Sides Extends Top-10 Streak at DIRTcar Nationals to 10 Straight Seasons
Inside Line Promotions – BARBERVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2016) – Jason Sides continued his top-10 streak at Volusia Speedway Park last weekend during the 45 th annual DIRTcar Nationals.
Sides scored a sixth-place result on Friday during the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series season opener, which gives him at least one top 10 every year at the fast track since 2007.
“I just wish we could have had a couple more,” he said. “I really wanted to get a couple of top fives.”
The week-long event began last Wednesday with the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions. Sides qualified fourth quickest overall and he then advanced from fourth to second place in a heat race to earn a spot in the dash. Unfortunately, mechanical problems derailed the remainder of the night.
“We burned up two motors,” he said. “We had a really good night going. We were running good with their format. In the dash it burned a motor up the last lap. We changed it (for the feature) and then we didn’t keep up with the fuel so it broke another one.”
Sides ended with a 21st-place result.
The team skipped Thursday’s event before returning to action at the fast track on Friday, when Sides timed in sixth quickest during qualifying and placed second in a heat race to advance into the dash. He then finished where he started – sixth – in both the dash and main event.
“I was a little hesitant to hurt another motor so we just made it through the dash,” he said. “The track was still wet for the feature. We were decent around the bottom. We had a couple of guys pass us and then they had problems. On the last restart we were running fifth and I had to be on the outside. (Bryan) Clauson got by us so we ended up sixth.”
Sides kicked off Saturday’s competition by qualifying 10th overall. He then finished fifth in a heat race to lock into the 13th starting position for the main event.
“On Saturday the track was super slick,” he said. “We tried some stuff like we did in Australia and it didn’t work out. I was maintaining and on one of the restarts (Danny) Holtgraver got into me. I slid up the track and several guys got by me. I never could get back up there.”
Sides capped the night with a 19th-place finish.
The event concluded on Sunday with Sides timing in 18th quickest during qualifying before he posted a fifth-place result in a heat race. He then finished where he started – 15th – on the ultra-fast track.
“The track was wet and heavy all night,” he said. “It was get in line and follow the leader. There wasn’t much passing.”
Sides returns to action Thursday through Saturday at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla., for the Ronald Laney Memorial. He won one of the preliminary nights at the event last year.
QUICK RESULTS –
Feb. 10 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 4; Heat race: 2 (4); Dash: 8 (7); Feature: 21 (8).
Feb. 12 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 2 (2); Dash: 6 (6); Feature: 6 (6).
Feb. 13 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 10; Heat race: 5 (4); Feature: 19 (13).
Feb. 14 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 18; Heat race: 5 (6); Feature: 15 (15).
SEASON STATS –
4 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, 2 top 15s, 3 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Thursday through Saturday at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla., for the Ronald Laney Memorial
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.SidesMotorsports.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SidesMotorsport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sides-Motorsports/283833970847?ref=br_tf
LIVE AUDIO –
Keep up with Sides Motorsports via free, live audio from DIRTVision at every World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event throughout the season. Select events also include live Pay-Per-View video. For more information, click http://www.DIRTVision.com .
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – R.E. Enterprises
Based in Memphis, Tenn., R.E. Enterprises is a one-stop solution for sprint car parts and racing supplies, racing and performance shock services, chassis repairs and fabrication, and custom welding or machining needs. For more information, visit http://www.RacingEclipse.com .
“R.E. Enterprises does a lot for us and we really appreciate their support,” Sides said. “Chris and everybody over there are just as good of friends as they are partners.”
Sides would also like to thank Wetherington Tractor Service, Inc., King Racing Products, Clean Seal, Inc., BR Motorsports, VRP Shocks, Dancer Logistics, Inc., Jim Schuhknecht, FSR Radiators, East Coast Logistics, Driven Racing Oil, Ingles Racing Engines, Wings Unlimited and All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads for their continued support.
