Traveling all over the country to cover Dirt Late Model races, you end up going to some racetracks repeatedly, while other ovals you might visit once every few years.

But even with infrequent visits to regional dirt tracks off the beaten path, it's always nice to develop relationships with the occasional friendly faces who, even if it's a few years between visits, welcome you with a smile.

Rusty Cummings always had one of those welcoming smiles.

I've probably made a dozen or so trips to Louisiana MORE

Picking up the phone, my poor buddy Russ must've thought I'd lost my marbles. On a steamy July afternoon more than 20 years ago, I unexpectedly called him from a banged-up pay phone attached to an outbuilding at St. Francois Raceway in Farmington, Mo., excitedly trying explain why in the world I was there — and how I'd just discovered the coolest dirt racing series ever.

"Where? St. Fran-what?" Russ must've been saying on the other end of the line.

The transcript of the phone call is lost, but MORE

ROSSBURG, Ohio (June 11) — Oftentimes at Eldora Speedway's biggest events, the starting fields are filled with the usual suspects. With Dream XVII bringing a record-low car count and a dozen drivers making their debuts at the historic half-mile, this year initially promised some fresh faces.

Will that hold true? Even with fewer cars, drivers who haven't made big-race Eldora lineups like Andrew Reaume, Jacob Hawkins, Kent Robinson and Chris Brown will have their work cut out for them against MORE