Inside Line Promotions – KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 8, 2015) – Jason Sides closed last weekend with a pair of strong performances in the Midwest.
After opening the week by missing a transfer into the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series main event last Wednesday at Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, Ind., by only one position during both the heat race and the Last Chance Showdown, Sides returned to form beginning on Friday at I-80 Speedway.
He kicked off the NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown by qualifying second quickest during the World of Outlaws event at the high-banked track in Greenwood, Neb.
“I went out early and was quick time until Joey (Saldana) went out and I ended up second,” he said. “Then I just maintained in the heat race to get into the dash. On the start of the dash we got into turn one I had a run on Joey and he turned down and got in front of me. I had to check up and when I did it got on the right front and went up the race track.”
Sides, who finished where he started – fourth – in a heat race, ended with a seventh-place result in the dash. That lined him up on the inside of the fourth row for the 30-lap main event.
“In the feature the straightaways stayed slick, but the corners got wet and choppy,” he said. “You could run the bottom or out in the middle. The car was really nice, but the few restarts we had it wasn’t very good because it was so wet coming off the corners. Once you got going a couple of laps the car got really good.”
Sides advanced as high as second place, but a late-race restart cost him a couple of positions. However, he battled back in the closing laps to post a third-place finish.
Sides wrapped up the weekend with a trip to Knoxville Raceway after Saturday’s World of Outlaws event at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., was rained out.
“We were just going to drive to Knoxville and watch,” he said. “We didn’t even work on the car. We sat in the parking lot and helped Kraig Kinser‘s team do their maintenance. We pulled into the infield mostly to give Kraig’s team extra space. My daughter said wouldn’t you like some extra money in your pocket. She said just qualify and see how you do. We put a right rear tire on it and hot lapped like it was without changing anything from the night before. We did change the gear for qualifying.”
Sides qualified eighth quickest. He then finished fifth in a heat race to lock into the feature redraw, where he pulled the highest number – eight – to start the 20-lap main event on the outside of the fourth row.
“On the start we went into turn one and got rooted off the bottom and lost a few positions, but got back to eighth within the 20 laps,” he said. “A top 10 was nice, especially since we weren’t planning on racing.”
Sides earned an eighth-place finish to record his 19th top 10 of the season.
He is scheduled to compete this Friday at Crawford County Speedway in Denison, Iowa, Saturday at Knoxville Raceway and Sunday at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., with the World of Outlaws.
QUICK RESULTS –
June 3 – Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, Ind. – Qualifying: 26; Heat race: 6 (7); B Main: 5 (6).
June 5 – I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 4 (4); Dash: 7 (3); Feature: 3 (7).
June 6 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 5 (5); Feature: 8 (8).
SEASON STATS –
37 races, 1 win, 9 top fives, 19 top 10s, 30 top 15s, 32 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday at Crawford County Speedway in Denison, Iowa, Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, and Sunday at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
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 – Clean Seal, Inc.
Clean Seal, Inc. has supplied extruded rubber products to the transportation industry since 1978. The company, which is based in South Bend, Ind., is a full-line, full-service source for standard and custom-designed seals and gaskets. For more information, visit http://www.CleanSeal.com.
“Clean Seal came on board this year and we’re excited to have them as part of our program,” Sides said. “I want to say thanks to Bill Dawson and the entire team at Clean Seal. We look forward to future success together.”
Sides would also like to thank Wetherington Tractor Service, Inc., King Racing Products, R.E. Enterprises, VRP Shocks, BR Motorsports, FSR Radiators, Dancer Logistics, Inc., East Coast Logistics, Jim Schuhknecht, Driven Racing Oil, Ingles Racing Engines, Wings Unlimited and All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads for their continued support.
