Dillard has another solid weekend, still seeking first USMTS win of 2016

Cade Dillard and the No. 97 S&S Fishing & Rental team rejoined the USMTS Winter Speedweeks swing at the Heart O' Texas Speedway in Elm Mott, Texas, Feb. 18-20, for the 7th Annual Day Motor Sports Texas Spring Nationals.

Cade cruised to victory in his heat race on Thursday and then started the main event from the outside of the front row. From there, 'The Thriller' led 38 of the first 40 laps before a flurry of late cautions helped Zack VanderBeek close the gap and take the win while Cade settled for second.

On Friday, Cade finished second in his heat race but was one spot shy of advancing to the main event and forced to run a "B" Main where he picked up the win to earn a 14th-place starting spot in the "A" Main. At the end of the 45-lapper, he finished fifth to keep his streak of top-five finishes intact.

Saturday's finale saw Cade struggle to a fifth-place finish in a tough heat race, but stormed to a win in his "B" Main and another 14th starting spot in the 50-lap, $4,000-to-win feature. The race went green to checkered without a caution. Nevertheless, Cade passed seven cars en route to a seventh-place finish.

With Cade sitting third in the Production Jars Southern Region points, the third round of USMTS Winter Speedweeks happens at the Ark-La-Tex Speedway for the 5th Annual Cajun Clash on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25-27, preceded by a Wednesday evening practice from 6-9 p.m. with free admission to the grandstands and $20 pit passes.

Thursday’s racing program starts at 7 p.m. with $2,000 to win USMTS Modifieds. On Friday, the green flag unfurls at 7 p.m. with USMTS Modifieds competing for $3,000 to win and Saturday’s finale at Gene Boyter’s popular high-banked oval gets started at 6 p.m. USMTS Modifieds will race for $4,000 to win.

For unfortunate fans unable to make one or more of these blockbuster events, every lap of every race at every event during USMTS Winter Speedweeks will be broadcast live on RacinDirt.com. Visit www.racindirt.com/livevideo for ordering information.

The Ark-La-Tex Speedway is located 0.6 mile south of SR 2 on SR 1, then 0.7 mile west on Airport Rd., then 2.2 miles south on Boyter Lane Rd. For race day information, call the track hotline at 318-375-3470 or click www.arklatexspeedway.net to visit them online.

USMTS winter Speedweeks wraps up at the Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., Thursday-Saturday, March 3-5.