BARBERVILLE, Fla. — A simple answer of a phone call from David Reutimann has earned Ethan Dotson a ride in next weekend’s DIRTcar UMP Modified special — the 11th annual Emil & Dale Reutimann Memorial.
Dotson, the 25-year-old breakout super late model talent from Bakersfield, Calif., will drive a brand-new Beak Built Chassis — the dirt modified brand owned and founded by Reutimann — at the event that honors the Reutimann family, chasing the $10,000 grand prize in the 50-lap main event on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Despite his new place as a regular of the national dirt late model ranks, Dotson said he couldn’t turn down an opportunity to return to his modified roots on a track he’s come to know and love.
“David reached out a couple of months ago to see if I was interested,” Dotson said of how the agreement came together. “I talked to Steve (Arpin) about it, and he was cool, so I thought it would be super cool to race David Reutimann’s car at their family race.”
The former dirt modified star won the ninth edition of the marquee event at Volusia Speedway Park in 2022. Last year, after setting the fastest lap of all 49 entrants, mechanical failure struck him early, disabling his car on the first lap of his Showdown Feature and forcing him to retire from the event without a single lap of racing logged.
But that’s all behind him now. Dotson’s passion for competition will drive him back to Florida for another shot at the big check and the signature Crystal Tractor trophy.
“I’m a racer, I’ll race anything,” Dotson said. “I love racing, I don’t care what it is. I love Modifieds; they’re the only reason I have a late model career.
“I like Volusia in a modified getting around there, and it’s what I do for a living.”
Since winning the Reutimann Memorial two years ago, Dotson has made a full transition from his dirt modified roots in the Upper Midwest to super late models. In May, he joined the South Carolina-based ASD Motorsports team to pilot their flagship car, most notably scoring victories with the DIRTcar-sanctioned Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series and COMP Cams Super Dirt Series.
Given his strong dirt racing resume and past success at Volusia, Dotson will be coming into the event as one of the favorites. If he can get the job done on Saturday night, he’ll garner Reutimann’s third win in the event — first as a car owner — after he won the race himself in 2015 and 2016.
“Lot of pressure, because I’ve definitely gotta show up and try to get them a win, that’s why they picked me,” Dotson said. “I’m excited, though.”
Reutimann has owned and operated Beak Built Chassis for over a decade, and while Dotson has yet to race one, he said he’s full of confidence in the product he’ll have for the weekend. A second win in the event would tie him with Reutimann and Nick Hoffman (2021, 2023) for most as a driver.
“We tested a couple weeks ago at [The Dirt Track at Charlotte]; they built a brand-new car and stuff,” Dotson said. “It went around there, and I think we got a good shot.”