DirtonDirt exclusive
Best of 2025: Northern and Western state caps
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt managing editor
(Credits clockwise from left: Tim Basehore; Zach Yost; Howie Balis)
Dirt Late Model racing’s 2025 superlatives of Northern (including Canada) and Western states (individually for states with significant weekly Late Model action; other states combined), primarily focusing on local and regional events (Best of 2025 coverage):
Delaware-Maryland
Top performer: Severna Park, Md.'s Kyle Lear spreads 10 Limited Late Model victories among four tracks with triumphs at Potomac, Hagerstown, Dog Hollow and Bedford, where he captured the division title. Among triumphs were the Hub City National at Hagerstown, where he finished sixth in points with a division-best four victories.
Best national driver: None
Best regional drivers: Georgetown, Del.'s Ross Robinson ($5,600 Camp Barnes Benefit victory at home track and $10,063 Selinsgrove victory; fourth in Fall Clash points); Seaford, Del.’s Trevor Collins ($3,000 DIS victory; fifth in Fall Clash points and seventh in Appalachian Mountain Speedweek points; four victories between Georgetown and DIS, where he’s champion); Clear Spring, Md.'s Justin Weaver (Dog Hollow victory; ninth in Fall Clash points); Waldorf, Md.'s Kenny Moreland (four top-fives in nine Super starts).
Best weekly drivers: Kyle Lear; Georgetown, Del.’s Matt Hill (hometown Crate champ; five Crate victories between Georgetown and DIS); Millsboro, Del.’s Nick Davis (division-best four Georgetown Crate victories); Welcome, Md.’s Chuck Bowie (four Crate victories en route to Potomac title); Loveville, Md.’s Jeremy Pilkerton (Potomac Limited champ with single victory); Millsboro, Del.’s Derek Magee (DIS and Middleford victories).
Best homegrown performance: Ross Robinson captures his first career five-figure payday at Selinsgrove’s Paul Long Memorial amid a two-victory week.
Most improved drivers: Waldorf, Md.’s Sam Archer (two Potomac Limited victories); Hanover, Md.’s Ed Pope II (two Potomac Crate victories); Brownsville, Md.’s Jacob Burdette (first career Crate victory at Hagerstown).
Best newcomers: Mechanicsville, Md.’s Austin Lathroum (first career Limited victory at Potomac); Westminster, Md.’s Ray Kable (first Hagerstown Limited victory)
Most memorable moment: After winning an Aug. 30 Limited feature at Hagerstown, track champ Brian Booze proposes to girlfriend Annette in victory lane (she said yes).
Biggest news: Dutchstar Motorsports driver Ross Robinson ends run on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series during his fourth season on the national tour. … Hagerstown Speedway revives Octoberfest with Fall Clash-sanctioned Super Late Models on the card. … Potomac Speedway runs a successful season under first-year promoter and former multitime track champion David Williams. … Justin Weaver makes late-season starts in the Rich and M.J. Whitfield-owned No. 32J Longhorn Chassis. … Delaware International Speedway blends its Limited and Crate Late Models into a single division. … Delmar, Del.’s Ben Scott suspended from RUSH-sanctioned competition for a year after he declined a Sept. 12 engine inspection. … Georgetown Speedway improvements including a Daktronics infield scoreboard. … The deaths of Hagerstown Hall of Famers Randy Grove (longtime pit steward and track prep specialist) and Don Zechman (former Late Model racing and family racing patriarch) mourned by Maryland racing community. … Short-track legend Gary Balough serves as grand marshal for Georgetown’s Lucas Oil Series event. … Glen Burnie, Md., car owner Bruce Kane fields cars for several drivers including Wil Herrington, Kyle Lee, Colten Burdette and Kentucky’s Josh Rice, who wins a Limited Late Model event at Eldora Speedway. … Steel Block Clash Series shutters after one season in 2024. … Seaford, Del.’s Middleford Speedway hosts its first Crate Late Model feature in October with Derek Magee winning. … Wes Bonebrake’s April 19 Limited victory is his first at Hagerstown in 24 years. … Doug Watson steps away from Potomac publicity role after 36 years at the track. … Longtime Hagerstown gate attendant Joe Wilson dies in May at the age of 80. … Longtime DIS promoters and owners Charlie and Joyce Cathell receive the Leonard J. Sammons Jr. Award for Outstanding Contributions to Auto Racing.
New York
Top performer: Watertown’s Tim McCreadie nabs six World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series victories and finishes fourth in points in his first season with the Briggs Transport team. He collected a pair of $20,000 paydays and his first back-to-back WoO victories in 20 years. He finished fourth in Eldora’s Dream and added a $4,000 Pete Loretto Memorial triumph at Freedom Motorsports Park.
Best national driver: Tim McCreadie
Best regional drivers: Wellsville’s Jeremy Wonderling (RUSH tour and weekly champ; nine victories among seven tracks); Ellensville's Brock Pinkerous (first Super victory; seventh in ULMS points); Canisteo's Bryce Davis (four Crate victories among three tracks, including RUSH tour and Northeast Alliance triumphs); Elba's David Pangrazio (three Crate victories, including on Northeast Alliance); Queensberry’s Demetrios Drellos (third in RUSH points; $1,500 McKean County victory).
Best weekly drivers: Frewsburg’s Jason Genco (Stateline and Eriez champ; seven Crate victories overall); Ripley’s Mike Knight (three Super victories; Eriez champ and $5,000 winner); Canisteo’s Brett Marlatt (five Crate victories en route to Woodhull title); Troupsburg’s Steve LeBarron (five Woodhull victories); Franklinville’s Greg Oakes (three Super victories); Wellsville’s Brady Wonderling (four victories at three tracks); Corfu’s Dave DuBois (three Crate victories en route to Genesee title); Canisteo's Austin Allen (three Crate victories); East Concord's Bill Holmes (two Crate victories; McKean County champ).
Best homegrown performance: Stateline Speedway draws more than 160 race cars overall for the first event under the second round of ownership by Bill Catania.
Most improved drivers: Hinsdale's Jake Wilber (two Crate victories; Bradford champ); Newfane’s Jimmy Johnson (two Crate victories at Genesee, his first since 2021).
Best newcomer: Arcade’s Bill Taylor, a former street stock champ who notched his first Crate victory at Genesee.
Most memorable moment: In last-lap drama at The Dirt Track at Genesee, ninth-starting Dave Hess Jr. overtakes fellow Pennsylvanian and race-long leader Mason Zeigler to win by 0.205 of a second in a $6,000 ULMS event.
Biggest news: Dundee’s Outlaw Speedway hosts a $10,000-to-win on the first-year Fall Clash circuit with Dave Hess Jr. winning. … Guys Mills, Pa., resident Ron Nielson, the longtime car owner of National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame driver Dick Barton of Ashville and for 12 seasons owner of Raceway 7 in Conneaut, Ohio, dies January at age 94. … With the track in need of an overhaul and promoter Bob Reis busy with work and family matters, Delevan’s Freedom Motorsports Park cuts back its racing schedule at midseason. … Wellsville’s Brady Wonderling wins a rare Crate Late Model event at Vernon’s Utica-Rome Speedway in his return to the division after a three-year hiatus. … Audrey Eberstein, a member of the Genesee’s Hall of Fame who was a longtime scorer and results reporter at the Batavia track, Delevan’s Freedom Motorsports Park and Perry Speedway, dies in May at age 79. … Five-time track champion and former promoter Jim Johnson takes over as race director at Genesee.
Ohio
Top performer: Capturing his first national touring title, Dresden’s Devin Moran dominates the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Big River Steel Chase for the Championship to earn the $250,000 championship for Double Down Motorsports. Overall he tallies 13 victories in 76 starts including $25,000 victories in Ocala, Fla., and Brownstown, Ind.
Best national driver: Devin Moran
Best regional drivers: McClure's Rusty Schlenk (12 victories overall; Iron-Man runner-up); Wheelersburg's Rod Conley (Iron-Man victory; third in series points).
Best weekly drivers: Mansfield's Kyle Moore (20 victories; third in DIRTcar’s weekly points with Attica and Wayne County titles); Zanesville's Todd Brennan (11 victories; Muskingum and Hilltop champ); Conneaut’s Breyton Santee (six Crate victories; third in RUSH points); Wheelersburg's R.J. Conley (two Super victories; Atomic champ); Wheelersburg's Kevin Wagner (five Super victories at Kentucky tracks); Ashland’s Ryan Markham (two Wayne County victories); Sylvania’s Rusty Smith (three Oakshade victories); Chesterhill’s Ronnie Mayle (two Super victories en route to Midway title); Batavia's Adam Stricker (two Super victories, including $3,000 Willard triumph); Cincinnati's Nicholas Byrd (two Crate victories en route to Florence title).
Best homegrown performance: Rusty Schlenk captures the first six Super Late Model features of the season at Attica, one of them with a last-lap pass of Mike Bores.
Most improved drivers: Patalaska’s Clint Keenan (first Iron-Man victory and third in series points; two Super victories overall); Wheelersburg's Miles Cook II (sixth in Iron-Man points); Cleveland’s Matt Tifft (first Super victory at Hummingbird); Wheelersburg’s Justin Cooper (first Super victory at Mudlick).
Best newcomers: Belmont’s Lincoln Smith (one victory en route to Muskingum Crate title; five top-five Super finishes including fourth in Jim Dunn Memorial); Fostoria’s Kent Brewer (fourth in Attica Super points); Novelty’s Logan Stockdale (six Crate top-fives).
Most memorable moment: After slipping back to fifth from his pole position, Ricky Thornton Jr. overtakes Jonathan Davenport on a lap-42 restart at Eldora Speedway and grabs a $72,000 World 100 triumph, his first.
Biggest news: After Rossburg’s Eldora Speedway hosted the Carl Short’s Dirt Track World Championship for three seasons, it’s announced the race will move back to West Virginia. … Former NASCAR Cup driver Matt Tifft acquires 180-acre Mansfield (Ohio) Speedway and begins a refurbishment to reopen in 2026 with a first-time visit from the World of Outlaws among other events. Tifft names Brad McCown as general manager, but in October announces McCown has been terminated. … Best Performance Motorsports of St. Marys wins 14 Super Late Model events with Tyler Erb behind the wheel, including his second straight National 100 in Phenix City, Ala. … Batavia resident Rick Schwallie, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series director, is set to be inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2026. … West Salem’s Clint and Kim Snyder take over operations of Hilltop Speedway, making several improvements after purchasing the track from Tyler Evans. … Skyline Speedway’s Harvest 50 sanctioned by the Iron-Man Series for the first time. … Muskingum County is part of RUSH's Mid-Ohio Valley points for Crate Late Models in 2025. … Moler Raceway Park and Hilltop Speedway add DIRTcar sanctioning. … Donna Green, the co-founder of Wauseon’s family-operated Oakshade Raceway, dies in April at age 87. … Findlay’s Millstream Speedway plans a Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series doubleheader for 2026. … Brushcreek Motorsports Complex in Peebles closes with the 4B4EVER Jackie Boggs tribute moving to Mudlick Valley Raceway in Wallingford, Ky. … Fremont’s Stephen Wagner, who owned the No. 49 Late Model that Larry Scott drove in the 1992 World 100 as well to 1986-87 Johnny Appleseed Classic victories at Eldora Speedway, dies in April at 75. … Muskingum County honors former track owner with May’s Ronnie Moran Memorial. … Jackson’s Seth Daniels is sidelined from competing several weeks after breaking his hand in a fall from his car’s liftgate on the Fourth of July weekend. ... Midway Speedway is the site of New Zealand driver Craig Cardwell’s first stateside Late Model victory.
Pennsylvania
Top performer: Port Royal’s Lane Snook, 17, clicked off a career-high 20 Limited Late Model victories among seven Pennsylvania tracks, including a midseason stretch of three in a row at BAPS, Bedford and Selinsgrove. The Selinsgrove and Port Royal champ who logged 34 top-five finishes in 43 starts plans a jump to Super Late Models in 2026.
Best national driver: Hyndman's Drake Troutman, who tallies three Super Late Model victories, two on Summer Nationals and his first victory with WoO, where he’s seventh in points.
Best regional drivers: Chalk Hill’s Mason Zeigler (nine victories among Appalachian Mountain Speedweek, ULMS and Fall Clash action; ULMS and Fall Clash champ); Centerville's Max Blair (16 Super and Crate victories; four five-figure paydays); Waterford’s Dave Hess Jr. (13 victories at seven tracks; three ULMS triumphs and breaks 400-victory barrier); Indiana’s Gregg Satterlee (12 victories at five tracks; AMS champ); York’s Rick Eckert (six victories at three tracks; Port Royal and Selinsgrove champ); Uniontown's Michael Lake (seven victories at three tracks); Middleburg's Andrew Yoder (seven Super and Limited victories at three tracks; Clinton County champ).
Best weekly drivers: Sarver’s Michael Norris (six Super victories; Lernerville champ); Mahaffey’s Jon Lee (six Super victories at five tracks); Dawson’s Braeden Dillinger (seven Super and Crate victories at five tracks; career-richest $3,737 at Elkins); Maurertown’s James Lichliter (five Limited victories en route to Winchester title); Greencastle’s D.J. Myers (five Limited victories at three tracks); Newville’s Taylor Farlling (six Limited victories; Path Valley champ); Saegertown’s Billy Henry (five victories en route to Raceway 7 title); Pittsburgh’s Jared Miley (three Super victories); Greencastle’s Brian Booze (three Limited victories en route to Hagerstown title); Sarver's Ken Schaltenbrand (four victories at three tracks; Marion Center champ); Twin Rocks's Mike Laughard Jr. (four Dog Hollow victories; track runner-up); Greencastle’s Scott Palmer (three Limited victories en route to BAPS title); Clearfield’s Gary Little (five Limited victories en route to Hidden Valley title); McDonald’s Brandon Burgoon (five Crate victories en route to PPMS title); Garland’s Ryan Scott (three Super victories en route to Stateline title); Saxonburg’s Alex Ferree (three Super victories at three tracks); Masontown’s Michael Duritsky (five Crate victories); Uniontown’s Jeff Ferguson (three Crate victories en route to Latrobe title); Pittsburgh’s Christian Schneider (five Crate victories).
Best homegrown performance: Woodbury’s Tyler Ritchey, confined to a wheelchair after a back injury suffered in a swimming pool accident, in August scores his first Super Late Model victory at Bedford.
Most improved drivers: Boyertown’s Trent Merkel (four Limited victories at Path Valley and BAPS); Claysburg’s Bryan Benton (four Limited victories en route to Dog Hollow title); Mayport’s Tom Snyder Jr. (four Crate victories en route to Dog Hollow title); Clearfield’s B.J. Hudson (four victories en route to Hummingbird Semi-Late title); Greencastle’s Cuyler Upperman (Hagerstown Crate champ).
Best newcomer: Uniontown’s Sean Boskovich earns first Crate victory at Latrobe.
Most memorable moment: After tangling with Dillan Stake on June 28 at Port Royal Speedway, Newville’s Taylor Farlling drives the wrong way around the track under caution and rams Stake’s car. Farlling is suspended by the track through 2026.
Biggest news: Port Royal’s Steve O’Neal wins Auto Racing Promoter of the Year honors; he also misses the track’s season-ending event for medical reasons. … Bear Lake team co-owner Boom Briggs adds Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., to his team for a six-victory run on the World of Outlaws. … Hummingbird Speedway founder and longtime owner Louis Caltagorone dies in October; The Reynoldsville resident was 97. … Sarver's Lernerville Speedway adds the Carl Short-promoted Hillbilly 100 to its schedule. … Jack Lentz, who for 15 seasons successfully operated stock car competition at Challenger Raceway, dies in February at 86. … Jonestown’s Jim Bernheisel adds the Fall Clash as a seasonal complement to his Appalachian Mountain Speedweek; both tours run exclusively with American Racer tires. … Danville’s Jeff Rine, the Bedford Super Late Model champ, becomes the track’s winningest all-time driver in the division with his 38th victory. … Defiance’s Spike Moore takes the Jim McBee Super Late Model ride. … The Isadore family takes over promotions at Rew’s Bradford Speedway for a successful season that includes Crate Late Models. … Longtime Port Royal sponsor Teddy Ramsey, 81, dies before the season. … Path Valley Speedway suspends St. Thomas’s Gunnar Walls for misbehavior in Aug. 2’s Limited Late Model program. … Latrobe Speedway’s tech inspector Chris Piper dies in August at 53. … Selinsgrove Speedway enjoys a resurgence under new owners Paula Schick, Jenna Mowery and Colin Rice. … Sugar Grove’s Barb LaBarbera, a longtime pit gate employee at Stateline and Eriez, dies in April at 71 (husband George and son-in-law, Chris Hackett were longtime Late Model drivers). … Franklin’s Tri-City Raceway Park adds Super Late Models to its Friday programs with Josh Ferry winning the title. … Upper Tulpehocken Township’s Rick Neff, a longtime dirt racing photographer, dies in August at age 69.
Virginia
Top performer: Kyle Hardy of Stephens City, Va., piles up 24 victories among 10 tracks in Crate, Limited and Super Late Model competition, including four RUSH touring events and a $10,000 Ultimate Crate victory in Richmond, Ky. Hardy won in five states and had nine victories overall paying $3,000 or more.
Best national driver: None
Best regional drivers: Kyle Hardy; Rockbridge Baths’s Tyler Bare (10 victories, including $5,555 Boone Memorial at Winchester and first Carolina Clash triumph); Winchester’s Trever Feathers (five victories overall, four en route to first-year Fall Clash championship); Waynesboro’s Wyatt Coffey (15 602 Crate victories at five tracks; Natural Bridge, Mid-East and first-year Elite tour titles); Honaker’s Tyler Arrington (three American All-Star tour victories en route to tour title); Waynesboro’s Logan Roberson (two Limited victories, including $8,800 Tommy Bare Memorial at Natural Bridge); Bland’s Kennie Compton Jr. (two Blue Ridge victories and two Southern Wedge triumphs); Beaverdam’s Russell Erwin (three Limited victories at three tracks, including first Ohio Valley Series win).
Best weekly drivers: Lynchburg's Justin Williams (12 victories en route to Limited and Crate titles at Natural Bridge; $10,000 All-Stars tour finale win among multiple specials); Winchester's Davin Kaiser (RUSH-best 13 Crate Late Model victories; Winchester champ); Cobb Creek’s Billy Hubbard (four Limited victories en route to Dixieland title); Waynesboro’s Joey Leavell (two Limited victories; Natural Bridge runner-up); Rural Retreat's Brandon Umberger (two Beckley victories, one with American All-Star tour); Forest’s Walker Arthur (three Crate and Limited victories); Marion’s Travis Greer (three 602 Crate victories en route to Wythe championship).
Best homegrown performance: Honaker’s Tyler Arrington captures the American All-Star Series championship.
Most improved drivers: Davin Kaiser; Winchester’s Gregory Carrico (three Crate victories at Elkins); Buena Vista’s Ronnie Martin Jr. (two Crate victories; Natural Bridge runner-up); Winchester’s Michael Carter (first Limited victory at hometown track).
Best newcomers: Wyatt Coffey; Clear Brook’s Cody Williams (wins first Crate start at Winchester).
Most memorable moment: Logan Roberson and Joey Leavell are disqualified from Natural Bridge’s Fall Classic after tangling in a late-race battle for second.
Biggest news: Waynesboro’s Amanda Bradley purchases her hometown Natural Bridge Speedway from Joe Glassford in January and continues through 2025 for a second year of successful promotions at the track that hosts frequent special events. … Ararat BullRing reopens successfully under promoter Langley Austin, who will continue in that role after the late-season purchase of the track by Bo Miller. Miller is also in 2026 reopening Bassett’s Oak Level Raceway, which had been shuttered since 2009. County officials initially rebuffed efforts to reopen the Oak Level track (formerly Fork Mountain Raceway) but previous permits assure the track’s operation. … An ailing back keeps King George’s Tyler Emory out of action virtually all season; Tyler Bare replaced him in the Cameron-Mann Super Late Model entry. … Winchester Late Model racer J.T. Spence returns to action after nine years off. … Dublin’s Trevor Cregger returns to action for the first time in five seasons and wins two 602 Crate features at Wythe Raceway. … Goldvein’s Mike and Becky Hurley purchase West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells and Elkins Speedway in Kerens, W.Va., with major plans for both tracks. … Waynesboro’s Roger Roberson, a longtime track official at Eastside Speedway, dies in October at 75. He was father of racer Greg Roberson and grandfather of racer Logan Roberson. … Wyatt Miller, Dale Earnhardt’s 13-year-old grandson, finishes fifth in an April Crate Late Model feature at Natural Bridge.
West Virginia
Top performer: Parkersburg’s Tyler Carpenter reels off 17 wins, including a $10,000 victory at Beckley and $5,000 triumph in the reopening of the shortened West Virginia Motor Speedway. He also picked up home-state victories at Ohio Valley and Tyler County with Ohio triumphs at Midway, Muskingum County and Skyline.
Best national driver: None
Best regional drivers: Tyler Carpenter; Parkersburg’s Colten Burdette (Iron-Man champ; three series victories and Skyline special); Fairmont’s Ryan Montgomery (two ULMS victories and three specials at three tracks; ULMS runner-up); Poca’s Zach Milbee (Ohio Valley tour champ; six victories including $5,000 Hillbilly 50 at Lernerville); Parkersburg’s Corey DeLancey (four Ohio Valley tour victories; series runner-up);
Best weekly drivers: Beckley's Henry Hornsby III (12 victories overall between Beckley and Princeton, where he’s the Crate champ); Belington's Garret Paugh (seven Crate victories at Elkins); Parkersburg’s Chris Carpenter (five Super victories; Ohio Valley track champ); Pennsboro’s Kyle Thomas (four Crate victories at Tyler County, including RUSH tour win; Mid-Ohio Valley champ); Buckhannon's Logan Hitt (two Super victories at Elkins); Elkins's Tim Senic (two hometown Super victories); Glen Daniels’s T.J. Salango (three Crate victories; Beckley champ); Middlebourne’s Brandon Weigle (one Super victory en route to Tyler County title).
Best homegrown performance: Former national touring star Eddie Carrier Jr. of Fairmont, mostly idle for a dozen seasons, wins his first Super victory since 2013 in a Steve Weigle-owned car at Tyler County.
Most improved drivers: Jane Lew’s Kris Southern (first two Super victories at Elkins); Clarksburg’s Chandi Currence (Ultimate Crate champ; first Crate victory at Elkins).
Best newcomers: Fairmont’s Kolbe Kimbrew (four Crate victories at three tracks; Roaring Knob champ); Jumping Branch’s Brandon Adkins (Crate victories at Ararat and Beckley).
Most memorable moment: Scoring an emotional victory in honor of his late Uncle Scott, Jacksonburg’s Travis Brown captured June 7’s Super feature at Tyler County in a No. 3 car that pays tribute to his uncle.
Biggest news: Virginians Mike and Becky Hurley make a splash by purchasing West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells and Elkins Speedway. WVMS is shortened to a 3/8-mile layout and hosts a fall event drawing more than 240 race cars while improvements are planned for Elkins. … WVMS welcomes the return of the Carl Short-promoted Dirt Track World Championship in 2026; the race, at Eldora for three seasons, hadn’t been in its founding state since 2010. … In a rare appearance, longtime standout Paul Wilmoth Jr. of Clarksburg wins June 28’s Super feature at Elkins for his first victory since 2019. … The Rocket Chassis house car team returns Brandon Sheppard to the seat on the Lucas Oil Series while former driver Josh Richards, the son of team owner Mark Richards, makes a few starts after being away from the track several seasons. … Pennsboro Speedway remains dark a year after XR Events hosted a late-season 2024 event at the rebuilt oval. …. The RUSH Crate Late Model organization creates a Dave Poske's Performance Parts-sponsored Mid-Ohio Valley division for 2025 with Kyle Thomas claiming the title. … Princeton Speedway reopens after briefly operating in 2024 (it had been closed since 2021 before that). … West Union’s Donnie Dotson, a longtime standout in multiple divisions, returns to action and wins his first Super victory at Tyler County. ... The Elkins Wall of Honor adds drivers Jim McCloud, Louie Krushanksy, and Tom Simpson; team owners Tim Leggett and Elmer Fizer; historian Randy Murphy; mechanics Willie Mallow, Jim and Joe Stout; and sponsor Melvin's Transmission. … Former Late Model driver Scott Irvin of Reader, a longtime competitor at Tyler County, dies in January at the age of 55.
Western states
Top performer: In a season highlighted by his first World 100 victory at Eldora Speedway, Chandler, Ariz.’s Ricky Thornton Jr. reels off 19 victories, including a series-best 14 on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series en route to a runner-up finish on the national circuit. He nabs five Speedweeks victories and $50,000 Lucas Oil triumphs at Hagerstown, Farmer City and Brownstown. He’s fifth or better in 34 of 46 Lucas Oil starts.
Best national drivers: Ricky Thornton Jr.; Las Cruces, N.M.’s Garrett Alberson (seven victories, including his first WoO win and four victories with Lucas Oil, where he’s sixth in series points with 19 top-fives in 47 starts); Bakersfield, Calif.’s Ethan Dotson (first WoO victory at Farmer City; runner-up in WoO rookie chase and 10th in overall points with eight top-five finishes in 40 series starts).
Best regional drivers: Portland, Ore.’s Joey Tanner (15 victories overall, a series-high six on I-5 tour; Willamette and I-5 champ); Orcutt, Calif.'s Dylan Thornton (11 victories and Malvern Bank East champ); Corbett, Ore.'s Collen Winebarger (four I-5 tour victories; top-10 Lucas Oil finish); Molalla, Ore.’s Justin Duty (fifth in MARS points with seven top-fives in 29 starts; fourth-place FloRacing finish at Marshalltown); Martinez, Calif.’s Anthony Slaney (six Limited victories, including tour-high five with Xtreme); Livermore’s Shawn DeForest (three victories en route to Xtreme tour title); Sun River, Mont.'s Michael Leach ($8,000 Charlotte Crate win; six top-fives in Super touring events nationally).
Best weekly drivers: Corvallis, Ore.'s Ryan Emry (12 victories en route to Limited title at Coos Bay); La Pine, Ore.’s Nate Augustine (nine Limited victories; Madras champ); Yuba City, Calif.’s Rod Oliver (four victories en route to Antioch and Placerville titles; third in Xtreme tour points); Portland, Ore.’s Frank Elwess (division-high six Limited victories at Willamette); Albany, Ore.’s Randy Barley (five Limited victories between Willamette and Cottage Grove, where he’s the champ); Gillette, Wyo.’s Eddie Kirchoff (four hometown victories); Lebanon, Ore.’s Cory Yeack; three Willamette victories); Lebanon, Ore.’s Chad Slover (three Limited victories en route to Willamette title); Bandon, Ore’s Wayne Butler (three Limited victories at Coos Bay); El Paso, Texas’s Arturo Ordonez (three Vado victories); Las Cruces, N.M.'s Shane McNutt (Vado and Central Arizona victories); Rapid City, S.D.’s Dan Henrikson (two victories en route to Big Sky title); Sun River, Mont.’s Paul Leach (two victories en route to Gallatin title).
Best homegrown performance: Corbett, Ore.’s Collen Winebarger rallies from 19th for a fifth-place finish in Vado’s Wild West Shootout finale. He also led the first half of a feature earlier in the week at the high-profile event.
Most improved drivers: Shedd, Ore.’s Clay Debbans (five Limited victories at Willamette); Sun River, Mont.’s Tyler Leach (four victories at three home-state tracks; Electric City champ); Roseburg, Ore.’s Brian Smith (four Limited victories at Willamette).
Best newcomers: Sundance, Wyo.’s Dillon Johnson (Gillette champ who nabs his first Late Model victory); Anthony, N.M.‘s Mark Smith (first Late Model victory at Vado).
Most memorable moment: A late-race, lead-swapping battle between Illinois drivers Bobby Pierce and Brandon Sheppard at Vado’s Wild West Shootout with Pierce coming out on top after a last-lap pass.
Biggest news: The Chris Kearns-promoted Wild West Shootout ends its four-year run at Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park and sets 2026 return to Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande, Ariz. … Also for 2026, title sponsor Rio Grande Waste Services has added the lucrative Lap Leader Loot program to opening and closing Super Late Model events of 2026’s Wild West Shootout, paying $500 per lap led in a pair of $25,000-to-win events. … Henderson, Colo.'s Kelly Boen, the Rocky Mountain State’s all-time winningest touring Dirt Late Model winner who was a nine-time touring champion and grabbed victories on more than a half-dozen tours, joins the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame with the Class of 2025. … Willamette Speedway owner Cory Penfold battles cancer throughout the racing season. … Montana's Big Sky Speedway received WISSOTA's Award of Excellence at the 2025 banquet. ... New Mexico driver Stormy Scott shutters his Late Model program and returns to modified racing. … Tucson, Ariz., native R.C. Whitwell spends half the season crewing for ASD Motorsports, then has stints driving for car owners Jared Thompson and Austin Kirkpatrick. … Californian-turned-Iowan Dylan Thornton pilots Cody Sommer’s DRT Race Car at a handful of special events. … California’s Stockton Dirt Track is hampered early in the season by an electrical fire that cancelled a Late Model event. … Scott Russell and Kami Arnold of California’s Placerville Speedway pick up RPM’s Regional Auto Racing Promoter of the Year honors.
Canada
Top performer: Despite border issues preventing his normal U.S. efforts, Headingley, Manitoba’s Ricky Weiss grabs three Super Late Model specials in Tennessee and adds six Canadian victories at Dead Horse Creek Speedway, including his first NLRA victory since 2018. Among his stateside wins were a $20,000 Hunt the Front triumph at I-75 Raceway, where he later added a $10,053 Spring Nationals victory. His season’s first success came at Clarksville’s $7,500 Tuckassee Toilet Bowl Classic.
Best national driver: None.
Best regional drivers: Ricky Weiss; Trenton, Ontario’s Charlie Sandercock (Northeast Alliance champ with three tour victories, including $4,000 Brighton finale; six victories overall); Chatham, Ontario’s Gregg Haskell (four Super victories); Cornwall, Ontario’s Brian McDonald (three victories overall, two on Northeast Alliance victories); East St. Paul, Manitoba’s Shane Edginton (three victories at three tracks; fifth in NLRA points).
Best weekly drivers: Chatham, Ontario’s C.J. Field (seven victories en route to Buxton title); Brighton, Ontario's Brandon Mowat (five hometown Crate victories); Trenton, Ontario’s Steve Baldwin (four Crate victories en route to Brighton title); Chatham, Ontario’s Jake Hooker (two Buxton victories); Winnipeg, Manitoba's Scott Greer (tops WISSOTA’s Canadian points and grabs Dead Horse Creek title); Estevan, Saskatchewan’s Jim Harris (Big Sky victory).
Best homegrown performance: Winning on the Fourth of July at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park, Gregg Haskell earns his first stateside victory. Haskell, who has more than 50 victories in Canada, led all 25 caution-free laps.
Most improved driver: Rodney, Ontario’s Brad Simpson, who won his first career Late Model victory at Buxton driving C.J. Field’s backup car.
Best newcomer: None.
Most memorable moment: Making a last-lap pass after rallying from a flat tire, Charlie Sandercock earned $2,500 for a Late Model Shootout victory at Buxton Speedway. Sandercock won by 0.231 of a second over Cody Bauer, who led 22 laps.
Biggest news: Canadian standout Ricky Weiss, who uses a Tennessee home base for stateside racing, departed Eldora’s Dream early when his grandfather fell ill and eventually died. When attempting to return to the United States, Weiss said he lacked the proper paperwork to cross the border. … Winnipeg’s Victory Lane Speedway shelves WISSOTA Late Model sanctioning to follow rules for Viessman Trucking Gen X Late Models. … Dale Marois, Gord Fletcher and Greg Anderson are inducted into the Brighton Speedway Wall of Fame.
