Whynot Motorsports Park
Career-high payday sends Putnam lifeline
Josh Putnam celebrates at Whynot Motorsports Park. (Wesley Wring/@outlawedits)
During a winless season, Josh Putnam of Florence, Ala., has struggled to keep his modestly funded team afloat. The 44-year-old Dirt Late Model veteran had darn near hit rock bottom heading to the weekend’s 32nd annual Coors Light Fall Classic at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, Miss.
"We robbed the T-shirt fund out of the trailer to pay entry fees this weekend,” Putnam said.
The good news? He can restore the T-shirt fund — and more — after his stunning 60-lap victory Saturday at the racy quarter-mile oval that paid a career-high $20,000.
In a feature where Putnam ran a quiet third most of the way, he scooted under the contact-filled battle between Ashton Winter and Drake Troutman with two laps to go and edged away for the latest dramatic victory in a race that’s had its share of thrillers.
"We've been down,” Putnam said. “This is the first win and what a helluva win.”
Putnam last year was ranked among the top five Alabama drivers over the first 25 years of the century, but he’s gone through plenty of struggles since capturing 2023’s Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series championship, winning just three times.
Putnam came to Whynot without a victory since June 2025, but with a new Rocket Chassis provided by Gerald Horne and a Jay Dickens Racing Engine that supporters supplied. He put the equipment to good use in winning from his fourth starting spot in the unforgettable Whynot event.
“Everybody has done everything they can to keep this thing on the road with my poor performances — and I'm just glad to give one to them,” Putnam said.
While polesitter Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., led the first 23 laps, once Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., took control before halfway, it appeared Winger was on his way to becoming the first four-time winner of the Charles and Jannie Thrash-promoted event at Rodney Wing’s popular track.
But with 10 laps remaining, Troutman tracked down Winger and the frontrunners began a back-and-forth battle, swapping slide jobs, sheetmetal and positions. Suddenly Putnam, running a conservative line on the inside groove against his high-flying foes, slipped by and grabbed the lead. Soon enough he was pounding on his car’s roof in victory lane, then standing on that same roof to celebrate one of the biggest victories of his career.
Watching on the frontstretch were the disappointed losers: Winger and Troutman.
Winger was ready to accept any blame Troutman threw his way.
"I probably deserve to have my ass beat. Drake should have won that race. I pretty much (screwed) him out of it. Apologies to them guys. That was dumb. Congrats to Josh on the win and that was bush league there by me,” Winger said. "I just kind of got to trying too hard there and didn't really know where to be, and then once me and Drake got to going back and forth, he did everything right and stayed off of me.”
Troutman, at least during his frontstretch interview, gave Winger a pass.
“It’s just part of racing, hard racing. I had a really good car and all my guys did all the right stuff,” he said. "I don't know, I think me and Winger gave it away there (messing round) with each other. Congrats to Josh on the win.”
Putnam was glad to receive the congratulations, but he wasn’t sure if he'd be able to overtake Winger and Troutman.
Before his victory lane interview, he said this to his crew: “I didn’t think we was gonna get there.”
But he made it and told the Whynot fans about it in his winner’s interview.
“On that start, we were real good and I just didn't want to get on that top because I didn't want to use my tires up,” he said. “I wanted to keep (his tires fresh) and I knew this (track) polished off last night and we sealed some tires up. So I just drove with no wheelspin and tried my best not to slide this thing and have it for the end.
“That's not me. I like to get up on the damn wheel, mash on this thing, but it shows you that patience — and a little age — and calming down will get you wins.”
His voice cracked.
"I'm sorry,” he said. “I’m emotional.”
The good kind of emotions as he considered how he’d pay back his T-shirt fund and use the rest to make his No. 212 go faster.
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