Anyone Remember their First Late Model Race?

[latemodelman]

I remember my first late model race back in 1994. On a Sunday night my Dad and I went to Eldora and saw the tune up to the World 100 and was hooked. Saw about 160 cars between mods late models and stocks. And every year we went back.

[Kwoods25]

don't really remember the first one i was to young too. my dad used to help a guy run modified 4s. (late model with 4 cylinder).

[dirtdobber45]

Was 3 years old in 1973..Sportsman Speedway. Remember Walter Ball go over the back stretch wall. Cars were a whole lot different back then

[TerryM]

I was 6 years old and it was sometime in 1970, at Northern Kentucky Speedway. Now, of course, called Florence Speedway. I was hooked immediately.

[latemodelman]

I miss those times. Stellar fields and a lot of action like my dad says with each generation racing gets different. Now with my boy racing will be different then when I was a boy.

[formercrewguy]

I was a late bloomer....around 25 yrs old at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix.

[71PRPFan]

Sometime in the early 2000's a small 71prpfan watched someone win a 75 lapper at Portsmouth. Couldn't tell you who it was. seems like it was a 4th of July race and possibly Boggs won but it's just a faint memory of a scoreboard saying 75 laps

[calverton]

my first I could even think about remembering was about 1962 been going since 1956 thinks have changed a whole lot since then late model were not around our area in to th early 70s

[Late_Model_Mark]

It may not have been a Late Model at the time but it was I believe a U.S.A.C. Stock Car race at Ascot Park in California in 1968.


Late Model Mark
Talladega Short Track Announcer

[Krooser]

The first late model show I was as a spectator was at Milwaukee in 1962... USAC show.

The first late model show I drove in was at Hales Corners Speedway in the Milwaukee suburbs... 1972. Totaled the front stub in turn 2 on the first lap! Had to use the Jaws to pry my broken foot from between the roll cage and frame rail. My bell was wrung pretty bad, too.

[Josh Bayko]

I grew up in big block modified country. Late models around that way lagged far, far behind what the rest of the country called late models. First time I ever saw legit late models was at Hagerstown when I was about 10 or so, so like 86 or 87.

[cubcadet31]

Windber speedway in Pa....probably 90 or 91..around 7 yrs old....track was around a highschool football field..saw alot of good races there till it closed

[RRRKKK]

Gem City Speedway Quincy IL 1953

[W2Racing09]

I remember my first late model race back in 1994. On a Sunday night my Dad and I went to Eldora and saw the tune up to the World 100 and was hooked. Saw about 160 cars between mods late models and stocks. And every year we went back.

I definitely remember mine. It was Wissota Late Models at River Cities in 2012. The weekend of the Knoxville Nationals (I remember because the 410s were off that night). Im pretty sure Dustin Strand picked up the W.

[BTExpress]

I also grew up in big block modified country where at the time,late models to me,were a support class. I think the first time I ever saw the late models race was at Hagerstown and Lincoln running with the 410 sprint cars in the 90's. That all changed in August 2015 when I saw my first WoO race at Delaware International Speedway and I was hooked. I have since become almost obsessed.During the last 14 months I found 4M, subscribed to both DoD and Late Model magazine have attended many late model shows since........ My goal in 2017 is to attend a crown jewel event.

[CIRF]

My first late model race was at Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois. Of course that night would also have been my first sprint car (supermodified/rail car) race as well since the late models were a support class to the sprint cars at FALS at that time. The late models of that day and time weren't the generic, cookie cutter, type of today.

Can't remember what year, but what I do remember is that the late models of that time were recognizable by make, model and year at quick glance. If the feature starting lineup was made up of 24 cars you could easily and instantly identify the make, model and year of every car on the track.

The late models of that time weren't anywhere near as fast as the generic late models of today but they were more fun in their own way. There were always discussions throughout the grandstands as to which brand was going to be the fastest that night.

There were some pretty good fights on the track and in the pits back then, too. LOL!

[calverton]

no kidding mister obvious they were glorified street stocks the only difference back in the days was the size of the tires and maybe the size of the motor

[parocket]

Windber Speedway, 1987 was there for a semi late class which was outstanding back then, late models were a bonus. Been racing ever since..

[Pennsboro23]

Wish I could remember. Had to have been either Tyler County, Pennsboro, or WVMS around 1993-1994.

[birky time]

I also grew up in big block modified country where at the time,late models to me,were a support class. I think the first time I ever saw the late models race was at Hagerstown and Lincoln running with the 410 sprint cars in the 90's. That all changed in August 2015 when I saw my first WoO race at Delaware International Speedway and I was hooked. I have since become almost obsessed.During the last 14 months I found 4M, subscribed to both DoD and Late Model magazine have attended many late model shows since........ My goal in 2017 is to attend a crown jewel event.

what crown jewel you thinking?