Finally, some welcome news for Dirt Late Model racers anxious for some competition.

The weekend announcement that promoter Ray Cook plans to host an invitation-only Super Late Model event Thursday at his Brasstown, N.C., track — a race that will stream live on FloRacing — was well received by drivers eager to race amid of the nation’s ongoing coronavirus crisis. The 40-lap Schaeffer Oil Tar Heel Invitational presented by PitStopUSA.com at Tri-County Racetrack, a unique event held without spectators because of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, will pay $4,000-to-win.

Cook has invited a field of 25 drivers, including national touring stars Shane Clanton, Tyler Erb, Hudson O’Neal, Shanon Buckingham and Ashton Winger, along with a host of regional standouts like Brandon Overton, Donald McIntosh, Casey Roberts and Kyle Hardy.

“I’m excited. We’ve been sitting around, ain’t been getting to race, just thinking about it,” said Overton, the Evans, Ga., driver who drives for Kentucky-based Wells Motorsports. “It’ll be good for all of us to go out there and race and maybe it might open some eyes for some other people or for some tracks to open up. So I’m sure it’ll be good. I’m sure they’ll have some rules for us to follow … we have to park so many feet away from each other, so I think it’ll be all right. Everybody knows the circumstances we’re dealing with. As long as they can pay the purse and do all that stuff and we can race, then I think it’s gonna be good for everybody.”

Tri-County’s race will mark the first significant Super Late Model action since mid-March, when restrictions on crowd sizes shut down racetracks and virtually all sports. While most short-track races remain postponed or cancelled even as restrictions begin to ease in late April, Tri-County’s race and Saturday’s announced $10,000-to-win event at Cherokee Speedway of Gaffney, S.C. — a similar fan-free event with pay-per-view coverage on Speed51.com — provide hope for more action in the coming weeks.

“I’m just glad (Cook’s) doing it really,” Overton added. “You hear everybody talking about racing and right before it happens it always gets cancelled or something. And I seen like Tyler Erb and (Shane) Clanton (will be competing). He’s gonna have some pretty good competition there. I’m just looking forward to it. I know we’re all bored to death and we all just want to race. Maybe if he does it and everything goes good, maybe we’ll see more it. I kinda feel it’s what we need.”

Buckingham, of Morristown, Tenn., echoed Overton. He’s thankful Cook's taking the initiative.

“I’m hopeful that this is just the beginning … hopeful that this will break everything open and we can get back to normal,” Buckingham said. “I’m pretty excited. As soon as we heard that he was gonna do something and we were gonna be able to be a part of it, we were all pretty excited. It’s a pretty big deal. I think everybody’s tired of what’s going on. Everybody’s pretty much ready to get back to normal.”

Buckingham said he was “happy to just to get out and make laps.”

“When (the pandemic) first happened and they shut everything down, we went and tested about once a week for the first three weeks,” he said. “We stayed more normal than maybe a lot of guys did, so that was a big help, just being able to get out and do that. Two of the times was at Smoky Mountain (Speedway), which obviously (car owner) Roger (Sellers) owns and that’s a big help. We went to Boyd’s (Speedway) once. But these last three weeks since then has been pretty rough.”

Thursday’s event provides select drivers from eight states a chance to get back to work, albeit under odd circumstances.

Watch the Schaeffer's Oil Tarheel Invitational presented by PitStopUSA.com LIVE on FloRacing!

“It’ll be super strange,” said Hardy, of Stephens City, Va. “I’ve never been a part of anything like this. It’s gonna be a different atmosphere for sure. It’s gonna be quiet. It’s gonna be good though. We’re gonna be able to race and people are gonna be able to watch at home.”

Cook has worked diligently to follow CDC guidelines regarding social distancing. He’s talked with local government officials and anticipates deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Department to be in attendance to make sure regulations are followed.

“Obviously Ray’s looking out for everybody’s health, not having any fans and limiting it to three people per team,” Hardy said. “I think it’s good to get out and be able to race finally. It’s been a while. I’m sure everybody will be excited to be there. Hopefully it’s a good race for everybody.

“I think pitting 20 to 30 feet away is good. Keeping three people to a team is a good precaution and will keep everybody safe. Everybody will be in good shape. There won’t be a ton of people, so it should be good, you know? I’m worried about everybody’s health, but I think we’re in a good position to where we will be able to do it because I’m sure if anybody’s sick they won’t be going to a racetrack.”

Overton agreed that keeping everyone’s health in mind was a top priority.

“We just have to do the best we can,” he said. “I think anybody who thinks they may be sick or don’t want to be around it, hell, they’re not gonna be there. We just have to use our best judgment. I don’t want to see anybody get sick. We just have to do the best we can with what we got. I think we’re fine. Me and my two guys have been around each other ever since the coronavirus started. If we were gonna give it to each other, we’ve already got it.”

Overton added that Tri-County, nestled among rolling hills in the southwestern corner of North Carolina, has limited grandstand seating anyway. It’s a perfect facility to serve as the sport’s no fans, live-streaming guinea pig.

“The racetrack’s probably a good little racetrack to do something like this,” Overton said. “(Cook pays) $3,500-to-win on the Southern Nationals deal that he has. I don’t know how many people that he usually gets for those races, but I feel like right now if he did a pay-per-view, he’s probably gonna … I mean, a lot more people are gonna watch it on (via live streaming) than he can probably fit in the whole place. So you probably couldn’t have picked a better track to have a race like this to open things back up.”

All three drivers are hoping for a successful night, not only for themselves, but for Cook, who they each praised for going out on a limb.

If things go well, Hardy said he could “see other tracks following” suit, while Overton added that “if it all goes good, maybe other people will jump on board.” Buckingham believes it could be the jumpstart the sport needs during an unprecedented shutdown.

“Personally, I don’t see how it couldn’t be a success … if his city administrator and everybody is on board and there’s no complaining and with no fans in the stands,” Buckingham said. “If nobody complains and they don’t catch any flak, this is just the start. I don’t know what they’re gonna do (financially). I don’t know how Ray’s gonna generate enough money to come out on top. That’s the bad thing. You know he’s sorta stepping out and taking a chance on losing money.

“I don’t know any of the particulars, but I’m sure he has to be concerned a little bit. That would be my biggest concern. It’s hard to make money in this sport sometimes on good days, without having to deal with something like this. I don’t feel like the problem is finding a safe way to do it. I feel like the problem is finding a way to keep the complaining down and still generate enough money to make it worthwhile. I just hope there’s enough positives. I hope they find a way to make it work. I’m just glad that there’s something going on and I get to be a part of it.”