(June 25, 2024) Springfield, MO – In his first race back in the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, Ashton Winger demonstrated why he is the reigning Hell Tour champion. The Hampton, GA native kicked off Week 3 with a commanding performance, leading all 30 laps of the main event at Springfield Raceway on Tuesday night. This victory marks his 13th career tour win.
Winger, who did not compete in the first two weeks, expressed his excitement about returning to the Midwest racing scene. “It feels like home out here,” Winger said. “We saw [Tyler Erb] dominating and figured we’d come out here and give it a shot.”
Overcoming Early Challenges
Despite his dominant Feature performance, Winger faced some challenges earlier in the night. After qualifying fourth in his group, the 24-year-old made a strong comeback by winning his Heat Race from fourth on the grid. He then secured the outside pole position for the Feature.
“That was really all me, a hiccup on my part,” Winger admitted. “Just got to try to clean up those mistakes because, I mean, things aren’t always going to go your way.”
Leading the Pack
As the green flag waved for the Feature, Winger quickly took the lead, edging out Scott Crigler while riding the high side of the 1/4-mile oval. Throughout the race, Winger had to manage three restarts, all with Tyler Erb, a six-time winner this season, close behind.
Each time, Winger expertly maintained his lead, not allowing Erb to close the gap. “I felt pretty good about it,” Winger said of his confidence during restarts. “I kind of changed up what I did there. Tried not to do the same thing so them guys could get a run on me, but I couldn’t really tell how close they were.”
Sealing the Victory
Winger faced his final restart on Lap 22, but like the previous ones, he handled it flawlessly, leading the field to the checkered flag with a comfortable margin. He finished over two seconds ahead of runner-up Dillon McCowan.
After his first victory in the 39th DIRTcar Summer Nationals, Winger was ecstatic. “I’m happier than a tornado in a trailer park,” he said. “Any time you can win, man, it doesn’t matter if it’s a local $2,000 or $3,000-to-win race, they’re all hard to win nowadays.”
Upcoming Races
The DIRTcar Summer Nationals will continue at Macon Speedway for the Herald & Review 100 on Thursday, June 27, alongside the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals. Tickets will be available at the gate, and fans can catch all the action live on DIRTVision.
Feature (30 Laps):
- Ashton Winger [2]
- Dillon McCowan [5]
- Tyler Erb [3]
- Clayton Stuckey [7]
- Tyler Clem [8]
- Justin Wells [13]
- Jason Feger [15]
- Mark Voigt [10]
- Jim Body [21]
- Kylan Garner [16]
- Thomas Hunziker [18]
- Scott Crigler [1]
- Garrett Smith [4]
- Logan Martin [6]
- Jaxon Ertel [11]
- Daniel Adam [9]
- Sawyer Crigler [14]
- Tyler Wolff [17]
- Austin Vincent [19]
- Cole Wells [20]
- Chris Hawkins [22]
- Brennon Willard [12]
