Cody Dempster Expands Schedule to Include “Wild West Shootout” at Tucson Speedway

Bakersfield, CA – 2022 Colorado National Speedway Super Late Model track champion Cody Dempster will make his first start of the season at Tucson Speedway. (AZ), with the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series on April 15th. Dempster will compete for a $10,000 win in the JM ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. “Wild West Shootout – Heatseeker 127”, thanks to the Winner’s Bonus from W.A.R. Shocks. It is Round #3 of the series season and the third straight event to pay out a minimum of $10,000 to the winner.

Dempster will join a large group of drivers visiting from the state of Colorado. The 3/8-mile track has become a favorite of the teams from the Centennial State, as Dempster explains.

“I think a lot of the Colorado National Speedway regulars are making the trip to Tucson for a few reasons”, Dempster began. “A lot of our regulars go to Tucson for races during our off season, like the “Chilly Willy”, and they have notebooks which will help them be better prepared come race time with the Southwest Tour, as well as to see what we need to work on when the tour comes to Colorado in August. It’s also our next closest track that the Southwest Tour makes a stop at, so it’s easier for guys that want to run with the best in the west to make the trip.”

But for Dempster, this will be his first trip to Tucson to race his Super Late Model. The team has wanted to make the trip in the past, but this is the first time circumstances have permitted it, and the team will need to adapt to the track quickly, to figure out what it will take to earn a strong finish.

“For our team personally, we’ve always wanted to run at Tucson, but the cards just never fell into place to make it happen until this year”, Dempster stated. “Tucson’s surface is different than a lot of other places we have on the west coast, and it makes winning there more elusive, but it also draws your attention more to the way it races.”

Dempster is coming off a season which saw him win the track championship at CNS. He grabbed two victories in eight starts, also nabbing the NASCAR State of Colorado Championship. But the team has still made massive changes over the off-season, hoping to see even better results in 2023.

“Our 2022 track championship definitely helped our team’s confidence, and gives us more drive, but we can’t be over-confident”, Dempster admitted. “We still have to make sure we check all the right boxes. Most teams don’t essentially rebuild their entire program after winning a championship, but circumstances made it possible to rebuild, and hopefully for the better. The entire team has put a lot of hours into making sure our Vandoorn Racing Development Super Late Model hits the track better than ever.”

Dempster has branched out in recent years, attending select events outside of the region. He has traveled to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway (TN) for the “All American 400” in 2020 and 2022. He has attended several CRA Super Series events at places like Lebanon I-44 Speedway (MO) and Toledo Speedway (OH). He has made the trip to Kern County Raceway Park (CA) and Irwindale Speedway (CA), with the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series. But he is still looking for his first top-10 in the SRL, after lady luck has turned her back on the team. He does feel they are getting better after each trip, and he would love to grab a top-five at Tucson, as Dempster explained.

“Our goals so far are pretty simple. As racers, we always want to win, but the Southwest Tour guys are fast, which makes it all that much harder. Our biggest goal is to have a top-five run. Each time we travel west, we seem to get closer and closer to reaching that goal as our notebook gets bigger, but lady luck hasn’t been on our side to make that goal come to life. All the guys have been busting their tails to make sure everything’s right, and that part doesn’t stop once we leave the shop. We just have to be on our game all weekend long, and with a little help from lady luck, making sure nothing happens, I think we can make our goal.”

The 2023 season will find Dempster expanding his schedule even further. With a rebuilt effort for the team, and higher expectations for the season, it takes the support of family, crew, and sponsors to reach those aspirations.

“I also have to thank a handful of people for helping make all of this possible” the Parker, CO driver stated. “Jeff at Liberty Puzzles is coming back on our car this year, making it possible for our team to travel more this year. He has been a fundamental piece to our program, and we enjoy seeing him both at Colorado National (Speedway), and traveling with the team as we go across the country. All Temperatures Controlled is another huge part of our program. Patriot Media and Marketing Services helps make sure all of the fans are up to date on everything that’s going on in our world when they (fans) can’t make it to the racetrack. My crew hasn’t stopped working since the season ended, and we can’t wait to see the hard work pay off.”

The JM Environmental Inc. “Wild West Shootout-Heatseeker 127” will be Round #3 of the 2023 Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series schedule. $10,000 will be awarded to the winner of Saturday’s feature., thanks to the Winner’s Bonus from W.A.R. Shocks. For those on the Spears Frequent Flyer Program, it will pay $1,000 to start. Practice for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour and the Spears Modified Series will take place on Friday. Saturday will find a practice session for the Super Late Models, Modifieds, as well as the Hobby Stocks. Qualifying for the Modifieds begins at 4:30 PM with Super Late Models to follow. An autograph session is scheduled for 6:00 PM with Opening Ceremonies at 6:45 PM. Feature Events for the Spears Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, and Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will follow.

For fans unable to attend the “Wild West Shootout-HeatSeeker 127” the event will be livestreamed at www.SpearsRacing.TV with a subscription. They will also be shown on MAVTV, at a time and date to be announced later.

Celebrating its twenty third season in 2023, the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series is a regional stock car series competing on paved ovals in the southwestern portion of the U.S. “The SPEARS Southwest Tour Series…Where the Champions Race”.