(Photo by Ray Hull Photography)
Inside Line Promotions – COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Aug. 13, 2014) – Patrick Dills is getting closer to his first career feature victory during his inaugural season in a sprint car.
Dills led most of the Northwest Extreme Sprints feature last Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway before settling for a runner-up finish, which tied his career-best result.
After qualifying sixth quickest and winning his first career heat race, Dills started the 30-lap feature on the outside of the front row.
“The main event was awesome,” he said. “Right off the green flag I fell back to third and ran there for a little bit. A yellow came out and I was able to get up to second. By this time (leader) David Hibbard was a straightaway ahead.”
Dills reeled in the leader and took over the top spot just before the midpoint of the feature.
“It laid rubber a little in turns one and two,” he said. “I passed him for the lead and led about 15 laps. The track was laying more and more rubber. I got into lapped traffic and they were three wide just going at it. I was trying to figure out what to do. Hibbard went around the top of me and a couple of laps go by and Danny Horner goes by me.”
Dills then made a late-race pass to regain second place.
“The white flag came out and I ended up passing Horner on the bottom of turns three and four to take second,” he said. “It was an exciting race.”
His career-best finish, which also marked his fourth top five of the season, also moved Dills to third in the Northwest Extreme Sprints championship standings with one points race remaining at Cottage Grove Speedway.
Dills also competed at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore., on Friday with the ASCS Northwest Region. It marked his first time competing in a sprint car at a track other than Cottage Grove Speedway.
“That track was crazy fast,” he said. “It’s a lot faster than Cottage Grove. I was still trying to figure it out throughout the night. Toward the end of the feature I started moving around a little bit and trying to run the top. It’s kind of intimidating with that wall. I was trying different lines and holding my own. It felt good.”
Dills, who was down approximately 200 horsepower to the 360ci sprint cars, finished with a 19th-place result.
QUICK RESULTS –
Aug. 8 – Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore. – Heat race: 6 (5); Feature: 19 (16).
Aug. 9 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 1 (2); Feature: 2 (2).
SEASON STATS –
15 races, 0 wins, 4 top fives, 10 top 10s, 10 top 15s, 13 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Aug. 23 at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore.
MEDIA LINKS –
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patrick-Dills-Racing/236840896439816?ref=br_tf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatrickDills90
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – All Seasons Equipment
Located in Eugene, Ore., All Seasons Equipment is an authorized source for Mahindra Tractors, Stihl, Husqvarna, Oregon and Exmark outdoor power equipment. For more information, visit http://www.AllSeasonsEquipment.net.
“All Seasons Equipment has helped us through the outlaw kart years and they stepped up a lot this year,” Dills said. “They are really supportive of me and my racing. It’s really appreciated.”
Dills would also like to thank Jerry Dills Trucking, BC Motorsports, Weeman’s Small Engine Repair, Keith Whitaker Trucking, Steel House, Bonnichsen Repair, Rocket Designs and Inside Line Promotions for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Aug 13, 2014
- Article Date: 8/13/2014 by Inside Line Promotions