CONCORD, N.C. — Ethan Dotson will make the jump to running full time with the World of Outlaws Late Models in 2025 to contend for the rookie of the year title with ASD Motorsports.
It’s a childhood dream come true for the Bakersfield, Calif. native as he prepares for his first yearlong journey across the United States.
“Man, I’m just super excited to just run a tour and follow through with it,” Dotson said. “I’m excited to fight for points and race with stiff competition every night all over the country. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid to be able to run one of these tours and be able to do it is super exciting to me. I’m super pumped and hopefully we can make the best of it.”
Dotson joined ASD Motorsports on May 22 to pilot the No.74X Barry Wright Race Cars machine and the team went on to win four Features. He also earned four top-10 finishes with the World of Outlaws in 2024, scoring them at Volusia Speedway Park, Cedar Lake Speedway, Rocket Raceway Park, and The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
In the six months since he began racing for ASD, Dotson credits them as a family atmosphere that’s moved his career in a positive direction.
“Honestly, I didn’t know none of the guys at all when I first started,” Dotson said. “We really clicked fast, I get along with the people really good, and it turned into a family really fast. It’s very comfortable and easy to work with, so that makes it easy to race. Whenever you’re comfortable everywhere else and you got people behind you that believe in you and trust you, it’s super big for me and really helped my racing career.”
Dotson made his name by dominating the ranks of the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, winning crown jewels like the World Short Track Championship in 2022, the Emil & Dale Reutimann Memorial in 2022, and three Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Golden Gator trophies in 2023.
His ability to utilize skills from his time in a Modified gives him the opportunity for a smooth transition into the national Late Model scene, similar to fellow Outlaws like Nick Hoffman, Cade Dillard, Ryan Gustin and Dustin Sorensen.
“Outside of the differences of the tires, and aero specific to Modified bodies, they’re not too far off,” Dotson said. “I mean, racing them and the Late Models repetitively and consistently is the biggest thing for me to try to keep digging. That’s why I’m excited to run a full tour and full schedule to try and get better every time.”
In a series that boasts 57 races through nine months, every race matters in the long haul toward the season finale in November.
With eyes set on the Rookie of the Year honors, Dotson is not looking deep into the schedule but taking the season one race at a time to learn and develop as a gasser with the “Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.”
“I’m not really looking, honestly,” Dotson said. “I just got my eyes set on Volusia to start there, and hopefully I can run good to get decent points leaving Florida. Then, just take it from one track at time. I’m not looking too far ahead; I just want to concentrate on what’s next for me to race.
“Winning is always a goal, but the main thing for me is to consistently be upfront each night. The more I can get that time, it’ll be a big goal, and maybe get a chance to win a couple of races here or there. But I’m taking it one race at a time.”