Inside Line Promotions – BARBERVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2015) – Jason Sides has been rejuvenated following a stellar opening to the season during the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park last weekend.
Sides earned a top-10 finish in four of the five races at the fastest half-mile dirt track.
“It could always be better, but after last year to have four pretty good runs like we did was good,” he said. “I don’t even know if we had four top 10s last year overall. That was a really good to start the season.”
Sides kicked off the event a week ago Wednesday by qualifying sixth quickest before he advanced through his heat race and into the All Star Circuit of Champions dash. After placing sixth in the dash, Sides maintained a top 10 throughout the main event before ending with a 10th-place result.
“The track was wet and right around the top,” he said. “I got worn out real quick. For whatever reason I got tired.”
He returned to Volusia Speedway Park on Thursday for another All Star Circuit of Champions event. Sides timed in 11th during qualifying and placed sixth in a heat race. He then picked up a position during the feature to finish ninth.
“There was a little on top and a little on bottom,” he said. “You just finished where you started. It didn’t seem like there was a whole lot of passing.”
The midpoint of the DIRTcar Nationals signified the start of three straight World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series events beginning last Friday. Sides qualified third quickest and he scored a fourth-place result in a heat race to advance into the dash. After placing eighth in the dash, Sides battled for a top 10 throughout the main event before settling for an 11th-place result.
“Having a good qualifying effort and making the dash was really good,” he said. “It could have been better off in the feature, but some nights you’ll have that.”
Sides continued his consistency at Volusia Speedway Park on Saturday, when he timed in seventh quickest, placed fourth in a heat race and maneuvered from 11th to an eighth-place result in the main event.
“I just wish I had moved to the top a little sooner,” he said. “Once I actually got up there it was really good.”
The DIRTcar Nationals wrapped up on Sunday with Sides qualifying fourth quickest. He finished fifth in a heat race to lock himself into the dash, which he ended third. Sides then overcame a slow start to post a fourth-place finish during the main event.
“When we got to the first corner (Daryn) Pittman turned in front of me and I lost all the air on the wings,” he said. “I was stuck in the middle. We fell back to ninth and had to work our way back up there so we were happy with the finish. It was a great effort by the whole team. Scott (Gerkin) and Paul (Sides) did a great job all weekend. Everybody was working together.”
Sides will compete this Thursday through Saturday at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla., for the Ronald Laney Memorial with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour. The event is close to longtime supporter Wetherington Tractor Service, Inc.
“WTS helps me out so much that you want to run good for them, especially down here at a track they help,” said Sides, who won the event in 2002.
QUICK RESULTS –
Feb. 11 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 5 (5); Dash: 6 (6); Feature: 10 (6).
Feb. 12 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 11; Heat race: 6 (3); Feature: 9 (10).
Feb. 13 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 3; Heat race: 4 (4); Dash: 8 (5); Feature: 11 (8).
Feb. 14 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 4 (3); Feature: 8 (11).
Feb. 15 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 4; Heat race: 5 (3); Dash: 3 (1); Feature: 4 (3).
SEASON STATS –
5 races, 0 wins, 1 top five, 4 top 10s, 5 top 15s, 5 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Thursday through Saturday at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla., for the Ronald Laney Memorial with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.SidesMotorsports.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SidesMotorsport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sides-Motorsports/283833970847?ref=br_tf
