BARBERVILLE, Fla. — Coming into his first full World of Outlaws Late Fashions season, Ethan Dotson knew he was able to being a frontrunner for the MD3 Rookie of the 12 months Award.
After he began the season with finishes of fourth and twelfth at Volusia Speedway Park towards a stacked DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals area – leaving him in a tie for second within the standings – the remainder of the filth late mannequin world is aware of it too.
“For the reason that first week I began with these guys, it’s simply been snug,” Dotson mentioned of ASD Motorsports, which he joined final Could. “It wasn’t like every other crew I’ve been with. We get alongside good and it’s straightforward, all of us have the identical targets. The crew is sweet and every little thing, I’ve simply obtained to get somewhat bit higher and get my race automotive somewhat bit higher and hopefully we will win some races.”
Whereas Sunshine Nationals might have served because the kickoff to his freshman marketing campaign within the collection, Dotson was already in midseason kind after competing within the Wild West Shootout at Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park.
Dotson quietly obtained off to a constant begin with two high fives and 4 high 10s within the miniseries,.
“Primarily, we simply did it as a result of we’ve obtained some new crew guys on the crew,” Dotson mentioned as to why they made the 1,600-mile drive from their house base in South Carolina to New Mexico. “We sort of went on the market to get to know one another and work collectively earlier than we confirmed up and needed to race. That was our most important concern.”
The strong showings didn’t finish at Sunshine Nationals although. The next Tuesday, Dotson completed a season-best second at a Hunt the Entrance Tremendous Dust Sequence occasion at Needmore Speedway – a monitor he’ll return to in September with the World of Outlaws.
“Hopefully we will come again [to Volusia] subsequent week and simply be constant, that’s the primary factor,” Dotson mentioned. “Hopefully run up entrance each evening, that’s my aim.”
Operating up entrance at Volusia is one thing Dotson has loads of expertise in, significantly from his DIRTcar UMP Modified days. The Californian gained the 2022 Reutimann Memorial earlier than backing it up with three-straight characteristic wins throughout DIRTcar Nationals the next February.
“It’s one of many few late mannequin locations I’ve plenty of laps at,” Dotson mentioned. “I feel that in all probability helps greater than something. A variety of locations we go to, I’ve solely raced directly or under no circumstances. I feel that’s the primary factor for me.”
Dotson made his first late mannequin look at DIRTcar Nationals final season, with a sixth-place end in split-field DIRTcar competitors standing because the spotlight of his week. However his Sunshine Nationals velocity is proof that so much has modified since then, and Dotson is aware of he’s by no means been nearer to breaking via for his first World of Outlaws victory.
“Only a couple little issues, I imply, our automotive was fairly good,” Dotson mentioned. “I’ve simply obtained to be somewhat bit higher later within the evening. At any time when the monitor adjustments, it’s simply obtained to be somewhat bit higher. However I feel we’ve obtained some concepts, and hopefully they’ll work.”
