ELM MOTT, Texas (Aug. 18, 2023) — Touring Modified standout Eric Tomlinson, open-wheel veteran Garett Rawls and Stock car master Nate Dixon all won features in their respective divisions, as Selby Holder and his staff hosted a full card of weekly racing on Friday at Heart O' Texas Speedway.
Tomlinson powered to victory in the 20-lap A Main for Touring Outlaw Modified Series teams; Rawls outgunned a talent-filled field of IMCA Southern SportMods; while Dixon prevailed in a hotly-contested affair for Factory Stocks.
Trevor Egbert (IMCA Stock Cars); Brandon Hood (Outlaw Street Stocks) and Jeff Patterson (Lone Star Dwarf Cars) were also feature winners on a sweltering late-summer night for racing in Central Texas.
Tomlinson, of Robinson, started on the pole of a 21-car field and led all 25 laps in dominant fashion. Justin McCoy was the big mover, wheeling his way all the up from 13th at the start to claim second, while Oklahoma veteran William Gould filled out the podium.
Wesley Veal (Princeton) and Max Eddie Thomas (Wills Point) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
“It's my home race track, so it's really not fair to draw the pole,” Tomlinson said. “We were good, this Bills Built ride is finally coming around for us. It's been a weird year, we don't get to run as much as we used to. But later in the year like this, we get to work on some stuff, and it's starting to pay off for us.”
Finishing sixth through 10th in the Touring Outlaw Modified Series A Main were Troy Taylor, Jack Sartain, Ryan Veal, Fred Wojtek and Sam Cox. Three cautions slowed the pace, all for minor incidents.
Rawls, of Waco, started fourth on a 19-car grid, drove to the inside of James Hanusch to take command at lap four and hung on to earn top honors. Ageless veteran Paul White gave chase throughout yet settled for second, while Kyle Wilkins put his GRC-built entry on the podium with a solid effort.
Cotton Bowl Speedway regular James Hanusch and Robert Scrivner completed the top five.
“I just want to thank the Lord, and my Mom, my Dad and my wife,” Rawls said. “They had to leave a little while ago, my little baby girl was tired. I just can't thank my brother-in-law enough; Jeffrey Abbey with CRS Suspension, Wicked Fast Transmissions and Pro Comp Insulation for all they do for me.”
Finishing sixth through 10th in the IMCA Southern SportMod feature were Taylor Florio, Sid Kiphen, Ryan Brown, Dustin Mooney and Trevor Cogburn. Three cautions slowed the pace (laps 1, 1, 18), all for quick spins. Rawls' margin of victory over White was only .867 of a second.
Dixon, of Ennis, started on the pole of 23-car field and led all 20 laps of his Factory Stock tilt. Shannon Dulock drove up from fifth at the start to claim second, while Blaine Simcik filled out the podium. Wes Dulock and Michael Bowls rounded out the top five.
“As luck would have it, I was the last one to redraw,” Dixon told Rodriguez in Victory Lane. “The number 1 was all that was left, so I guess we'll take them like we can get them. It's always good to win down here because the competition is so stout.
“I need to thank my cousin, Mark, my brother, Cody; and Michael, for the use of his shop this week.”
Finishing sixth through 10th in the Factory Stock A Main were Colton Tanner, Andrew Richards, Mike Land, Allen Torres and Jeff Blackwood. Three cautions slowed the pace, all for minor incidents. Dixon's margin of victory over Dulock was a whopping 1.884 seconds, as his car was on a rail.
This week's full card of racing at Heart O' Texas drew a healthy 120 entries spread across six divisions. Led by the popular Factory Stocks with 24, there was no shortage of talent in the pits at Waco Friday. Fans were treated once again to a full evening of side-by-side (and even three-wide) action.
Officials cranked out 15 qualifying Heats in short order, took a short break for the Kids Silver Rush then hosted six highly-entertaining feature races. This was the next-to-last points race of the 2023 season.
You can replay all of the action from Friday's show featuring the Touring Outlaw Modified Series at historic Heart O' Texas Speedway with a subscription at RaceOnTexas.com. With over 400 events on the Live steaming schedule this year, it's home to some of the best short track content available.
When you sign up today, select one of two options (OnDemand or All Access), choose your favorite or hometown track, and start enjoying great content while supporting your local track even when you can't attend in person.
By Phil Whipple, RaceOnTexas.com Staff Writer. Photo By: Southern Sass Photography
Add Comment