Verona, WI – After two brutally hot afternoons of racing Dale Chestnut in his #613 Double D Trailer Sales & Services/Off-Road Fraternity/ Control Solutions/Mueller Graphics/BFGoodrich Tire Ford Bronco took command of the 2013 TORC Classix Championship. The southern Wisconsin resident swept both rounds of racing at the Dirt Track @ Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. The dominating performance may look easy for the outside, but Chestnut and his team put long hours between race weekends to ensure a top performing truck especially at a high profile track like Route 66.
The one- mile long track built by TORC’s resident dirt designer, Jeff Nordstrom, created a track that worked well for the PROs, but for the Sportsman racer as well. The layout had speed, jumps, bumps, and technical turns, a track that suited Chestnut and his 2WD Ford Bronco quite well.
Friday afternoon saw the Classix group and the Formula 4×4 racers run a combined ten lap race. Dale Chestnut started at the rear of the field. Chestnut quickly knifed his way through the field to take the lead in lap 3. The final six laps Chestnut maintained a solid lead and cross the finish with his fourth win of the season.
On a side note, just after the Sportsman practice session, Jeff Sleegers, due to a hand injury, asked if Chestnut would like to drive the # 99 Sle-Co / Foonf / Lucas Oil PRO-Light in both rounds of PRO racing. After discussing it with his crew, he gladly accepted. This left much of the between round prep work with his very capable crew. Later that evening Dale Chestnut finished the fifteen lap race with all the body panels intact in eleventh place.
Saturday afternoon saw Chestnut go back to work in the Ford Bronco. The ten lap event saw a real battle between Dale Chestnut and Scott Mueller. In fact Mueller led the first eight laps until Chestnut made a pass on the infield portion of the track for the lead and the victory. Not only was it Chestnut’s fifth win of season, but his fifth win in a row.
Afterwards as Chestnut was heading over to the Dinsmore Racing pit to prepare for his second ever PRO-Light, he talked about his Sportsman program. “Today I had a real fun race with Scott (Mueller) today. I didn’t know if I could get around him, but he seemed to have ignition problems, and that’s was it, another win.”
Later that night Dale Chestnut once again took the checkered flag in the # 99 Sle-Co / Foonf / Lucas Oil PRO-Light crossing the finish in thirteenth place. Even though the final result isn’t representative of Chestnut’s performance, his lap times were improving as he spent more time behind the wheel.
“I really have to thank Jeff Sleegers and Dinsmore Racing for this opportunity,” remarked Dale Chestnut. “Our team has been thinking about moving up to PRO-Light and this experience has given me more of an idea what is needed and expected when running at the PRO-level. Thanks again to Jeff, Greg, and Travis.”
The next stop on the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL Championship Trail is August 10-11 at Red Bud MX in Buchanan. Michigan.
Dale Chestnut would like to thank all its sponsors including: Double D Trailer Sales & Services – Off-Road Fraternity – Control Solutions – Mueller Graphics – BFGoodrich Tires
Dale Chestnut has marketing opportunities for 2013 as well as the upcoming 2014 race season. Interested parties can contact either Dale Chestnut, doubledservice@tds.net or Rob Wipperfurth, wipp3815@yahoo.com.
Photo: Scott Behnke