(July 12, 2024) Crystal, MI – Mike McKinney delivered an impressive performance in his first visit to Crystal Motor Speedway, securing a commanding victory in the DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals on Friday night. The driver from Plainfield, IL, led all 25 laps of the Feature, marking his second consecutive win in the series and his sixth overall in 2024.
Mastering the High Side
McKinney chose to run the high side of the track throughout the race, a strategy he derived from observing an earlier Late Model race. “I watched that Late Model race there and saw they were predominantly around the top,” McKinney said. “Rolled out there and wasn’t sure if the Mods were going to be able to do it or not. Just went for it there in the first corner and slid [Zeke McKenzie] and got to the top. Felt some grip, was able to roll through [Turns] 3 and 4 and felt some speed. Once I felt how good it was up there, I knew we were going to be in good shape.”
Doubling Down on Wins
With this win, McKinney has doubled the number of victories compared to points leader Trevor Neville. His hard work and adaptability to new tracks have paid off, contributing to his successful season. “We’ve been working really hard,” McKinney said. “It feels good to run as good as we’ve had this last couple of weeks at a bunch of tracks that I have no laps on.”
Upcoming Races
The competition continues as Week 5 of the DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals heads to Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, OH, on Saturday, July 13. Tickets will be available at the gate, and fans can also stream the event live on DIRTVision.
Feature Results
Feature (25 Laps):
- Mike McKinney [1]
- Zeke McKenzie [2]
- Brad Deyoung [4]
- Trevor Neville [9]
- Dillon Nusbaum [3]
- Curt Spalding [6]
- Brennan Sherman [14]
- Mark Anderson [5]
- Todd Sherman [8]
- Manix Furqueron [15]
- Clayton Smith [16]
- Mario Toniolo [17]
- Rick Swartout [21]
- Kevin Reeve [11]
- Dalton Lane [13]
- Garrett Rons [20]
- Shannon Fisk [12]
- Josh Lolmaugh [19]
- Matthew Lambrecht [7]
- Brandon Beeching [10]
- Kelly Morrow [18]
- Tim McCafferty [22]
