DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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Anthony Macri, mental health, and if this could change dirt racing | Daily 8-31-2023
On this final show of the week we'll talk about Anthony Macri needing a break from racing and if mental health concerns could change the sport. We'll also get into Dave Blaney's science experiment sprint car and what to watch this weekend. Let's go!
It's Thursday, August 31st, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily.
Over in the DIRTRACKR merch shop this week, folks living in the US can take advantage of free shipping for any order of $20 or more. That means shirts and hats ship free. Also, any sticker orders ship free, because I can just throw those in the mail. Looking ahead, I've got multiple new hat designs coming in the next few weeks, including a fresh round of some trucker hats. I'm also curious if you guys are down for maybe a run of DIRTRACKR hoodies. I wear hoodies all the time, and hopefully in the coming weeks things should start to cool down a bit. Let me know what you think. You can pick up some merch over at shop.dirtrackr.com.
On yesterday's show we got into the plans for the Macri Motorsports 39M in the coming weeks that include more races for both Lance Dewease and Justin Sanders. Later in the day though, we did hear from Anthony Macri about the whole situation, through a statement he put out via his Facebook account. I'm not going to read it all here, as it is quite lengthy, but you can find it a lot of places online, including the DIRTRACKR Twitter account. The TLDR of the statement is that Macri says he stepped away from the team because he needed a break. He referenced the recent situation and statement from Jacob Allen, talked about working six days a week on the car and racing 90 times a season, and not getting vacations and time away from racing. It's something I think a lot of people can relate to, and as mental health comes more into the spotlight it's important that drivers and team members keep themselves in a good place. Macri's statement yesterday though was a significant departure from his comments following the split from the family team in advance of the Eldora Million and Kings Royal weekend. Back in July, he told Jeremy Elliott that he and the team had a quote "falling out" and couldn't come to an agreement about things going forward. Maybe that was about Macri wanting time off, but there was no mention then about burnout or needing a break, and Macri was right back in a car the following Tuesday at Lernerville filling in for Tyler Courtney. So I'm not sure how all of this fits together. I have had questions about what I think this means for the future of the sport as a whole, and I don't honestly think it will change much. Teams like the Macri 39M, which are pick and choose anyway, can race or not race whenever they want. We've seen this from guys like Brent Marks already. They aren't bound to a series, so they can take those weekends off. As for big time series racing, there will always be some who want to chase those championships and race as much as possible. If the Outlaws or All Stars scaled back dates, guys would just find other ways to get on track. And High Limit is proof of that. Several of the Outlaw drivers wanted to run both the full slate of normal races, plus the 11 High Limit shows had it not been for the restrictions. In 2022, there were north of 20 sprint car teams that ran at least 70 races, with Justin Peck leading the way at 99. There are only 52 weeks in a year, but really, it's less because there aren't many races in December and January. So many are averaging multiple races per week. Obviously though, the more you race, the more you can win and the more opportunities they are for your sponsors and for merch sales. But if a guy like Macri wants to scale back to 50 races a year, I don't think anyone would bat an eye about it. Do whatever works for you and your own situation.
Last night at Sharon Speedway, Dave Blaney won an entertaining 410 sprint car feature over brother Dale and Brandon Spithaler. Mat Williamson traveled in and took down the big block modified win. I got tagged in a few tweets about Dave's car, and the odd configuration they have with it. I don't know specifically how it works or the details, but it has not been uncommon over the years for Blaney to have different looking sprint cars, whether it be oddly mounted wings or different suspension setups. I know that both Matt Weaver and Kyle McFadden expressed interest in possibly writing stories on it in the future. I remember back to even when Dave was driving the Motter 71, them coming to Charlotte for a test and trying some different stuff. It's actually kind of refreshing I think in a time when every car looks the same and parts can be gotten off the shelf, for someone to be coloring outside the lines.
Looking ahead to the weekend, there is no lack of racing to get into. The World of Outlaws Sprint Cars begin the west coast swing with the Skagit Nationals. Brad Sweet will try and extend his championship advantage over Carson Macedo and David Gravel, and we'll see if any locals can rise up against the regulars. I am excited to see what Tanner Holmes can do in the Shark car on some tracks he knows well.
The Lucas late models are at Portsmouth and Tyler County Saturday and Sunday. $15 grand to win Saturday, and $30,000 on the line Sunday. Hudson O'Neal is coming off the big Port Royal victory, which was his first Lucas win in nearly two months. That final chase spot remains the battle to watch though, with Overton in, and McCreadie and Moran out.
At Attica on Friday and Saturday, Zeb Wise and Tyler Courtney are bringing their All Star championship fight to Ohio. Courtney and the 7BC are on top right now, but Zeb and the Rudeen 26 have been very good. They'll have to battle each other, plus the Ohio regulars for two nights. One ride note, Carl Bowser tweeted yesterday he'll be in the McCandless 29 for the rest of the All Star schedule, and it sounds like Sye Lynch is planning on the finishing the year in his own 42.
Up north, the World of Outlaws Late Models have weekend stops at Mississippi Thunder and Deer Creek. Bobby Pierce remains very much in control of the championship, with Chris Madden and Brandon Sheppard in tow. Sheppard was the beneficiary of a Pierce flat tire last weekend at Davenport, and he bagged his first Outlaw win of 2023. We'll see if he can make a run at Pierce, or if Madden can use that new Longhorn chassis to his benefit.
In non-wing action, the Silver Crown Series is at Du Quoin for the Ted Horn 100. Logan Seavey and Kody Swanson are locked in a tight one there. Also, the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets have two races, one at Paragon and the other at Angell Park. Jade Avedisian is trying to close the gap down to Cannon McIntosh for that championship.
Other races to check out include the ASCS National Tour at Arrowhead and Longdale, the Super DIRTcar Series is at Lebanon Valley on Saturday, and the Short Track Super Series is at Utica-Rome on Sunday.
Drop me a comment, let me know your dirt racing plans for the weekend, where you are headed or what you'll be watching on the streaming services.
That's it for the show this week, thanks for tuning in as usual.
Hope you guys enjoy the dirt racing this weekend, we'll see you back here on Sunday.