Eldora: Weld Motorsports race report

Sides Rides Weld Wheels to $50,000 Royal Crown

Jason Sides drove the race of his career Saturday evening at Eldora Speedway, winning his first career World of Outlaws A main event that was highly punctuated by A King's Royal first place payoff of $50,000.

Sides, the 2003 WoO Rookie of the Year, drove the Weld Wheels-equipped Sides Motorsports entry from a one lap time trial effort of 16.212 seconds on Eldora's half mile that yielded the 38th quickest lap of 42 entries, earning an eighth place starting spot in the third 10-lap qualifying heat race. Sides needed to advance to a third-place finish to advance to the Big Dance, and blasted ahead five positions to earn the thirteenth starting spot in the King's Royal A Main.

While the first 32 laps of the 40-circuit event would run caution-free, Sides bided his time and used patience to conserve Hoosier tires mounted on his Weld Wheels to slowly advance through the attrition-laden field.

"We ran the bottom during the first part of the race", said the $50,000 winner from Bartlett, Tennessee, "and that probably helped us conserve our tires. My crew chief Scotty Males put the right tire on the car, and we ran the bottom enough to make it last."

Sides took the lead on the white flag lap, then saw his right rear tire explode on the back stretch after taking the checkered flag first in the high stakes survival game that awarded a $50,000 carrot to the winner.

"This is my eleventh year racing, and I wouldn't be able to do it without my car owners Wayne & Dylinda Rhodes," said an elated Sides.

"This is the biggest race we've ever won. Now maybe we can get a few more. Wow! It doesn't get any bigger than this, does it?" asked Sides. "Every time we came around the front stretch under caution, I'd look over at this trophy and say, "I want that thing", and now I'm going to get it!"

"I'd never run anything but Weld Racing Wheels. They've done it and they've done it right in my book. When I wasn't getting much product support at all, Weld Racing Wheels was one of the first to step up and help me. We've been together ever since then, and they have stuck with me through the good and the bad. I can't ask for much more from all those fine folks at Weld Wheels, especially 'Mama Gail' (Gail Custer, Oval Track Sales Director)."

-Weld Motorsports