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Quick Time: Influx from the mod squad
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
Take a quick lap around the proverbial dirt track with managing editor Todd Turner for a roundup of Dirt Late Model racing through the latest weekend of action along with some other quirks of racing (and the occasional ax-grinding). Quick Time, presented by PFC Brakes, appears throughout the regular season every Wednesday at DirtonDirt.com:
Frontstretch: Drivers of the Week
National: Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., dominated the 21st annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 weekend, winning the preliminary MLRA-sanctioned feature along with the $30,000 main event at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.
Regional: Dillon Wood of Daytona Beach, Fla., vacated his chase of rookie honors on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, but he scored a pair of Memorial Day weekend victories with the Ultimate Series at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn., and the Memorial Day Championship at Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown, N.C.
Weekly: With a weekend sweep at home-state tracks, Ron Berna of Green Bay, Wis., stretched his personal winning streak to three races. Berna won May 25 at Shawano Speedway and May 26 at Seymour Speedway.
Crate: Scott Dedwylder of Vossburg, Miss., subbing in the No. 38 car while Chase Washington undergoes chemotherapy, won back-to-back NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series events at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, Miss., and Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Miss.
Turn 1: Mod squad influx
There’s no shortage of standout Dirt Late Model drivers who first became stars on the open-wheel modified circuits, including Jimmy Owens and Mike Marlar, who were tearing it up a dozen years ago.
But if the modified-to-Late Model transitions brewing this season are any indication, the Late Model crowd could get an influx of drivers who’ve won championships and dozens of major modified events in recent years.
Many of them were at the Show-Me 100 last weekend, including Ryan Gustin (pictured left) of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas (pictured upper right). Others at Wheatland, Mo., who have made the transition — or have run both divisions in recent years — included Chris Brown of Houston, Texas; Tommy Weder Jr. of Woodward, Okla., Mark Dotson of Cameron, Mo.; and Chase Junghans (pictured lower right) of Manhattan, Kan.
Another noteworthy team at Lucas Oil Speedway that has expanded to Late Models is Oklahoma’s Rowland Racing. Mod standout Stormy Scott piloted the team’s Late Models at Florida Speedweeks, while Jeremy Payne — focusing on modifieds after leaving Terry Phillips Racing in 2011 — fielded Bryan Rowland’s Late Model entry at Wheatland, running as high as fourth in the 100-lapper.
DirtonDirt.com contributor Ben Shelton has ties to many of the modified teams and sees a tipping point in modified drivers making the jump. The highest-profile modified teams spend nearly as much as Late Model teams anyway, while some are ready to tackle a new challenge with the next natural step in dirt racing.
Will some of those names listed above be among Dirt Late Model racing’s top drivers in come 2025? Don’t be surprised if a few of them are.
Turn 2: Streaky drivers
Here’s a handful of drivers enjoying some noteworthy hot streaks:
Keith Nosbisch, Valrico, Fla.: He won May 25 at East Bay Raceway Park for his seventh victories in as many starts at the Gibsonton, Fla., track going back to last season.
David McCoy, Franklin, N.C.: Split between Limited Late Model and Fastrak Crate features, he’s won four of the last five races at Toccoa (Ga.) Speedway.
Ricky Elliott, Seaford, Del.: With the World of Outlaws headed to town, Elliott is a perfect 5-for-5 this season at Delaware International Speedway in Delmar.
Joseph Joiner, Milton, Fla.: His May 25 victory at his hometown Southern Raceway was his seventh in eight starts going back to last season.
Noah Daspit, Kiln, Miss.: The NeSmith Chevrolet Crate Late Model regular has won three straight features at St. Tammany Raceway in Lacombe, La.
Backstretch: But can they carry a tune?
Five Dirt Late Model names with rock and roll connections:
• Tim Prince
Turn 3: Facebook status of the week
From the page of Delaware driver Austin Hubbard, who entered Three State Flyers action May 26 at Hesston (Pa.) Speedway: “Start on the pole of heat 3. Get called for jumping the start? Get put to 3rd. Get dumped on the restart. Flat left front. True story. My life.”
Turn 4: Turn back the clock
Five items from this week in Dirt Late Model history:
June 7, 1981: In the first All-Star Circuit of Champions Late Model event held at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind., Don Hobbs of Whiteland, Ind., raced to the first of two weekend series victories. Hobbs won the next night at Brownstown, Ind.
June 5, 1996: Polesitter Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark., survived a pit stop for tires that sent him to the rear of the field and a troublesome tangle with a lapped car to win $10,000 in a topsy-turvy feature event at Twin Cities Raceway Park. Steve Barnett finished second with Rick Aukland third in a field of MasterSbilts and Rayburn Race Cars, save the GRTs of Frye and teammate Johnny Virden.
June 9, 2002: Jerry Rucker of Hodgenville, Ky., a former driver at Bluegrass Speedway, Taylor County Speedway and Barren County Speedway, was killed in a traffic accident in Elizabethtown, Ky. He was 47.
June 1, 2008: Dennis Erb Jr. led every lap at Macon (Ill.) Speedway for a $6,000 Northern Allstars Late Model Series victory during the Tri-Track Challenge weekend.
June 3, 2011: Long-time Dirt Late Model racer Jay Brinkley of Raus, Tenn., suffered serious injuries in a four-wheeler accident.
Checkered flag: Five fearless weekend predictions
• Winners on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway and Florence Speedway in Union, Ky., won’t crack the top five at the other track.
• A non-winner on the World of Outlaws tour will finish in the top five at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y.
• Two of the first three winners on the Appalachian Mountain Speedweek presented by Harbaugh Amusement will be first-time series winners.
• Friday’s NDRL's ULMS Racing Series winner at McKean County Raceway will be a top-three finisher at one or both WoO weekend events.
• Saturday’s Blaine Brothers Challenge Series winner for WISSOTA drivers at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D., will earn his richest career payday.
(Last week: Three out of five predictions correct)
