Jared Dawson called it “a dream come true.”
For almost three seasons the Nathalie, Virginia resident has chased checkered flags in South Boston Speedway’s highly competitive Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division. On July 13, in the second race of twin 30-lap races, Dawson, captured his first career win in the division in what was his 28th career start.
“It was one of the best feelings of my life,” Dawson remarked. “It was a lifetime-achievement goal.”
Without question, the win was special, but an added circumstance made the victory one that that Dawson, the youngest of three brothers that compete in the division and their family, will always cherish. Dawson edged his older brother, Drew Dawson, for the win, giving the family it’s second 1-2 finish of the season.
Earlier in the season, Drew Dawson edged the oldest of the three Dawson brothers, Justin Dawson, for the win in a 1-2 family finish.
“It’s incredible,” Jared Dawson said of his family’s second 1-2 finish of the season. “To go out there and have two out of our three cars be on top and finish 1-2 like that is great.
“Our true goal,” he continued, “is for us to finish one-two-three. If that happens it would seal the deal for us. It wouldn’t matter who finishes first, second or third, as long as we can get that.”
Jared Dawson said the 30-lap race was a tough race.
“I was basically mirror-racing,” he explained. “I was watching Drew the whole time. He would get close to me, and I would pull away from him, and he would get back close to me, and I would pull away from him again. I drove that race as hard as I could drive it.”
Drew Dawson said his brother’s first career win was a well-deserved one.
“Jared really did well,” Drew Dawson said. “He ran the high side and there was nothing I could do. I tried to run the low side and get up beside him, but he was running the high side pretty well.”
Having a second family 1-2 finish this season was something Drew Dawson said he never saw coming.
“I never thought it would happen again,” he pointed out, “especially this year. It’s a good blessing, and we couldn’t be more thankful.”
The 2024 season has been a tough season for Jared Dawson. Heading into the 50-lap Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division race that will be part of the Davenport Energy Race Night event on Saturday night, August 3, he sits ninth in the division point standings with the win among his two Top-5 finishes and five Top-10 finishes. His best finish of the season prior to his win on July 13 was a fifth-place effort on May 8.
He says the win makes up for the tough races he has had.
“I’m not doing great in the point standings and what not, but this win makes up for the whole season,” he noted. “It builds my confidence going into the last three races of the season knowing I have the car to go out there and compete with Eric Winslow, Jason Myers, and my brothers. It gives me a lot of confidence that lets me I know I can do it now. It’s there. I’ve just got to go get it every week.”
With both Drew Dawson and Jared Dawson now having wins in the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division with their family-owned race team, the goal now for the two brothers is to help get their older brother into Victory Lane.
“Our main focus is on Justin now, trying to get Justin up front,” Jared Dawson remarked. “We’re going to do everything in our power to get him up front. He’s had some good finishes, but we just haven’t gotten his car dialed in yet to run up front and stay up front. To have Justin get a win would truly cap our team’s season off with a high-goal achievement.
“Having all three of us get a win would be a huge accomplishment for us as a small team not having all of the resources and not having the money backing us like some of the other drivers have,” Jared Dawson concluded.
The next event at South Boston Speedway will be the Davenport Energy Race Night event on Saturday night, August 3. Six races are on the card with twin 75-lap races for the Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division headlining the action. A 50-lap race for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, twin 15-lap races for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, and a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division will round out the card.
The Saturday, August 3 Davenport Energy Race Night event schedule has registration and pit gates opening at 2 p.m. Practice will begin at 3:25 p.m. and run until 5:05 p.m. Frontstretch spectator gates will open at 3:30 p.m. and backstretch and trackside parking gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Qualifying is set for 6 p.m., pre-race ceremonies are slated for 6:45 p.m. and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.
Advance tickets for the Saturday, August 3 Davenport Energy Race Night event are priced at $12 each. Advance tickets may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com or by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on race day will be $15 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $12 each at the gate on race day.
News and updates about the Davenport Energy Race Night event and all other events at South Boston Speedway can be found on the speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours, and through the track’s social media channels.
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