Inside Line Promotions – WHEATLAND, Mo. (June 20) – Jack Dover was only a few feet from another late-race win.
The margin was half a car length, which was the equivalent of checking up for a lapped car or missing a line. However, Wayne Johnson did neither and Dover came up just short of recording his fifth victory of the season last Friday at U.S. 36 Raceway in Cameron, Mo., for the ASCS Midwest vs. Warrior Region showdown.
“I wish it would have been a 30-lap race because I know for sure we would have had him,” Dover said after the 25-lap event. “In turns one and two, the car was really good. And I’d enter high in turn three and cut the corner in four. The track was really good.”
After winning his heat race, which netted Dover a $500 bonus, the 21-year-old from Springfield, Neb., started fourth in the feature. He drove into second within the first 10 laps and tried everything to get around Johnson. When the duo entered traffic in the final laps, Dover closed to the back of Johnson, who held on for the narrow win.
It was Dover’s fourth second-place finish of the season.
Saturday wasn’t as successful for Dover, who overcame an early wreck in the feature only to be forced to the pits in the closing laps with a parts failure at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.
Dover started and finished second in his heat race at the ASCS Warrior event. However, he fell one position shy of making the redraw and had to start the feature ninth.
“About four laps into it I was up to sixth place,” Dover said. “A car spun out in turn two and I was right on his bumper when it happened. I had nowhere to go.”
The impact knocked the front end out and broke the nose wing on Dover’s car. The crew replaced the front end and Dover returned to the track at the rear of the field without a nose wing.
He worked his way back into the top 10 and as he was making a pass for seventh place with four laps remaining, the tie rod broke on Dover’s car. He was credited with a season-worst 16th-place finish.
“The outcome wasn’t good on Saturday, but I know that we’ve got a strong car,” Dover said.
It was only the second time this season that he’s finished outside of the top seven.
If his 410 engine is ready this week, Dover plans on racing Friday at Jackson Speedway in Jackson, Minn., and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. If the engine is not available, he’ll compete at L A Raceway in La Monte, Mo., on Friday with the ASCS Warrior Region.
QUICK RESULTS –
June 17 – U.S. 36 Raceway in Cameron, Mo. – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 2 (4).
June 18 – Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. – Heat race: 2 (2); Feature: 16 (9).
SEASON STATS –
17 races, 4 wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s, 16 top 15s, 17 top 20s
UP NEXT –
If his 410 engine comes in this week, Friday at Jackson Speedway in Jackson, Minn., and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. If the engine isn’t ready, Dover will compete Friday in a 360 at L A Raceway in La Monte, Mo., with the ASCS Warrior Region.
FAVORITE NUMBER –
½: Car length Dover finished behind Wayne Johnson for the win last Friday at U.S. 36 Raceway in Cameron, Mo.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JackDoverRacing
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/jackdoverracing
ON THE AIR –
Dover was a featured guest on the ASCS Show with Racinboys on June 14 after his win at the Eagle Nationals. His interview starts around 18:40.
http://www.meridix.com/mbp/general/index.php?liveid=Racinboys&recordid=19427
He was also on the ASCS Show with Racinboys on June 7. Check out the link below for his interview, which begins around the 6:50 mark.
http://www.meridix.com/mbp/general/index.php?liveid=Racinboys&recordid=19351
Here’s a link to some on-board video of Dover winning his heat race at Knoxville Raceway on June 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWFqplMGokk&feature=channel_video_title
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Trail Performance Coatings, Inc.
Located in Papillion, Neb., Trail Performance Coatings, Inc., is an industry leader in powder coating.
“Trail Performance Coatings, Inc., has always made my sprint car stand out,” Dover said.
Dover would also like to thank Thorpe’s Body Shop, Home Pride Companies, Inc., Certified Transmission, Shaver Engines, Eagle Motorsports, Inc., The Oil Medics and ButlerBuilt for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations, media management and merchandising services for sprint car teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and your sponsors’ return on investment.
To meet the media relations needs of your team, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit www.insidelinepromotions.com.
- Admin Account on Jun 21, 2011
- Article Date: 6/21/2011 by Shawn Miller