The Dirt Track at Charlotte
Notes: Good timing for Moyer's Charlotte return
By Joshua Joiner
DirtonDirt.com staff writer
Billy Moyer is competing at Charlotte for the first time since 2010. (dt52photos.com)
CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 7) — Billy Moyer enjoyed his trip to The Dirt Track at Charlotte’s World of Outlaws World Finals so much last season that he decided to return again this year. Only this time, Moyer made sure to bring his race car with him.
After attending the World Finals as an onlooker last season, Moyer, who hadn’t competed at Charlotte’s 4/10-mile oval since the night before the 2010 World Finals, returned to Charlotte as a competitor this weekend in making his first ever World Finals appearance. | Moyer sweeps time trials
“It was neat to come as a fan and just sit and watch,” Moyer said of his trip the 2012 version of the three-day mega event that concludes the season for the WoO Late Models, the WoO Sprint Cars and the DIRTcar Big-Block modifieds. “It was a good show to get to watch all of the classes, and the track was good. That kinda made me want to go ahead and come back this year.”
Moyer’s return to Charlotte couldn’t have started any better Thursday night. The 56-year-old Batesville, Ark., driver twice topped 74 qualifiers in sweeping both rounds of World of Outlaws Late Model Series time trials, earning pole starting spots in heat races on Friday and Saturday nights.
The stellar qualifying night performance bodes well for Moyer’s chances during the remainder of the weekend. With $12,000-to-win WoO Late Model programs on tap for both Friday and Saturday, Moyer is in a prime position to end his season with one or perhaps even two big victories.
“We’re still working on it, trying to stay in front of the racetrack. But we were good right of the trailer tonight, so that’s a pretty good sign,” Moyer said. “We haven’t been here for a while, but to come back and run as well as we have so far, that’s a good thing for sure. ... We’ll just have to see how things play out, but I think we’re in good shape.”
Testing the waters
With plans to attempt his first national touring season next year, Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, S.C., believes the best way to prepare his team for the next step is to race against better competition this season. The veteran regional driver is doing just that this weekend in competing against the stout 74-car World Finals field.
“You ain’t gonna find no better than these guys here, and if we’re gonna try to run with them next year, this is the kinda cars we’re gonna have to lineup with,” said Franklin, who hopes to follow either the World of Outlaws or the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series with his Steve Cooke-owned AES Racing team next season. “We’re gonna give it all we got and see what we can do.”
Franklin, who recently wrapped up his third Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series championship, held his own during Thursday’s time trials, but with efforts of ninth and 14th in the two rounds, he knows he has room to improve.
“We’ve got a real good program and we’ve got a real good motor — probably one of the best motors we’ve had in a long, long time,” Franklin said. “Everything’s just clicking right now, so we need to make the most of it.”
Franklin hopes he his indeed able to capitalize on his team’s current run of good form, and in doing so, pick up some momentum heading into his ambitious 2014 campaign.
“We hope we can just get in the shows and have a couple good runs,” Franklin said. “If we can make these races and maybe run up front, we’ll leave here happy and get some good momentum going into that deal next year.”
Richards relaxes
The majority of Josh Richards’ previous trips to Charlotte’s World Finals have been pressured-packed weekends that have saw the Rocket Chassis house car driver locked in tight points battles. With his third World of Outlaws championship virtually clinched, Richards is enjoying racing at Charlotte with very little pressure this weekend.
“This is the most relaxed I’ve ever been at Charlotte in a long time,” Richards said. “It’s always been in a tight battle, and it feels really good to have the cushion that we have. We had a few DNFs this year and lost a lot of points, so to have that cushion, I feel like it shows how strong our team is.”
While he may not be fighting tooth and nail in a championship battle, Richards still has plenty of reason to race hard this weekend. He’s looking to end a five-year draught in World Finals action.
“We haven’t won here in a little while, so we definitely wanna do it again,” said Richards, who has three other Charlotte victories since his lone World Finals victory triumph in 2008. “We came here with an open mind and trying a few things we probably wouldn’t if we didn’t (have the point cushion). Hopefully it works out and we can finish up the year strong.”
