Dirt Late Models 2021

kkfan91

kkfan91

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Saw the Lucas Oil Series dropped their schedule today.

lucasdirt.com

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Releases 2021 Schedule

Batavia, OH (October 14, 2020) - The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is proud to announce the 2021 schedule, with a lineup that hosts 62 feature events, at 32 different venues, across 21 states. The news all race fans have been waiting for, all 62 events will be live streamed in ...
lucasdirt.com lucasdirt.com
 
I'm glad both series are flourishing. The purse bumps are good for teams. There is a lot of room to grow in the streaming age. There is no better product in terms of "close" and "side-by-side" short track racing with full bodied cars.
 
gnomesayin said:
I'm glad both series are flourishing. The purse bumps are good for teams. There is a lot of room to grow in the streaming age. There is no better product in terms of "close" and "side-by-side" short track racing with full bodied cars.
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I mean I'll always prefer sprint cars and big block mods but I can appreciate the late models even if they aren't my favorite top dirt class.
 
gnomesayin said:
That's why I said full-bodied. Sprint cars > everything.
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Non-wing is king.

To keep on topic, for 2021 I am making my first trip to the winternationals in east bay. Been wanting to make it down there for a long time and hearing about the impending closure of east bay lit a fire under me.

Also was very happy to see every Lucas race will be streamed to their app. Great for sponsorship exposure.
 
Dirt on dirt has an article saying that Kyle Strickler is teaming up PCC motorsports (the car Hudson Oneal has been driving) and they will be following the Lucas tour next year. Strickler has been running longhorns this year but PCC is sticking with rocket chassis for 2021.

The Lucas tour is going to be stacked headed into speedweeks with Strickler and RTJ running for ROY and rumor is Overton may be running Lucas next year as well.

 
Dammit. I wonder what this means for the WoO sprints at Kokomo Saturday as well.

 
I do not understand why they would cancel the LM portion but keep the sprint car show as scheduled. Everything I've read says the sprints are still a go. Odd.
 
A bit of a change to the Lucas Oil schedule to start out the year. Speedweeks will now start at All-Tech in Lake City FL after Golden Isles announced they were not going to host the opener next year due to Covid-19 restrictions.

A side note, but I got my tickets for East Bay in the mail last week. I can't wait to head down in just a few weeks.

lucasdirt.com

All-Tech Raceway Kicks Off 2021 Speedweeks

BATAVIA, OH (December 14, 2020) - All-Tech Raceway promoter, Wendell Durrance, approached Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Officials about a possible date change when availability recently opened up. Speedweeks 2021 will now kick off in Lake City, FL. The new schedule of events f...
lucasdirt.com lucasdirt.com
 
Tim_Richmond_Fan said:
A bit of a change to the Lucas Oil schedule to start out the year. Speedweeks will now start at All-Tech in Lake City FL after Golden Isles announced they were not going to host the opener next year due to Covid-19 restrictions.

A side note, but I got my tickets for East Bay in the mail last week. I can't wait to head down in just a few weeks.

lucasdirt.com

All-Tech Raceway Kicks Off 2021 Speedweeks

BATAVIA, OH (December 14, 2020) - All-Tech Raceway promoter, Wendell Durrance, approached Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Officials about a possible date change when availability recently opened up. Speedweeks 2021 will now kick off in Lake City, FL. The new schedule of events f...
lucasdirt.com lucasdirt.com
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The cancellation has more to do with the promoter having a rough go of it more than Covid restrictions.
 
I wouldn't repeat a rumor without knowing it was true. But I know a team owner that races in the Lucas series and he confirmed that was the case. The guy has been struggling for some time.
 
WoO late models and sprints to run Bristol dirt races in April. The late models will run April 8 - 10. I wish they could have figured out a way to incorporate this with the cup weekend, but I guess I'll just have to make a second trip if I can make it work. Press release below.

www.worldofoutlaws.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CARS, LATE MODELS INVADE BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY IN APRIL 2021 | World of Outlaws

Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt track will get pushed to its limits in April 2021 when the World of Outlaws returns to unleash its high-horsepower Sprint Cars and Late Models on the famed high banks of The Last Great Colosseum for the first time in nearly two decades. Thunder Valley will host both...
www.worldofoutlaws.com www.worldofoutlaws.com
 
WoO season kicking off tonight in Volusia. Track is fast, watching in between Chili Bowl races.
 
Very entertaining and strange in some ways opening night for the WoO late models. The track at Volusia was different with new dirt, and seemed to throw a lot of teams a curve. Jimmy Owens barely made the feature through a B and made no headway once he did. Brandon Sheppard, who dominates the series, ran most of the feature in 10th or 11th. McCreadie was in the top three early but broke..

It came down to Kyle Bronson, Cade Dillard, and Darrell Lanigan. Bronson led early, was passed by Dillard after jumping the cushion, and Dillard then looked dominant. But after a couple late restarts, Lanigan tried to throw a bonzai slider on Dillard, and there was contact. Looked like Lanigan spun himself out trying to stay off of Dillard, but there was damage to Dillard's left front. Bronson then was able to pass Dillard back and take the win. Very stout field of cars and a fun a mysterious opening race of the season.
 
When they go back to Volusia in February, the teams that are there now will have it figured out. And those that are in Arizona or not racing yet will have to deal with the curve.
 
With the Outlaws rained out tonight, all late model eyes are back on Arizona Speedway. I think there are over 60 cars in the field, including a lot of Lucas drivers and some notables like Donny Schatz. Looks like Davenport and Thornton Jr. are the ones to beat.
 
Tyler Erb gets the win in a great battle, probably my favorite late model race I've watched live which to be fair isn't many. Track puts on a good show it seems I enjoyed the xmods and mods too though as with most lower classes a little caution heavy.
 
I have a feeling that Kyle Strickler is going to be in victory lane a lot this year. He's a real rising star in the late model world.




Another good one in Arizona, this one a back and forth long run battle between Tyler Erb and Jonathan Davenport. Caution free for 40 laps.

 
gnomesayin said:
I have a feeling that Kyle Strickler is going to be in victory lane a lot this year. He's a real rising star in the late model world.
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I almost wish they would've run for the WoO title this year because I agree with your assessment on his talent. I think he would've been a real threat on that side. The Lucas Oil tour is just so deep, he may not even win rookie of the year. Thornton Jr. will be tough and if Overton declares it could be the best rookie class in a long time.
 
kkfan91 said:
I've watched more hours of dirt late models since signing up for Floracing then I can ever remember. Still prefer sprints and mods but they are growing on me
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That's kinda what happened to me. I grew up with them somewhat, then became mostly a non-wing sprint fan, and in the streaming era have gravitated back to winged sprints and late models. I'll always argue for sprint cars being the purest and badassest form of oval racing there is, but the top tier late model racing is extremely entertaining and full of skilled drivers.
 
Tyler Erb almost caught Davenport all the way from 11th starting position, and probably logged the most impressive performance of the week in AZ relative to expectations. Davenport takes the big payday of $25,000 plus a $10,000 bonus for winning three features during the week.
 
Grader is going in the wrong direction. Tracks should be graded in the direction the cars run. It reduces ruts in the corners. That was told to me by a track promoter, but that was a long time ago. Times change, maybe I'm stuck in the past.
 
kkfan91 said:
I've watched more hours of dirt late models since signing up for Floracing then I can ever remember. Still prefer sprints and mods but they are growing on me
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Interesting comment @kkfan91, and I've seen you post the same sentiment before, so I hope you don't mind if I ask *why* you prefer dirt modifieds over dirt late models?

I mean, sprint cars are a completely different animal, with their light weight and short wheelbase and strong/deep fields of top-tier teams... I certainly understand and agree with you about the sprints. But between mods and late models, it seems to me they are more similar than they are different (I assume you are speaking about big block mods as per the WoO modified circuit). I think a good modified race is rather similar to a good late model race, except that a *good* modified race is more rare because the fields are less stacked with good teams and good drivers.

I don't subscribe to Floracing, so I may be wrong about this, but it seems to me that big block mods and major league late models race pretty similar, except that the late models have stronger fields and better competition... certainly in the case of the Lucas Oil Series and probably the WoO Series as well. I actually think the Lucas Oil late models are about as good as the WoO sprints... and better than anything else on dirt... because of the strong fields and strong schedule.

Anyway, I'm curious as to what you think, and also what @gnomesayin and others think about it.
 
LewTheShoe said:
Interesting comment @kkfan91, and I've seen you post the same sentiment before, so I hope you don't mind if I ask *why* you prefer dirt modifieds over dirt late models?

I mean, sprint cars are a completely different animal, with their light weight and short wheelbase and strong/deep fields of top-tier teams... I certainly understand and agree with you about the sprints. But between mods and late models, it seems to me they are more similar than they are different (I assume you are speaking about big block mods as per the WoO modified circuit). I think a good modified race is rather similar to a good late model race, except that a *good* modified race is more rare because the fields are less stacked with good teams and good drivers.

I don't subscribe to Floracing, so I may be wrong about this, but it seems to me that big block mods and major league late models race pretty similar, except that the late models have stronger fields and better competition... certainly in the case of the Lucas Oil Series and probably the WoO Series as well. I actually think the Lucas Oil late models are about as good as the WoO sprints... and better than anything else on dirt... because of the strong fields and strong schedule.

Anyway, I'm curious as to what you think, and also what @gnomesayin and others think about it.
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My feeling on mods comes from my favorite track being Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville Pa a nascar sanctioned track the 2 classes there weekly are 358 small block mods and sportsman mods. I definitely prefer Northeast style mods more aka the big block body style, which from what I have seen is different from the rest of the country. Being from the Northeast I feel like the mods have better fields due to the lack of major late models as a regular class anywhere closer then Port Royal
 
Bummer to see that the Lucas season opener is rained out. Hopefully they have better luck tomorrow.
 
The Lucas Oil boys are back in action tonight in Lake City, FL live on MAVTV and on their Facebook page for free. In addition to the regulars, Brandon Sheppard and some WoO drivers are there, and so is Kyle Larson in the Rumley #6.

 
Larson wins his heat race over JD. Stewart Friesen also in the field tonight making his late model debut.
 
Holy crap. Caution-free for 50 laps, and Larson absolutely destroys the field on a slick track by over 15 seconds. He started sixth.

1. Larson
2. Devin Moran
3. Mike Marlar
4. Jimmy Owens
5. Brandon Sheppard
 
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