2017 Dixie Shootout #3 & #4 - HQMA

5/27 (HQMA): This was day 1 of our Dixie Shootout regional double header at HQMA in Huntsville, AL. We started out the morning realizing we had forgotten all of our safety gear (except our suit and helmet) at home. Thankfully our racing family stepped in and we were able to borrow enough equipment to get us through the weekend. A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped us out! In Jr Animal, Dillon ran just a few laps in qualifying before hitting the wall, ending his qualifying run. He started 7th in the feature and ended up finishing 4th. In Jr Honda, Dillon qualified and started 3rd. He took the lead just a few laps in and held it for most the race. With just 10 laps to go, a car that Dillon was lapping turned down into Dillon and wrecked him. Since we started racing, USAC has had a rule in place that if you were wrecked by a car you were lapping, you would get your spot back. For whatever reason, they took out that rule this year, so Dillon had to go from the lead to the tail, which was incredibly disappointing. He didn't give up and raced his way back up through the field. He had made it up to 4th when the 2nd place car spun out the leader coming to the checkered flag, which put him finishing 2nd. It was one of the craziest races I have seen in a long time.

5/28 (HQMA): On Sunday 5/28, we started all over again for race #4 of Dixie Shootout regional series (day 2 of our double header at HQMA). In Jr Animal, Dillon qualified 4th. They inverted the top 5, so that put him starting 2nd in the race. He got together with another car just a few laps in and had to go to the back. After that, he slowly made his way towards the front in a caution filled race, finishing 4th. In Jr Honda, Dillon qualified 2nd and started 4th with the invert. At the beginning of the race, he had to come off the track because the switch in his car went out, which meant he had to restart at the tail of an 11 car field with dirty tires. At that point, it seemed like there was no way he'd be able to pull off a good finish, but I am so proud that he didn't give up. Between passing and other cars wrecking and going to the back, he worked his way through the field until he was in the lead. It was an awesome moment to see Ron hand him that checkered flag and to watch him take his victory lap. This was Dillon's first Jr Honda win. After being just 10 laps away from winning a rocket trophy Saturday and getting wrecked, the win in this race on Sunday really felt like it turned our weekend around. We could not be more proud of our driver! These are the moments that make all the hard work and time spent worthwhile.

2017 May Race Recaps

5/13(NCQMA): We did heat races instead of qualifying at NCQMA. In his Jr Honda heat, Dillon started 5^th and drove to the front, finishing 1^st! That put him starting on the pole for the Jr Honda feature. In the Jr Animal heat race, Dillon started 1^st and led until about halfway, but got together with another car and had to go to the back. He ended up making his way back up to 4^th before the race ended. That put him starting 4^th in the feature. In the Jr Honda race, Dillon started on the pole but fell back to second on an early restart. He went for the lead on the last lap, but he and the leader got together, almost stalling the cars. He managed to stay in the gas enough to make it around to the finish line, finishing 2nd. Dillon started 4th in the Jr Animal race. Early in the race, he bumped the wall and it knocked off his chain. After coming off the track, he had to restart in the back of the field. He raced his way back up to finish 3rd!
5/20(NCQMA): This was our 5th race of the year at NCQMA. In Jr Honda, Dillon qualified 4th. In the race he ended up finishing 3rd. In Jr Animal, we had a cup race, which for some reason we never have any luck with, and that unfortunately didn't change this week. His chain came off in qualifying, which resulted in a no time, and that put him starting 6th at the back of the field. In the race, his chain came off again and he ended up finishing 4th. In Lt 160, Dillon qualified 6th. This was his first time racing this car and he went out to try to hold his own with some of the best of the best. He really exceeded our expectations! He did great, stayed on the lead lap, stayed out of trouble and ended up finishing 5th. He made some good passes in all 3 of his races and we are so proud of him! He said his arms are still sore today, but he had a lot of fun.

2017 Dixie Shootout Race #2 - MAQMA

5/6(MAQMA): Dillon qualified 2nd in Jr Animal and 5th in Jr Honda for our 2nd Dixie Shootout regional race. There was no invert, so he started in those positions. He finished 3^rd in both Jr Honda and Jr Animal.>