By ohnson 
The atmosphere around Volusia Speedway Park was incredibly electrifying as the Craftsman World of Outlaw Sprint cars made their 2017 debut with a whopping 36 potent race cars. The scene was a sight to behold, with the energy palpable throughout the venue.
Several Arctic Cat All Star of Circuit of Champions competitors had to pack their bags and head home early on Thursday night, but the teams that took their places were nothing short of impressive and in some cases, quite surprising. Joining the Sprint car field for Friday night were Terry McCarl, Tim Shaffer, Logan Schuchart, Jacob Allen, Ben Schmidt, and Parker Price-Miller. Jason Sides, who had experienced engine troubles earlier in the week, also made an appearance, adding to the competitiveness of the field. It was a truly stacked lineup of talented drivers.
Fast time on the night belonged to Tony Stewart Racing’s Christopher Bell with a time of 13.121. David Gravel and Jason Johnson followed closely behind. The Outlaws were not having a typical night as the qualifying session saw some unexpected twists and turns. Hot laps started off slowly, and the first two groups even had to repeat due to the track being worked in a way that the Outlaws are not accustomed to. This threw the time schedule out of whack right from the start.
Warm-ups and time trials were not kind to everyone. Kerry and Ian Madsen had to change engines, as did David Gravel, who would later suffer engine failures throughout the night, totaling three in the past two nights. Aaron Reutzel, a star from Texas and the ASCS, had a major issue with his rear end, which came loose twice during their time in Florida. His crew had to make a quick repair and switch back to the setup they used last year. With time trials completed, there were still a large number of UMP Mods to go through group qualifying, giving fans a chance to explore and enjoy the midway and the various scents that reminded them of a state fair.
I took the opportunity to visit the Utica-Rome Speedway owners, Bill and Kim Shea, at the Ferris Industries booth and then searched for a seat. I found a decent spot at the end of the front straight, ensuring a quick access to the pits in case of need. The place was packed, with the grandstands filled and the standing area around the first turn extremely crowded as fans strained to catch a glimpse of the action. The heats got underway, and David Gravel had a mechanical issue while leading, handing the win to Ian Madsen. Brent Marks, a rookie, finished second, while Jason Johnson emerged as the eventual feature winner. Jacob Wilson had a wild flip multiple times after a steering problem, allowing Sides to take the checkered flag. Brad Sweet also had a dominant heat win, leaving Christopher Bell trailing behind.
One dash for the Outlaws saw Christopher Bell claim victory. The battle between Brent Marks and Ian Madsen for seventh place was intense, but Marks lost control in turn four late and started from the eighth position in the main. The B-Main was a highly competitive affair, with Terry McCarl in a qualifying spot until Clyde Knipp spun out in front of him, ending his chances. Shane Stewart was on a mission with Gravel, Danny Dietrich, and Dale Blaney in the Billy Pauch-era Zemco machine. It was during this time that Gravel suffered his third engine failure of the night. The main event was a breeze for the Ragin Cajun, Christopher Bell, but the battle between Brian Brown, Brad Sweet, and Bell was a sight to behold, with some jostling for position in the pack.
Donny Schatz found himself in an unfamiliar position as he didn’t qualify for the dash and lined up 16th. Apparently, he got the inside wall, had a new left rear tire installed, and still managed to finish relatively well, considering. Greg Hodnett crashed into the third and fourth turn wall in the main, breaking a left rear shock. Lucas Wolfe brought out the yellow flag due to a broken wheel. Shane Stewart had a steering shaft issue in the main, knocking him out of contention. The Shark Racing team of Schuchart and Allen had to deal with provisional status but fought hard throughout the night. Danny Lososki, in the Brian Brown pit, was also helping Tyler Clem, the 14-year-old son of the Bubba Speedway owner. Clem won a UMP race and had his late model setup ready for next week’s races at Bubba. Jason Johnson’s car was severely damaged in the crash with Saldana the previous night, but the new car that emerged was “wicked fast,” according to Johnson. He noted that a year ago, he had to run the B Main after hurting his motor here, but this time around, it was the best possible scenario, and he was looking forward to one of those Gator trophies. The UMP mods races were highly competitive, with the make-up of the 20-lap feature fields changing nightly. Only one or two yellow flags were common, and the field of 28 starters usually had around 25 finishers, making for an efficient show. Nick Hoffman from North Carolina was a force to be reckoned with, capturing his second Gator of the night and showing his prowess in this division. Brian Ruhlman, who was the high point man entering the night, had his worst finish of the series after a string of firsts, seconds, and thirds, finishing outside the top five. Justin Allgaier was a delight to watch as he narrowly missed in his heat, won a consolation race, and climbed his way up to around 9th before a last-lap crash knocked him out of the top ten. Kenny Wallace was consistent and entered the night third in points.
The show ended at 11:44 p.m., and they split the 60 plus UMPs for the next two nights, potentially resulting in three heats and maybe two fewer consolations, which could make for a more streamlined and efficient event. The pits were crowded, with grandstand attendees able to sign a liability form and wander around. It was time to gear up for another exciting night of racing in just a few hours. I hope you are enjoying the DTD coverage, and our photographers are capturing all the action from various angles. Despite the cold weather in Florida over the past two nights, it was a thrilling experience for all involved.