DirtonDirt.com exclusive
Best of 2023: Northern, Western state capsules
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
(Credits clockwise from top: Tyler Carr; Zackary Washington; Alex Ostenson)
Dirt Late Model racing’s 2023 superlatives of Northern (including Canada) and Western states (individually for states with significant weekly Late Model action; other states combined), primarily focusing on local and regional events (Best of 2023 coverage):
Delaware-Maryland
Top performer: Mechanicsville, Md.’s Derick Quade captures Steel Block Bandits Late Model Challenge Series title with a series victory at Hagerstown and a series-best eight top-five finishes in 14 starts. He adds four non-touring victories at Potomac Speedway, including the $4,000 Huey Wilcoxon Memorial (Quade's first career Super Late Model victory) and $3,222 Kevin Cooke Memorial. He has 14 top-five finishes overall in 22 races at 15 tracks.
Best national driver: In his second Lucas Oil Series season, Georgetown, Del.'s Ross Robinson posts a single top-five finish in 46 starts and finished 13th in tour points. His lone victory comes in his hometown track's $3,000 Mark "Coot" Williams Memorial and he finished second in Georgetown's Camp Barnes and Mid-Atlantic Championship events.
Best regional drivers: Derick Quade; Severna Park, Md.'s Kyle Lear (five Limited Late Model victories among five tracks in three states; Potomac Limited champ); Seaford, Del.'s Trevor Collins (four multidivision victories, including $3,022 Ernie Jones Memorial at Potomac; Georgetown Crate title and champ in DIS Supers and Crates); Clear Lake, Md.'s Levi Crowl (two Hagerstown victories and SBLMS win at Ohio's Atomic Speedway); Williamsport, Md.'s Justin Weaver (two Hagerstown victories and first career Bedford victory); Mechanicsville, Md.'s Jamie Lathroum ($7,000 Delaware State Championship at DIS and two Potomac victories); Milton, Del.'s Robbie Emory (third in Bandits points; $5,007 tour victory in Sumter, S.C.); Walford, Md.'s Kenny Moreland ($5,050 Larry Hills Memorial victory at Potomac).
Best weekly drivers: Loveville, Md.'s Jeremy Pilkerton (Fastrak Crate weekly champ and five victories overall; VMS champion); Georgetown, Del.’s Matt Hill (three hometown Crate victories); Georgetown, Del.’s Joe Warren (two Hagerstown Crate victories); Millsboro, Del.’s Derek Magee (VMS and DIS Crate victories); Fairplay, Md.’s Codey Breeden (Hagerstown Crate victory); Hanover, Md.'s Ed Pope Jr. (Potomac Crate champ).
Best homegrown performance: When three Crate Late Model competitors wreck March 31 at Potomac Speedway, including two in violent rollovers, Seaford, Del.'s Cody Dawson avoids calamity in capturing his first victory at the Budds Creek, Md., track.
Most improved driver: Levi Crowl.
Best newcomers: Oakland, Md.'s Mitch Thomas (Super Late Model victory at Elkins, where he was the modified champion); Welcome, Md.'s Scooter Tippett (fourth in Potomac Crate points); Mechanicsville, Md.'s Jarrett Edwards (three top-five Crate finishes).
Most memorable moment: Rallying from his sixth position with 14 laps remaining, Ricky Thornton Jr. wins the $18,049 Melvin L. Joseph Memorial in Georgetown Speedway's debut on the Lucas Oil Series.
Biggest news: Georgetown (Del.) Speedway reclassifies as a 4/10-mile oval after offseason improvements that draw in the corners 25 feet. The Brett Deyo-promoted track also added all new catchfencing and a new frontstretch concrete wall along with adding the former flagstand from Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. ... Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway inducts former Late Model standout and flagman Gerry Fries into the track's Hall of Fame along with Lynn Paxton and Hal Browning, who also competed in the Late Model division. ... Hagerstown is also part of the revived Appalachian Mountain Speedweek with Gregg Satterlee winning the tour's one stop outside Pennsylvania. ... Glen Burnie team owner Bruce Kane fields multidivision cars for Georgia youngster Cody Overton, whose victories in the No. 15k include October's Steel Block Late Model portion of Eldora's Dirt Track World Championship and a pair of November $10,000 Crate paydays in Georgia. Overton departs late in the season for Dave Steine's Tri-Star team. ... Jon Hendrickson, a former assistant flagger at Hagerstown Speedway, died in November at age 85
New York
Top performer: Wellsville's Jeremy Wonderling sweeps the RUSH organization's weekly and touring championships while tallying an organization-best 16 Crate Late Model victories overall among 11 tracks. He logs a series-leading eight victories en route to the $15,000 title and adds eight more weekly triumphs for a total double that of any RUSH competitor.
Best national driver: Watertown's Tim McCreadie earns $75,000 for his fifth-place finish on the Lucas Oil Series with two series victories and 22 top-five finishes in 52 starts. He wins five races overall including a pair of Speedweeks victories at Volusia and $12,000 preliminary feature at Eldora's Dream.
Best regional drivers: Jeremy Wonderling; Macedon's Chad Homan (nine Crate victories at six tracks); Corning's Bryce Davis (two $3,000 Crate victories at Genesee plus $2,000 Woodhull triumph); Elba's David Pangrazio (five Crate victories, including Northeast Alliance triumph at Humberstone; runner-up at Kentucky's Damn Yankees 50 and Virginia's Natural Bridge Fall Classic).
Best weekly drivers: Frewsburg’s Jason Genco (10 victories overall including $5,000 Super win at Eriez; eight Crate triumphs, runner-up in RUSH weekly points and Stateline champ); Ripley’s Mike Knight (five Super victories; $5,000 payday at Eriez, where he wins title); Baldwinsville, N.Y.'s Alan Chapman (six Crate victories en route to second straight Skyline title); Canisteo’s Brett Marlatt (five Woodhull Crate victories); Franklinville’s Greg Oakes (three Super victories, including $3,000 at Hilltop; Stateline champ); Wellsville's Brad Mesler (four victories en route to Bradford title); Stockton's Bob Dorman (first Stateline Super victory); Warsaw’s Doug Ricotta (three Crate victories between Genesee and McKean County); Corfu's Dave DuBois (two Crate victories; Genesee champ); Springville's Paul Grigsby ($2,000 Ron Baker Memorial victory en route to Freedom title); Canisteo's Austin Allen (one victory en route to Woodhull crown).
Best homegrown performance: Mike Knight sweeps July 22-23 Super Late Model action on the Stateline-Eriez circuit.
Most improved drivers: Brett Marlatt; David Pangrazio; Addison's Dylan Cecce (first Super victory at Hummingbird).
Best newcomers: Queensbury's Demetrios Drellos (big-block mod racer scores Crate victory at Georgetown, Del.); Ellenville's Brock Pinkerous (13-year-old fourth in RUSH tour points; weekly victory at Stateline makes him youngest winner in track history);
Most memorable moment: Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., rules Stateline Speedway for his first career World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series victory.
Biggest news: Fultonville's Glen Ridge Motorsports Park hosts its first Crate Late Model event (Chad Homan won) and plans weekly RUSH-sanctioned division action in 2024. ... Genesee Speedway promoters Kurt and Bonnie Stebbins of Wellsville add promotional duties at Pennsylvania's McKean County Raceway in second half of season (Kurt Stebbins was also a $4,000 winner in a Genesee Crate special). ... Austin Hauser wins Ransomville Speedway's lone Crate event of the season. ... Busti's Stateline Speedway remains for sale by JJB Holdings after the track runs its 67th season. ... Delevan's Freedom Motorsports Park returns to RUSH sanctioning of its Crate Late Model division in 2023 for the first time in six seasons. ... Tim McCreadie's seven-year run as the Longhorn Chassis house car driver ends when Brandon Sheppard is selected to take the role in 2024. ... Ellenville's Brock Pinkerous is disqualified and suspended by RUSH officials for his team's misbehavior during an August event at Woodhull Raceway. ... Jay's Automotive of Olean becomes title sponsor of the United Late Model Series. ... Waterloo's Matt Sheppard, a big-block modified star, drives a Late Model during Eldora's World 100 weekend. ... Ischua native Rich Michael Jr. takes ownership of Ohio Valley Speedway in Washington, W.Va. ... Ron Ford joins Brad Smith as co-promoter of Skyline Raceway Motorsports Park for 2024.
Ohio
Top performer: Piling up 16 victories among seven tracks, including a career-high $35,000 payday at Merritt Speedway's Wood Tic 100 in his native Michigan, McClure's Rusty Schlenk finishes second in DIRTcar's weekly points. Among other specials he picked up his fifth career $5,000 Barney Oldfield Memorial victory at Oakshade and a $3,000 payday at Attica.
Best national driver: Dresden's Devin Moran finished second in Lucas Oil Series points, winning two series races — including the $50,000 Show-Me 100 — among five victories overall in his first season with Double Down Motorsports. His late-season podium hot streak put him in Lucas Oil's Big River Steel Big Four and he nearly stole the championship in the top-finisher-wins-title battle at Eldora's Dirt Track World Championship.
Best regional drivers: Rusty Schlenk; Wheelersburg’s R.J. Conley (seven Super victories among three tracks, $10,000 at Mudlick Valley and $5,000 at Portsmouth; Atomic champ); Zanesville's Todd Brennan (nine Super victories between Hilltop and Midway; $11,000 sweep of Weekend on the Hill); Wheelersburg's Rod Conley (two victories including $3,000 Ike Moler Memorial at MRP).
Best weekly drivers: Wooster's Doug Drown (seven victories between Hilltop and Wayne County, including two $3,000 paydays); Ashland’s Ryan Markham (five Super victories between Attica and Wayne County; three modified wins); Sylvania’s Casey Noonan (five Super victories at Oakshade); Mansfield's Kyle Moore (three Wayne County victories, including $5,000 Summer Nationals triumph); Conneaut’s Breyton Santee (five Crate victories; Eriez champ); Wooster's J.R. Gentry (four victories en route to Wayne County title); Danville's Nathon Loney (three Super victories at three tracks, including Wayne County's $3,000 Dirt Blowout); Newark's Steve Prince (two Super victories en route to Midway title); Wooster's Larry Bellman Jr. (Hilltop champ); Cambridge's Doug Dodd (two Midway victories); Bellevue's Ryan Missler (two Attica victories).
Best homegrown performance: Overtaking Kyle Moore on the final corner, Ryan Markham captures his 22nd career Attica victory. He led the first five laps and the last one.
Most improved drivers: Kyle Moore; Orwell's Chad Sines (two Raceway 7 Crate victories).
Best newcomers: Batavia's Adam Stricker (Florence Spring 50 runner-up; fifth in WoO's visit to Brownstown); Jackson's Seth Daniels (first Super victory at Skyline).
Most memorable moment: Brandon Sheppard runs out of fuel on the last lap of the Lucas Oil-sanctioned DTWC at Eldora, barely holding off Hudson O'Neal who slips by Devin Moran on the last lap to secure the Lucas Oil title. Sheppard's victory is his record-tying fifth in the DTWC.
Biggest news: Rossburg's Eldora Speedway hosts the Carl Short-promoted Dirt Track World Championship for the first time, a weekend plagued by rain and extended to a Sunday finish. ... Eldora bans signal sticks and restricts crew communications with drivers for its major events. ... The Tony Stewart-owned Eldora also announces a new format for 2024's team with $25,000-to-win preliminary nights and a richer event purse paying a sport-record $6,000-to-start the 100-lapper. ... Latham's Robert Starett announces the six-race AirMax Super Late Model Series in March but scraps plans six weeks later without hosting an event. ... St. Marys-based Best Performance Motorsports posts a three-victory season with driver Tyler Erb finishing eighth in Lucas Oil Series points. … Jackson County Speedway's plans to reopen in 2023 fall through. ... Atomic Speedway enshrines Roger Beeler, Rodney Duncan, George Fisher, Butch Hartman and Vernon Seitz in the track's Hall of Fame. ... Matt and Beth Cogley purchase Findlay's Millstream Speedway with plans to reopen the half-mile oval that hasn’t hosted Late Model racing since 2016. ... Tye Long of Cambridge, Ohio, is among inductees into the Bullring of Honor at West Virginia's Tyler County Speedway. ... Longtime Ohio dirt racer Art Ball of Tiffin, who received a Lifetime Achievement award from the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2019, dies in October at the age of 85. The driver of the No. 01 at Ohio tracks in Fremont, Attica and McCutchenville competed in several divisions while collecting 30 track titles and 201 races, the last at age 76. ... Two-time Atomic champ George Branscom dies in May at the age of 82. He won 1973-74 titles and was third in the inaugural World 100 at Eldora. ... Longhorn Chassis establishes $30,000 in annual scholarships at the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima. ... Brushcreek Motorsports Complex in Peebles set to change hands with sprint car racer Lee Haskin purchasing the 23-year-old, 3/10-mile oval from the founding Partin family. Steven Partin plans to promote four races in 2024, including the 4B4EVER 40 for Super Late Models.
Pennsylvania
Top performer: Chalk Hill's Mason Zeigler scores three lucrative Super Late Model victories and contends at Eldora’s traditional crown jewel events. He pockets $8,700 in Billy Winn Classic and $12,055 in the ULMS Labor Day Classic, both at Bedford, and adds a $10,000 Lernerville victory. He finishes fifth in Eldora’s Dream and sixth in the World 100, his best finishes in both events.
Best national drivers: Centerville's Max Blair (Lucas Oil Series Rookie of the Year scores one victory and five top-five finishes in 47 starts; six overall wins include $20,000 Bill Emig Memorial at Lernerville and $7,676 Andy Kania Memorial at Eriez); Bear Lake's Boom Briggs (finishes 14th in Lucas Oil points with three top-10 finishes in 31 starts).
Best regional drivers: Mason Zeigler; Indiana’s Gregg Satterlee (nine victories, eight paying $4,000 or more, among four tracks, including AMS win at Selinsgrove); Sarver’s Michael Norris (11 Super and Crate victories, five paying $4,000 or more; Lernerville champ); York’s Rick Eckert (four Super victories among three tracks, including Georgetown's $7,000 Mid-Atlantic Championship; Port Royal champ); Dover’s Coleby Frye (five victories among three tracks, including $4,000 at Selinsgrove); Saxonburg’s Alex Ferree (two Super victories); Moon Township’s Logan Zarin (three Super victories at three tracks).
Best weekly drivers: Waterford’s Dave Hess Jr. (seven Super victories among four tracks; three paying $3,500 or more); Port Royal’s Devin Hart (nine Limited victories among five tracks in 23 starts; Hagerstown champ); Clearfield's Gary Little (eight Limited victories en route to Hidden Valley title); Masontown’s Michael Duritsky (six Crate victories; Latrobe title); Mahaffey’s Jon Lee (four Super victories among three tracks, including $3,000 at Hidden Valley); McDonald's Brandon Burgoon (five PPMS Crate victories); Punxsutawney’s Joe Martin (six Crate victories; Marion Center title); Brockway’s Paul Kot (four Super victories and repeat of Hummingbird crown); Port Royal’s Trent Brenneman (four Limited victories among three tracks); Mount Union's Shawn Shoemaker (four Limited victories among four tracks; Port Royal champ); Addison's Ryan Frazee (four Crate victories; Roaring Knob champ); Dover's Jed Latshaw (two victories en route to BAPS title); Centerville’s Darrell Bossard (three Super victories on Stateline-Eriez circuit); Burgettstown’s Kyle Lukon (three PPMS Crate victories); Danville's Jeff Rine (Bedford Super title); East Freedom's Devin Weyandt (two victories en route to Bedford Limited title).
Best homegrown performance: Leading all 25 laps, veteran chassis builder and driver Jim Bernheisel wins April 2 at Bedford for the second time and first since 1988 when he won his first-ever Super Late Model feature.
Most improved drivers: Drake Troutman; Gary Little; Elliottsburg’s Jaxton Garman (two victories en route to Path Valley title); Etters's Matt Adams (first career victory at Clinton County; third in BAPS points); Mechanicsburg’s Daulton Bigler (Limited victories at Selinsgrove and Bedford); Dover’s Travis Horan (first Limited victory at BAPS).
Best newcomers: Selinsgrove’s Tyson Mowery (BAPS Limited victory); Uniontown’s Greg Hauger (Roaring Knob Crate victory); Clairton's Frank Magill (three top-fives in Crates at PPMS); Coudersport's Jacob Tubbs (first Crate victory at Woodhull).
Most memorable moment: Contact with Mason Zeigler sends Alex Ferree spinning as they battle for the lead in Sept. 1’s ULMS event at Bedford, knocking Ferree out of the race and sending Zeigler to victory lane and a $12,055 payday.
Biggest news: Eldred’s Todd Andrews is named to the Class of 2024 with the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. … Andrews was also inducted into the Bradford Speedway Hall of Fame along with Late Model drivers Al Brewer and Ward Schell. … After one season with the Briggs Transport team, Centerville’s Max Blair departs for Brad Spoachacz’s Centerline Motorsports operation with plans to continue on the Lucas Oil Series. … Jonestown’s Jim Bernheisel revives the Appalachian Mountain Speedweek and runs fives of its six completed events at Pennsylvania tracks, averaging more than 40 cars per race. … East Smethport’s McKean County Raceway reopens in August under the promotership of Kurt and Bonnie Stebbins after being idle for nearly two years. … Blair Cress Jr., the owner-operator of 20/20 Landscaping & Tree Service, purchases Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway from the Miley family and announces plans for improvements while continuing weekly racing at the half-mile track. … Warren’s Jay Pees, the longtime photographer and publicist on the Stateline-Eriez circuit, dies in July at age 75. … Conneaut Lake driver Matt Latta steps away from the RUSH series after a liver disease diagnosis. … With his 56th victory, Waterford’s Dave Hess Jr. ties Bob Schnars atop the all-time victory list at Eriez. … Drake Troutman connects with Texas team owner Chris Bragg late in the season with plans to run January’s Wild West Shootout. … Franklin's Matt Lux retires after 29 years of racing. He was a three-time Super Late Model winner in 2023 at Marion Center. ... Pulaski-based RUSH organization announces 2024’s Crate Late Model series champion will receive a record $20,000. … BAPS Motor Speedway enshrines 28-time Late Model winner Jeff Leiphart and longtime team owner Will Shatzer into the track’s Hall of Fame. … Lernerville boosts its weekly purses 17 percent with $2,000-to-win Super Late Model events. … Trailer fire after April event at Port Royal destroys much of Andrew Yoder’s race equipment; he later takes the seat of Larry Baer’s No. 0 Rocket Chassis. … RFR Motorsports ends its two-year run operating Strongstown’s Dog Hollow Speedway, which remains idle in 2023 along with Hesston Speedway. Dog Hollow is set to reopen in 2024 under J&E Motorsports Promotions. … Knox (Pa.) Raceway hosts a RUSH Crate Late Model Series event before closing at mid-season with former sprint racer Brian Steinman putting the track up for sale. … Knox Dale’s Thunder Mountain Speedway closes in June after a dispute between the owner and promoter. … Announcer John McConnell is named promoter of Reynoldsville’s Hummingbird Speedway for 2024.
Virginia
Top performer: Stephens City’s Kyle Hardy piles up 20 multidivisional victories among nine tracks, including a career-high $23,000 in Bedford (Pa.) Speedway’s Keystone Cup. The richest of several victories at Winchester came in the $9,191 Jimmy Spence Memorial while $5,000 paydays came at Natural Bridge’s Fall Classic and Georgetown (Del.) Speedway. He also clicked off ULMS and RUSH Series triumphs in a season driving for car owners Sommey Lacey and Harry Shipe.
Best national drivers: None.
Best regional drivers: Kyle Hardy; King George’s Tyler Emory (ULMS and Appalachian Mountain Speedweek champion; five victories overall including two apiece on each tour); Waynesboro’s Logan Roberson (seven victories overall including first Ultimate Southeast Series triumph and pair of $10,000 American All-Star wins at Natural Bridge); Winchester’s Trever Feathers (four victories among three tracks, including two $4,000 triumphs at Port Royal); Rockbridge Baths’s Tyler Bare (four victories including on Steel Block Bandits at Beckley and Bristol; second in series points); Beaverdam’s Russell Erwin (first Carolina Clash victory at County Line; Dixieland and Winchester Limited victories); Honaker’s Tyler Arrington ($8,800 Bandits victory at Natural Bridge and Wartburg triumph); Ewing’s Dakotah Knuckles (Iron-Man victory at Tazewell).
Best weekly drivers: Concord’s Justin Williams (15 multidivisional victories at National Bridge, where he’s Limited champ); Stephens City’s Mike Franklin (seven Limited and Crate victories at Winchester; Limited champ); Smithfield’s Brent Robinson (five victories en route to Dixieland title); Appomatox’s Corey Almond (three victories between Natural Bridge and VMS); Winchester’s Jonathan DeHaven (five hometown victories); Winchester’s Brad Omps (three hometown Limited victories); Lexington’s Ronnie Martin Jr. (four Crate victories at Natural Bridge); Waynesboro’s Tyler Hoy (one victory en route to Winchester Crate title); Stanardsville’s Matt Hildebrand (Natural Bridge Crate champ); White Plains’s Cody Wright (Halifax County Limited title).
Best homegrown performance: Cobbs Creeks’s Billy Hubbard sweeps an August weekend at Dixieland Speedway and Virginia Motor Speedway.
Most improved drivers: Tyler Emory; Ronnie Martin Jr. Clearbrook’s Craig Parrill (first Winchester Limited victory; fourth in division points in third division season).
Best newcomers: Midlothian’s Carson Brown (MRP Super victory for development teen with Delk Marlar Racing); Winchester’s Davin Kaiser (Crate victory and eight top-fives in rookie season at hometown track; RUSH Futures Cup champ); Stuarts Draft’s Jeremiah Marshall (Crate victory at Winchester).
Most memorable moment: Hall of Famer Dale McDowell leads all the way for a $10,000 Schaeffer's Southern Nationals victory at Wythe Raceway.
Biggest news: Rockbridge Baths’s Booper Bare joins the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in the Class of 2023. … Crate Late Model ace Logan Roberson of Waynesboro spends the season in the Brodnax Shaker Motorsports Super Late Model, a team that elects to shut down at season’s end. Roberson also cracked the 100-victory mark for his career. … Tiffany Kidd continues successful promotion of Natural Bridge Speedway after taking over midway through 2022. … Rural Retreat’s Wythe Raceway adds regular division for 602 Crate Late Models starting in May with Bill Tesh winning title; North Carolinians shut Virginians out of victory lane all season.
West Virginia
Top performer: Parkersburg's Tyler Carpenter spreads 18 Super victories among five tracks, including four races paying $5,000 or more. He nabs his first Jay's Automotive United Late Model Series victory at Ohio Valley and adds the Jim Stout Memorial at Elkins and Earl Hill Memorial at Tyler County, among other special event victories. He also dazzles at Ohio's Eldora Speedway, rallying from 17th and into the lead of the 100-lap DTWC before power steering woes force him out before halfway.
Best national drivers: None.
Best regional drivers: Tyler Carpenter; Fairmont’s Jacob Hawkins (five Super victories between Tyler County and Elkins, including $5,000 ULMS Topless 50); Poca’s Zach Milbee (five victories en route to Steel Block Late Model Series title); Cross Lanes’s Zack Dohm ($10,000 All-Stars Crate victory at Beckley; $8,000 Harvest 50 sweep in Skyline Supers); Fairmont’s Ryan Montgomery (four Super victories at three tracks, including ULMS triumph at Outlaw); Beckley's Henry Hornsby III (two hometown victories and runner-up in Beckley's Southern Nationals event to series champ Jimmy Owens); Parkersburg’s Corey DeLancey (four SBLMS victories); Greenwood's Daniel Hill (two SBLMS victories and Super triumph at Tyler County); Ridgeley’s Matt Cosner (Bedford victory; Keystone Cup runner-up and first Lucas Oil top-five); Martinsburg's Keith Jackson ($4,000 Lee Stultz Memorial victory at Winchester); Morgantown’s Brent Trimble ($5,000 Fastrak Crate Series victory at Tyler County).
Best weekly drivers: Oak Hill's Eddie Hambrick (five Crate victories en route to Beckley title); Buckhannon's Shane Hitt (two Super victories en route to Elkins title); Mineral Wells's Tyler Evans (two Tyler County Super victories); Midway's Shane Greco (five Beckley Crate victories); Rock Cave's Luke Hyre (Fastrak Crate weekly points runner-up; Elkins Crate title); Buckhannon's Logan Hitt (two Elkins Super victories); Pennsboro’s Kyle Thomas (two Tyler County victories; Super champ); West Union’s Donnie Dotson (Tyler County Crate champ).
Best homegrown performance: Rallying from the tail after a lap-11 pit stop, Jacob Hawkins leads the final two laps of the season-ending Fall Festival 40 at Elkins for a $3,000 Super Late Model payday.
Most improved drivers: Shane Greco; Greenwood's Ryan Payne (first Super victory at Tyler County; fourth in track points).
Best newcomers: Ridgeley's Cameron Campbell (Crate victory at Winchester); Belington's Noah Whited (third in Fastrak Crate weekly points); Bruceton Mills's Lane Brock (five top-five Crate finishes at Roaring Knob).
Most memorable moment: Ricky Thornton Jr.'s third-to-first move at West Virginia Motor Speedway sends him past Jimmy Owens and Daulton Wilson en route to a Lucas Oil Series victory in the Historic 100 prelim.
Biggest news: Morgantown's Steve Baker, co-owner of Rocket Chassis, former promoter of I-79 Speedway and Pittsburgher winner, is named to the Class of 2024 for the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. ... XR Events begins work on a newly built quarter-mile oval at Ritchie County Fairgrounds with plans to host several events in 2024 at Pennsboro Speedway, which hasn't hosted Late Model events in 20 years. ... Former Salt Rock racer Eddie Carrier Jr. makes several starts in the backup car of Matt Cosner with a best finish of fourth. ... Shinnston's Rocket Chassis house car team wins its first World 100 and first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship with Hudson O'Neal behind the wheel. ... Wellsburg's Corey Conley sits out of competition after a winter shop fire that destroys much of his racing equipment and team history. ... Ghent's Wayne Hughes, a longtime Beckley regular, returns to Super Late Model action for the first time since 2015 for a few starts in a Dusty Williams-owned car. ... Elkins photography Amy Channell, suffers a leg injury in July when she's struck by a car in the infield. ... Longtime racer Eslie Bills of Kincaid dies in February after a battle with cancer. The 75-year-old won more than 50 Late Model features and multiple track titles during a 48-year career. ... Fairmont's Billy Holbert, a three-time Super champ at Elkins, ends his driving career. He was a two-time winner at Elkins in 2023. ... Tyler County's 2023 Bullring of Honor inductees: drivers Paul Wilmoth Jr., Tye Long, Bobby Hill, Sam Irvin along with longtime track grader operator Charlie Kimball. ... After an unsuccessful attempt to get West Virginia Motor Speedway operating profitably, the Mineral Wells, W.Va., track is listed for sale by PMC Realty for $1.2 million. ... Former Shinnston driver Josh Richards announces his retirement from competition. ... Rich Michael Jr. takes over full ownership of Washington's Ohio Valley Speedway and continues with weekly DIRTcar-sanctioned Super Late Models. ... Tyler Carpenter drives a NASCAR Craftsman Truck entry for Niece Motorsports at a dirt-covered Bristol.
Western states
Top performer: Chandler, Ariz.'s Ricky Thornton Jr., now living in Martinsville, Ind., has a season for the ages in piling up 34 victories, including 23 on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series en route to finishing third in tour points (far and away the top points earner, he settled for third in the tour's title-deciding Dirt Track World Championship at Eldora). His 19 full-field Lucas Oil victories set a tour record and included $50,000 paydays at Smoky Mountain, Lernerville and Knoxville, where he swept the three-race Nationals weekend. His richest victory came with a $100,000 XR Super Series payday at Off Road Speedway and he added two WoO World Finals triumphs.
Best national drivers: Ricky Thornton Jr.; Las Cruces, N.M.’s Garrett Alberson (11th in Lucas Oil points with three top-five finishes in 51 starts; Comp Cams victory at Boothill); Elk Grove, Calif.’s Kyle Larson (Lucas Oil victory at Golden Isles and winner of his self-promoted race at Volunteer); Las Cruces, N.M.'s Johnny Scott (two top-10 finishes in 24 starts in World of Outlaws runs that ends prematurely; fourth in rookie points).
Best regional drivers: Corbett, Ore's Collen Winebarger (11 victories among six tracks, including series-leading three on I-5 Series and Duel in the Desert sweep); Albany, Ore.'s Bricen James (I-5 tour champ with two victories; 11 wins overall among five tracks, including two paying $4,000-plus and Early Thaw triumph in Arizona); Las Cruces, N.M.'s Stormy Scott ($10,000 victories at Brownstown and I-55, including first on Summer Nationals); Bakersfield, Calif.'s Ethan Dotson (two Comp Cams victories; $9,700 HTF win at Talladega); Coos Bay, Ore.’s Preston Luckman (six victories among three tracks); Price, Utah's Wyatt Howard (six victories en route to Desert Thunder title; two High Plains victories at Sweetwater); Rapid City, S.D.'s Lyndon Bolt (four victories, three on High Plains circuit); Portland, Ore.'s Joey Tanner (three victories, one on I-5 Series; top-10 finish on Southern Nationals); Commerce City, Colo.'s Greg Sharpe (High Plains tour champ).
Best weekly drivers: Sun River, Mont.’s Michael Leach (six home-state victories; Gallatin champ); Rio Rancho, N.M.'s Josh Cain (Vado champ nets seven victories); Gillette, Wyo.’s Eddie Kirchoff (five victories, three on High Plains tour, en route to Gillette title); Bandon, Ore.’s Wayne Butler (eight victories en route to Coos Bay Limited title); Crawfordsville, Ore.'s Cory Yeack (eight victories en route to Willamette Limited championship); Live Oak, Calif.'s Matt Micheli (four victories between Antioch and Placerville); Medford, Ore.'s Miles Deubert (three victories en route to Southern Oregon title); Diamond Springs, Calif.’s Dan Jinkerson (three Placerville victories en route to title); Las Cruces, N.M.'s Eric McNutt (three Vado victories); Salem, Ore.'s Doug Elkins (two victories en route to Willamette Super title); Lincoln, Calif.’s Dan Brown Jr. (two Placerville victories); Springfield, Ore.'s Jake Mayden (Cottage Grove title); Pineville, Ore.’s Dominik Holliday (Madras champ); Rapid City, S.D.’s Lynn Amick (repeats Bandit title).
Best homegrown performance: Collen Winebarger scores a three-race sweep at Las Vegas Duel in the Desert.
Most improved drivers: Bricen James; Wyatt Howard; Josh Cain; Billings, Mont.’s Beau Nave (two victories en route to Big Sky title).
Best newcomers: Ethan Dotson; Michael Leach; Price, Utah's Kade Dimick (five victories at home-state tracks); Los Lunas, N.M.'s Rob Moseley (two Vado victories); Rapid City, S.D.'s Corey Aga (McLean County victory in second Late Model start); Payson, Utah's Kagen Cook (Millard County title).
Most memorable moment: In a sizzling race with six lead changes among three drivers, Bobby Pierce captures the Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout finale at Vado Speedway Park, earning $25,000 topping Kyle Larson and Mike Marlar.
Biggest news: California-based Papich Racing, which fielded a team for four-time Lucas Oil Series champ Earl Pearson Jr. for two seasons, announces in November it is shutting down. ... Willamette Speedway owner Cory Penfold’s Moxie Media & Promotions revive the Coors Light I-5 Silver Bullet Series with $2,000-to-win events among tracks in Washington and Oregon. Bricen James captures the championship in his return to Late Model competition. ... The Chris Kearns-promoted Wild West Shootout plans for a third season at Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park with more than $600,000 in prize and bonus money up for grabs. … Utah’s Millard County Speedway adds a regular Late Model division and draws a total of eight drivers throughout the season. … Bend, Ore.’s Thomas Hunziker is a regular on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals for the third season with two top-10 finishes en route to fifth-place points finish. ... Oregon's Joey Tanner ends three-year run in Ray Mitchell-owned car. Driving Darren Coffell's machine, Tanner runs most of the Schaeffer's Southern Nationals in rare non-West Coast starts. ... California rookie Ethan Dotson runs most of the season for Texan Chris Bragg before jumping to North Carolina's Coltman Farms team. ... The Ernie Mincy Early Thaw plans a second season with six January events at Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande. … Bakersfield, Calif.-based Elite Automotive Group purchase and reopens Clayhill Motorsports Park in Atwood, Tenn. … Mike Garcia takes interim general manager of Vado Speedway Park after the unexpected departure of Bobby Seals.
Canada
Top performer: Headingley, Manitoba’s Ricky Weiss, now racing out of east Tennessee, collects eight victories including a repeat triumph at Richmond’s $20,059 Butterball Wooldridge Memorial. He opens the season with four Central Arizona triumphs at the Early Thaw, adds an American All-Star Crate victory at Bristol and captured Eldora Speedway’s Baltes Classic.
Best national drivers: None
Best regional drivers: East St. Paul, Manitoba’s Shane Edginton (career-high $9,200 in Seitz Memorial at River Cities; four victories overall including NLRA triumph); Trenton, Ontario’s Charlie Sandercock (Northeast Alliance champ with three Crate series victories; five wins overall including on RUSH tour); Trenton, Ontario’s Steve Baldwin (six victories and Brighton championship; Northeast Alliance victory at Cornwall); Chatham, Ontario’s Gregg Haskell (two Southern Ontario victories and Ohsweken’s Late Model Open); Picton, Ontario’s Adam Turner (Northeast Alliance victory at Brockville); Orono, Ontario’s Craig Graham (eighth in RUSH touring points); Orono, Ontario’s Brandt Graham (ninth in RUSH touring points).
Best weekly drivers: Chatham, Ontario’s C.J. Field (six victories en route to Southern Ontario title; Ohsweken Late Model Open runner-up); Winnipeg, Manitoba’s Scott Greer (two victories en route to Victory Lane track title); Blenheim, Ontario’s Brian Speelman (two Southern Ontario victories); Ridgetown, Ontario’s Nick Glassford (eight top-fives at Southern Ontario); Estevan, Saskatchewan’s Jim Harris (victory at Willison Basin’s Fall Roundup).
Best homegrown performance: C.J. Field rallied late in the season with five straight victories to win his first Southern Ontario Motor Speedway championship.
Most improved drivers: C.J. Field; Cornwall, Ontario’s Brian McDonald (first Late Model victory comes on Northeast Alliance circuit).
Best newcomers: Brighton, Ontario’s Ryan Lambert (five top-five finishes; fifth in hometown points); Dresden, Ontario’s Marshall Hereygers (fourth in Southern Ontario points).
Most memorable moment: Scoring his richest victory, Shane Edginton overtook Tyler Peterson with 13 laps remaining at the 17th annual John Seitz Memorial for a $9,200 victory at North Dakota’s River Cities Speedway.
Biggest news: Dead Horse Creek Speedway in Morden, Manitoba (formerly AHL Speedway) reopens after a lengthy closure and Mike Greseth wins the Late Model portion of the King of the Corn. ... Fort Frances, Ontario, native Steve Arpin of Loenbro Motorsports and Longhorn Chassis excel with 2023 awards including Chassis Builder of the Year on the World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series. … Charlie Sandercock surpasses the 150-victory mark of his career with a Northeast Alliance victory at Brighton. … Southern Ontario runs the Rick Hornick Memorial, an event honoring the track’s former tech inspector who died in 2022. … Stirling, Ontario’s Greg Belyea drives a Boom Briggs-owned car in Castrol FloRacing Night in America action at Eldora Speedway, Belyea’s debut at the Rossburg, Ohio, oval. … Shane Edginton scores his first victory at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis.
