National notebook
Notes: Johnny Scott steps away from Late Models
Johnny Scott (Zackary Washington/Simple Moments Photography)
Johnny Scott has relished his opportunity to drive a Dirt Late Model for the last few seasons. He’s decided, though, that he’s come to the end of the line with his action in the division — at least for the foreseeable future.
The 33-year-old driver from Las Cruces, N.M., listed two complete Longhorn Chassis machines in his Rancho Milagro Racing team’s stable for sale in a Facebook post earlier this week, indicating that changes were coming with his competitive efforts. He confirmed that he is leaving the class to allow his team’s focus to be centered on his twin brother Stormy’s Dirt Late Model action.
“It was a hard decision to have to make because I love racing Late Models,” Scott said. “But just with me and my brother owning all our own stuff, it’s getting harder and harder for us to keep running two full Late Model teams because of the cost of everything.”
Scott indicated that he plans to remain active behind the wheel by returning to his roots in the open-wheel modified division, which he excelled in with his sibling before they began transitioning to the Dirt Late Model ranks. But he’s not going to continue fielding a Late Model program alongside his brother.
According to Scott, his grandparents, Ed and Trudy Healy, “help us as much as they can,” but he noted that “over the last three years everything everything has just doubled, if not tripled, in price, and it’s getting harder to get sponsors. So it’s just been tough to make a living, especially if you don’t win all the time, which is tough in the Super Late Model class.”
Indeed, Scott has shown flashes of breaking through in Dirt Late Model competition, most notably in 2022 with a pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victories at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., and a World 100 preliminary triumph at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. He also captured seven Lucas Oil MLRA features over the 2020 and ’22 seasons.
This year Scott attempted to step out as a full-time national touring driver for the first time, joining the World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series in pursuit of Rookie of the Year honors. He’s struggled immensely, however, registering just two top-10 finishes in 24 starts while also experiencing speed bumps physically: he missed a race in the spring with an infection in his foot and effectively ended his run on the circuit in late August after an accident at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway left him with a concussion and sore neck and back.
While Scott said he’s “back to 100 percent” since his Davenport crash, he hasn’t run a race since then. And now he’s leaving his family team’s Late Models to his brother and looking toward another path in racing.
“I wanna build my own mods someday,” Scott said, envisioning himself as a chassis builder in the future. “I just gotta get a little business going. I’ve been around racing my whole life so I would like to stay in the industry rather than just getting out of it all together.
“I’m grateful for the experience I had racing Late Models,” he added. “It has been my dream since a little kid, so at least I got to do it for a few years. And who knows? Maybe I’ll get the chance to do it again one day.” — Kevin Kovac
WEEKLY AT I-96 NEXT SEASON: I-96 Speedway general manager Eric Meyers announced last week that the Lake Odessa, Mich., facility will run unsanctioned Super Late Models weekly on a track that will return to its 3/8-mile layout for 2024. The track hosted only a few Late Model events in 2023 but plans weekly events with unsanctioned Super Late Models, modifieds, pro stocks, street stocks and mini wedges with plans for a handful of sprint car events.
TAZEWELL INCENTIVES: Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway will offer free entry for Crate Late Models at Oct. 7’s $10,000-to-win Marvin Ford Memorial on the Crate Racin’ USA Series with Secret City Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Oak Ridge and Pilot-Flying J Travel Centers covering the $200 entry for each team. Pilot-Flying J is also giving each entry a $100 fuel card. In other series news, Crate Racin’ USA has scheduled is postseason banquet for Jan. 13, 2024, at The Listening Room in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. More details will be announced.
STEEL BLOCKS AT 411: With a pair of five-figure payday 604 Crate Late Model events at tracks in the region, 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn., has added a Steel-Block Late Model division to the Oct. 7 program. The six-division program will be on Pink Out Night to support Breast Cancer Awareness.
PEORIA RETURNS: After taking a break to add new clay to the track, Peoria (Ill.) Speedway will resume weekly action Oct. 7 with Super Late Models among divisions on the card. The track, which cancelled its $5,000 Illinois State Championship event for Super Late Models the last weekend in September, hosted an Oct. 1 practice session to get the new surface dialed in.
RIVERSIDE SPECIAL: Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., has scheduled a Super Late Model event for Oct. 21 with stock cars and mini sprints on the schedule. The track’s Nov. 4 King of Memphis season finale will showcase winged sprint cars.
ALABAMA SPECIAL: Hollis Speedway in Heflin, Ala., has scheduled its fifth annual Winter Bash for Dec. 8–9. Prelims are set for Dec. 8 with features on Dec. 9 including a $1,500-to-win Limited Late Model feature and $1,000-to-win event for 602 Crate Late Models. All eight divisions will run 32-lap feature events.
WHEATLAND TWEAK: The 2024 Limited Late Model division at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., will conform largely to Unified Dirt Late Model rules with the exception of the track’s 2023 engine, ignition and tire rules. The move was made to “help unify the bodies, suspension, etc., with other Late Model series,” general manager Danny Lorton said. The track also announced that Hermitage Lumber is returning as the division’s title sponsor.
WILLARD ADDS EVENT: Willard (Ky.) Speedway, which has been dark since Aug. 19 with a resurfacing of the track, has scheduled an Oct. 14 event. No details were announced on divisions or purses. The track hosted an Oct. 1 practice on the new surface and has scheduled an Oct. 8 practice as well at the quarter-mile oval in eastern Kentucky.
