One of the biggest weeks in Dirt Late Model racing kicks off tomorrow at Eldora Speedway with Sunday’s Baltes Classic. This week will also serve as the official coming out party for the latest chassis built in the industry “DRT”. The Dirt Racing Technologies (DRT) chassis project started in 2017 and is the brainchild of industry entrepreneur and promoter, Cody Sommer.  Sommer has a broad industry background having worked in several roles in the NASCAR industry, has a long history of successful event promotions including the Gateway Dirt Nationals and was also the business partner of Scott Bloomquist Racing and Team Zero Race Cars.

His passion for Dirt Late Model racing runs deep and he has long dreamt of the opportunity to showcase his full potential as a chassis builder and mad scientist in the Dirt Late Model Industry. In fact, his journey started back in 2017 but was put on the back burner as other businesses and responsibilities took precedent over the “passion project”.

Unfortunately, there are several examples of NEW chassis over the years that are nothing more than a “Copy” of something that already exists but Sommer is proud to say there is and was no copying in developing DRT #01.

“This started as a pile of metal and a lot of trial and error… I have a lot of different experience so your past is always going to influence your ideas and vision but at the end of the day this car is unlike anything I have ever worked on in the industry and I am proud of that.  I have never understood how someone can be proud of something they copied or jigged and then just slap a different name on it.  I designed the jig and the car on a computer and it took a long time for it to all come together because I didn’t have anything to compare to”

DRT Racing is excited to take DRT chassis #01 to the worlds most famous Dirt Track, Eldora Speedway. Sunday’s debut at the Baltes Classic will certainly be a dream come true for Sommer but to check even another box, he has decided to put his helmet back on for the first time in 18 years.

“I have wanted to do this for a long time and just other responsibilities have always got in the way… At the same time I have always said I am not getting any younger and before my days are done I want to race at Eldora”. This week he will fulfill a lifelong dream having officially built his own car and turning laps at the big “E”.

Cody is not sure what the next steps are with DRT Racing but he does know that this week could play a factor in how that unfolds and they already have big plans in the works for 2025.  “As of right now we are starting with #01 but we have all the pieces in place to build more if we want to.  Obviously, if things go well it will determine future steps, if they don’t go well, it will also determine the next steps”.

Regarding the entire week of racing at Eldora, Sommer said they are going to take it one day at a time starting with the Baltes Classic.  If that goes well, then FLO Night in America and if that goes well, then go ahead and throw the hat in to run the World 100 weekend.  “I will have a big challenge with not only a NEW car but also a driver (Himself) that has limited experience” He said.  “At the end of the day, this week, the main priority is to have fun and to fulfill those lifelong dreams that I’ve had”