(11/14/24, By Michael Gilmer) … Is Clovis, California becoming a hotbed for up-and-coming sprint car talent? If so, Dominic Gorden just might be next in line, following 2023 NARC champion Corey Day.
Gorden, the driver of the number “10” Fortitude Racing Team sprint car, hopes to be the next open wheel pilot to bring eyes and attention on Fresno County.
The 18-year-old racer finished a very respectable eighth in the final NARC championship points standings this season. It was a very impressive showing in his first full year with the traveling NARC racing organization.
Gorden was eager to talk about his first season on the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series.
“I have learned a lot racing with NARC,” said Gorden. “Going to new tracks and racing with the best competition has really helped me elevate my game.”
Gorden gives high praise to the fierce competition that he has faced with NARC. He has battled the best drivers and teams at 16 different dirt ovals this season, some of which are notably tougher than others.
“I feel like out of all the tracks, Tulare is probably the most challenging for me,” admitted Gorden.
The Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare is notorious for its tricky and tactical racing surface. It is also very unforgiving with a concrete and steel wall surrounding the 1/3 mile high-banked oval. However, the youngster tackled the track with a positive attitude and qualified for the main event with the national World of Outlaws in September. On October 12th, he took it up another level and posted a third-place NARC feature finish after starting 16th. That earned him the “Hardcharger Award.”
“My favorite part about racing with NARC is being able to race against some of the best on the west coast.”
Competing with the likes of Justin Sanders and Cole Macedo is never an easy task, but he was up for the challenge in 2024. In his first season with NARC, he scored 11 top ten finishes, including five in the top five. Included in the mix was a legacy-building NARC feature victory at the prestigious Super Dirt Cup in Washington. Not bad for a rookie driver!
How did that victory pan out?
“Well, we started the night off going 40th out of 43 cars” explained Gorden, figuring he was already behind the proverbial eight-ball entering qualifying. He turned that into a respectable qualifying time.
“We went 15th quick so I started sixth in my heat (race),” continued Gorden. “We battled but were only able to pass one car moving up to fifth.”
The unique Super Dirt Cup racing format allowed him to earn the sixth starting spot for the 30-lap main event.
“I knew I had some work to do starting sixth, but from the drop of the green flag I knew I had a great car,” which Gorden drove up to second place behind race leader Tanner Carrick midway through the event. “I battled with Tanner for a few laps before I was finally able to make the pass and completely take off.”
On the biggest stage in front of a national audience, Gorden and his team delivered, and he thanks his dad Mike Gorden for his tremendous support. The potent combination, along with a dedicated pit crew, has been impressive up and down the West Coast.
“I can’t say enough about what my team does for me,” said Gorden at the recent NARC championship awards banquet. “My crew guys Jarrett and Sean work so hard week-in and week-out burning the midnight oil to get us racing every weekend.”
Now that he has graduated from high school, he admits that traveling up and down the west coast racing a sprint car feels like a dream. He managed to get to this point by participating in online school, which allowed him the freedom to manage a workable racing/education balance. He is proud of that.
As we look forward to the 2025 season, keep an eye on Clovis driver Dominic Gorden. He has gained some valuable experience and plans to elevate this game into a successful sprint car career.