April 25, 2024

Drivers dodge, duck, dip, and dive

By Ben Schuff
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Iowa Speedway President Jimmy Small winds up to throw a dodgeball during an event at Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline park, in Grimes on Tuesday. Small was joined by drivers Ty Dillon and Brendan Gaughan at the event to promote next weekend’s Nationwide race, the U.S. Cellular 250, at Iowa Speedway. (Ben Schuff)

GRIMES — The five D’s of dodgeball included drivers Tuesday.

NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers Ty Dillon and Brendan Gaughan appeared at an event at Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline park, near Des Moines to promote next weekend’s Nationwide race, the U.S. Cellular 250, at Iowa Speedway.

Dillon, Gaughan, Iowa Speedway President Jimmy Small and a host of others played dodgeball on the trampolines for roughly 30 minutes, displaying some of the same compeitiveness the drivers show at the track. Gaughan, to no avail, suggested to Small that the winner of the dodgeball compeition should receive a one-lap advantage at the U.S. Cellular 250.

“Ty and I practiced a little bit at the shop yesterday. Had some guys throw some wrenches and stuff at us, trying to do our five d’s of dodgeball,” Gaughan said prior to the start of their game. “Hopefully we’ll get to tag Jimmy Small pretty hard today and have a good time.”

Added Dillon: “I won a couple dodgeball tournaments at my high school, so I like to see myself as quite the dodgeball connoisseur.”

Both drivers for Richard Childress Racing, Dillon is currently fourth in the NASCAR Nationwide points standings. Gaughan is seventh.

Both drivers said they’re looking forward to coming to Iowa Speedway next weekend, and for reasons other than the racing.

“The primary thing is the fans. I remember listening to Rusty (Wallace) say we will never announce a sell out at Iowa Speedway. We’ll put you on top of somebody’s motorhome to sell you a ticket,” Gaughan said. “You look at the fans that show up, it looks like a Big Ten football atmosphere. They’re tailgating. NASCAR races just don’t have the same feel. When you go to Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, it just doesn’t have the same feel in the parking lot. Here, it looks like guys going to watch the Iowa game. It looks like guys going to watch Penn State and Iowa and they’re just throwing their football in the parking lot (and) have their grills going. The people are what make this track so unique and so much fun, and they know their racing.”