Mars Ends Drought by Dominating in the Desert  
by Ryan Nueharth

Tucson, Arizona (January 18, 2014) When Menomonie, WI racer Jimmy Mars labeled his round five win at the NDRL Winter Extreme at Tucson International Raceway "emotional" from Freedom RV Victory Lane, it had to be a big deal. The normally stoic Mars, who had not scored a Dirt Late Model win since mid-2012, seemed to have a giant weight lifted from his shoulders and realized that he and brother Chris took the correct "fork in the road" when faced with more adversity than ever in 2013.

Pacing the entire 40-lap distance, Mars was never seriously challenged for the top spot, running the better majority of the race at half-throttle as he cruised in the dominate bottom lane. "We just kind of backed everything up and did a little thinking this winter," said the jubilant Mars of his MB Custom mount, "and it has been good this whole week."

Even though passing was a premium on this night, John Blankenship, Billy Moyer, Jr. Ryan Gustin, and Tony Jackson, Jr. staged a wild back-and-forth tussle for the runner up spot. Moyer, Jr. controlled second for the races first half as both Jackson and Gustin gave chase. In the meantime, Blankenship was methodically picking his way to the front from his tenth starting position. The defending World 100 winner was sixth on lap 15 and had advanced to fifth when the races second yellow flew on lap 24.

On the restart Mars would jump back to a significant advantage leaving the trailing quartet to battle it out for second. Both Gustin and Blankenship would blast past Jackson, who appeared to lose the handle on his Club 29 racecar, and began to quickly track down Moyer, Jr. Gustin would overtake the younger Moyer on lap 29 and as a night earlier set off in search of the race leader.

Just behind, Blankenship was the first to discover a lane of traction just off the bottom and used that temporary advantage to vault from fifth to third as Gustin closed on and prepared to make his move on Mars. Unfortunately for the young Iowan, his run was stymied by the races final yellow for Justin Kay on lap 34. Under the caution period, Mars' crew motioned from the infield that Gustin was closing and it was time for him to pick up the pace.

When the green reappeared with just six laps remaining, Mars did just that as Blankenship used his higher line to slip past Gustin who lost the handle of his Gressel Racing 19r one lap later and also relinquished third to Moyer, Jr. By this point, Mars had also discovered the traction just off the bottom and would run to the checkers without a final challenge.

Full Results
NDRL 'Kings of Dirt' Winter Extreme - Night Five
Tucson International Raceway
Tucson, Arizona
Satrurday, January 18, 2014

Finish/Start/Car #/Name/Hometown/Purse
1 (1) 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI $5,000
2 10 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV $2,250
3 (3) 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR $1,250
4 (5) 19r Ryan Gustin Marshalltown, IA $1,000
5 (4) 56 Tony Jackson Jr Lebanon, MO $950
6 (2) 77a Justin Asplin Birch Tree, MO $900
7 (16) 19 Tim Fuller Watertown, NY $850
8 (9) 7K Jason Krohn Slayton, MN $800
9 (6) 11 Pat Doar New Richmond, WI $750
10 (22) 12 Jason Hughes Westville, OK $700
11 (7) 111 Max Blair Titusville, PA $650
12 (13) 7 Ricky Weiss Headingley, MB $600
13 (17) 91T Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA $550
14 (11) 91P Jason Papich Arroyo Grande, CA $500
15 (12) b5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL $500
16 (20) 15K Justin Kay Wheatland, IA $500
17 (15) 25 Shane Clanton Zebulon, GA $500
18 (23) 1V Will Vaught Crane, MO $500
19 (14) 32 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA $500
20 (18) 7R Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN $500
21 (24) 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO $500
22 (19) 58 A.J. Diemel Elk Mound, WI $500
23 (21) 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR $500
24 (8) 6 Travis Dickes Madison, NE $500

B-Main #1 (top 2 transfer)
1 58 A.J. Diemel Elk Mound, WI
2 12 Jason Hughes Westville, OK
3 2T Trevor Glaser Tanqent, OR
4 10 Mike Balcean Winnipeg, MB
5 8P Lonnie Parker Jr El Mirage, AZ
6 11p Steven Pfeifer Minot, ND
7 23 Brad Williams Tucson, AZ
8 24 Rick Ortega Las Cruces, NM
9 7 Marshall Miles Tucson, AZ
10 98D Dave Deetz Las Cruces, NM
11 23 Bucky Andrews Tucson, AZ
12 43 Garrett Alberson Las Cruces, NM
13 7J Greg Jelvik Tucson, AZ

B-Main #2
1 15K Justin Kay Wheatland, IA
2 1V Will Vaught Crane, MO
3 14m Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
4 5 RC Whitwell Tucson, AZ
5 06 Dave Smith Edmonton, AB
6 88 Matt Crafton Tulare, CA
7 77 Jordan Yaggy Rochester, MN
8 10N Robert Sanders Bakersfield, CA
9 14d Dean Moore Grand Junction, CO
10 10tt Tyson Turnbull Estevan, SK
11 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
dns 86 Kyle Beard Trumann, AR
dns 51 Joey Moriarty Phoenix, AZ

B-Main #3
1 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
2 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
3 32b Clay Daly Watsonville, CA
4 27 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA
5 90 Lance Matthees Winona, MN
6 18 Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS
7 19T William Thomas Phenix City, AL
8 77L Cody Laney Torrance, CA
9 15s Donny Schatz Fargo, ND
10 14z Zachary McMillan Kilgore, TX
11 14 Sean Bray Tucson, AZ
12 89 James Laing Tucson, AZ

Heat #1 (top 3 transfer)
1 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
2 111 Max Blair Titusville, PA
3 7 Ricky Weiss Headingley, MB
4 43 Garrett Alberson Las Cruces, NM
5 23 Brad Williams Tucson, AZ
6 58 A.J. Diemel Elk Mound, WI
7 2T Trevor Glaser Tanqent, OR
8 8P Lonnie Parker Jr El Mirage, AZ
9 98D Dave Deetz Las Cruces, NM
10 23 Bucky Andrews Tucson, AZ

Heat #2
1 11 Pat Doar New Richmond, WI
2 6 Travis Dickes Madison, NE
3 32 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
4 10 Mike Balcean Winnipeg, MB
5 12 Jason Hughes Westville, OK
6 11 Steven Pfeifer Minot, ND
7 24 Rick Ortega Las Cruces, NM
8 7 Marshall Miles Tucson, AZ
9 7J Greg Jelvik Tucson, AZ

Heat #3
1 56 Tony Jackson Jr Lebanon, MO
2 7K Jason Krohn Slayton, MN
3 25 Shane Clanton Fayetteville, GA
4 15K Justin Kay Wheatland, IA
5 86 Kyle Beard Trumann, AR
6 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
7 06 Dave Smith Edmonton, AB
8 88 Matt Crafton Tulare, CA
9 51 Joey Moriarty Phoenix, AZ
10 14d Dean Moore Grand Junction, CO

Heat #4
1 19r Ryan Gustin Marshalltown, IA
2 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
3 19 Tim Fuller Watertown, NY
4 1V Will Vaught Crane, MO
5 5 RC Whitwell Tucson, AZ
6 14m Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
7 10N Robert Sanders Bakersfield, CA
8 77 Jordan Yaggy Rochester, MN
9 10tt Tyson Turnbull Estevan, SK

Heat #5
1 77a Justin Asplin Birch Tree, MO
2 91P Jason Papich Arroyo Grande, CA
3 91T Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA
4 27 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA
5 32b Clay Daly Watsonville, CA
6 90 Lance Matthees Winona, MN
7 77L Cody Laney Torrance, CA
8 14z Zachary McMillan Kilgore, TX
9 14 Sean Bray Tucson, AZ

Heat #6
1 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
2 b5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
3 7R Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN
4 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
5 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
6 18 Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS
7 19T William Thomas Phenix City, AL
8 15s Donny Schatz Fargo, ND
9 89 James Laing Tucson, AZ 

For more information on the National Dirt Racing League including a complete 2014 schedule point your web browsers over to www.thendrl.com You can also keep up with all the latest up-to-the-minute news by following the NDRL on Twitter at @The_NDRL and you can also find us on Facebook located at https://www.facebook.com/nationaldirtracingleague If you have further questions or needs you can also contact NDRL Series Director Kelley Carlton atkcarlton@thendrl.com or call (864) 871-1442.

Official 2014 Winter Extreme Sponsors:
RideNow Powersports, Tucson Harley Davidson, Freedom RV, Hilton Garden Inn Tucson,O'Rielly Chevrolet, Papa John's Pizza, and Residence Inn Tucson.

Official NDRL 2014 Sponsors:
Hoosier Racing Tires, VP Race Fuels, Arizona Sport Shirts, Keyser Manufacturing, Schaeffer's Racing Oil and Lubricants, Capital Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, DirtonDirt.com, Bell, DirtWrap, Genesis Shocks, CV Products, Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales, JRi Shocks, and JNJ Motorsports Media.

The list of 2014 partners continues to grow, if you have questions or comments or if you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the NDRL contact Series Director Kelley Carlton at (864) 871-1442 / kcarlton@thendrl.com or NDRL Marketing Director Jason Babyak at (602) 647-0649 / jbabyak@thendrl.com.