The Left Turn
By: Ron Burt
November 6th the High Limit and World of Outlaw Sprint car drivers and race teams merged at the end of the season championships at the Dirt Track at Charlotte for several nights of racing. Big money and bragging rights on the line. The biggest challenge for everyone was the weather left over from recent hurricanes off the coast. The track crew did an amazing job.
The winged sprints had 4 heats with the top 5 finishers in each making the feature. Heat winners were Sye Lynch heat #1, Danny Sams III heat #2, Michael Kofoid heat #3 and World of Outlaws 2025 Champion David Gravel heat #4.
Michael Kofoid started on the pole for the 8 lap dash but was soon passed by High Limit Champion Rico Abreu. David Gravel was 2nd, followed by Kofoid. 14 cars started the C feature. Local driver, Greg Wilson from Benton Ridge (Findlay) started outside row one. Unfortunately, only the top two finishers advanced to the B feature. Wilson came in 3rd. Matt Farnham and Tanner Holmes advanced. The last chance showdown (B feature) took the top four cars. Cory Day took the checkered flag followed by Kerry Madison, Cole Macedo and Cale Thomas.
Twenty nine winged 410 outlaw sprints started the A Main. Rico Abreu, the High Limit Champion, was on the pole and outside him was David Gravel the World of Outlaws Champion. The stage was set Rico had never won at Charlotte but entered the finals week with a nation-leading 20 Sprint Car victories this year. When the green flag dropped, he put together a flawless 25 laps to finally secure a Charlotte score. David Gravel gave him a brief challenge, taking a peek underneath late, but Abreu got up on the gas and drove away. Abreu’s win total this year climbed to 21, and four of them came with the World of Outlaws in only 15 tries. His 21st checkered flag of the season is also his 21st career World of Outlaws victory. Charlotte becomes the 13th different track where he’s won with the Outlaws. David Gravel held on for the runner-up spot. He took a shot at Abreu for the top spot but just couldn’t quite sneak by for the win. This was Gravel’s 39th podium of the season and was enough to mathematically clinch his second consecutive World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car title, becoming only the sixth driver ever to do so. With his 3rd place finish, Corey Day who started 23rd was the 3rd man standing on the podium.
In the next few issues, I will cover more of the racing that took place on the Dirt Track in Charlotte. Until next week, keep your wheels down. Ron out!