Story By: TIM BALTZ / DAWDY RACING – BROCKVILLE, ONT – After a season one year ago that ended with 15 wins, many wondered if Bobby Herrington and the Kin and Dan Dawdy owned team could continue that same momentum and success into 2023. Well, much like one year ago it started with a season opening win.
The team went about their usual Saturday night business at the Brockville Ontario Speedway. Bobby took his ride to the front of the 8-lap qualifying heat and never looked back as he rolled to victory lane with no problems.
The win put Bobby in the third starting spot behind three-time Brockville Sportsman track champion Shane Pecore with Brennan Moore, who won his first career race at Can Am this year, alongside.
Bobby used patience at the start of the race as Moore took off from the field leaving Pecore in second. It was a great battle in the early laps but slight contact was made just before lap 10 resulting in a spin for Pecore, while Herrington’s car continued on in the second spot.
On the next restart Bobby would line up alongside of Brennan Moore, who looked strong early, but again patience paid off and on lap 12 the move was made to take the lead away. Once in front the hard work in the off-season showed as Bobby cruised in front to well over a straight away lead leaving the rest of the field to figure out a way to catch him.
On this night, Bobby and the 88Z team proved to be too much for the rest of the field as they scored a dominant opening day win at Brockville, the 21st DIRTCar Sportsman win for Bobby at “The BOS”, good enough for sole possession of 4th on the all-time win list. The win was also the second on opening day in the last three seasons for the Kim and Dan Dawdy Racing Team, as Bobby took the opener in 2021 also.
“We seem to start the season off slow and then get rolling,’ Herrington said in victory lane. Tonight, we really felt good about the car and it all went our way. It feels great to win right away.”
Next week the team will be back and ready to do battle in search for two in a row at Brockville. Bobby and the team thank all the loyal sponsors who helped make this program go once again in 2023, as the defense of their track title rolls on.