis:
Mr Davis has been updating for years, and if you're a Midwestern dirt fan and aren't following him, shame on you. Pat does a lot of late model work, but can be found at sprint events too and brings the updates as a legendary announcer would speak. It's probably because he is an announcer, but that's another story. Anyhow, it's not always the results that make him such a great follow, it's the results plus the glimpses into the action on the track he provides that puts him on our list as one of the best race updaters. Thank you for all you do for dirt racing Patrick!

Twitter Handle: @pdavis18491988

Mike Leone:
Pennsylvania native Mike Leone is everywhere, and he's relentless! For years now, Mr. Leone has been giving insight at tracks from PA, NY, OH, and beyond! It doesn't matter if it's sprints in central PA one night, then perhaps modifieds at New Egypt the next, he's everywhere, and he almost never takes a night off. His dedication is almost unmatched and his timeline is as clean and concise as you can ask for. Once again, if you're not following him, start now and be grateful come springtime!

Twitter Handle: @mikevleone

Rich Allen:
Rich passes along the finest news, information and results from Tennessee and beyond! Whether it's a Ray Cook Nationals, Ultimate, or Southern All Stars show, odds are Rich is there whether they're in Tennessee or not. His dedication and love of the sport translate very effectively from the track and if you love to follow the action from the Tennessee valley (We do), then he's an automatic follow. He also runs a really good website at insidedirtracing.com . Mr. Allen, your hard work is noticed and appreciated!




And for every updater out there not on this list, we thank you for what you do, we'll have more need to follow articles coming in the future as 2015 unfolds. But in the first run, we had to mention these four gentlemen for what they've meant to everyone who benefits from the information they pass along!

This Week in DIRT; Schatz's Tour Announced; PRI (The Seminars You're Momma Warned You About); Sandercock Soars;

Welcome to the great void! That time of year where there's virtually nothing going on except those "Silly Season" updates that may or may not be true. The end of the 2014 season has come and the Chili Bowl and Wild West Shoot are a little over a month away. So many of us are starting to go through withdrawal right about now. Is your skin crawling yet? Anybody got the shakes? This is normal. And it will pass, but in the meantime, you still have us. And we're here to help!


So though the news is few and far between, we still found some things worth passing on. Maybe you checked out for the offseason, perhaps you went hunting this week and it went terribly wrong and you found yourself surrounded in your tree stand by a pack of wolves for days on end. Or worse yet! Maybe a deer shot you!

No need to panic, we'll help you catch back up! So here's what you missed this week in DIRT!

World of Outlaws Announce 92 Races; For Donny Schatz To win in 2015

The World Racing Group announced this week that they've laid out a well planned tour of races for the coming season. At first glance, it looks fairly similar to previous schedules they've operated, but after further evaluation, it certainly looks fairly similar to previous schedules that they've operated. 

Oh, there's a few places they haven't been since some fans have been born, places like Weedsport, NY, Utica-Rome, NY and Brockville, Ontario, but for the most part it's status quo.  And who can blame them really? It works well for them. Nevertheless, the schedule was announced and you can check it out and place your bets on what date Donny Schatz will eclipse his win total from his record breaking 2014 season here.

That Thing, In Indianapolis

Well it's that time once again for that thing. You know, that place where lots of drivers you've never heard of and race fans who'll never drive anything, will rub elbows with their heroes, spend lots of cash on food, booze, hookers, and new engines. And then they'll all walk away with a free case of lube and some door prize they can re-gift.

Yes, it is time for the Performance Racing Industry's annual trade show in Indianapolis this week!  Our message is clear. Have a great time, don't wind up in jail, and be on the lookout for certain "unadvertised" seminars, those are always the best. We've been tipped by our good friend Art Polansky (410 Sprint Authority from beer hill, PA) that there'll be a few surprises in store off the beaten path. Here's what you can expect if you know where to look!

• Making Illegal Fuel Additives Fun and Drinkable!
• How Much Salt on the Popcorn Is Necessary To Encourage Drink Consumption?
• Culinary Uses For Grooving and Siping Tools!
• Tire Softening For Dummies!
• Lower Your Expectations and Start Having Fun At The Track!
• Donny Schatz Didn't Become Champion Overnight! You Can Do it Too!

Be sure to look for these special seminars in parking garage after show hours.

Seriously though, this show is where the announcements will be flowing like wine. Sanction announcements, 2015 schedules, and tons of news on the upcoming season. There'll be a lot of things to keep up on! For more information, click here

Sandercock Soars

Belleville, Ontario's Charlie Sandercock (co-winner of TDN's best driver name award), accepted $5,000 worth of American money this week at the Go Nuclear Late Model season ending banquet. Sandercock won two track titles in 2014, one at Brighton Speedway, and the other at CanAm Motorsports Park and also took home a series title with Go Nuclear.

When informed of his victory of TDN's best driver name award, Sandercock was thrilled, "This really means a lot to me," Sandercock said.  And I also want to say thank you to Fito Gallardo for sharing this win with me. It's been a great year behind the wheel, but to be part of this award is quite an honor itself."


Sandercock's season was one to remember, and even though he's more of a crate late model star, the 27 year old clearly looks headed in an upward direction, joining the ranks of Andrew Reaume and Ricky Weiss as the best of the Canadian entries in the late model realm.

You can read about the banquet, sans the very dry pot roast and burned rolls, here.

Modifieds To Invade Georgia?

Although no announcement has been made official yet. The Golden Isles Speedway Park facebook page has been lit up by the talk of big block modifieds. Earlier this week, a picture of one such car was posted and an indication that an announcement was forthcoming very soon.

It is rumored that on February 15, a non DIRTcar sanctioned big block modified event will possibly take place at the famed Georgia dirt racing facility. Who to expect? It's hard to say. It's possible that almost all of the southbound modified teams who normally number in the mid 30's for their annual three day appearance at the DIRTcar Nationals, will make it on over to get their names mispronounced. But one thing is clear, most of the comments on the facebook page are of the "Hell Yeah!" variety.

Well keep you posted on any further developments on this emerging story. In the meantime, here's the facebook page. Big Block Modifieds at Golden Isles Speedway Park


And that'll about do it this week! Later on, we'll announce a special team of race updaters that served DIRTnation very well in 2014, and in the meantime, have you seen our calendar? Our own Pat Miller has put together a fantastic ensemble in our first ever TDN Calendar. It features action shots from PA tracks and drivers and has important schedule dates to remember. A portion of the proceeds go to Racers For Tots, who provide a nicer Christmas for underprivileged children. Reserve yours today by clicking the photo below! 

To check in on our Silly Season Page, chock full of updates from 410 Winged Sprint Car Land, Super Late Model Land, and NE Modified Land, Click Here



Have a great week everyone and Stay DIRTY!