Anyone Remember their First Late Model Race?

[BTExpress]

I would like to attend a race at Eldora (been there for the sprint cars) or the Hillbilly 100 since my mother in law lives in WV.

[birky time]

I would like to attend a race at Eldora (been there for the sprint cars) or the Hillbilly 100 since my mother in law lives in WV.

tyler county ive been there once and watched the show stopper win I think it was in 2011 or 12 they also ran big block modifies that night... the track produces good racing but Eldora is a must for a late model race

[BTExpress]

The problem for DLM fans in the Mid-Atlantic region ( I live in Eastern Pa ) is that we are not really close to any crown jewel events, unlike following 410 sprint cars or big block modifieds.......

[birky time]

The problem for DLM fans in the Mid-Atlantic region ( I live in Eastern Pa ) is that we are not really close to any crown jewel events, unlike following 410 sprint cars or big block modifieds.......

yea that makes it tough...I am very fortunate I live in the racing belt and live close to 5 "crown jewels"

[Josh Bayko]

The problem for DLM fans in the Mid-Atlantic region ( I live in Eastern Pa ) is that we are not really close to any crown jewel events, unlike following 410 sprint cars or big block modifieds.......

Firecracker and Pittsburgher aren't particularly far from you (4-5 hours, depending on how far east you are) but being multiple day shows they'd probably require hotel rooms.

[Bubstr]

That has truly been ages ago. The first races I went to where flathead or six cylinder mods back in the 50s. If you put fenders on them, they became stock cars. Around 1960 they started running OHV in Chevys and fords even Pontiac and Olds and called them Late Models Davenport Iowa Fairgrounds.

[dirt crow]

11 years old at the old Gadsden Raceway in Glencoe Alabama. Only 5 late models, and 3 were lapped, but I was hooked. Race won by Darrell Dunn.

[nuff said]

The first races were the mid to late 60's at Golden Gate Speedway in Tampa on asphalt.The first late models on dirt were when they opened East Bay,first dirt races period were sprints at the old Fairgrounds in Tampa.

[tsand]

My family always owned a racecar. My dad worked two jobs then came home and worked on the car my mom would send me to the shop to wake up my dad in the morning because he would fall asleep on the creeper while working on the car. We ran the old concord racetrack so the latemodels I watched was driven by Ralph Earnhardt speedy Thompson stick Elliott and some of the best drivers to wheel a dirt car

[allWIS1]

After seeing lots of asphalt Late Model racing growing up, first big Dirt Late Model race was 1980 at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, IA the Miller 100.

[PITTSBURGH]

Motordrome Speedway back in the 70,s

[7512]

May 6th, 1995. STARS race at Eldora won by Donnie Moran. I'm pretty sure I had been to a couple weekly shows at Florence, but this is the first one I remember. It was also my first time at Eldora.

[rickybrown1952]

Oh man several years ago mine was at i-55 Raceway in 1992 sure was some great racing back then

[a25rjr]

First dirt race at New Smyrna.......haha...what a catastrophe! late 60's

[calverton]

Oh man several years ago mine was at i-55 Raceway in 1992 sure was some great racing back then

not to bad now just different

[PennDirt]

1964 Clearfield Driving Park USAC 100 lap race was supported by 'Sedans' since our local area had many in the area. It's the earliest recollection I have of a late model race. It was won by local Sprint Car Hall of Famer, Al Hamilton before he became a Pa. legendary car owner.

First out-of state Late Model race was the 1982 Hillbilly 100.

First 50K race was at Hagerstown NDRA 1983.

[Centeroff]

Remember my ole man coming in from work, jumping in the shower and us heading straight to the track. We would meet my uncles and my dads cousins and they would bet 5$ every single class and race of the night. The entry fee was 5$ back then and the stands were packed. In the late model division at our local track was "smokin" Joe Meadows who took 4th in the world 100 the year Bloomer won his first one. "Chargin" Charley Swartz hall of famer, Harold Redman, Delmas Conley most Friday nights, Gene Mcneely, (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)ie Bartustiac, and a fast local Eslie Bills. Man those were the days! Was a class called v8 hobbies which was dominated by Porkey Shores. I remember being at school and crying on a Friday because I thought the races were gonna get rained out. Alotta good times with my old man that I wouldn't change for anything. People don't understand how many kids the ole dirt track kept outa trouble. I would suggest to any young parent to take their kids to the track and spend as much time with the youngens as possible. Alotta fun.

[johnqpublic]

I'm another who grew up in Big Block modified country, every Saturday night at Fonda Speedway. Latemodels were a support division and more of a limited LM I guess. In or about 1982 they were combined with 320ci sportsman modifieds and the lates died a fairly quick death.

So, my first super LM race would have been 95 or 96 when the STARS visited the Syracuse Mile. I wasn't really all that impressed, but it was Syracuse after all. Then in 1998 I moved to the southwest corner of NY...still went north and east as I was helping out one of my buddys with his Modified, but one week I had a free Saturday night and I ventured over to Stateline Speedway. I remember the first green flag dropping and thinking to myself, "holy shizz, these things are faster than modifieds"! Matt Urban was the feature winner that night. Since then, I'll drive right past a mod race to see late models!

[Stede Bonnet]

It was 1977 or 1978, Lavonia Speedway, I was 7 or 8 at the time. NDRA style camaro's everywhere and D!ck Mills was in the house. Lady got burned in the concession stand and we had to wait for ambulance to come back from taking her to hospital. Loved it, but didn't get to go again til 1985 and that was Senoia Speedway just before it went asphalt, which it has now switched back. 1986 starting helping a classmate with his bomber nova and his fathers Custom chassis DLM, Leon Sells was the driver most of the time(Dixie & Rome). Thus began my love affair with all things DLM.

[nlhenry55]

Mine was at Swainsboro Ga Raceway, sometime in the mid 80s, Can not remember who all was there but i do remember Ed Basey & Ronnie Johnson& Basey won . Heck of a race