In his return to the discipline after a seven-month hiatus, Casey Roderick put the Team Platinum Anthony Campi Racing No. 26 at the top of the qualifying charts for Speedfest at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Georgia.
Meanwhile, Josh Berry in the Kevin Harvick Inc. No. 62 was initially scored third in time trials, but the time was disallowed for a air filter cleaner that was one inch above tolerance.
More on that down the post.
As for Roderick, his incredibly stout spring and summer of 2023 was detailed here but also the lack of funding that sidelined him for the remainder of the season, so to come back and immediately go fast-time on Friday was really rewarding.
“We have a really good car, feel really good in the car,” Roderick said. “We made really good adjustments throughout the day. I feel like we gained a lot with what we did from yesterday to today. We got everything comfortable, making the car drive really good.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow. It’s going to be an interesting race. There are a lot of good cars here this weekend. We’re not the only ones and as always, this race usually puts on a good show.”
Despite putting up the fast time, he drew an eight in the positional redraw, meaning he will take the green from the outside fourth row.
“You just want to get the race started and fall in a groove,” he said. “You’ve got to last until the end. Feeling out your car and not overdoing everything, trying too hard. Just stay in a good rhythm and pick them off when you’re able. If you’re not, work on it in the pit stops and try to make it better.”
Dawson Sutton in the Rackley WAR No. 26 drew the pole.
“We’ve had a great car all week here,” Sutton told Racing America. “For the past two days, we’ve had a really good car. We’ve been really solid, really consistent, working on our race pace.
“Starting up front is really going to help for my first Super race. 150 laps, we’re just going to have to hold on. I just wanted to be in the invert in the first place and starting up front is really cool for my first race.”
As for the Berry disqualification, the air filter cleaner rule was adjusted for the 2024 season, mandating it be no more than four inches. The KHI car had a five inch cleaner.
It was a clear decision.
“I guess that’s an updated rule for 2024,” Berry correctly surmised. “I don’t know, I haven’t looked at the update but I’m sure it’s right and we were wrong. This is still a new car, a new program, and when you’re working on getting your boxes wrapped and all that stuff, still trying to learn the car, you just overlook some things sometime.”
They will start the race from the back of the field.
As for why the rule was changed, head ASA tech official Freddie Query wrote the rule and explained why it was instituted this year.
“The Ford motor has what they call a short block, it has a deck an inch shorter, and some teams had it before others did and it allowed them to run the taller air cleaner,” Query said. “The teams that didn’t have the short deck, and wanted the taller cleaner, they started trying to fit it under the hood and now templates weren’t fitting.
“It was causing a bunch of template problems and they all started trying it because they started thinking it was doing something for them and we wanted to standardize.”
The race airs at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and is broadcast live on Racing America.
Speedfest Qualifying Results
Casey Roderick (8) 15.696
Bubba Pollard (5) 15.725
Jett Noland (3) 15.740
Dawson Sutton (1) 15.767
Matt Craig (6) 15.792
Timothy Watson (7) 15.813
Michael Hinde (4) 15.822
Jake Finch (2) 15.831
Derek Kraus 15.833
Gio Ruggiero 15.836
Cole Butcher 15.837
Dustin Smith 15.838
Stephen Nasse 15.860
Brandon Jones 15.863
Daniel Webster 15.871
Connor Okrzesik 15.871
Michael Goddard 15.902
Jake Garcia 15.906
Billy VanMeter 15.980
Michael Atwell 15.981
Colin Allman 15.984
Anthony Cataldi 15.999
Tony Elrod 16.070
Steve Dorer 16.079
Stuart Dutton 16.225
Dave Farrington 16.245
Hudson Halder 16.544
Josh Berry DQ