DirtonDirt Dispatches
Dispatches: Terbo primed for East Alabama
Tyler Erb (Emily Schwanke/woolms.com)
When East Alabama Motor Speedway appeared on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series schedule for the first time in two decades, no one was more excited about it than Tyler Erb.
And for good reason. The driver called Terbo has been fast at the Phenix City, Ala., track ever since his debut there seven years ago. He finished second in his first two National 100 starts behind Chris Madden in 2019 and then Brandon Overton in 2022. His worst finish in the track’s signature event came in 2023 when he ran fifth, but he’s been lights out ever since, winning the last two editions in 2024 and 2025.
Erb isn’t known as someone who wins everywhere he goes in the Southeast, but EAMS has been an exception.
“Just the nature of how you run the racetrack, you have to drive really hard and kind of use the banking to carry speed and race around it,” Erb said. “I really don’t have a rhyme or reason why, it’s just a place that, since Day One, I’ve always felt comfortable at and obviously have run really well at.”
Both of Erb’s victories in the event have come under a unique set of track conditions. In 2024, the groove appeared to be narrowing through the middle until Erb found enough traction on the bottom to wrestle the lead away from Jimmy Owens. Then last season, the race took on a much faster pace that allowed Erb to trade sliders with 2025 track champion Dalton Cook for the top spot.
“It’s fast. You don’t have a lot of time to contemplate your move, you just kind of go in there, make a split-second decision and have to be the aggressor most of the time,” Erb said. “You’re obviously going really, really fast for the shape of the track and how big it is. You can go around there fairly fast for being a bigger racetrack. It just produces good racing, a lot of slide jobs. The top is kind of where you want to be, but it’s tricky to get around there and not fly out of there or do something crazy.
“Like last year, I pitted because I thought I had an issue and was able to start at the tail and drive back to the lead in 20, 30 laps. It’s just a place that you can pass cars, and any place that you can pass cars, I really enjoy racing.”
One big difference is Friday’s Chattahoochee Clash will be 40 laps, 60 fewer than usual for the track’s biggest events.
“Phenix City has always been a place that’s hard on tires,” Erb said. “You have to manage your tires in a 100-lap race. But the last couple years, they’ve had some prelim races before the 100-lapper on Sunday, and those races tend to be even more aggressive. You want to get the lead, get out front and try to set a really good pace.
“Forty laps, I don’t think tires ever really come into play, 50 is where it gets a little tricky. Then anything after that, sometimes you plan a pit stop, sometimes you base it off of, ‘Well, I start last, I need to just go as fast as I can.’ The racing will definitely be a little bit different, but still, watching races there, it’s one of the most exciting places to watch a race.”
East Alabama opens the two-race weekend for the World of Outlaws that continues on Saturday at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway, where Erb was a Schaeffer's Southern Nationals winner in 2018.
“We’ve been fast all year, it’s just you’ve got to get in a little bit of a rhythm and have some momentum,” Erb said. “Right now, I feel like things are definitely headed in that direction, that’s what you’ve got to do to contend all year. I’m super excited to continue racing. We haven’t been home in a couple months, but I’m just excited that we have some momentum going into two tracks, Phenix City and Senoia, that I really, really enjoy racing at and have won races and had success at. We’re excited and ready to rip.” — Spence Smithback
Streaming schedule
Among upcoming Dirt Late Model special and sanctioned events available via live streaming:
Friday, March 27
• World of Outlaws Late Model Series at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Eastaboga, Ala. (DIRTVision)
• Comp Cams Super Dirt Series-Revival Super Dirt Series at Arrowhead Speedway in Colcord, Okla. (ArrowVision Live)
• Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals at Thunderhill Raceway in Summertown, Tenn. (FloRacing)
• Crate Racin’ USA 604 Series at Needmore Speedway in Norman Park, Ga. prelims (Crate Racin’ USA TV)
Saturday, March 28
• Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway (FloRacing)
• World of Outlaws Late Model Series at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway (DIRTVision)
• Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals at Thunderhill Raceway in Summertown, Tenn. (FloRacing)
• Comp Cams Super Dirt Series-Revival Super Dirt Series at Arrowhead Speedway in Colcord, Okla. (ArrowVision Live)
• Crate Racin’ USA 604 Series at Needmore Speedway in Norman Park, Ga. feature events (Crate Racin’ USA TV)
• Unsanctioned Super Late Models at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway (FloRacing)
• Xtreme Limited Late Model Series at Marysville (Calif.) Raceway (NorCalSpeed TV)
Sunday, March 29
• Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Atomic Speedway in Alma, Ohio (FloRacing)
