Dirt Racing More Popular Than Ever In America
Dirt Racing More Popular Than Ever In America
FloRacing has witnessed some of NASCAR's biggest stars in preparation of Bristol's first dirt Cup Series event in history!
There’s no DIRTY secret here….ever since the announcement Bristol Motor Speedway was adding dirt to their half-mile concrete surface, the interest meter in the NASCAR Cup Series garage has been pegged.
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The bridge between NASCAR racing and dirt short track oval racing has never been shorter, thanks to some of dirt racing's biggest stars finally breaking through and winning races at the top of NASCAR touring levels, with help from manufacturers like Toyota who have and continue to develop tremendous talent, both Ford and Toyota have now developed sprint car engines, Gio Scelzi showed off the first in Florida this winter.
Gio Scelzi talks about the new TRD | Toyota Racing Development Sprint Car Engine
Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson already winners in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, they along with Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Chase Briscoe, JJ Yeley, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, Stewart Friesen, Justin Haley, Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, Brett Moffitt and even Ty and Austin Dillon continue to carry the flag and pride of dirt racing fans all over the world in NASCAR.
Kenny Wallace, a now dirt racer, is also a 'tweener, making it to the Cup Series level and having a tremendous NASCAR career, Wallace came to dirt track racing late in his career, and fell in love.
He was on Dirt on Dirt's "Rigsby Report" recently and commented on the NASCAR and dirt racing relationship.
"I really feel like the bridge has been gapped a lot." Wallace said. "Now, I'm still working on some of these dirt fans who hate NASCAR, because they think it's cool. Listen, all of your favorite dirt driver's have all wanted to make it to NASCAR at one point. When NASCAR does good, so does dirt, and that's just a fact. But it's getting better."
He's right...and in fact, with Bristol adding dirt some of our favorite dirt racers are going to get a chance.
The past few weeks we've talked with USAC Triple Crown winner Chris Windom who will make his Cup Series debut at Bristol this weekend. Shane Golobic, a winged sprint car racer from the West Coast, will also make his Cup Series debut.
Jessica (Zemken) Friesen, talented sprint car driver from New York, will compete in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series this week at Bristol.
The festivities surrounding the "The Last Great Coliseum" the past few weeks leading up to Sunday's Cup Race have been highly instrumental in more crossover eyes.
It started back at the beginning of winter when the newly crowned NASCAR Cup Series Champ Chase Elliott began his dirt midget racing career, with little to no dirt racing experience whatsoever…
Chase Elliott Recaps his 2021 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl
Elliott made an appearance at the 2021 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl, and continued to pursue more races in February during Speedweeks and made two feature starts with the USAC National Midget Series in Ocala.
"I think the cool thing for me, the Chili Bowl while I was there, my sense of momentum and what is good, and what isn't good is coming to me." Elliott said, "Occasionally I will hit a lap and it will just feel right. I just need to do that more often."
Chase Elliott in Ocala, Florida with USAC
This past week Brad Keselowski showed up at Cochran Speedway with his Crate Late Model and raced on FloRacing at the Gobbler event.
Keselowski told FloRacing the opportunity to test and get dirt experience is crucial, and he's thankful NASCAR allowed them to do so.
Keselowski chats with FloRacing and Dirt on Dirt at Cochran Speedway
"Normally we don't get to do these type of things, with limits in our contracts" Keselowski said, "But with other's wanting to win Bristol, and me wanting to win Bristol, and not having any dirt experience and a dirt racing background, we are grateful NASCAR is letting us do this."
"My crew chief Jeremy Bullins built me this nice Crate Late Model, hopefully we can teach an old dog a few tricks and learn some things."
Brad's teammate, 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Champ Joey Logano raced Ryan “Skip” Flores' UMP modified on dirt this February as well, driving from 19th to 3rd on a Friday feature at Volusia.
📸 from last night at @VolusiaSpeedway in my dirt debut. #DIRTcarNats #Dirt pic.twitter.com/1LAsrgAgXF
— Joey Logano (@joeylogano) February 6, 2021
This on the same night both Justin Haley and Justin Allgaier were racing their own modified. Logano has also competed at Bristol the past few weeks in the same car.
Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson have been competing in a dirt late model at Bristol the past few weeks in preparation of NASCAR's Bristol Dirt Week.
Had fun last night! Ready to do it again tonight. But first it’s off to Atlanta for some @NASCAR_Trucks racing.
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) March 20, 2021
Gonna b a long day, cooler is packed w @rowdyenergy so let’s go! 🛩 @Cessna
📸 @nigelkinrade pic.twitter.com/VEJayVwFR4
While his brother, 2004 Champ Kurt Busch made some laps in a modified at a local dirt track earlier this winter, not seemingly in competition.
Preppin’ for It’s Dirt Bristol Baby!
— Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch) January 30, 2021
Thx @GMSRacingLLC @TeamChevy for the tear offs! pic.twitter.com/cumxcZ45al
At this year's Tulsa Shootout on FloRacing, past NASCAR Truck Champs Sheldon Creed and Brett Moffitt towed their recently purchased micro sprints out to the massive event.
Creed and Moffitt share their story about their micro sprint racing during the 2021 Tulsa Shootout
The two continue to race weekly at the Millbridge Speedway, and are very competitive.
We'll have to see if those preparations pay off when NASCAR races at the Bristol Motor Speedway this week, but there's no question more eye balls are on dirt racing as a whole than maybe ever.