CONCORD, N.C. — The ninth annual World Short Track Championship hits the red dirt of The Dirt Track at Charlotte this Thursday through Saturday, bringing a record number of pre-entered drivers to the 10-division event.
More than 450 drivers have registered to compete over the three-day stretch, featuring a host of the best weekly racing talent in the region competing for glory at America’s Home for Racing. Over 500 cars filled the pit area last year, and with more entries expected on race day, the 2024 edition could potentially exceed that mark for the second consecutive year.
On-track action begins Thursday evening with practice sessions for all divisions, followed by All-Star Invitational Features for the Pro Late Models, DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman and DIRTcar Pro Stocks.
Friday will be comprised of Heat Races for all divisions and the first round of Hornet Features.
Saturday will conclude the program with Last Chance Showdowns and Features for all 10 divisions.
Here are the top storylines to follow for each division:
FOX Factory Pro Late Model — New for 2024, the Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series’ appearance at Charlotte is a points race for all competing drivers. The chase for the championship is coming down to the wire between three drivers — Jimmy Thomas, Matt Henderson and Matt Dooley.
Thomas leads Henderson by 60 points and Dooley by 62. Dooley leads the way in top-five finishes with five, and Henderson leads in top-10s with 10, but none of the three drivers have been to Victory Lane in Series competition this year. All three will be looking for their first WSTC win.
Twelve-year-old standout Beckham Malone, who won his first career Dirt Late Model start in the WSTC 602 Late Model division last year, is also scheduled to take on the Pro Late Model division this year.
Chevrolet Performance 602 Late Model — One year ago, 11-year-old Beckham Malone got the attention of the entire Crate Late Model world with his triumph in the 602 Late Model main event. That race was the Rock Hill, SC-driver’s first career start in a Dirt Late Model after multiple years of experience driving Bandoleros, Legend Cars, Outlaw Karts and Micro Sprints. Now only two months from his 13th birthday, Malone is set to return to Charlotte seeking another WSTC victory.
John Ruggiero Jr, of Lincolnton, NC, is one of only two drivers in WSTC history to win two main events in two different divisions (2020 Pro Late Model, 2021 602 Late Model), and is slated to return to both 602 Late Model and Pro Late Model action at WSTC this year in search of a third WSTC win.
Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modified — North Carolina Taylor Cook had to wait five years after his first WSTC start to taste victory in the Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modified main event, but only one year to do it again. Last October, the regional standout from Stanley, NC, scored the repeat, outlasting his opponents in the 30-lap main event. He leads a solid UMP Modified entry list again this weekend as the field prepares to race for the $4,000 grand prize on Saturday.
Midwest UMP Modified standout Cole Falloway, of Owensboro, KY, is having another successful season at the controls of the Kelley Trucking No. 66, winning nine DIRTcar-sanctioned events, including the prestigious Plowboy Nationals at Spoon River Speedway (Lewistown, IL) and the Mega 100 at Tyler County Speedway (Middlebourne, WV).
Hoosier Racing Tire Crate Modified — In two of the last three years, Austin Holcombe has captured the Crate Modified main event and will be back on the roster again this weekend in search of a third WSTC title. Holcombe, 29, of Elm City, NC, would tie fellow North Carolinian Jeff Parsons for most wins in the Crate Modified division at three should he reach Victory Lane again.
Tyler Love tops the current Mid-East Modified Tour standings by three points over Ethan Wilson. Love has two Feature wins in 10 Tour starts this season and Wilson has four wins in nine appearances, but neither have ever reached Victory Lane at Charlotte.
MSD Pro Stock — The top full-fender class in the Northeast returns to Charlotte this weekend, with two former Series champions leading the field.
Five-time and reigning DIRTcar Pro Stock Series champion Pete Stefanski is the defending winner of the championship Feature and has only finished outside the top five once in Series competition this season. Luke Horning, the 2023 Series champion, also returns to the WorldShort Track Championship after winning the All-Star Feature last season.
Other former Charlotte winners joining the field this weekend are Sean Corr and Sheldon Martin, who won in 2021.
VP Racing Fuels Sportsman — Two former World Short Track Championship winners will return to Charlotte aiming for another victory.
Dave Rogers is a two-time winner at Charlotte, scoring victories in the championship Feature in 2021 and All-Star Feature in 2022. Meanwhile, Kevin Ridley also returns searching for his second Charlotte victory after finding Victory Lane in 2022’s championship Feature.
Those two drivers will contend with Canadian standout Donovan Lussier, who’s scored 15 victories in 2024 between Airborne Park Speedway, Cornwall Motor Speedway, Le RPM Raceway, and Autodrome Granby.
RaceQuip Street Stock — A host of past WSTC main event winners and weekly Carolina track champions are slated to take the track in the Street Stock division this weekend.
Calob McLaughlin took the checkered flag in 2020 and has pre-entered for this year’s event, as has two-time and defending event winner Ricky Greene. 2022 winner Devon Morgan is also on the entry list and recently clinched the division track championship at Traveler’s Rest Speedway (Traveler’s Rest, SC).
Rod Tucker is the second of two drivers in WSTC history to win two main events in different classes and will be back on the Street Stock roster this weekend as a winner of five Street Stock Features in six starts at Harris Speedway (Rutherfordton, NC). Andrew Durham is the current points leader with the Mid-East Street Stock Series with four wins in 10 starts and will be shooting for his first WSTC title.
SRI Performance Thunder Bomber — Reigning WSTC Thunder Bomber main event winner Luke Doggett leads the pre-entry list for this weekend, aiming to become the division’s first back-to-back winner.
Rod Tucker is looking for a third WSTC win after taking the checkered flag with the Thunder Bombers in 2022 and the Mini Stocks in 2018. Tommy Suttles topped the weekly Thunder Bomber points standings at Cherokee Speedway in 2024 with seven top-five finishes in 13 starts.
Other weekly Thunder Bomber track champions on the event pre-entry list include Laurens County Speedway (Laurens, SC) champion Travis Jamieson, Traveler’s Rest champion Tyler Guice, Harris champion Bailey Hipp and East Lincoln Speedway (Stanley, NC) champion Matt Coley.
COMP Cams Mini Stock — Kevin Cooper is the defending WSTC winner with the Monster Mini Stock Association (MMSA) and is slated to take to the track once again this weekend. His biggest competition includes defending MMSA champion and 2022 WSTC winner Matt Gilbert, and 2021 WSTC winner Johnny Raines.
DIRTVision Hornet — This year, the Hornet division at World Short Track Championship is split into two divisions under two separate sanctioning bodies racing identical programs.
The South East Hornets Association (SEHA) pre-entry list is led by 2023 WSTC Feature winner Dale Bennett, and Justin Harris, who currently sits fourth in the points standings. Two-time Sport Compact Dirt Racing Association (SCDRA) roster currently features over 20 entries including three-time WSTC Feature winner Zach Slone.