ELM MOTT, Texas (May 26, 2024) – Trey Votaw had one goal in mind when he signed up for the IMCA All Star Shootout Tour this year.
Votaw had a successful run in 2023 but finished runner-up to Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod champion Jeff Shepperd.
The Elm Mott speedster knew he had the car to win if he could just put together the runs it would take to come out on top.
On opening night at Southern Oklahoma Speedway, Votaw drew outside front row in his heat and went on to win, securing his place in the “A.” He then drew the seventh place start behind some very fast competitors.
Votaw was able to advance three spots to finish fourth, but Shepperd took the win after advancing 11 positions. Shepperd was no doubt going to be tough. However, Josh Landers and Mikel Wingate proved they had the goods to compete with second and third place finishes, respectively, as well.
Night number two at Kennedale Speedway Park saw Votaw draw a fourth place start in his heat and go on to win, securing his start in the main. He drew an eighth place start and definitely had his hands full battling with Alex Hickham, Josh Landers and Jerrett Bransom, but was able to pull off the win.
The third and final night of the tour at Heart ‘O Texas Speedway, his home track, proved to be a challenge due to the amount of rain the area had endured over the past month. After a Herculean feat by track personnel to provide a workable racing surface, Trey went to work.
Things were looking up with a front row pole draw for his heat. However, Landers, one of his major competitors for the championship, started right beside him on the front row. Landers went on to win but Votaw held on to finish right behind him in second.
That put him starting front row outside with Tommy Williams on the pole. Landers lined up on the inside of row two. Votaw and Landers were tied in points going into the final with Wingate only three points behind them.
To say the race was a challenge would certainly be an understatement. Votaw was finally able to pass Williams for the lead but in the final laps, Trevor Cogburn came from deep in the field to snatch the lead. Votaw hung on to the runner-up spot for the finish, winning the race for the championship and locking himself into the starting field for the $5,000 to win, $500 to start Southern SportMod Super Nationals Sept. 5-7 at KSP.
Feature winners Shepperd, Votaw and Cogburn also guaranteed themselves starting spots in that weekend’s $1,000 to win, $100 to start Smiley’s Racing Products All-Star race.
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