Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends
Notes: Young Virginian loves circling dirt tracks
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt managing editor
Braeson Fulton (Jason Dudley/JDuds Media)
A third-generation dirt racer, Braeson Fulton is following the tire tracks of his talented grandfather and father. But even if racing courses through your veins, that doesn’t mean pointing a race car the right direction always comes naturally. When the 23-year-old Fulton of Staunton, Va., first got behind the wheel of a Crate Late Model in 2022, it wasn’t particularly pretty.
“My issue was, I was never really afraid to hold the gas down,” Fulton said. “But I didn't really know what I was doing, so I hit a lot of walls. There was a lot of nosepieces that had to go on the race car. There was a couple rear ends that had to go in the race car. So it was survive and advance for me for the first year, it felt like.”
“And then somewhere in that second year it just kind of all clicked and I kind of looked up and the next thing I know I was standing in victory lane.”
It’s been a satisfying improvement for the racer who says his family has "been racing since I opened my eyes.” He won four Crate Late Model features last season, including three at Natural Bridge (Va.) Speedway, where he captured the competitive division championship. Fulton also started 2025 off right, winning the season opener at Beckley (W.Va.) Motor Speedway to find himself atop DirtonDirt’s Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends.
A former catcher for James Madison University’s baseball team, most of Fulton’s time these days is consumed with his family’s ARC Con HD Drilling business that’s just getting off the ground. But most Saturdays, Fulton climbs behind the wheel of his race car as he carries on the family tradition with hopes of potentially racing full time.
Tommy Fulton of Muskogee, Okla., was a longtime and successful racer at his hometown track and beyond, a former IMCA Late Model Rookie of the Year and winner of a major modified event in Amarillo, Texas, among other successes. His son Justin came next, racing full time for a stretch at Muskogee and regional tracks, then continuing his Late Model competition when the family relocated to Virginia a dozen or so years ago when Braeson was a youngster.
When injuries ended his baseball career, Braeson shifted to racing. His father eventually climbing out of the car to support his son.
“We didn't have a whole lot of help, so basically just both of us working on our own race cars and I was a dummy, so I didn't know what to do half the time,” the younger Fulton said. “Once I kind of got going and kind of showed him my potential, he decided to step away and he pretty much tells me now he's officially retired, but I've been on him about getting something or getting a modified” to continue competing.
Justin Fulton, 46, enjoys tuning on his son’s car, and fortunately he’s able to translate what Braeson feels into potent suspension setups.
"He takes all of my feedback,” the younger Fulton said. “We were actually joking the other day, we won last weekend at Beckley and we were joking, and I was like, ‘Man, I'm so glad that you understand, my — for lack of better terms — my street dancing in the trailer trying to show him what the car's doing and what I want it to do and basically, translating my sounds and my movement with my body with what I wanna do with the race car.’
“Like I said, me and him are, we're really tight and half the time we can talk without talking, seems like, so he knows exactly what I wanna do with the car and what it feels (like) and what I'm wanting. He does a great job with that and, without him, I definitely wouldn't have had near the success I've had early on.”
Fulton also gets crew help from Kevin Myrtle, support from Benji Hicks of Double Nickel Race Cars (Fulton was awarded a chassis by virtue of his Natural Bridge title) and several sponsors, including C&L RV Center owner Mike Berkenbile back in Oklahoma.
"I don't know how much advertising I can do in Virginia for an RV company that's in Muskogee, but he still helps us out, so I always give a big thank you,” Fulton said.
While his success last season was in a Rocket Chassis, Fulton has settled into the Double Nickel car and appreciates the "small-business feel” of technical support from the Mount Airy, N.C., chassis manufacturer.
"I'm starting to really settle in and feel comfortable in the cockpit, and like I said, I got great help with my dad with the setups,” Fulton said. “Of course, I may be a little biased, but I feel like when it comes to suspension setup, and then driver and tuner feedback, I truly feel like it's a second-to-none relationship and I really feel like when I pull onto the racetrack, I feel like I have just as good if not better equipment and setup as anybody out there.”
Racing is still a hobby for now as Fulton often has 16-hour workdays with ARC Con HD Drilling, where he’s the director of operations. Previously working in the cellular space, the family business has transitioned to underground utilities, using horizontal directional drills to install fiber optic lines. If the business continues to be successful, Fulton hopes to find more time — and have more funds — for racing.
“If we can kind of get this deal rolling, and get it off the ground and get it where it manages itself, I may have the opportunity to kind of fund my own operation obviously with my dad’s help. Just see where it takes us,” Fulton said. “As simple and as dumb as it probably sounds, I just wanna drive around dirt circles. I don't really know why. There's a lot of people don't really understand why, and I can't ever really tell them. I just love driving around dirt circles as fast as I can. Just whatever opportunity, if one ever comes up, it's icing on the cake.”
Fulton has victories at Natural Bridge, Beckley and Winchester (Va.) Speedway and plans to branch out to more tracks and potentially upgrade to Limited Late Models.
“Of course I feel like anybody's dream is to get in the Super (Late Model) and see how far you can go in the Super world, and that's definitely where I wanna work to,” he said. “I would say immediately with my life setup and not having a whole lot of sponsor help, the next step would probably be a CT 525 (engine) and run the Limited Late Model stuff. I'm hoping to do that within the next year or so, but like I said, once I build my resume and maybe get in contact with the right guys, if a Super ride ever called, I'd be out the door as fast as I could be.
"I'm just a race car driver that’s trying to figure it out and loves to drive it,” he said. “I love to drive race cars and I have some really good help and you know I'm blessed enough to get to do it on the weekend. I'm gonna keep doing it until maybe one of these days I could turn that La Joie (racing) seat into an office chair.”
Weekly highlights
• Posting a two-victory weekend in Limited Late Model competition, Andrew Yoder of Middleburg, Pa., won April 26 at Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway and April 27 at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway.
• Making the winning pass exiting turn four on the final lap, Mitch Morris of McCausland, Iowa, overtook Travis Denning amid traffic for an April 26 Late Model victory at Maquoketa (Iowa) Speedway.
• Winning April 26 at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., polesitter Chad Mahder of Bloomer, Wis., halted James Giossi’s two-race winning streak with a Late Model victory.
• Cole Searing of Huron, S.D., captured April 26’s Late Model feature at Ogilvie (Minn.) Raceway to snap Tyler Peterson’s three-race winning streak.
• Overtaking standout Mark Whitener with four laps remaining, Trynt Lloyd of Jacksonville, Fla., earned a $1,500 Crate Late Model victory April 26 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.
First things first
Recent first-time occurrences at the dirt track:
• Winning his first Limited Late Model feature, Ty Ellis of Covington, Ga., took the April 26 checkers at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway. He’s a previous winner in 602 Crates.
• Landen Jackson of Norco, La., won his first 604 Crate Late Model feature April 26 at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss.
• Winning April 26’s 602 Crate Late Model feature at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, 15-year-old Kayla Burdett of Cataula, Ga., notched her first victory in the division.
• Division rookie Logan Veloz, 21, of Colona, Ill., won April 25 at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway in his third career IMCA Late Model start.
• Third-generation driver Hayden Cliburn of Star, Miss., notched his first Crate Late Model victory April 26 at Jackson Motor Speedway in Byram, Miss.
• Jonah Bozeman of Moultrie, Ga., won his first 604 Crate Late Model feature April 26 at Needmore Speedway in Norman Park, Ga.
• Hometown driver Morghan Johnson captured his first 602 Crate Late Model victory April 26 at Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
• Winning April 26 at Path Valley Speedway in Spring Run, Pa., 16-year-old Trent Merkel of Boyertown, Pa., notched his first Limited Late Model victory.
Weekly news briefs
• Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park announced it will pay the registration fee for the top 10 drivers in track points at Friday’s Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series event.
• Continued offseason improvements at Hibbing (Minn.) Speedway have postponed opening night to May 24. Weather has delayed some projects while the track’s new frontstretch catchfence is scheduled for a mid-May install.
• Thunderbird Raceway in Muskegon, Mich., has postponed the scheduled May 9 Super Late Model special event; the makeup date hasn’t been determined for the race with an unpublicized purse.
• Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, N.Y., drew eight Crate Late Models to the first of three divisional appearances for the RUSH-sanctioned division in 2025 with Brady Wonderling of Wellsville, N.Y., grabbing the victory. Crate Late Models return to action at the modified-focused track May 30 and June 27.
• Brad Smith, the owner of Skyline Raceway Motorsports Park in Virgil, N.Y., is planing upgrades including new clay and better lighting for the track. The 2025 schedule hasn’t been announced at the track that has previously run occasional RUSH-sanctioned Crate Late Model events.
• April 25’s season-opening Spring Fling at Crawford County Speedway in Denison, Iowa, was rained out. The track plans action for May 2 but will announce later plans for a rescheduled Spring Fling.
• Mudlick Valley Raceway in Wallingford, Ky., plans to install a new VIP box on the pit side. Details will be announced.
• North Florida Speedway has made repairs on the lighting system that has caused problems at the Lake City oval. The track thanked Bill Bell, Derek Kingsley and Don Herrington for work in solving the problem and Scott Bulson and Leveled Out Tree Service to the use of a lift.
• Elkins Raceway in Kerens, W.Va., will run its 73rd season dedicated to longtime track manager Jim Skidmore, who died in December at age 66 after a battle with cancer. Super Late Models and Crate Late Models will be among regular divisions with Saturday racing planned for May through August.
• Because the track’s scorer won’t be at the May 3 event, North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia has postponed Saturday’s Late Model special to May 10. The $1,500-to-win event will use the rules of the track’s weekly Limited Late Model division.
Weekly points
IMCA (Limiteds): Anthony Roth of Columbus, Neb., has 114 points to lead Andy Nezworski and Matt Ryan, tied at 111 points apiece.
USRA (Limiteds): Cade Nelson of Hermantown, Minn., has 625 points to lead Lucas Peterson (597) and rookie Ryan Howe (559).
WISSOTA (Limiteds): Tyler Peterson of Hickson, N.D., has 112 points to lead Devin Fouquette (90) and Brody Troftgruben (53).
Crate Racin’ USA (602 Crates): Brett White of Kosciusko, Miss., has 395 points to lead Zack Owens (337) and Covy Parsons (328).
Crate Racin’ USA (604 Crates): Sid Scarbrough of Florence, Miss., has 371 points to lead Shannon Lee (323) and Ben Davis (318).
Upcoming weekly specials
Among non-touring and independent special events coming up for Late Models at dirt tracks around the country:
Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway (May 2): The track’s second regular-season Super Late Model event is on tap with a $5,000-to-win purse.
Stateline Speedway, Busti, N.Y. (May 3): After weather held things up for a few weeks, a $5,000-to-win Super Late Model event highlights the season opener. Crate Late Models are among four undercard divisions.
Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway (May 3): The J.R. Knight Memorial pays $4,300-to-win and $430-to-start for the 602 Crate Late Model division. Bonuses include lap money and $200 apiece for fast time and hard charger.
Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway (May 3): The Phantom Racing Engines 40 pays $2,500-to-win for the Crate Late Model division with seven other divisions in action.
