Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends
Notes: North Carolinian shines with sweep
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
Dante Curtis (Deango Motorsports Photography)
When longtime spectator Dante Curtis decided to become a Late Model racer six years ago, the Murphy, N.C., resident knew he had a lot to learn,
“I was a bleacher creature and had no idea what I was doing,” admits the 26-year-old.
Fast forward to 2025 and Curtis on April 18-19 enjoyed one of the highlights of his brief career in winning back-to-back Limited Late Model races at Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown, N.C., his home track, then at North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, Ga.
“That was the first time we’ve won and had the weekend sweep,” Curtis said. “I never thought in a million years I’d do it, and I finally pulled it off.”
Curtis credits all who have helped him find success in his Capital Race Car owned by his father Cale Curtis to land atop DirtonDirt's Weekly Notebook presented by FK Rod Ends. His crew chief Wyatt Hopkins. His uncle Gary Thompson, a veteran crew member now working with fellow Murphy standout Dirt Late Model racer David Payne in western North Carolina’s racing hotbed. And of course Ray Cook of nearby Brasstown, N.C., the former national touring racer turned series and track promoter.
“I'd grown up just being a spectator my whole life and then my dad, we tossed around the idea of getting a car and we didn't know nothing how to, what to do or how to do it. And so he called up Ray and he gave me a place to keep my car,” Curtis said. “The tradeoff was I kind of apprenticed for him for about two years, and he gave me a place to keep my car and I worked for Ray a little bit with the Southern Nationals (series) and FloRacing Night in America, and through him I've got to be on kind of all sides of the racing. … Everything I learned is basically from Ray. I couldn't be there without him.”
The closest Curtis came to getting behind the wheel as a youngster was through iRacing on his computer as he mostly focused on other recreational sports. (His junior and senior years at Murphy High School, Curtis was a 5-foot-9 substitute guard for the basketball team under then-Coach David Payne, but his height turned out to suit racing better. “Everybody else kept on growing and I stayed about the same,” Curtis said).
At age 20, he jumped into racing with Cook’s support, competing in the 602 Crate Late Model division. He captured the division title at Tri-County in 2022 and graduated to Limited Late Models, continuing to find success. Curtis has tallied more than a dozen feature victories and has plans to race at Tri-County, North Georgia and Sugar Creek Raceway in Blue Ridge, Ga., with the possibility of traveling at least occasionally on the Jail Breaker Topless Outlaw Series this season.
"We're planning on running the first three (series events), because they're close to the house, and we're planning on running those and seeing if it's worth following or just trying to maintain a good balance of Topless Outlaws and weekly shows,” Curtis said. “It's kind of perfect having those three (tracks). I can be in North Georgia in an hour and a half or Sugar Creek in 30 minutes or throw a rock and hit Tri-County. It's a pretty clutch having those three.”
Curtis, who was a big fan of Cook’s No. 53 when he traveled on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and other circuits, tries to pattern himself after Cook.
"How to carry myself and just how to how to act. He’s really reserved, you know,” said Curtis, who works at his family-owned Circuit World home furnishings store. “And just kind of his driving style, too. He likes to drive through there pretty straight and not get too crooked, but that's probably the two biggest things is just how to carry myself and, try and be respectful to people.”
While Curtis has found success behind the wheel — he also dabbled in asphalt action last season at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C. — he knows he needs to improve, particularly if he’s competing in the longer dirt features with the Topless Outlaws.
“Mainly the driving part. When it comes to the setup and how the car handles, for the most part, my crew chief Wyatt Hopkins, me and him, we work really good together. He helps a lot on that part,” Curtis said. “When it comes to the driving part, I’m all the time doing something stupid or making a mistake,” particularly in trying to adjust to surface changes in longer races when it comes to switching grooves or adapting his driving style.
“Just trying to put a whole race together, that's my biggest issue,” Curtis said. “I can lay down a lap good, but putting the whole race together is probably the biggest thing I wanna improve on.
“Consistently being good at qualifying every week has really helped us out a lot. Now if I can just take my good qualifying and figure out how to put it into a complete race, I think we'd have a couple more wins. I'd struggle on a start and then have to spend the whole race trying to get it back and most times wouldn’t. I'd either run second or third.”
Weekly highlights
• Unbeaten in three 2025 Super Late Model starts at three tracks, Tommy Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill., won April 18-19 home-state events at the Brownstown Bullring and Peoria Speedway.
• Overtaking Jesse Glenz on the 14th lap, James Giossi of Hudson, Wis., led the rest of the 25-lap Legendary Opener feature April 19 at Cedar Lake Speedway for an $1,800 payday and his second straight Late Model victory at the New Richmond, Wis., oval.
• Rick Eckert of York, Pa., stretched a personal winning streak to three in a row with a $5,000 victory April 18 at Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway, but Gregg Satterlee of Indiana, Pa., ended Eckert’s hot streak on April 19 with a $4,000 triumph at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway, where Eckert finished third.
• Winning his 150th feature, Kyle Hardy of Stephens City, W.Va., captured April 19’s Limited Late Model feature at Winchester (Va.) Speedway. He pocketed $3,999 the previous night in the Dan Garrett Memorial at Potomac Speedway in Budds Creek, Md.
• World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series regulars captured weekly Super Late Model shows on April 18. Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., won at Tri-City Raceway Park in Franklin, Pa., and Tristan Chamberlain of Richmond, Ind., won at MRP Raceway Park in Williamsburg, Ohio.
• Winning a Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway for the first time in 24 seasons, hometown driver Wes Bonebrake captured April 19’s Limited Late Model main event from the fifth starting spot.
First things first
Recent first-time occurrences at the dirt track:
• Knoxville, Iowa, racer Curtis Glover notched his first Davenport (Iowa) Speedway victory, leading the final nine laps of April 18’s feature.
Weekly news briefs
• Citing family health issues, Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, has pushed back its 50th season opener to May 10. The opener was previously set for April 26.
• Shawano (Wis.) Speedway plans to open its season Saturday whether or not the track’s new clay has been put on the half-mile oval, the track on Wednesday announced. The work depends on whether it fits the Shawano County Highway Department’s schedule before Saturday. The track announced that donations have covered 75 percent of the $31,000 costs of transporting the new clay.
• The weekend’s action at 34 Raceway marked a transition of flaggers at the track in West Burlington, Iowa. Kenney Dixon, who has flagged for 35 seasons, including nearly 20 at 34 Raceway, stepped away with Cody Newman taking the flagging duties. Newman is a third-generation race official with his father and grandfather serving in roles at the track previously, including in the flagstand.
• Delaware International Speedway in Delmar opened the season April 19 with Matt Hill of Georgetown, Del., winning a Late Model event. The track’s division merges Limited and Crate Late Models in an effort to boost the Elliott Farms-sponsored division’s car count. The track announced plans to provide bonuses for cars competing with 604 crate engines or no the Southern Vintage Late Model circuit.
• The newly reopening Ararat (Va.) Bullring, citing chances for inclement weather and making sure fans have the best experience, announced it has pushed back it season opener to May 10 instead of April 26. The Langley Austin-promoted track has fought through equipment failures, illness and other weather delays during the offseason. The track plans to practice April 26 and May 2, weather permitting.
• The newly reopening Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway is hiring for its concessions stands. See the track’s Facebook page for details on how to apply.
• Thunder Mountain Speedway near Corbin, Ky., is looking for someone to manage electronic scoring and driver registration. Anyone interested should call (606) 215-0413 or (606) 215-0415. See the track’s Facebook page for more details.
• Quincy (Ill.) Raceway opens Sunday to show off $150,000 in improvements with a new concrete wall in the corners, 300 loads of new clay and pit improvements, according to a report by Steve Eighinger of Muddy River Sports. Under the first full year of ownership by Jeff DeLonjay, other improvements include a new flagstand, renovated concessions building (and new menu), all-new plumbing, better drainage and three additional water trucks. Better shading has been added for spectators and a beer garden is in the works. “We’re really excited about all of the improvements at the track,” DeLonjay said. “We’ve already had a lot of positive comments.” Crate Late Models top six regular divisions at the third-mile oval.
• After a big turnout for its April 19 event, Pine Ridge Speedway in Guntown, Miss., is rewarding drivers. At the track’s next events, all drivers can get one child in free.
• With track co-owner Kevin Gundaker recovering from leg surgery, Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill., postponed April 18’s opening night. The track is now scheduled for action on April 25, but Late Models aren’t on the card.
• Poplar Bluff (Mo.) Motorsports Park has rescheduled its meet and greet with the new promoter for 3 p.m. April 26 at Haffy’s Sports Bar and Grill. The event was postponed by recent storms and flooding.
• After problems with restrooms at the April 18 opener, Tri-City Raceway Park in Franklin, Pa., announced plans to upgrade with new toilets. The track also ordered a new scoreboard that arrived this week and will soon be installed.
• Provided the new racing surface is ready, Buffalo River Speedway in Glyndon, Minn., has scheduled preseason practice on May 3 followed by May 4’s season opener. The Sunday night track announced during the offseason the addition of a WISSOTA-sanctioned Late Model division.
Weekly points
IMCA (Limiteds): Jarrett Getzschman, Matt Haase and Andy Nezworski are knotted with 40 points apiece.
USRA (Limiteds): Cade Nelson of Hermantown, Minn., has 414 points to lead Kody Koski (401) and Lucas Peterson (400).
WISSOTA (Limiteds): Tyler Peterson of Hickson, N.D., has 56 points to lead Brody Troftgruben and rookie Devin Fouquette, who have 53 points apiece.
Crate Racin’ USA (602 Crates): Brett White of Kosciusko, Miss., has 296 points to lead Zack Owens (289) and Covy Parsons (287).
Crate Racin’ USA (604 Crates): Sid Scarbrough of Florence, Miss., has 322 points to lead Shannon Lee (275) and Ben Davis (273).
Upcoming weekly specials
Among non-touring and independent special events coming up for Late Models at dirt tracks around the country:
Ohio Valley Speedway, Washington, W.Va. (April 25): Super Late Models chase a $3,000-to-win purser on Props for Cops Night sponsored by Kryptonite Race Cars. Four other divisions are in action.
Crawford County Speedway, Denison, Iowa (April 25): The season-opening events includes five divisions highlighted by IMCA Late Models ($1,150-to-win purse).
Xtreme Speedway, Moulton, Ala. (April 26): Crate Racin’ USA-sanctioned 604 Crate Late Models will chase a $2,500-to-win purse in a 30-lap feature with five undercard divisions, including 602 Crates.
Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, Ga. (April 26): Crate Late Models chase a $2,000-to-win purse with spectator races among other highlights of the night.
Mudlick Valley Raceway, Wallingford, Ky. (April 26): Super Late Models battle for a $2,000-to-win purse with four undercard divisions.
