DIRTcar Racing has reached an agreement with the Valvoline Iron Man Late Model Series to sanction all 24 events on its 2023 schedule.
Participants in every Series event will adhere to technical specifications set forth in the DIRTcar Late Model rulebook, which adopted the Unified Dirt Late Model Car Construction Rules and National Late Model Tire regulations last year. Drivers in each event will earn both Series points and points toward the DIRTcar Late Model national and regional points standings.
Participating drivers with active DIRTcar memberships will also receive the extra benefits included with their membership – including points fund eligibility, additional insurance and more.
“The time that the tire rule was coming into effect nationally – we felt it was time for us to help with that,” said Series Director Chris Tilley. “It’s going to do nothing but help having all the sanctioning bodies on the same tire and rules package.
“It’s just more unified. More people working together is better for the sport as a whole, and it’s going to strengthen our sport; strengthen our series.”
The Series was founded in 2004 by Tilley as a single-event organization that took on its first formal points championship format in 2015. It hosts races primarily in the Southeast and will stretch across Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee on its 2023 Southern region schedule. A record $20,000 will be awarded to the points champion, while a $5,000 check goes to the champion of the Northern region – comprised of races in Kentucky and Ohio.
Likewise, the Iron Man Open Wheel Modified Series also operates on a north-south region schedule – the Northern side of which took on DIRTcar sanctioning in 2022 and will continue for 2023.
Historically, Iron Man Series champions have gone on to be some of the Southeast’s biggest regional contenders. Drivers including Michael Chilton (2015, 2022 North + South champion), Jensen Ford (2021 South champion) and Ryan King (2019 champion) have since proved their worth and are notable competitors when national-level events come into the region.
“All of us regional series like COMP Cams [Super Dirt Series], Hunt the Front [Super Dirt Series], and [Iron Man] are feeder programs for the national tours,” Tilley said. “If we keep all of us strong, then it will do nothing but good when the national tours come in.”
The Iron Man Late Models continue their 2023 campaign with a visit to Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY, on Friday, April 21. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit IMDIRT.net.
