Cody Sommer and the Race DRT team were very pleased with how driver Tyler Carpenter and the team performed at the World 100 and shared how it boosted their confidence and motivation for more.

The team had an up and down weekend, but they achieved their goal of qualifying for the World 100 by winning their heat race on Saturday. Unfortunately, it came to an end early as Carpenter got into the outside turn 2 wall while sliding Dustin Sorensen for the fourth position with 89 laps left in the race. Nevertheless, the team was proud of its performance throughout the weekend, which included two sixth place qualifying runs on both Thursday and Friday night as well as making the feature on Friday night.

💔 Tyler Carpenter into the wall while battling in the top 5 at @EldoraSpeedway!#World100 | September 12 | Live on FloRacing 📺 pic.twitter.com/NyBbmrohy8

— FloRacing (@FloRacing) September 13, 2026

In a post to Facebook, Sommer highlighted the team’s accomplishments, “Qualifying 6th overall back to back days and winning a heat race in convincing fashion, ahead of the eventual World 100 winner is something we are very proud of. Although we only ran 11 laps in the WORLD 100 main event, I thought we looked great, we were fast and in a great position steadily inside the top 5 (On a slick racing surface btw).”

“We had something for them to at least make it interesting,” he added. “I would have loved to have seen the outcome of the full 100 lapper but things happen in racing.”

Carpenter told StockCarReport.com that he would likely struggle in the slick as he has throughout his career, but knows that in order to improve he’s got to make laps in it, “At the end of the day, we both knew we was going to struggle when it slickened up. We’ve got minimum laps on this and it’s a chassis he built on his own and there’s not really much of a notebook. Obviously, we’re both learning here.”

He elaborated on why the he and the team struggles in the slick, “It’s obviously a setup issue, whether it’s me driving the track right. At the end of the day, there’s multiple excuses, but the motor’s not one of them. Gibbons actually put out a hell of a piece here. I think we’ve got the best motor in the pit area.”

“As of right now, even in my own stuff, we just struggle in this-. The high speed slick has always kicked my butt here,” Carpenter added.

He reiterated that after winning his heat race, “The only goal was to make the race. When this place gets slick we get in trouble.”

Despite the struggles in the slick, Sommer had high praise for Carpenter and how he was able to adapt to the Race DRT car so effortlessly, “Let’s not forget, Tyler has only been in the car a couple of times and we don’t really have much of a notebook at this point… so to even be in the conversation is remarkable.”

“This car, the adjustments and how we do things at DRT is very different than what Tyler is accustomed to. It is unbelievable he is able to just hop into something new like this and go fast fearlessly… it shows you just how good of a driver he truly is.”

“Think of it like this… the DRT car has only ever had a RR4 on it maybe 3 times total in its entire existence and it has NEVER had 3’s and a RR4 on it EVER, until the World 100 main event on Saturday,” Sommer elaborated. “Think about that for a second… that is remarkable and it makes you wonder, what we could possibly accomplish if we were doing this more often.”

In closing, Sommer shared how the weekend’s performance and the feedback he got from the rest of the pit area has given him and the team more confidence and motivation moving forward, “I’ve received a lot of messages from very notable people in the sport that were impressed, excited and supportive of everything we accomplished this weekend. Honestly, when you have the support and respect of the pit area, that means you are doing something right and that is very rewarding and important to me.”

“In closing, it was an absolute blast, we were certainly “Gibbons” them hell this weekend and we look forward to the next one!”

As for whether Carpenter will be back behind the wheel of the Race DRT No. 13, Carpenter shared, “We’re going to play it by ear. We both like working with each other. He’s got a good thing going. I do too to an extent. We just try to have fun and try to make a statement for both of us.”

Carpenter plans to be back in action in his own equipment later this month when he heads to Michigan for the first time for the 28th Annual Corn Harvest Classic at Mid Michigan Raceway Park that takes place from September 24-26.

As for the Race DRT team, it is unclear what’s next on its agenda, but they will have Cleetus McFarland in the car during the Gateway Dirt Nationals in December and have at least one more test session planned to get him more accustomed to the car. McFarland indicated that test session would also include Carson Hocevar, “I’m trying to get Carson to come so that I can run cars with him and pass and do all that stuff. I can see that being dangerous for both of our vehicles, but I got to get a little bit of passing data before I just go.”

Sommer indicated he would work on it, “We’ll line that up next time.”

NEXT: Inside Nick Hoffman’s Path To ‘Unbelievable’ World 100 Breakthrough