BARBERVILLE, Fla. — Recapping the 54th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park with a list of superlatives from the three World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series features and three DIRTcar-sanctioned programs contested at the half-mile oval near Daytona Beach (complete Speedweeks coverage):

Best driver: Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., was a nightly contender, winning twice (Tuesday’s 25-lapper, Wednesday’s first Triple 20) and recording five top-five finishes MORE

OCALA, Fla. — Recapping the inaugural Wieland Winter Nationals at Ocala Speedway with a list of superlatives from five Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events at the 3/8-mile, D-shaped oval (complete Speedweeks coverage):

Best driver: Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., enjoyed a superb week, winning twice (back-to-back Wednesday and Thursday) and adding finishes of third (Tuesday), fifth (Friday) and second (Saturday) to stand as the lone driver to place inside the top-five every night. He MORE

VADO, N.M. — Recapping the 19th annual Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts with superlatives from five Super Late Model programs contested at Vado Speedway Park (complete Wild West Shootout coverage):

Best driver: Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., who became the winningest driver in miniseries history while tallying four victories for the second straight year at Vado, increasing his career victory total at the track to 10.

Best feature: The Jan. 5 MORE

The text came early this morning, a reminder how quickly bad news can sweep across the horizon to blot out the sunshine and steal the joy of a promising new day.

Scott Bloomquist, killed early this morning while flying his airplane near his Mooresburg, Tenn., home.

At first, it sounded impossible. Bloomer, you see, was an unstoppable force, operating beyond normal human constraints. It would take more than a silly airplane to silence him. This was surely yet another Internet hoax.

But no, it was MORE

Editor's note: DirtonDirt.com managing editor Todd Turner (pictured left) of Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 10 was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. This is his acceptance speech:

When I was a kid in the early 1970s watching cars go around in circles while devouring every auto racing story in the Courier-Journal and Louisville Times, I never could have imagined a career as a short-track motorsports journalist. To say it was a dream wouldn’t be accurate — it wasn’t in the MORE