Longtime DIRTcar Director Sam Driggers has taken his place in one of dirt track racing’s most prestigious clubs with his induction to the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame, Class of 2026.
Head of the Midwest’s premier weekly racing organization since 2004, Driggers received the honor as a “Contributor to the Sport” during last Saturday’s ceremony, held at the Hall of Fame building at Florence Speedway in Union, KY. There, he joined a host of honorable names including Earl Pearson Jr, Shannon Babb, Jimmy Edwards Jr, Randy Weaver, Russell Baker, Rick Schwallie, James “Brownie” Brown, Bill & Debbie Reed, and BJ Parker as members of the 26th inductee class
Driggers, a native of St. Augustine, FL, began his career in motorsports as a child, scoring races at Volusia Speedway Park as early as 12 years old. After moving to California at 22, Driggers periodically came back to Volusia to help famed promoter Dickie Murphy hand-score races. It was there Driggers met United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) founder Bob Memmer, who offered him a position at UMP, inspecting race cars and helping assemble the brand’s weekly newsletter.
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Until Memmer’s passing in 2004, Driggers worked side-by-side with Memmer at the track and in the office, gaining the professional skills necessary to take over as director of the organization. When UMP was sold to present-day World Racing Group later that year and rebranded to DIRTcar Racing in 2006, Driggers remained in command, where he sits today as head of weekly racing operations and the DIRTcar Summer Nationals.
