DirtonDirt Dispatches
Dispatches: Blair seeks rebound on home turf
Pennsylvania driver Max Blair. (Emily Schwanke)
Among the latest notes and quotes from around Dirt Late Model racing the second weekend in May, including Schaeffer's Spring Nationals and Comp Cams Super Dirt Series action (look elsewhere for most Lucas Oil Series coverage). Also find a listing of live-streaming video from specials around the country:
Close to home
A weekend in the Northeast is coming for the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series. No member of this year’s roster knows their way around the tracks in the area quite like Max Blair.
Thirteen races into his second season as a full-time Outlaw and three years removed from his 2022 rookie campaign that saw him earn two wins and a third-place finish in the standings, the native of Centerville, Pa., is hopeful that visiting tracks in his backyard — Raceway 7 in Conneaut, Ohio (May 15), Marion Center (Pa.) Speedway (May 16-17) and Bedford (Pa.) Speedway (May 18) — will get him back in rhythm.
Blair’s comeback to the WoO trail this season started with four top 10s in five starts at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., between the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, but his pace slowed down following Georgia-Florida Speedweeks. His ninth-place run last month at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway is his lone top-10 in the eight races since Volusia.
“We suck,” Blair said. “We ran really good in Florida, but man, we’ve been terrible since. Got to qualify better. You can’t start in the back half of the field every night and think you’re going to run well against these guys.”
Luckily for Blair, the next four WoO shows take place at tracks he’s become very familiar with throughout his two-decade Dirt Late Model career.
Raceway 7, for instance, is a track where Blair won three-straight Crate Late Model track championships from 2010-2012. His experience at the 7/16-mile oval makes him aware that track position is typically at a premium.
“Same deal — you better qualify well,” Blair said. “Nowadays, I think that’s just the biggest part almost no matter where you’re at. We’re trying. We’ll see if we can’t get better and hopefully put on a good show when we get back around the house there.”
Following the Thursday stop at Raceway 7, the tour will 2-and-a-half hours southeast to Marion Center for the Connor Bobik Memorial. The event will reach new heights in 2025 as it becomes a two-day affair for the first time and pay a record $30,000 to Saturday’s winner.
As a two-time United Late Model Series winner at Marion Center, Blair knows how to find speed around the quarter-mile oval. Some misfortune in his first two WoO starts at the track prevented him from putting that on full display on the national stage, but he’s optimistic that the third time will be the charm.
“Need some stuff to fall our way,” Blair said. “One year we were pretty good, good enough to run well inside the top five when we ended up getting wrecked and going to the back. We came back and I think we ran ninth that time, so we’ll just see what happens.”
The swing wraps up with the first Sunday night showdown of the season: the Billy Winn Classic at Bedford. One of the largest tracks in Dirt Late Model racing, the 5/8-mile requires a unique skill set, one that Blair plans on putting to good use as he chases his first WoO win in three years.
“That place is definitely different,” Blair said. “It’s kind of uphill one way, downhill the other, and each corner is different. We have raced there a decent amount over the last few years, so I’m hoping experience will play in my favor.”
Blair plans to tune up for the WoO events by spending this weekend racing on familiar turf as well. He departed Illinois Speedweek following Wednesday’s FloRacing Night in America event at Spoon River Speedway so he could enter local action this Friday-Sunday at Tri-City Raceway Park in Franklin, Pa., Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., and Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa. — Spence Smithback
Streaming schedule
Among upcoming Dirt Late Model special and sanctioned events available via live streaming:
Friday, May 9
• Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway (FloRacing)
• Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals at Rockcastle Speedway in Mount Vernon, Ky. (FloRacing)
• Comp Cams Super Dirt Series at Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Ark. (ArrowVision Live)
• Structural Buildings WISSOTA Challenge Series at I-94 EMR Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn. (Dirt Race Central TV)
• American Crate All-Star Series at Golden Mountain Speedway in Sparta, Tenn. (Dirt Rich TV)
• Malvern Bank West Series at Stuart (Iowa) International Speedway (IMCA TV)
• American Crate Late Model Series at Hunt County Raceway in Greenville, Texas (RaceON TV)
• United Rebel Late Model Series at Salt City Speedway in Hutchinson, Kan. (RacinDirt)
Saturday, May 10
• Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway (FloRacing)
• Comp Cams Super Dirt Series at Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Ark. (ArrowVision Live)
• Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, Ky. (FloRacing)
• American Crate Late Model Series at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. (Dirt Rich TV)
• Structural Buildings WISSOTA Challenge Series at Viking Speedway in Alexandria, Minn. (Dirt Race Central TV)
• Gulf South Crate Racing Association at Super Bee Speedway in Chatham, La. (RaceON TV)
• American Crate Late Model Series at RPM Speedway in Crandall, Texas (RaceON TV)
• 4 State Dirt Late Model Series at Springfield (Mo.) Raceway (Springfield Raceway TV)
Sunday, May 11
• Structural Buildings WISSOTA Challenge Series at Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids, Minn. (Dirt Race Central TV)
