By Tony Veneziano

Dustin Daggett is a firm believer that races are won and lost in the shop. That axiom is proving to be true so far this season. Following a productive offseason, with countless hours spent gearing up for the 2018 campaign, the native of Portland, MI, has opened the Great Lakes Super Sprints (GLSS) season with three consecutive wins.

Daggett, who owns his own team, made a number of upgrades to his equipment over the winter, including getting a 2016 chassis after running a car that he estimated was 10 or 12 years old last year. The veteran driver opened this season with a win at I-96 Speedway and followed that up with a pair of victories over Memorial Day Weekend at Tri-City Motor Speedway and Crystal Motor Speedway. All three of those venues are in his home state of Michigan.

“We are a little more prepared this year than what we were last year,” Daggett said. “We have a couple of good engines. I have all of my equipment and things together. I drove for somebody for 11 years and he ended up selling stuff and I was back to running on my own again. I finally got to the point where I am comfortable again.”

Being an owner/operator, Daggett is always cognizant of the fact that he is responsible for any repairs to the race car. More importantly, the 35-year-old points out that his family comes first and foremost and then the race car.

“When it comes out of your own pocket, you definitely have to extra careful on the track,” Daggett noted. “I have a good job, but I have three kids and a wife I have to take care of before my race car gets taken care of. You always have a little extra on your mind, when you own your own equipment.”

Daggett doesn’t feel any pressure when it comes to his undefeated start to the season. 

He will return to GLSS action on June 8-9, with a pair of races in Indiana as he looks to extend his perfect start to the 2018 campaign.

“Winning keeps the momentum going,” he shared. “I think it makes me feel more comfortable in the car and more confident. The car has been working very good. Things are going well and it doesn’t hurt to have a little luck on your side as well.”

Daggett has been a staunch supporter of the GLSS since the series debuted in 2016. Car counts have continued to steadily rise for the series, which is based out of Merrill, MI. In 2016, a total of 75 drivers competed in at least one race with the series. That number grew to 98 last season. Thus far in 2018, in just three races, 43 drivers have already signed in at a series event.

“Barry (Marlow, operator of GLSS) keeps upping the payout, which is what his plan was from the start,” Daggett explained. “The payout is really good for being a local series. You just can’t beat it. Barry treats people well and treats them with respect, just like you would want to be treated yourself. It’s a really good group to run and I’ll do everything I can to support them and help keep things going and get some sponsors.”

The GLSS schedule consists of 22 races this season at 10 tracks in three states. The bulk of the schedule is contested in Michigan, though the series also has three races in Indiana and one in West Virginia. Daggett, who has been racing for about 20 years, has competed at numerous tracks in his home state. He also has traveled to Ohio quite a bit and has three career wins at the famed Eldora Speedway as well as being victorious at Limaland Motorsports Park.

“By traveling a bit, it shows that we cover a wide range of area, which is good exposure for any kind of sponsor and I think it helps them,” he commented. “We get to race with some different drivers as well, which is always a good thing. You can see how you stack up against other areas that way.”

Daggett, who has won five championships with the Sprints on Dirt (SOD) in his career and is the winningest driver in that series history with 87 triumphs, is chasing his first GLSS title this year. He finished fourth in points last year and was second in the series inaugural season in 2016, coming up just 20 points short of winning the title.

“Ultimately, chasing the GLSS championship is what we are after this year,” he stated. “I don't know how many more years I’ll be running a complete series for a championship. I bought a couple of quarter-midgets and my son is almost 5 years old and we’ve been running some laps with that. Things might turn around and I might start spending more time on him racing and not on my racing.”

While this weekend is an off weekend for the GLSS, Daggett will be in action at his home track of I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa as the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series makes its one and only appearance of the season in Michigan.

“It would be nice to have a good run with the Outlaws and have a decent finish,” Daggett said. “I always try to race with them when they are around here. I think we have a pretty decent car. We have the momentum going this year, so maybe we can have some good luck out there. I always enjoy getting to race with them.”

2018 GLSS 360 Sprints - Winged Points Standings