BARBERVILLE, Fla. — Johnny Scott is embarking on a new journey this year.
After a few years of racing his dirt late model across the country, the Las Cruces, N.M., driver has joined the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series for the first time.
It’s an adventure he said he didn’t feel he was ready for until this year.
“I always wanted to do a touring series with the late models,” Scott said. “I didn’t feel like the last couple of years I was ready for that, and I needed more experience and stuff. With Jason Durham (Jonathan Davenport’s crew chief last year) helping my brother (Stormy Scott) this year and consulting with me, I figured now is the time to do it.
“I feel like I’m ready to do it. I just need to put everything together.”
When the series returns to Volusia Speedway Park for DIRTcar Nationals on February 16-18, Scott will be one of seven drivers battling for rookie-of-the-year honors. However, his past accomplishments separate him from the rest of the pack. He’s the only rookie with a national tour victory, along with a preliminary feature win at the World 100 — an experience he said gives him the knowledge to compete on a nightly basis.
“Obviously, the [World of Outlaws] and [Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series], those guys are the best of the best,” Scott said. “I think with winning on the Lucas Oil MLRA Series and the Diamond Nationals last year, I know what it takes to win those races now.
“Just racing with all these guys, and racing with all these national guys the last few years. I know what it takes. You just got to put everything together. Your team has to work together, and having Jason (Durham) this year to consult with and help me at some of these tracks I don’t have notes at will be a big help for me.”
One of those tracks he’s learning at is Volusia.
Despite having a 15th and 20th place finish to open the season at Sunshine Nationals, he continues to make strides behind the wheel of a Longhorn chassis.
“I don’t have a lot of notes or experience for that place,” Scott said. “But it seems like the more laps I get to make, the better we get. We kind of had a rough start because the first night (of Sunshine Nationals) I broke an oil pump belt in the [Last Chance Showdown], so I had to get a backup car out and I think we got up to 20th or something like that.
“The second night, I was up to eighth in the feature. Then I made a driver mistake and messed up on one of them restarts and messed up and gave up five spots. I think the next we go, I’ll know where to start as far as the car setup, so I think we’ll just keep getting better and better.”
Scott hopes to make another stride on his World of Outlaws CASE Late Models journey when the series returns to Volusia Speedway Park on February 16-18 for Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.