Ryan Roberts

Landing his long-awaited opportunity for full-time racing, Josh Rice of Crittenden, Ky., has signed with James Rattliff’s Campbellsville, Ky.-based JRR Motorsports with plans to follow a national tour in 2026.

The rising 27-year-old talent joins JRR in the seat previously filled by Daulton Wilson of Fayetteville, N.C., who departs the team following four seasons on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Rattliff will also continue to field regional efforts for his son Justin Rattliff  along with regional standout Jason Jameson of Lawrenceburg, Ind.

Rice made his unofficial debut with JRR on Oct. 11 in a winning weekly show outing at Atomic Speedway in Alma, Ohio. His first start as the team’s lead driver will come in this weekend’s Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series doubleheader at Atomic with additional action planned for Nov. 5-8’s World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte before they look toward ’26 and an assault on either the Lucas Oil Series or World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series.

“I’m pretty excited about going racing with Josh,” said Rattliff, the 59-year-old operator of JRR Auto Sales who has been a Dirt Late Model team owner for two decades. “I like his style. He’s very aggressive. He’s got a good fan base. I feel like he’s deserving of a chance to race a national tour. We’re definitely gonna give him a shot and see what we can do.”

Well known for his success at his home track, Florence Speedway in Union, Ky., Rice has developed into one of his area’s top regional racers. He won nine times this season in his Rick Jones-owned equipment, including a career-high $30,000 victory in a Dream preliminary at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and captured his third straight Northern Allstars Late Model Series championship. He has two Lucas Oil Series triumphs on his resume, both at Florence in 2021 and ’22.

Rice, who plans to leave his job at the DHL logistics company in the coming months to become a full-time driver, is thankful to Rattliff for giving him the chance to further his racing career.

“We’ve done it as long as we could for somebody to pick us up, and I really feel like it was the perfect timing,” Rice said. “I’ve had other offers and turned them down. I think I could have went full time a couple years ago, but I'm really glad I didn't. I think it would have hurt me in a way. I don’t want to go to James’s and not feel like I’m ready, and now I feel like I am.”

Rice will campaign JRR’s Longhorn Chassis — although Rattliff didn’t rule out getting the Rocket Chassis that Rice is familiar with if he struggles to adjust — and veteran racer Dean Bowen, who joined JRR this season as Wilson’s crew chief, will remain in the same position with Rice.