Where there is Smoke there is fire

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒔𝒎𝒐𝒌𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 🔥

With the national late models enjoying their offseason, the big boy modifieds of the USMTS got HOT and heavy, the CLASH on the COAST delivered dramatic racing, and the regional late model scene kicked off with a bang.

The ‘Dish is a rundown of the news and notes regarding the things I’m following, primarily national and regional modified and late models. I’ll also drop in some opinions and analysis of the things I attend or stream. This weekend I watched the USMTS between birthday parties, bar trivia, and game night.

🔥 The American Racer Modified Series got the party started from Heart o’ Texas on Thursday as 51 cars battled it out for $2,000-to-win. Tanner Mullens started the season strong in the revamped Mullens Gen 3.1 taking home the dub. Jim Chisholm and Rodney Sanders rounded out the podium.

The USMTS season got HOT and heavy right from the jump on Friday as the REIGNING, DEFENDING champion, Jim Chisholm drew first blood by topping 48 cars to take home the $5,000 check. Rodney Sanders hounded the champ all race for a solid 2nd, and Tanner Mullens stayed hot charging to 3rd from a B-Main.

On Saturday, Smoke Joe Chisholm became the 4th youngest winner ever (Gustin, Sorensen, Neal) topping the 41-car field to take home the $5,000 payday. Tanner Mullens made his third straight podium coming home 2nd, and Terry Phillips battled to 3rd.

The tour continues this weekend to Rocket Raceway Park for the 15th Annual Texas Spring Nationals and a pair of $5K-to-win features on Friday and Saturday. Last year we had 67 modifieds in attendance, so I am cautiously optimistic we’ll see a few additional faces this weekend.

Here is how the National Championship standings sit heading into this weekend:
1. Joe Chisholm
2. Tanner Mullens (-3)
3. Rodney Sanders (-8)
4. Jim Chisholm (-13)
5. Terry Phillips (-25)
6. Joe Chisholm (-37)
7. Kyle Brown (-37)
8. Kyle Strickler (-38)

🏝 The Clash on the Coast had an action packed week with many thrilling finishes. In the modifieds, Austin Harnick opened the mini-series with back-to-back wins at Northwest Florida, when the series shifted to Southern Raceway, Austen Beccerra picked up the win Friday, and Hunt the Front’s Joseph Joiner picked up Saturday’s finale. Austen Beccerra was the Clash points winner, taking home an additional $2,500.

In the stock cars, we had four winners in four races with Presley Harrington, Mike Vandermark Jr, Jim Horejsi, and Damom Murty all picking up victories. Mike Vandermark Jr was the Clash points champ and grabbed another $2,500.

🏜 Speaking of stock cars, Cole Czarneski took $10K back home to Wisconsin after winning the USRA Southwest Stock Car Showdown from Sandia Speedway.

🚽 We also had UMP Modifieds in action at the Tuckasee Toilet Bowl Classic from Clarksville Speedway and Lucas Lee went undefeated on the weekend, picking up the $750 and $1,500 checks. The headline of the Toilet Bowl was the super late model with Jason Riggs winning $2,500 on Friday and Ricky Weiss claiming the $7,500 victory Saturday.

🫡 Springfield Raceway paid respects to the MLRA with the 1989 Bak in time… this weekend, with Brian Shirley managing to find some good fortune and the $5,036 win on Friday. Saturday saw Clay Stuckey pick up the $10,036 dub.

💧 Down south, the weekend got kicked off with Smokey Chris Madden picking up the $7,553 victory at Swainsboro Raceway with the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals. The Spring Nationals then moved to Senoia Raceway and saw Cody Overton stay hot with a $10,053 trip to victory lane.

🪶 On Sunday we saw a pair of southeastern mini-series kick off. March Madness from Cherokee Speedway kicked off the Cherokee Chief Super Late Models and Kid Quick Zack Mitchell pulled down the $15K dub.

🖋 The EAMS Super Late Model Series opener saw Wil Herrington nab the $10K win.

Looking Ahead:
🚀The USMTS season continues from Rocket Raceway Park this Friday and Saturday o n RacinDirt.com.

🏈 The $20K-to-win 2025 Season Kickoff for the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series goes down Saturday from I-75 Raceway on Hunt the Front TV.

👢 The Comp Cams Super Dirt Series also fires off this weekend with $5k and $10K-to-win shows from Boothill Speedway.

⭐️ The Northern Allstars Dirt Late Model and Modified Series season gets another go from Brownstown after Mother Nature won this weekend. The modifieds run for $1.5K and the late models battle for $5K.

Josh’s Jottings on the USMTS opening weekend:
We might be in for quite the battle this season! Jim Chisholm and Kyle Strickler made quick and repeated acquaintance this weekend, with “incidents” in both features. Throw in what looks to be a rejuvenated 5x champ in Rodney Sanders, a fast starting Tanner Mullens, young hotshoe Joe Chisholm, plus the deep field of full-timers, and we’ve got the makings for a meatgrinder championship battle.

The Brother’s Smith showed up and showed up, Mark made all three features, including setting quick time Thursday and finishing 10th after leading a majority of the race, Nathan made 2 of 3, with a solid 7th Saturday. Mark was noncommittal about a tour run this season during his appearance on the RacinDirt Raceday Q&A, but he did use an emergency provisional for Saturday’s feature. Mark had quite a few one-liners on the mic this weekend, and Nathan was quite friendly in my interaction with him at the Big Deal. These guys would be great additions to the tour this season. Here’s to hoping we keep seeing them around.

For full-timers, we should have between 14 and 20 full-timers this season. There are a handful of drivers who could choose to follow the tour who’ve been relatively silent on the matter. Carlos Ahumada Jr, the aforementioned Smiths, and Reece Solander all come to mind as drivers that could add heft to the field.

I liked the updates to the format. Qualifying is a nice addition, in my opinion, as we want to see the best and the baddest battling it out for the win. I don’t mind the dice roll. If they are going to have an invert, I don’t mind it being variable each night. I also appreciate that they adjusted the number of heats on Saturday.