Dotson goes 4-for-4 at Bakersfield CK Nationals

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Ethan Dotson was a double winner in both IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car divisions at Bakersfield Speedway’s Memorial Weekend CK Nationals. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (May 29-30) – A 4-for-4 holiday weekend wrapped up with Ethan Dotson adding $5,000 to his IMCA winnings.

Dotson swept IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car features at hometown Bakersfield Speedway’s CK Nationals, putting on the final touches with a flag-to-flag run in front of Sunday’s $5,000 to win Modified headliner. 

“It’s cool,” said Dotson, adding plugs for event promoter Chris Kearns and Salty’s BBQ and Catering. “It was a pretty good weekend.” 

He battled eventual runner-up Kyle Heckman in both Saturday features, pocketing $1,200 for the Modified win and another $500 for the Stock Car victory.

Cody Laney, Troy Morris III and Dylan Thornton completed the opening night Modified top five while Steve Johnson, Justin Schweitzer and Cody Johnson were third through fifth, respectively, in the Stocks.

Dotson broke free from a four-car tussle on lap seven and pulled away to Sunday’s $750 win, pursued by Steven Johnson, Heckman, Schweitzer and Rick Diaz. 

The Modified finale ended with a long green flag run. Oregon visitor Collen Winebarger chased but couldn’t catch Dotson with Robby Sawyer, Rob Sanders and Laney scored 3-4-5. 

The Modified wins were Dotson’s 10th and 11th of 2021, already a single season career best, and the Stock Car wins his seventh and eighth of the year. 

“I feel like our program is pretty good right now,” said Dotson, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot and eligible to qualify for the B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational as well.

“Anybody can tell you that racing is 90 percent luck and we’ve been getting some breaks. We’ve been starting decent and haven’t had any DNFs. This has been a year when everything has gone right,” he continued. “There’s no magic involved. Maybe it’s just my year for the breaks.”

One thousand dollar Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature winners were Levi Kiefer – in a Wayne Dotson ride – on Saturday and Tyler Blankenship on Sunday.

Kiefer’s checkers came from fifth starting, with John Piker, Tyler Bannister, Nick Spainhoward and Jason Bannister next across the stripe. Blankenship was chased across the stripe by Tyler Bannister, Jason Bannister, Daniel West and Jason Nation. 

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