Ep. 68 - Texas Two-Step (NASCAR) + South Georgia Speed (NHRA) Recap

About the Podcast: The Throttle to the Floor Podcast is a motorsports podcast where me (William Earnest) and Evan Sager co-host and sit down with guests each week to talk about what is happening in the world of NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA plus we take frequent looks at other racing under the motorsports umbrella.

About the Episode: On this episode of the Throttle to the Floor Podcast, me and my co-host Evan Sager recap NHRA's return of the Southern Nationals at South Georgia Motorsports Park, where we saw Shawn Langdon set the new national speed record at 345 mph and back that up with the Top Fuel victory. We also recap some Texas-sized action, with NASCAR action from Texas Motor Speedway and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing over on the Texas Dirt Track; listen, watch, and download episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Hey and welcome to today's episode of the Final Four podcast. I'm your host, Will Ernest, here today with my co-host, Evan Sandy. Got another late night episode, so let's get right into it. First, tomorrow night, May 5th, Cinco de Mayo tomorrow. Ya bait. And it's on Taco Tuesday, too. That is exactly what the Founding Fathers would have totally wanted. But, anyways, at LaSalle Speedway in Illinois, Carson Hospar will bring his dirt late model for Flow Racing Night of America. We talked about it more back on Friday, but it's a great deal for LaSalle Speedway and Hospar in general, has just been on a roll lately. But I think all the buzz on if Hosmar could be NASCAR's next most popular driver, I I think it caused a certain someone to take that very personally. But more on that later. But then again, Hosovar's at the Met Gala right now in New York City. Yes. Um first NASCAR driver invited to go since Jeff Gordon. So it seems like Hosovar got better at playing chess. Yes. First game of chess. Checkmate. Yeah, but enough of that for now. I want to touch on Formula One. What a wild Grand Prix that it was that took place in Miami. Two things I want to touch on. For one, tons of penalties. Penalties everywhere. Yes. Uh Charles Declare was out with a 20-second penalty post-race for constantly leaving and rejoining the track. At least that's what the stewards said. He spawned on the last lap and had damage, but then like he couldn't really make any right-hand turns, so he kind of cut some chicanes, but it's like uh you know F1. They're like, You you stepped two millimeters off the track penalty. But yeah. And Max Verstappen was it was a five-second penalty for crossing the pit lane, the exit line after pinning. So pretty miserable day all around, and for the stewards officiating as well. And second, Kimmy Antonelli, a total complete performance to become the first driver to secure three straight wins from their three uh ver or first three career pole positions. So what a and just what a dominant start for Mercedes in general. They won all four F1 races so far this year. Granted, we've had two of them be Catholics.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Two of them for uncircumstantial events that's happened in the world, but yeah, that that's pretty rough deal.

SPEAKER_00 2:37

Also, Catherine Leg, um, getting back to more NASCAR news, she has been announced to run this weekend in the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen in the Live Fast 78 cars, so yeah. Keep the car clean. Time to finish 35th. Keep the chrome car clean. Nice, nice chrome scheme. But this start, it carries added significance for her. For one, it's Mother's Day weekend this weekend. Uh for two, uh, Leg actually has an MSA GTD class win from the pole in the six hours of the Glen back in 2017. So uh special deal there. Still probably gonna finish 35th. Yes. But you know what? It's life with her. Keep the car clean. That's all you need to do. Just keep the car clean. Don't wreck anybody. Uh don't be like Phoenix. What was it last year? Yeah, Phoenix last year. Don't don't do that. But in the high limit sprint car world, um, Saturday night's finale was definitely much more entertaining than Thursday night's opener. It was Corey Day impressing early at the start of the 30 lap AMA, but then Clute Texas native Aaron Rutzel took control and held off multiple challenges throughout the race from Corey Day to score the victory. It's Rootzel's third high limit win this year, and he becomes the fifth driver in high limit history to score at least 10 wins joining Rico Ray Brew, Brad Sweet, uh Corey Day, and Kyle Larson. Uh Larson, he couldn't quite back up his high limit win from back on Thursday night or his O'Reilly's win from earlier that day, but more on more on that later. Uh, an eventful weekend in NHRA, man, the debut of South Georgia Motorsports Park, the return of the Southern Nationals for the first time in five years did not disappoint. The big storyline, once again, all of the just insane amount of speed. We saw numerous 340 mile per hour runs, including the two fastest speeds in NHRA history. Topped off with the new record that top field driver Sean Langdon set during qualifying on Friday with a 345 mile per hour blast into the South Georgia Sun. Absolutely blazing fast. Um also awesome proc man just he continues to struggle. He lost in the first round again on Elimination Sunday, this time to Spencer Hyde. Proc hasn't won a single round this year with Tasca Racing after coming off of winning back-to-back funny car championships with John Force Racing in the Cornwall Quality Tools Funny Car, which I wonder how that car performed this past weekend. Uh, but more on that later, also. Also, happy birthday, John Force. Yes, happy birthday. Happy birthday. Um, for a minute, it looked like Maddie Gordon would turn heads again as she laid down the fastest two runs of her career, both of them over 340 miles per hour with a top speed of 340.22 miles per hour in round one of eliminations, and then she was knocked out in round two by Justin Ashley. So tough deal there. But it's hard to tell the story of the return of the Southern Nationals without re-mensioning Coletta Motorsports. All three of their drivers made it to the final round, culminating in a top field win with signed Langdon over teammate Doug Coletta with a run of uh 3.08 at 333.16 miles per hour. Langdon gets his second win of the year and 24th career win, capping off a record-breaking weekend in style. Yes. Set the national speed record, actually set the fastest two runs, and win the race. So good for him. However, it was the Cornwall Quality Tools funny car of Jordan Vandergriff that wanted to write his own chapter as he beat J.R. Todd to get the funny car win with a 407 at 314.17 miles per hour. Vandegriff's first career funny car victory. And it came close to home as he's from the Atlanta area. So good for him. And as soon as he won, he jumped out of the car and ran back down the racetrack just like his Uncle Bob did, which is awesome to see as well. Anytime I hear it's funny because anytime I hear about Uncle Bob, it's like Uncle Bob shuts off 4th of July five hours. But it's this time it's Uncle Bob running down the racetrack after winning a funny car race and HRA. So good to see there. Continuing the family traditions. Um so if you're keeping score at home, Jordan Vandegrip gets a win in Austin Proc's old funny car before Proc can even score a single round win this year, which is pretty remarkable stuff there, and also tells you uh who won that whole deal between Proc leaving John Force Race and going to Tasca and John Jordan Vandegrip taking over Proc's old funny car. Just the grass is not always greener. No, it's not. It's not. Um but in Pro Stock, it was Dallas Glenn navigating through multiple pedal fests to score his second win of the season and 23rd of his career over Troy Coughlin Jr. in the final round with a 6.642 at 211.39 miles per hour. And in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith, he had secured the number one qualifier at all three events that Pro Stock Motorcycle has run this year, but finally secured a victory, beating defending champion Richard Gatson with a 6.724 at 202.06 miles per hour. So nice wins there. Um Trey, they get one off weekend before they return May 14th to the 17th with the Route 66 National in Chicago. And me and Evan will be there.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

We will be there.

SPEAKER_00 7:57

We will be there. I can't wait for Evan to get his first taste of nitro. He gets his own nitro baptism. So good for him. That's like the best part. He's gonna be wondering, we're gonna stand in the pit area. He's gonna be wondering why his eyes are watering and why his nose is completely getting blown off like it's a blowtorch getting stuck up his nose. But you know what? It is great. It's the best part. It hurts, but it hurts good. And you will you will understand that. I will understand the ball knowledge. You will understand the ball knowledge. But back to Texas in the truck series, man. Just Kyle Bush, a a wild night. He initially couldn't even drive the truck at all and hit the wall, but came all the way back to the field after getting his slap back. Initially, it looked like Ben Rhodes was gonna control this race, which was tough news for us.

SPEAKER_01 8:45

Yeah, it would have been really bad. It would have really bad for us considering uh Ben Rhodes was Stacy's pick. Yes. And Stacy is kind of killing us in all all series right now.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Yes. As the uh as the points leader. But even though Ben Rhodes controlled this race on the pull in one stage one, um, but then uh good old Carson Metgal Hosovar took control of the win stage two. But there were multiple trucks that were after him late in this race. Caden Honeycutt was still looking for his first career win, Gio Ruggero and late in the race, even Kyle Bush were going after him. But Hosovar held them all off after a late Gio Ruggiero slide. It pretty much slowed everybody up. Hosovar just cruised on to victory. Carson Hosovar scores the truck series victory at Texas. The Intimidantes scheme wins again, but this time it's on a truck. Yes. Odd sight, but it's his sixth career truck series win, second at Texas, which was his first career truck win in 2023. We talked about that last Friday. Kyle Bush rallies to finish second, and even then I still lose 13 points to Stacy and her points lead. Uh Honey Cut ends up third. Brandon Jones running the tricon one truck ends up finishing fourth somehow. And Ben Rhodes, the pole sitter, completes the top five. But I want to shout out Lane Riggs. It seems like this Texas race has a vendetta against it does. After he wrecked there the last two years, he started way down in the field in 34th. But at times, he had the fastest truck. It looked like he could win this race. And he was able to drive all the way up to sixth. So, great job there. Our standings, new standings, anyways. Stacey, uh small small stretch of her points lead out to 42 points over Bernardo. Evan, you're 43 back. You're one point behind Bernardo for second in the point standings. How do you feel? Pretty good waiting for Honeycook to this first win because I feel like he's probably my new truck series driver. And besides Lane Riggs, I like Lane Riggs too. Pretty much, yeah. You just want to see him, you just want to see Honeycutt shot kind of beer in the stands.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

Yes, I do. He's my type of man.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Yes. Um, Noah's 115 back, Haley's 154 back, and I'm 158 back. I'm still in the basement in the truck series. That is the only thing I'm in the basement in. Yes. Everything else I'm up in heaven. Um, but our truck picks, I picked Kyle Bush, finished second. The thing is, is that is all Kyle Bush did. He did not lead, he did not get stage points, he didn't do anything. All he did was come back from a lap down early in the race to finish second. But he didn't do anything else for me, and that was a problem. Yes. Evan, you picked Honeycutt, finished third. Thought he would win in Corey Hymes' truck, but then Caden Honeycutt realized he is not Corey Haim.

SPEAKER_01 11:29

He did not know, he did not realize the ball knowledge he had to have to become a Corey Heim.

SPEAKER_00 11:33

Yes. He he does not have the elite uh skills to be Corey Haim and win in Corey Him's truck. Yes. For sure. Um Haley with Tyler Ankram, tough run. Ankram was running uh up towards the front and then just spins all by himself late in the race. Tough deal there. Um that brought out the late caution that almost jumbled everything up. Um but Hosebar still got the win. Uh Stasis, we mentioned, picked Ben Rhodes, started on the pole, finished fifth, led 41 laps. That is the reason why I lost points. Not fun. Um Bernardo with Chandler Smith, he won the Chandler Smith sweepstakes uh this weekend. Ends up 10th in the Speedy Cash truck in the Speedy Cash 250. Uh very pedestrian day. Yes. Very very pedestrian, just finished 10th. Kind of like how Kyle Bush was like very pedestrian looking in second, but he charged all the way from the back to finish second, so it wasn't really pedestrian, but eh. And Noah with another quiet day with uh Daniel Hemrick finishing in seventh, just seventh. You finished seventh. Yeah. Good job. He didn't finish 24th. You get a gold star. Yes. Um in O'Reilly's now. There were some great battles all throughout the field, even though this race was dominated by Kyle Larson, Pulseetter Justin Allguyer, and Connor Zilich. They combined to sweep the stages and laid 195 of the 200 laps.

SPEAKER_02 12:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:59

So domination, but at the same time, we still had so much passing going on. But Zillich had trouble late and ended up as the first car, one lap down in 21st. Uh, I want to talk about Brent Cruz for a second. He continues to impress. He ran up front and ended up finishing fourth. It was good enough for the final uh dash for cast, $100,000 bonus of the season. But despite missing four races on big tracks, as it was because it was before he turned 18. That's right, he's younger than me. Yeah, that's kind of crazy. I think I've re I think I can officially say I've reached unk status at this point. Yeah, once you reach 18, officially it's the unk category. For sure. But Brent Cruz has managed to climb all the way from 28th to 14th in points, and he's sitting just 12 points out of the final chase spot right now, despite missing four races. Yeah, that is that is a wild stat. That is an absolutely wild stat. But this race boiled down to Kyle Larson and Justin Algar. Another junior motorsports battle. Welcome back to the NASCAR O'Reilly's, I mean Chevy series. Yes. With 85% of the build being Chevrolet's. Ford has nobody. It was the first time that Ford had not been in the O'Reilly series since the 1991 season finale, which is just rough. Ford has left the chat. Ford Ford is Ford is down bad right now. Yes. Um, but in some great defensive driving, Larson was somehow able to hang on. Honestly, if it was anybody else other than Justin Algyre behind him, uh Larson probably would have gotten wrecked. But then again, they were beating each other's doors off under caution for some reason.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

Yeah, I still don't get that.

SPEAKER_00 14:37

I don't know what beef was going on down there.

SPEAKER_01 14:40

There's no trans no transformation of what happened at all.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

Disagreeing over how to smoke their Texas brisket. Yes. I guess. I don't know. But Kyle Larson wins the O'Reilly's race at Texas for the second year in a row. And third time overall. It's his second win of the year after Las Vegas and his 19th career O'Reilly series victory. All guy ends up second. Sam Mayer, best result of the year, finishing third. Not quite as exciting as his win uh two years ago in 2024, but yeah. Brent Cruz ends up fourth, and Parker Retzlaff, best career intermediate result, ends up with the top five. Great run, Parker Retzlaff. At least he didn't uh hit uh Carson Quappel flipping down the back church of Kansas. Tragic. Yeah, that was rough. Our new standings now. I lead uh Stacy by 71 points, Haley by 190, Evan by 205, Bernardo by 208, and Noah by 286. So Evan, uh you moved up to fourth in points, but at the same time, I still I'm still so far back. All y'all are basically in the basement. Yeah, it's not even close right now. Yeah, you guys are scrapping in the basement right now, just awaiting to come find me, I guess. Yeah. But our picks, uh, I picked, I managed to pick Larson. So after three second place finishes in O'Reilly's, I finally get my first win of the year. Uh I also led the most laps, which if you're keeping score at home, it's the fourth straight race I've led the most laps, which is great for me. Also, why I have a points lead. Yeah, that big. That's a little big. Little little big. It it's not quite one race, but it's almost it's pretty close. Evan with Shell and Creed finished sixth. Quiet day. That's about it. Quiet day. Same thing with Austin Hill and Haley finishing seventh. Just just a quiet, quiet days, quiet days, quiet days. Um, Stacy, of course, had to pick Justin Algayer, ends up second, leads 54 laps, gets the fast lap, started on pole, just you know, Algayer just needed a little bit more out of his car. He managed to catch Larson, but he couldn't pass him.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

And just it's just a masterclass of Larson defensive driving. That that's all it was. I mean, he knew how to put his car where Algar was and take the air away from him, and that's how Larson won. Bernardo with Ryan Sieg ends up uh 14th, leads the lap, but just not not the not the nail biters' second place finish from two years ago, but solid day. And Noah with Austin Dillon. You would think Austin Dillon in an O'Reilly's car would do better than 23rd. Yeah, that was bad performance. Bad bad performance for Austin Dillon, but uh RCR, RCR is in a much worse situation over on the cup side, which we'll talk about in a few minutes, but yeah. Uh on the cup side, it looked like Carson Hospar. He led early from the poll, and we just we thought we could see another host of our victory, but it just it wasn't in the cards. It did not pan out. As he finished in seventh. What is going on pit road? Like, what is going on with Pitts Road?

SPEAKER_01 17:51

Do you think we were at Indy with the road course or not for Indy road course at the Indianapolis brickyard with how bad Pit Road was?

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Yes. It's like Pit Road has had major issues uh lately. I mean, last week, of course, you know, Talladega, it's like it's stressful because Pit Road a lot of times is what decides the race. Is you know, getting the track position and then just you know, don't get wrecked at Talladega. But Texas, man, it's like what is gonna like something about Texas is just like boom. I caused mayhem for no reason. I mean, Briscoe got damage, Joey Logano just ends up clobbering Colcaster. He's sitting uh just waiting to get into his pit stall and just it ends up sending Logano out of the race. Also, tough break for Christopher Bellman. Todd Gillillan, he comes sliding down the track and just barely clips Bell and just sends him hard in the outside wall, ends his race. Tough, tough lick there. And uh Ty Gibbs ends up into the wall too and out of the race. Ryan Priest was mad and fed up with him, but there were a lot of people annoyed on the radio this past weekend. It seems like Texas does that, but at the same time, it's not like the racing product was all that bad. It's not like nobody could pass, and I mean the race did sell out, so for for Texas races as of late, like it could have been a gajillion times worse. Yeah, it could have been 2022 All-Star race, 2022 Fall Texas, like it it could have been a gajillion times worse. Um, also, shout out Corey Hine for leading a lot. Uh 69 laps to be exact, nice. Um, before wrecking late and finishing 31st, he's definitely shown good speed despite uh being off of strategy. Yeah, you know, being he started towards the back, but it was 2024 Texas winner Chase Elliott, who took control to win stage two, then survived a late race restart to win for the second points paying time this year, which is the earliest point in the season. He's hit that mark. If we want to count his dual win at Daytona back in February, it's his third win of the year, but who's keeping score? Also, what were Kyle Bush and John Hunter Neemsek doing at the end of this race? Like, y'all are getting pissed off over 20th place, and I mean Kyle Bush, he had a top 10 run going in this race. It was like the I mean, even his crew chief said it was like the first time they run in the top ten in like three years. I I love how Kyle Bush's crew chief is just keeping it straight. Or it might have been a spotter, one of the two, which whichever one. I I love how his team is just keeping it straight with him. Like, we have not run in the top ten in three years. We are garbage. Stop getting so mad so easily. But Kyle Bush just does not care. First he was mad at Hosovar, then the whole feud with Nevenchek just to end up finishing 20th. I mean, yeah, sure. We're a long way from prime Kyle Bush and we're never gonna get it back. But I mean, Kyle Bush used to get mad at cars running up front, and now he just gets mad with all the back markers in the field, just getting mad over like 25th place. It's like, what are you doing at that point?

SPEAKER_02 20:51

Literally.

SPEAKER_00 20:52

Like, man, we have fallen so far with Kyle Bush over the years. We've fallen so far. Um, and the promo trend, man, that was way way off way off this week. Hosmar ended up the best of those four drivers as he finished in seventh, like we mentioned. Byron was right behind him in eighth. But I mean, yeah, he recovered from a spin, but that's about all he did, too. So, yeah, but Chase Elliott scores his second points paying win of the year, his second win at Texas, and his 23rd career win over Danny Hamlin, who finished second, and Hamlin was the only Joe Gibbs racing car to survive this race. Yeah, although he's got incidents. Yeah, as Briscoe had pit road damage, and Bellon Gibbs ended up out of the race. So uh tough deal there for JGR. Alex Bowman, he might be back as he finishes third for the second week in a row. Great to see there. Tyler Reddick finishes fourth as he continues to lead the standings with an iron fist um by like over a hundred points, and prosper technical state of Chris Buscher finally gets a good result at his home track in finishing fifth, but our picks. Um, I picked Chastain, he ended up 26th, did nothing. I mean, he was top ten towards the end of this race, and then gets busted for speeding on Pit Road. So not not great there. Evan, you picked Hamlin, you led some laughs, but you come home short in second.

SPEAKER_01 22:18

Hey, we'll take a second place. We'll take a top five. Yes. Now we're on to Watkins Glen, and Hamlin I already know is gonna die. Yeah. Hamlin at Watkins Glen, not good. I mean he did win in 2016, but that's about it. That's his only road course we had.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

Yes. Um Haley is the big winner picking Chase Elliott. Uh wins the race, leads the most laps, gets the fastest lap too. Almost a perfect day by Chase Elliott. Yes. Not quite, but almost. Um, and as you'll see in a second, uh Haley rocks up to second in points. Uh, because of Sace, ended up picking Joey Logano. Tough deal there with that pit road damage. It's just like at the same time, like, Cole Custer, I know he had to wait to get in his pit stall, but like you're stuck on pit road.

SPEAKER_01 23:00

The Lagooner should have, you know, went to the outside. There's out space on the outside.

SPEAKER_00 23:04

I was watching that. Yeah, I'll say Logano should have like either Custer or Logano should have just like moved on with life. But uh just come just come back onto Pit Road or something, but like nah. Just not like Cendric at Talladega, or was it was it Cindric of Taladega? I think it was I I'm pretty sure it was Cendric at Talladega, but whoever it was, like they missed Pit Road or they missed their pit stall and then they came back down, and whoever it was, like they ended up just fine. So like why couldn't Logana or Custer do that? But it's whatever. And Bernardo uh picks Ty Gibbs, was doing good, and then it just it's shipped into the wall by priests, ends up DNFing this race. And Noah with Chase Briscoe ends up 23rd uh again with that pit road damage, like we mentioned. So uh uh you and Haley, uh first and second, and then the rest of us die. Yeah. Uh outside the top 20 with two DNFs. But our new standings, I still lead, but now over Haley this time by 75 points, so my my lead has gotten chopped up quite a bit. Um Stacy is still in third, 97 back, Bernardo in fourth, 145 back, uh Evan, you're 162 back, and Noah in the basement, 236 points back.

SPEAKER_02 24:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:19

So yeah. But I mean, that there was definitely some crazy stuff from Texas and from South Georgia. We saw fast speeds and very short tempers. I'm looking at you, cobblish. But next weekend we go back to turning left and right, thank god, with all three top NASCAR series of Watkins Clan and any car kicks off the month of May. Thank goodness we're in May.

SPEAKER_01 24:42

They they're back finally.

SPEAKER_00 24:43

Yes. Um with the Grand Prix on the Indy Road course. We'll preview about it uh on Friday, but you you will. I'll be in Memphis. Oh yeah, that's right. You'll be on the phone.

SPEAKER_01 24:54

I will I will not be here for that Friday's episode, y'all. I will be on vacation.

SPEAKER_00 24:58

He is in he's in Memphis. Evan is in Memphis.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

I'm gonna be some Memphis barbecue.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

Yes, and if you're going to the Bass Pro Pierre. Yes, I am.

SPEAKER_01 25:04

We love Bass.

SPEAKER_00 25:05

I will take some pictures for the podcast. Yes, we we love Bass Pro. If you cannot notice all the die casts on the guests. But anyways, I'll preview about it, uh, all about it on Friday. But that's all we got for today's episode of the Throttle of the Four Podcast. Make sure you tune in and listen and watch and download on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube. Check out the chill photography on Throttle Four Podcasts, Instagrams and TikToks, and uh yeah, if you're wondering, uh I will have photos sometime on the night with Hosovar and all the other late models at LaSalle Speedway. So uh look out for those pictures by the end of this week as well.

SPEAKER_01 25:43

And also look out for the Memphis pictures coming next Monday.

SPEAKER_00 25:45

Yes. Memphis pictures, LaSalle Speedway, dirt dirt late model pictures, lots of pictures, yeah. Lots of pictures going up. But anyways, uh that's all we got for today's episode, and I'll see I'll see all y'all on a Friday night.

SPEAKER_01 25:59

I will see y'all next Monday. Have a good night, y'all.