Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., will team with upstart Koehler Motorsports for the 2023 season, launching a new partnership with the Mount Airy, N.C.-based operation owned by Bobby and Jessica Koehler who in recent years have fielded Crate Late Models for their sons Jordan, 20, and Evan, 15.

Uncertain of his future with Ramirez Motorsports beyond ’22 after its owner, Leon Ramirez, died last February, the 50-year-old Owens was able to strike an agreement with a Koehler Motorsports team that is looking to dive into the Super Late Model ranks. Owens and the Koehlers’ eldest son Jordan will debut new Vic Hill-powered Longhorn by Wells Motorsports cars as they embark upon running the full month of Georgia-Florida Speedweeks action from Jan. 19-Feb. 20.

Noting that “all of this has come together pretty quickly,” Owens is racing to complete preparations for his first competition of 2023 in Jan. 19-21’s World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series-sanctioned Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., and Jan. 26-28’s season-opening Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series tripleheader at Golden Isles Speedway near Brunswick, Ga.

“We’ve got an empty race hauler right now and no cars in the shop, but with a lot of hard work we will be ready to go to Volusia in a few weeks,” said Owens, who will maintain the equipment at his own shop. “When Leon (Ramirez) unfortunately passed away early last year, we knew that we would probably have to do something different for 2023. I can’t thank the entire Ramirez family enough for their support and they are still going to be on board with us as we transition over to Koehler Motorsports (but) I look forward to racing for Bobby and Jessica (Koehler) and helping their son Jordan all I can as he starts his Super Late Model career.”

A surefire future Hall of Famer with four Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series titles and multiple crown jewel victories to his credit, Owens expects to decide following Speedweeks whether he will commit to a national tour or run a pick-and-choose schedule similar to his nine-win 2022 campaign.

“I’m just really excited for this new venture and for the opportunity to work with someone the caliber of Jimmy Owens,” said Bobby Koehler, who thanked Wells Motorsports’ Eric Wells for quickly delivering two Longhorn cars to the team. “His resume speaks for itself, and for him to be able to help my son Jordan as he starts his Super Late Model career is really invaluable. We plan to run both Jordan and Jimmy the entire month of Speedweeks and see how the points shake out — maybe one or both of them will follow a national tour this year.”

Owens’s cars will carry his familiar No. 20 — though with a new-look gray, black and orange color scheme — and include many of his longtime sponsors, including Reece Monument Company, Tim Short Automotive Group, Ramirez Motorsports, Georgia Arms Ammunition, Red Line Oil, FK Rod Ends, Vic Hill Race Engines and Midwest Sheet Metal. New financial backers include Ultimate Towing & Recovery, Capital Waste and Five Star Buildings.