HAMPTON, Ga. — Fists were flying for DGM Racing following Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
No, not fists that led to a post-race fight, rather fist pumps in the air for the underfunded race team putting two of its Chevrolets in the top 10, beating some of the sport’s Goliaths.
“We don‘t even belong in the top 20 with the budget we have compared to the guys we‘re racing against,” Mario Gosselin, team owner of DGM Racing told Jayski.com after the race. “And we come here and finish sixth and eighth. We‘re overachieving and outrunning cars that we shouldn‘t be outrunning.”
Those two cars were driven by Mason Massey, who finished a career best sixth and Kyle Weatherman, who matched his best career effort in eighth.
Post-race, both drivers were emotional for different reasons.
At the beginning of the year, Weatherman was announced to drive the first five races for DGM Racing. The unfortunate part of Atlanta is, for now, it’s his last race until more sponsorship comes to the forefront.
“Hopefully, we can put some more stuff together, but it‘s not looking like we‘re going to be going to [Circuit of The Americas],” Weatherman added. “Hopefully, we can find a few sponsors along the way and keep on moving forward.”
P.8 ABSOLUTELY awesome for our @dgm_racing_ team! Can‘t thank @LSTractorUSA enough for this weekend! Unfortunately due to Sponsorship will not be going to @NASCARatCOTA 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/YAgq6PjU2B
— Kyle Weatherman (@KyleWeatherman) March 20, 2022
Massey is scheduled to run all the ovals during the 2022 season, but got off to a mediocre start to the campaign. The No. 91 Chevrolet failed to qualify in the season opener at Daytona, and had a best effort of 23rd in his first three starts.
Avoiding the late-race chaos at Atlanta, which featured seven cautions in the final stage Massey shot up the scoring pylon to sixth. Prior to Saturday’s extravaganza, he had a best result of 17th in 26 starts.
“I‘m feeling emotional right now because we‘ve had such bad luck and all the hard work it took to get here,” Massey said post race. “I‘m really proud of my team, proud of my sponsors. What a day, what a day.”
On the final overtime restart, Massey restarted inside the top 10. His primary goal was to just avoid any additional chaos, giving his No. 91 car the best opportunity at a good result.
Mission accomplished for the Georgia native.
“It was getting pretty hectic out there,” he said. “My spotter Trey Poole did a really awesome job. I was super impressed with him. He guided me through there on that last green white checkered and got us up to sixth. It means a lot to get my best finish at my home track.”
Like Massey, Weatherman hadn’t gotten off to the best start of the season either, with three finishes outside of the top 25 in the opening four weeks. However, the No. 92 car has shown glimpses of speed, qualifying inside the top 10 last weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
Weatherman stayed out of trouble and kept his car clean, leading to a solid day at the office in Atlanta.
“It‘s awesome for Mario, he deserves it,” Weatherman said of his finish, shrugging away any glory. “It shows what he‘s been doing in the offseason. It‘s really cool for LS to be on board and get a top 10 here. It‘s been really good and a good organization to be a part of.
Massey won’t compete at COTA, either. He will next be driving the No. 91 car at Richmond Raceway in two weeks.
Atlanta was the third time in team history DGM put two cars inside the top 10. It was, however, the first time at a mile-and-a-half racetrack, as the other two came in the inaugural race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2020 and Talladega later that year.
Finishing better than some of the big teams in the series is a bonus for DGM.
“I‘m so proud of all these guys,” Gosselin added. “So many people put such an effort, from our gear people, transmission people, guys in the shop, so many people behind the scenes.
“I‘ve got a group of racers here. We don‘t have a lot of people and we don‘t have a lot of resources, but everybody works their butts off and this is what makes it worth it. There‘s a lot of 1 and 2 in the mornings, wore out and drive [to the track]. It‘s very rewarding.”
The team is confident heading to a road course, too. In the series’ last start when turning left and right, Preston Pardus put a DGM entry inside the top 10 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
