Ashton Winger drove to his seventh career Summer Nationals win on Wednesday at Davenport Speedway, staving off late charges from elder brother Chris Simpson and fellow pole sitter Chad Simpson. Featuring dominant performances both early and late, Winger overcame early missteps to earn the victory, displaying skill and strategic racing prowess to claim yet another well-deserved title.
Ashton Winger proved his mettle in an electrifying finish at Davenport Speedway on Wednesday night. Despite earlier setbacks in the DIRTcar Summer Nationals trail, the 23-year-old championship contender from Senoia, GA managed to pass polesitter Chad Simpson for the lead of the race in the final 20 laps and reclaim it from his brother Chris with only four circuits left. Winger then held off the Simpson brothers to secure his seventh career win on tour since August 2021, a remarkable achievement that demonstrates the extent of his skill and tenacity on the track.
Winger proudly declared his favorite racetrack as he spoke, noting that it was incredibly tough to get around and put on great racing the majority of the time. Starting from sixth place on the grid, Winger quickly propelled himself up to third place in only five laps, passing Chris Simpson with a slide job through Turns 3-4 on Lap 10. A caution on Lap 20 gave Winger an opportunity to take the lead, which he seized by driving down low underneath Chad Simpson on the restart and taking the spot out of Turn 4.
However, Chris Simpson had other plans in mind, showing his power off Turn 2 and taking the lead down the backstretch.
He quickly gapped Winger, appearing to be unstoppable. But Winger was determined and saw the high side as a potential way of getting back around the native Iowan. With stick signals in hand, Winger shot back up to the top lane and completed an incredible pass, using only the narrow space between Simpson’s right side and the edge of the track.
With the checkers in sight, Winger made the most of the opportunity and held on to take the win, claiming a $5,000 prize and his first feature win of the 38th annual Summer Nationals campaign.
Reflecting on the success Winger expressed gratitude for his team, “It’s a great feeling to be able to look back and see all the hard work that has gone into getting me here today. I’m fortunate to have such an amazing team behind me.”
He continued, “He started 2021 off strong and he’s proud to say that we’ve only gotten better since then. Jeff Mathews and the team in Florida have been instrumental in ensuring we have the resources we need to succeed.”
Cancellation of Spoon River Speedway Visit
Despite experiencing technical malfunctions beyond repair, DIRTcar and track officials are proud to announce that the originally scheduled visit to Spoon River Speedway in Lewistown, IL on Thursday had to be canceled. Fans of the Summer Nationals Late Models and DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals will have the chance to experience the thrilling action once more on Friday, June 23, at Brownstown Bullring in Brownstown, IL. Tickets will be available at the gate, while those looking to watch from the comfort of their homes can stream the event live on DIRTVision.com.
Featuring 40 laps, drivers such as Ashton Winger, Chris Simpson, Jason Feger, Chad Simpson, Frank Heckenast Jr., Bob Gardner, Billy Moyer Jr., Drake Troutman, Kye Blight, Morgan Bagley, Carson Brown, Tyler Clem, Mark Voigt, Clayton Stuckey, Austin Vincent, Jeff Larson, Billy Moyer Sr., Doug Tye, Forrest Trent, Cody Bauer, and Logan Nickerson will be making an appearance.
The DIRTcar Series PR is proud to present an exciting lineup of drivers for the upcoming 40-lap event. Among those taking the track are Ashton Winger, Chris Simpson, Jason Feger, Chad Simpson, Frank Heckenast Jr., Bob Gardner, Billy Moyer Jr., Drake Troutman, Kye Blight, Morgan Bagley, Carson Brown, Tyler Clem, Mark Voigt, Clayton Stuckey, Austin Vincent, Jeff Larson, Billy Moyer Sr., Doug Tye, Forrest Trent, Cody Bauer, and Logan Nickerson. Don’t miss out on the thrilling racing action!
Ashton Winger showed his greatness yet again by beating out the Simpson brothers and capturing his seventh career win. His impressive performance speaks to his exceptional ability in motorsports. His start from 6th on the grid, a remarkable slide job to overtake Chris Simpson, and taking the heat off Turn 4 for the lead all highlighted his admirable never-give-up attitude and showcased exactly what made him the championship contender that he is today. It was certainly a night showcasing Winger’s driving talent as he added another win against stiff competition to his long list of accomplishments.
