Happy Friday! It’s time for a World Finals version of the Friday Morning Heat Race. Here’s what’s on our mind on a splendid Carolina morning.
Hot Laps: Dust Off
Recently purchased one of those new mini dusters for cleaning cameras, die cast cars and other smaller items. Used it on myself after returning from Thursday night’s World Finals program at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
Qualifying: Solid Start
NASCAR Cup Series driver Ty Gibbs looks good in a sprint car. Gibbs, who has dabbled in sprint car racing multiple times, clearly is a fast learner. He looks smooth and is fast. Now, he needs to learn to race.
First Heat: Double Duty
Dirt late model racer Ricky Thornton Jr. is doing double duty at the World Finals, racing his No. 20rt late model, while also driving one of Bernie Stuebgen’s winged sprint cars. Two weeks ago, Thornton wheeled a non-winged USAC sprint car and he’s raced midgets and micro sprints this season as well.
Second Heat: Triple Duty
Ohsweken Speedway owner and promoter Glenn Styres has been a longtime supporter and dirt-track racer. Styres, well known for racing and owning sprint cars, is doing triple duty during the World Finals, competing in all three divisions.
Third Heat: Tribute To A Friend
Charlotte Motor Speedway has named the press box at The Dirt Track for longtime SPEED SPORT writer and Charlotte Motor Speedway PR person Keith Waltz. Waltz, who died Sept. 27, played a vital role in the early successes of The Dirt Track during his days on the CMS staff. Keith was a dirt tracker to the core. Nice work CMS.
Fourth Heat: A New Day
We read the news that Corey Day will become a full-time stock car driver next season with mixed emotions. Happy to see another sprint car racer make his way up the NASCAR ladder, but after watching Day’s stampede through the field on Thursday night at The Dirt Track, it’s difficult not to feel like another great one got away.
Fifth Heat: Also This Weekend
While the World Finals takes center stage in North Carolina this weekend, other short-track classics are happening in other parts of the country, including the Open Wheel Showdown at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the All American 400 at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville.
Dash: Watch It on SS1.
Cold has set in throughout much of the country, leaving many fans to watch racing on television. Make sure you catch live coverage of the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series Pro Mod and Top Fuel finals from Dunn, N.C., on SPEED SPORT 1 starting at 2 p.m. ET Saturday, and the $50,000-to-win BITNILE.com Open Wheel Showdown LIVE on SPEED SPORT 2 starting at 3 p.m. ET. Visit SPEEDSPORT1.com for details.
B Main: Cruelty To Denny
There’s no doubt there are a lot of Denny Hamlin haters out there. However, the way he lost this year’s NASCAR Cup Series title last Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, was just down right cruel. This reporter has no doubt that he’ll get over it and try to win his first championship again next season.
Feature: New Beginnings
The World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway has become one of the most popular events in dirt-track racing.
Featuring sprint cars, late models and big-block modifieds all on the same card, the crowd grows ever year.
For most, the four-night event at the four-tenths-mile dirt track across Highway 29 from Charlotte Motor Speedway marks the end of a long season going up and down the road chasing races from one side of the country to the other.
But it’s also a new beginning for many of those in the pits as only a few of the nearly 200 entries have a chance of ending the season champions. The others are already looking ahead to 2026.
Spencer Bayston took his first ride in the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing sprint car that he will drive next season, while Daison Pursley took his first opportunity to dial in the Kasey Kahne Racing machine he will on the High Limit circuit next season. He replaces six-time national champion Brad Sweet in that machine.
Tanner Holmes also made his first laps in the Buch Motorsports ride he will handle next season.
Plenty of others were trying out new crew members, new parts and pieces or new setups.
After all, the new season is less than two months away.
