Danny Dietrich argued that Williams Grove and the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series should reduce the number of laps for the National Open to 30 to remove the possibility or at least significantly reduce the possibility of a fuel stop.

During the 40-lap feature on Saturday night, a caution was thrown for Logan Rumsey on lap 7 and then turned into an open red to allow teams to refuel given they had run enough laps where officials had calculated that cars were not hoing to make it the rest of the way on fuel.

At the time of the open red Bill Balog was in the lead with Chase Dietz second and David Gravel was in third. Following the restart, on lap 9, Balog broke and drew a caution allowing Dietz to inherit the lead. Balog would get his car repaired and rejoined at the tail of the field. As for Dietz, he would go on to win the race holding off a late-charge from Schatz.

Dietrich shared his thoughts on the matter in the most recent episode of DIRTVision’s Pit Bull. He said, “First of all, they throw a fuel stop on lap 7 and I pulled up and the first thing I said to my guys was, ‘They’re totally trying to screw Chase ’cause there’s almost no way if you go full bore 33 laps at the Grove with 28 gallon tank you’re going to make it.’ Chase did the right thing by obviously playing the fuel game and you have to. 33 laps is a long time because that track was pretty wet and fast. I’m sure there was lap times in the 17 seconds in the feature, pry high 17s. Even low 18s. They’re all eating fuel. And when you’re out front it’s tough.”

He then proposed shortening the race from 40 to 30 laps. 

“If we’re going to have a fuel stop with 7 laps in, we need to start thinking about just having a 30-lap feature and running all 30 laps nonstop or going all 30 and being able to make it,” he said. “‘Cause fuel stops, I understand that sometimes they are necessary, but we almost all know there’s going to be a fuel stop for the National Open.”

“Let’s be honest here, so you get lined up, run the 4-wide, wait for somebody to get a battery changed on a Raceiver radio, normally happens, and then get fired off to start the feature, we’re already at like 48 laps combined. And if they’re trying to go 55, we’re pretty much getting a fuel stop,” Dietrich explained. “I just think it’s kinda dumb. Either schedule the fuel stop like lap 10, which I think is just absolutely stupid, or just go 30 laps and be done with it.”

“If you’re going to run 40 with a fuel stop, you might as well run 50 with a fuel stop that being the case,” he continued. “You might as well run 20 and then run 30.”

The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series heads to Ohio this weekend for the three-race Sheldon Haudenschild’s NOS Energy Drink Buckeye Brawl. They will be at Millstream Speedway on Thursday, October 8th then head to Mansfield Speedway on Friday, October 9th, and finally conclude at Sharon Speedway on Saturday, October 10th.

NEXT: Sheldon Haudenschild’s Homecoming Sends World Of Outlaws Sprint Cars To Three Ohio Ovals