St. Louis, MO - The 2024 Castrol Gateway Dirt Nationals Presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts is set to unfold Thursday through Saturday, December 5th-7th. The 8th Running of the event will feature four drivers from around the Horsepower Happenings region - Rusty & Carter Schlenk, Cody Bauer, and Manix Furqueron.
Rusty Schlenk: The three-time DIRTcar UMP Late Model Champion is returning to the sight of arguably one of the biggest wins of his career - not necessarily as far as money is concerned. In 2018 during the 3rd Annual showing of the Gateway Dirt Nationals, Schlenk lined up alongside Jonathan Davenport for the $5,000 to win Race of Champions which opened up the weekend of racing. Schlenk went on to lead flag-to-flag to collect the 13-car invite-only win. Schlenk has attempted to make the field at every version of the Gateway Dirt Nationals.
2016 - 10th, B-Main 2
2017 - 5th, Race of Champions; 14th, Gateway Nationals A-Main
2018 - 1st, Race of Champions; 4th, B-Main 5
2019 - 12th, Gateway Nationals A-Main
2020 - Event Cancelled Due to Covid-19
2021 - 4th, B-Main 2
2022 - 11th, Gateway Nationals A-Main
2023 - 13th, Qualifier 1
This year, the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Champion will look to collect his first career top 10 finish during the main event. His weekend begins with a Friday Prelim Night.
Carter Schlenk: The second generation of the Schlenk name is making his debut at The Dome at America's Center this weekend as well. A five-time Sportsman Feature winner at Oakshade Raceway and 2023 Rookie of the Year, the now 14-year-old will attempt to qualify for the second biggest race of his career. Earlier this year, the No.LIL91 started 22nd in the 36th Annual Wood Tic 75 advertising $36,000 to win. Saturday's Gateway Dirt Nationals will pay $30,000 at the end of 40 laps.
So far this season, Carter Schlenk has put together five top 10s and three top fives in 17 starts. Carter Schlenk will also race during Friday's Prelim Night.
Cody Bauer: The Farwell, MI native is in a similar boat as his Domination Race Cars teammate, Rusty Schlenk - the site of Bauer's biggest win is in St. Louis, MO. In 2022, Bauer won one for the underdogs during a prelim night holding off Wil Herrington for the $5,000 payday. Starting on the outside of the front row, Bauer led all 25 laps and held off a late race charge from Herrington, Tyler Erb, Jadon Frame, and Tyler Carpenter.
2021 - 14th, Gateway Nationals A-Main
2022 - 7th, Gateway Nationals A-Main
2023 - 5th, Win & You're In LCQ
The 2024 season has been full of challenges for Bauer - aside from DNFs and blown engines, one of Bauer's crew members, 18-year-old Kolton Hutson was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in July. Bauer has collected 11 top 10s and three top fives in 14 starts this season. Bauer will also race on Friday Prelim Night.
Manix Furqueron: A native of Concord, MI, the 17-year-old DIRTcar UMP Modified driver earned his ticket to St. Louis via an impressive social media campaign using TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to his advantage to get voted into the show. However, Furqueron is proving his talents behind the wheel as well - earlier this year the No.74M caught many people's attention when he set fast time, won his heat race, and led laps before finishing fifth in the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour event at Peoria Speedway in June.
This season, Furqueron has collected 11 top 10s and six top fives in 18 starts, including a pair of runner-up finishes. Furqueron is the lone Michigan representative in the Modifieds for 2024, and will race during Thursday Prelim Night.
Fans can catch all of the action from the Castrol Gateway Dirt Nationals Presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts inside the Dome at America's Center on FloRacing.com.
Story - Zach Hiser
Photo - Over the Limit Images
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