Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends
Notes: West Virginia racer off to solid start
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt managing editor
Kolbe Kimbrew (Zach Yost/Tyler Carr)
A novice in the division, Kolbe Kimbrew knew his Crate Late Model was capable from his first outing of the season at Dog Hollow Speedway in Strongstown, Pa. The 23-year-old Fairmont, W.Va., driver was running a solid third when his car began overheating — the radiator got packed with mud in a track-packing session before the feature — forcing him out of the race.
Soon enough Kimbrew grabbed his first victory, winning at Elkins Raceway in Kerens, W.Va., on May 17, and then headed to Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, a few weeks later, stepping up in class at an unfamiliar track. Kimbrew wasn’t sure he belonged.
"I really had some doubt in my head that Elkins was really a fluke and I wasn't gonna get it done again this year,” he said.
Kimbrew credits crew chief Drake Meeks with assuring him that the team's No. 151 car was a contender on a night with an impressive field of 30 cars.
“We showed up to Muskingum and I told Drake — we’d never been there before — and I just told him, I was like, 'I don't think I can run this place. This place is pretty quick (and) these boys are fast,’ ” Kimbrew recalled. "He was like, ‘I think we've got something for ‘em.’ And he just continuously (provided encouragement). I'd get out of the car, he'd put it up on the lift and he'd say ‘Go do your thing and I'm gonna do mine and get back in the car and drive it. Just trust me.’ ”
It turns out Kimbrew’s first victory was indeed no fluke.
Lining up on the front row with track standout Anthony Kinkade, Kimbrew took command on the fourth lap at Muskingum County and raced to a 20-lap victory worth $2,000. Since then, Kimbrew has added a victory at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex in Markleysburg, Pa., and owns three victories in seven starts in his first full Crate Late Model season, putting him atop DirtonDirt’s Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends.
Kimbrew’s part of a racing family with his grandfather and father racing in the four-cylinder division years ago at the now-closed I-79 Speedway in Shinnston, W.Va. Kolbe and his older brother Zak ran gokarts and mini-wedge cars as youngsters, then mod-lites. Zak, now 30, moved into Crate Late Models a few years ago with Kolbe primarily serving as a crew member. Kolbe made a few starts last season and when Zak made plans to continue driving for another team in 2025, Kolbe bought his car. As it turns out, Zak’s ride fell through, leaving a bit of a “weird situation” with Kolbe behind the wheel and Zak now as a crew member. Is there friction? Maybe a little.
“Everything came to fruition on my end and he hasn't really taken that next step to get his own stuff back yet,” Kolbe said. “We’ve definitely talked about it, but it's one of those things where I think he's letting me have my moment right now. He's definitely told me a few times like, ‘Hey if you don't win this week, why don't you put me in the car next week and see if I can go and get it done?’ ”
Kimbrew hit the ground running in 2025 in part because his association with Bobby Lake Motorsports, a 50-year team based in Uniontown, Pa., that has fielded cars for many standout drivers, including Lake’s grandson Michael Lake in recent seasons. Kimbrew tagged along with the team last season and now enjoys support from Lake and Co., including Meeks, who serves as Michael Lake’s crew chief, too.
“(Meeks) started kind of feeding me some notes and we started hanging out a little bit and then they won the ULMS tour last year and I started traveling around with them a little bit just kind of trying to learn everything so I could apply it to our own program,” Kimbrew said. “This year, they kind of took me under their wing and I'm actually working out of their shop out of Uniontown right now.”
Kimbrew benefits from his associations with his brother, Michael Lake, Meeks and others. He’s impressed Bobby Lake with his success.
"Bobby kind of makes the joke that he doesn't understand what got into me over the winter because he said that I'm not the same race car driver I was last year,” Kimbrew said.
It’s no coincidence.
“We definitely sat down over the winter and we wanted to give ourselves the best shot of being fast wherever we unloaded,” he said. “The Longhorn’s definitely been great. We got with (racing consultant) Vinny Giuliani to do some shocks for us. So we definitely had all the puzzle pieces to know that the car was gonna be fast, but we just didn't know if the guy holding the steering wheel was gonna be fast.”
The team has had its struggles. A night after his Muskingum County victory, his motor failed at Dog Hollow. He quickly got another powerplant from Russ King Racing and got back up to speed with his June 13 victory at Roaring Knob.
Kimbrew also has to work around his day job. In December, he purchased a retail golf and simulator business, The Turn, which has five simulator bays and sells golf equipment. It was a natural for Kimbrew, a scratch golfer who spent plenty of time at the business anyway.
Kimbrew, who once shot at a 63 at Tygart Lake in Grafton, W.Va., was a standout prep golfer and briefly a scholarship player at Fairmont State University. He still plays often but his competitive juices are now also flowing on the racetrack.
“Basically we came in with a no-expectations year and we've kind of exceeded every expectation that we may have even thought about having,” said Kimbrew, who partly because of weather has raced at more tracks than just those closest to home.
"I'm kind of getting to see some new tracks, but I also believe that it's really good to go around to different tracks, you know?” he said. “Different dirt, different clay, different configurations, everything like that, just because it's gonna give us a little bit better of an opportunity” for more experience.
His favorite moment from 2025 so far?
“Definitely the win at Muskingum,” he said. “It was definitely cool getting the first win at Elkins in front of the people and like the announcers and everybody that have watched me grow up from basically the mini wedge ranks.
“But then we went to Muskingum and we basically had all of the RUSH Crate Late Model guys there, minus a few of the national touring guys. … but we had a pretty stout field of 30 cars there, and I'd say probably 15 to 20 of them could have won on any given night. To get to start front row with Anthony Kinkade, which he’s the guy to beat up there. And we basically just, we ran off, we ended up winning by almost five seconds that night.”
In victory lane, Kimbrew had a big smile in holding his oversized $2,000 check with track co-owner and Hall of Fame driver Donnie Moran, whose late father was honored during the inaugural Ronnie Moran Memorial.
“It was just super cool to be able to do it, get our first wall check,” Kimbrew said. “It was definitely a special moment.”
Weekly highlights
• Adam Stricker of Batavia, Ohio, picked up a $3,000 payday with his June 14 victory in the Jesse Dillow Memorial at Willard (Ky.) Speedway.
• Winning his first Late Model feature in 24 years, 68-year-old Steve Johnson of Camanche, Iowa, captured June 14’s race at Maquoketa (Iowa) Speedway from the sixth starting spot. Johnson, whose last victory came April 28, 2001, at West Liberty (Iowa) Raceway, left the Late Model division in 2004 and primarily ran modifieds until return to Late Models in 2022.
• With his June 14 Super Late Model victory at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, Nathon Loney of Danville, Ohio, secured a guaranteed starting spot in July 5’s Freedom 60 on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, the track’s next event.
• Leading all 30 laps, Michael Batten of Rocky Mount, N.C., scored a $3,000 Fast Five Shootout victory in the Limited Late Model division June 14 at County Line Raceway in Elm City, N.C.
First things first
Recent first-time occurrences at the dirt track:
• Winning June 14 at Park Jefferson (S.D.) Speedway, Keegan Nordquist of Beresford, S.D., notched his first career Late Model victory.
• Longhorn Chassis co-owner Paul Leach of Sun River, Mont., the father of 21-year-old Loenbro Motorsports racer Michael Leach, notched his first Late Model victory June 13 at Gallatin Speedway in Belgrade, Mont.
• Winning June 14 at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, 13-year-old Lincoln Smith of Belmont, Ohio, captured his first Crate Late Model victory.
Weekly news briefs
• Five-time Late Model champion Jim Harter and current Late Model racer Roben Huffman, a 40-year racer, are among the 2025 Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway Wall of Fame inductees, the track announced. The induction ceremony is before July 18’s racing program. Other inductees are Darrel Dick (longtime racer and sponsor of KidModz), Jay Ledford (two-time modified champion), the late Bernie Nettleton (crew for brother Gary Nettleton and others), the late Dan Mehrkens (solid race car parts with wife Kathy), Christopher Rhoads (operations racing simulator), Kendra Milliken (scorer and national anthem singer) along with spectators Becky and Kenny Haller.
• Late Model drivers registering by July 4 can get two free pit passes for July 19’s $10,555-to-win Duane Mahder Memorial at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., thanks to sponsorships. Driver pit passes are covered by JT Auto Sales while Kyle Hinrichs RE/MAX Realty & Hinrichs Homes Real Estate Consultants is adding a pit pass for a crew member. Text (612) 363-5896 to register.
• Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park apologized via Facebook to spectators for playing an extended guitar version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Star-Spangled Banner” before June 13’s racing program. The track’s apology on Facebook was met by a mix of criticism and support for the choice of music, which the track said wasn’t selected by staff members. “We respect all those that have served and are serving this wonderful country of ours,” the track said in a statement. “We will be the only ones choosing the national anthem from now on.”
• Neelyville, Mo., racer Bobby Prosise and his wife Erin have taken over promotions at Poplar Bluff (Mo.) Motorsports Park with Limited Late Models among regular divisions. Weather halted the couple’s original opener but the track has a June 20 program scheduled. Butch Knuckles stepped away from promotion because of health concerns.
• Mudlick Valley Raceway in Wallingford, Ky., has installed a new digital scoreboard to display qualifying times, lap counts and the top five positions during racing action.
• By popular demand, Hidden Valley Speedway in Clearfield, Pa., has added a jalapeno and cheese hot dog to its concession items.
• Cutting back its schedule, Freedom Motorsports Park in Delevan, N.Y., cancelled its June 13, June 25, July 11 and Aug. 1 race programs, promoter Bob Reis announced. The track’s next event is the makeup of the Pete Loretto Memorial on July 18, a Super Late Model event paying $4,000-to-win. The schedule was reduced because Reis needs more time with his BR Machine Works and family matters. Reis also said he hasn’t had time for upgrades that include the need for more grandstand seating, an overhaul of the frontstretch catch fence along with milling and walkway improvements on the grandstand side. Reis also would like to clear out extra land for a camping area and additional parking.
• The fourth annual XR Northern Storm’s June 12-15 events at four WISSOTA-area tracks were postponed because of weather, promoters announced. Proctor (Minn.) Speedway and Grand Rapids (Minn.) Speedway forged ahead with regular-season events. No makeup dates have been announced but the Northern Storm finale remains scheduled for July 3 at ABC Raceway in Ashland, Wis.
• Merritt Speedway owner Mike Blackmer apologized for undesirable track surface conditions in 2025 following June 14’s event at the Lake City, Mich., track. “We recognize that our track maintenance has not met the standards you expect and deserve, and we take full responsibility for that,” Blackmer wrote on the track's Facebook page, pledging to make improvements.
• Carolina Speedway in Gastonia, N.Y., plans 11 feature events on June 20, including four makeup races for the June 13 rainout. Limited Late Models will be among divisions on the card with a pair of $1,000-to-win events. The weekly admission fee remains the same.
• The Super Late Model and Limited Late Model winners June 21 at Hummingbird Speedway in Reynoldsville, Pa., will receive $200 extra apiece from Lee and Holly Srock, the track announced.
Weekly points
IMCA (Limiteds): Curtis Glover of Knoxville, Iowa, has 671 points to lead Kale Kosiski (538) and Zach Zeitner (524).
USRA (Limiteds): Lucas Peterson of Stockholm, Wis., has 1,777 points to lead Cade Nelson (1,595) and Jason McFadden (1,510).
WISSOTA (Limiteds): Tyler Peterson of Hickson, N.D., has 889 points to lead Chad Becker (712) and Jayson Good (679).
American All-Stars (Crates): Justin Williams of Concord, Va., has 299 points to lead Braeson Fulton (294) and Ronnie Martin Jr. (292).
Crate Racin’ USA (602 Crates): Brett White of Kosciusko, Miss., has 594 points to lead Devin Whatley (528) and rookie Brandon Lunsford (505).
Crate Racin’ USA (604 Crates): Shannon Lee of Lumberton, Miss., has 558 points to lead Ben Davis (548) and Sid Scarbrough (546).
RUSH (Crates): Braeden Dillinger of Dawson, Pa., has 916 points to lead Davin Kaiser (864) and Daryl Charlier (840).
Ultimate (Crates): Chandi Currence of Clarksburg, W.Va., has 192 points to lead Garret Waugh (132) and Kolbe Kimbrew (122).
(Weekly points for DIRTcar, POWRi and RUSH haven’t been released)
Upcoming weekly specials
Among non-touring and independent special events coming up for Late Models at dirt tracks around the country:
Xtreme Speedway, Moulton, Ala. (June 19): Another Thursday Night Thunder special includes 604 Crate Late Models among regular divisions.
Crystal (Mich.) Motor Speedway (June 19-21): The eighth annual Dan Salay Memorial with $2,000-to-win prelims and an $11,000-to-win finale for unsanctioned Super Late Model competitors in the track’s richest race in history.
Electric City Speedway, Great Falls, Mont. (June 20-21): The two-day Late Model Challenge features WISSOTA competitors; purses weren’t publicized.
East Alabama Motor Speedway, Phenix City, Ala. (June 21): A $10,000-to-win Super Late Model highlights the regular-season program at the 3/8-mile oval.
Mudlick Valley Raceway, Wallingford, Ky. (June 21): A late schedule addition, Super Late Models chase a $5,000-to-win purse in topping a five-division card presented by Jent Logging.
Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway (June 21): A $5,000-to-win Super Late Model event tops a card that includes the Limited Late Model division.
Skyline Speedway, Stewart, Ohio (June 21): The fourth annual Rumble on the Ridge includes a $3,000-to-win Super Late Model event on Saturday (Friday’s action includes the Greg Schilling Memorial for modifieds).
Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway (June 21): A $2,000 Limited Late Model special tops a card including several other divisions, including 602 Crates.
Bemidji (Minn.) Speedway (June 22): The track’s lone Late Model event of the season pays $1,500-to-win for WISSOTA competitors; Late Model drivers making their track debuts receive free entry.
I-65 Speedway, Scottburg, Ind. (June 22): Crate Late Models chase a $1,200-to-win purse in a rare event at the fairgrounds oval in southern Indiana.
