FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeremy Shields (shields@msrmafia.com )  
March 2, 2020

Rodney Sanders Records Two-Win Weekend in USMTS Opener
Texas Spring Nationals at Big O Speedway Next

HAPPY, Tex. (03/02/20) – Rodney Sanders kicked off the 2020 United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) Championship chase with a pair of victories in his home-state.

Sanders won the tour’s season opener I-37 Speedway (Pleasanton, Tex.) on Friday night. The driver of the Wichita Tank Racing No. 20 Kenny’s Tile/ ARMI Contractors/ MB Customs/ Hatfield Racing Engine Modified was back in Victory Lane on Sunday at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Tex.

“It’s nice to come out with two wins to start the USMTS season,” Sanders said. “It’s cool to get our 99th victory too. Back when we starting running with the USMTS I just wanted to win a single race, to win this many is something I’m proud to have accomplished.”

Kicking off his title defense, Sanders passed four cars in his heat race to pick up the eight-lap victory on Friday night. Starting the feature in third, Rodney pulled ahead of Calvin Iverson for the lead on lap 14 and dominated the remaining 26 circuits to capture his fifth win of the season and a $3,000 payday. Iverson, Hunter Marriott, Jason Hughes, and Tyler Wolff rounded out the Top-5 finishers.

The following night at South Texas Speedway (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Rodney posted a 4th place finish in his heat, transferring him into the B-Main. Coming in 2nd behind Zane Ferrell, Sanders locked into the 16th-starting position for the $3,000-to-win A-Main. Breaking into the Top-10, Rodney improved six spots in the 40-lapper to place 10th.

On Sunday afternoon Sanders followed the USMTS to Cotton Bowl Speedway. Dropping one spot in his heat race, Rodney recorded a runner-up finish behind Dereck Ramirez which positioned him third on the starting grid for the main event.

Overtaking Tyler Davis for the lead on the fifth lap, Sanders held off fellow USMTS challenger Dereck Ramirez over the next 35 circuits to register his sixth win of the season and 99th career USMTS victory. Earning a $3,000 payday, Rodney Sanders topped Ramirez, Jason Hughes, Hunter Marriott, and Zack VanderBeek at the line.

For more results from the weekend’s events, please visit www.USMTS.com .

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 5-7, the USMTS invades the Big O Speedway in Ennis, Tex., for the 10th Annual Texas Spring Nationals. USMTS Modifieds will compete for $2,000 to win Thursday and $3,000 to win Friday with a top prize of $4,000 up for grabs on Saturday.

Rodney Sanders would like to thank all of his sponsors including Wichita Tank Racing, ARMI Contractors, Mesilla Valley Transportation, S&S Fishing and Rental, Kenny’s Tile, MB Customs, Hatfield Race Engines, Hibner Logging, Bergman Tax and Accounting, Paulson Rock Products, Integra Shocks, Swift Springs, FK Rod Ends, CMD Race Shocks, Wehrs Machine, 87 Automotive, Keyser Manufacturing, Allstar Performance, Speedway Motors, Schoenfeld Headers, JE Pistons, Walker Performance Filtration, Rodney Sanders Racing, Day Motorsports, Real Wheels, Palmer Painting, Deatherage Opticians, Wilwood Brakes, PEM Rearends, Winning Edge Carburetors, McCartney Welding, Simpson Race Products, and MSRMafia.com Marketing Services.

For more information on Rodney Sanders, please visit www.RodneySandersRacing.net .

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeremy Shields (shields@msrmafia.com )
March 2, 2020

Jesse Lowe Captures Toilet Bowl Opener at Clarksville
Spring Fling at 411 Motor Speedway on Deck

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. (03/02/20) – Jesse Lowe was back in Victory Lane in his Xtreme Pressure Washing No. 5j Dylan Scott Music/ Gondolas Pizza and Steakhouse/ CVR Race Car/ Phantom Racing Engines Crate Late Model for the second time this season on Friday night.

Affectionately known as Plunger Night, Lowe picked up the win in the opening night of the 16th Annual Tuckasee Toilet Bowl Classic at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway.

“We had a great car all weekend,” Lowe said. “We’ve yet to finish outside the Top-5 this season, that says a lot about our team. We’ll try to keep this momentum rolling into 411 in a few weeks”.

In a field of 20 Crate Late Models, Lowe laid down the fastest lap overall in time trials which positioned him on the pole for the opening night feature. Streaking to his second win of the season, Lowe outran Dakota Ewing, Christian Hanger, Jose Parga, and Hunter Blackwell to capture the $600 payday.

On Saturday night, Lowe locked his spot into the $1,000-to-win finale with the ninth fastest time in qualifying. Passing four cars in the 20-lap feature, Jesse notched a fifth-place finish behind Christian Hanger, Oakley Johns, Chase Walls, and Jim Couch.

For more results from these events, please visit www.ClarksvilleSpeedway.com .

Jesse Lowe plans to return to action on Saturday, March 21 at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. For the annual Spring Fling. Additional information on the event is available at www.411MotorSpeedway.net .

Jesse Lowe would like to thank all of his marketing partners, which include Xtreme Pressure Washing, Dylan Scott Music, Gondola Pizza and Steakhouse, Phantom Racing Engines, Bennett Heating and Cooling, Workout Anytime (Crossville and Cookeville, Tennessee), Martin’s Wrecker Service, Hidden View Lake, Brucebilt Performance, Baisley’s Body Shop, Selk Floor Cleaning, Danny Jones, CVR Race Cars, Martel Sign Company, Hyperco, Autozone, 865 Hydro Graphics, Hoosier Tire South, Velocita, ProFab Headers, Fast Shafts, Butlerbuilt and MSRMafia.com Marketing Services.

Keep your browsers pointed to www.5jMotorsports.com as well the team’s social media channels at www.facebook.com/jesseloweracingupdates and www.twitter.com/LoweRacing5J for the latest team information.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: Philip Dietz prepared for busy season with own team, Jason Johnson Racing

Dietz Motorsports is scheduled to compete in more than 40 World of Outlaws races this season

PAIGE, TX – March 2, 2020 – Philip Dietz always wanted his own Sprint Car team one day. He never planned for it to happen this soon.

Along with his full-time position as crew chief for the #41 Jason Johnson Racing team, Dietz will also crew chief his own #14 Dietz Motorsports car for about half of the 2020 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season.

While it’s a daunting challenge, it’s one the two-time and defending Knoxville Nationals winning crew chief is excited to take on. And will take on next at the Texas doubleheader on March 13 at Cotton Bowl Speedway and on March 14 at LoneStar Speedway.

“I really enjoy it,” Dietz said. “I enjoy the challenge. It’s fun. It keeps me busy. It keeps me on my toes.”

BUILDING THE TEAM

The birth of his new Sprint Car team grew out of David Gravel’s opportunity to run six NASCAR Truck Series races this year. At the end of 2019, Dietz said he and JJR owner, Bobbi Johnson, knew Gravel was going to run some Truck Series races, they just didn’t know how many. At times it ranged from one race to 12.

No matter the number, Dietz said it was apparent a fill-in driver was needed. Parker Price-Miller was at the top of the list. He was initially high on JJR’s list of drivers it considered to fill the #41 car for the 2019 season.

“I see a lot of potential in him,” Dietz said. “He’s a great guy. Not only does he do well on the track, but off the track he carries himself very professionally. He speaks very well. He actually came down right after Chili Bowl and spent two weeks with us at the shop, getting things prepared and cars built.”

They initially didn’t know how many races they could offer Price-Miller but knew it wouldn’t be many. Johnson approached Dietz with the idea of having a second part-time JJR car that he would also crew chief and Price-Miller would drive, giving the young driver more seat time and the pair more time to mesh for the few times they work together on the #41 car.

“I told them (the JJR team) that it would be a tough order,” Dietz said. “At first they wanted to order all new cars and run everything through their operation. I told them it was going to be extremely tough for me to have everything built and ready for Volusia.

“So, I proposed to them to use two rollers that I had purchased from JJR in the past. Kind of have control over those cars, be able of over see it, because all of the cars are currently housed at JJR. In return, I wanted naming rights and the authority to overlook the team a little more. They were all about it and very receptive. We ended up putting a schedule together of roughly 42 races this year. It’s going to be a challenge, no doubt. I’m looking forward to it.”

He added that the decision to start his own team is not a reflection on Jason Johnson Racing. It was an opportunity for him to build his reputation and build a side business with his wife, Brooke, who co-owns the team. With her marketing degree, she helps handle the sponsorship, public relations and social media side of Dietz Motorsports.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

Owning a Sprint Car team was something Dietz always kept in the back of his mind. When he was younger, he wanted to be a driver. He’s gotten the opportunity to drive a Sprint Car and he has a Micro Sprint he’ll occasionally run. But over time he gravitated toward the crew chief role and said he actually enjoys it as much as driving.

That passion was evident during the five days of Sprint Car racing at the season opening DIRTcar Nationals. Dietz became a pong ball, bouncing back and forth between the #41 JJR car and his #14 Dietz Motorsports car parked next to each other.

While he and Gravel had a lot of success in their first year together in 2019 ­– earning 21 Quick Time awards and 12 wins, including the Knoxville Nationals – there’s still more for both of them to learn as JJR purchased new cars for the 2020 season and has two new crew members.

“It’s a learning process,” Gravel said. “We put new cars together for the 41. The 14 is kind of the cars we ran last year. And we’re just finding some things different with the 41 car. So, we can’t do the same thing we did last year. We’ve got some new people on the 41 and new people Phil has never worked with on the 14. It’s a learning process right now. We’ve just got to sort through it.”

They sorted through it in prime fashion during the DIRTcar Nationals with Price-Miller and Gravel earning top-five finishes in the first World of Outlaws race of the season. Gravel also earned Quick Time in his first two races of the year.

BUILDING GOALS

Some thought the addition of a second car might take away from the performance of the #41 car, but Dietz said having the second team actually helps get both cars up to speed quicker with the two drivers able to share feedback.

“We actually spent the first two races of the season trying setups, just seeing what’s best for each car,” Dietz said. “So, to roll out the first Outlaw race and have speed is pretty cool. Hopefully we can keep that momentum going.”

Price-Miller’s comfort level with the car and team grew each race, he said. To him, driving for JJR and Dietz Motorsports is one of the biggest opportunities of his career.

“I’d say [JJR] is one of the top three Sprint Car teams out there right now,” Price-Miller said. “Philip, in my book, is probably the number one crew chief out there right now. He’s very particular in what he does. If it’s a 32nd off, he’s going to get it so it’s exactly on point. It’s nice to work with a guy like that. Yeah, I’d say it’s one of the biggest opportunities and I’ve just got to take advantage of it.”

His goal is to win three races this year between the two teams. He acknowledged it’s a tough goal but also believes it’s a realistic one.

For Dietz, he’s taking it race by race. His main priority, he said, is JJR. Whether he ever wants to take Dietz Motorsports full-time or not has yet to cross his mind. He’s just happy to be doing something he’s always wanted to do. Even if it is a little sooner than expected.

Dietz Motorsports’ next batch of races will be at the Texas doubleheader and the Arizona doubleheader the following week on March 21 at USA Raceway and March 22 at Arizona Speedway. Tickets are on sale for all of those events.

If you can’t make it to the races, you can watch all of the action LIVE on DIRTVision.com.

You can also hear more from Parker Price-Miller on the Open Red podcast.

DIETZ MOTORSPORTS 2020 SCHEDULE
-Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 5-9
-Cotton Bowl Speedway, March 13
-LoneStar Speedway, March 14
-USA Raceway, March 21
-Arizona Speedway, March 22
-Vado Speedway Park, April 24-25
-Lawton Speedway, May 1
-Devil’s Bowl Speedway, May 2
-Jacksonville Speedway, May 6
-Eldora Speedway, May 8-9
-The Dirt Track at Charlotte, May 23
-Lawrenceburg Speedway, May 25
-Lake Ozark Speedway, May 29
-I-80 Speedway, June 3
-Knoxville Raceway, June 12-13
-Jackson Motorplex, June 25-27
-Eldora Speedway, July 16-18
-Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, Aug. 7-8
-Knoxville Raceway, Aug. 9, Aug. 12-15
-Eldora Speedway, Sept. 25
-Lernerville Speedway, Sept. 26
-Williams Grove Speedway, Oct. 2-3
-Port Royal Speedway, Oct. 9-10
-Lakeside Speedway, Oct. 16
-Kokomo Speedway, Oct. 24
-The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Nov. 7-9

Blake Hahn Looking To Rebound Following Lucas Oil ASCS National Opener At Canyon Speedway Park

Bryan Hulbert - PEORIA, Ariz. (March 2, 2020) Showing tremendous speed during Thursday's practice at Canyon Speedway Park, small issues hit hard for Blake Hahn's the rest of the opening weekend with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network.

"We started off both nights really fast and I was pumped. The car was solid, and we could pretty much drive around anyone, but we just had silly things hit us," commented Hahn.

Winning his Heat Race on Friday night, Hahn moved forward quickly in his Qualifier until the engine suddenly started losing power. Salvaging an eighth-place finish, the team was relegated to a B-Feature.

"This is part of that dumb luck. It felt like we had an ignition issue, so we traded the Mag and Box and it still wouldn't run. We did a few more checks and went to restart and I just happened to catch a feel of the main filter that sits next to the seat and the main fuel valve was turned. Once we looked at it, we could see where a rock had hit the handle."

With the problem rectified, Hahn raced through the B-Feature and climbed to an 11th place finish in the A-Feature.

"I'm not happy with the result, just because I know we had a car capable of winning, but I'm not angry because it could have been a lot worse. With the track narrowing up the way it did, being able to move from 20th to 11th was a pretty good run."

Starting off Saturday with good speed, Hahn progressed through his Heats and Qualifier to earn the ninth starting spot in the A-Feature, but upon firing the car, Hahn had to pull into the work area as the car would not run. Finding a fuel issue on the No. 52, Hahn gridded the field 23rd and again fought his way to an 11th place finish before the track narrowed to a single groove.

"It was a quick fix, but one that again made for a frustrating night. Even with that, we had great speed and I feel like we worked out the little bugs and issues that hit us so we can be fast in California this weekend."

Three new tracks for Blake Hahn, first on the weekend triple-header is Merced Speedway on Friday, March 6, followed by Placerville Speedway on Saturday, March 7, and finally Petaluma Speedway on Sunday, March 8.

The 2020 season is Blake Hahn's 18th year of racing. Starting in Jr. Sprints at the Tulsa Shootout, Hahn has progressed through the ranks with over 90 victories across Micros, Midgets, and Sprint Cars. For continued updates on Blake Hahn Racing, log onto http://www.blakehahnracing.com.

2020 Season to Date:

Events: 8; Wins -0; Top 5 - 2; Top 10 - 3;

Coming Up:

March 6, 2020 - Merced Speedway (Merced, Cali.) with Lucas Oil ASCS
March 7, 2020 - Placerville Speedway (Placerville, Cali.) with Lucas Oil ASCS
March 8, 2020 - Petaluma Speedway (Petaluma, Cali.) with Lucas Oil ASCS

How To Follow Blake Hahn Online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blake-Hahn-Racing-139549836107030/?fref=ts
Website: http://www.blakehahnracing.com
Instagram: BHAHN52

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