EASTABOGA, Ala. (March 22) — The highly-anticipated Crate Racin’ USA Weekly Racing Series is poised to begin its ’23 racing season for competitors in the four different divisions that are part of the Eastaboga, Ala-based sanctioning organization: 604 Late Model, 602 Late Model Sportsman, Street Stocks and Modified Sportsman.
Drivers in those respective divisions will begin the points-collecting season the week of Monday, March 27, and end their their quest at the end of the week of Monday, Sept. 25. A national champion will be crowned in each division based on a driver’s best 14 finishes from a 27-week season, and the top 10 competitors in points for each class will be invited to the prestigious annual awards banquet scheduled during the off-season.
“Our Weekly Racing Series that features the use of Chevrolet Performance 602 and 604 crate engines is absolutely the backbone of our entire organization,” series director Adam Stewart said. “We will be looking toward the future to make some small adjustments to the overall program with hopes that we can make it even stronger for us and our marketing partners, and hopefully make it financially stronger and better for the racers and tracks.”
Last year’s divisional champions included Shannon Lee of Lumberton, Miss., [604 Late Model], Haden Duncan of Leighton, Ala., [602 Late Model Sportsman], Calvin Martin of Carriere, Miss., [Street Stock] and Chuckie Gipson of Tuscumbia, Ala., [Modified Sportsman].
Lee has wheeled a Billy Riels Racing-owned machine to three of the last four titles in the 604 Late Model class, and that division will again pay $10,000 to its national champion. The 602 Late Model Sportsman division will pay $3,000 to the overall champion, the Street Stock titlist will receive $3,000 and the Modified Sportsman class will pay its year-end champion $2,500.
Twenty tracks will have at least one division be sanctioned by the Adam Stewart-managed organization, and there are discounts available to facilities for sanctioning more than one class. The track list is always a work in progress, and there are still some facilities that might be added to the list. Inquiries and questions about sanctioning, or questions about the upcoming season can be directed to Stewart at (256) 499-7536.
Questions regarding administrative processes, memberships and scoring can be directed to Carolyn V. McLeod at (828) 361-3531. She is also the source to answer questions about My Race Pass, which all tracks will be using during the ’23 season after a two-year process of getting facilities on board with the Iowa-based company.
While Stewart is pleased with the longtime steadiness of the Weekly Racing Series and has gradually culled a few ovals from the list for various reasons as the sport evolves and changes, he knows that weekly racers are the building blocks of the sport, and also the foundation that makes all touring circuits stronger as driving talent develops steadily at the lower tiers of the racing industry.
Young competitors learn their craft at Weekly Racing Series events, advance through the various divisions, and eventually become budding stars at the higher levels of the industry. Crate Racin’ USA has a long list of successful competitors who have emerged from its wake over the organization’s successful 19-year history.
“We feel like we have our Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series running smoothly and we have some plans for its continued growth,” Stewart said. “We also hope to pay additional attention to our Weekly Racing Series and the loyal competitors, tracks and sponsors who stick with us year after year at tracks across the region. Our staff is currently looking for reasonable methods to give more back to tracks and racers, and to increase the success of this portion of our business. It’s a strong part of our company already, but we want to make it even stronger.”
About Crate Racin’ USA
The economical Chevrolet Performance 602 and 604 Circle Track Engine is utilized by competitors in the various divisions presented by Crate Racin’ USA. It’s available from Newsome Raceway Parts in Hartsville, S.C.
Each engine is built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. To place an order, call 1-877-497-3624.
For more information and rules, visit the organization’s website at www.crateracinusa.com, or follow our extensive social media programs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Newsome Raceway Parts, a division of Raceway Chevrolet in Hartsville, S.C., is the title sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. E-Z-GO Golf Carts is the title sponsor of the third-year E-Z-GO $100,000+ Challenge.
Chevrolet Performance is an official sponsor of the organization, along with Advanced Laser & Machine, Cruise with the Champions, Hoosier Racing Tire, KRC Power Steering, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, My Race Pass, VP Racing Fuels and Lubricants and Willy’s Carburetors.
Official chassis sponsors include Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis and CVR Race Cars.
Crate Racin’ USA Weekly Racing Series Tracks
Late Model (604)
All-Tech Raceway (Lake City, Fla.)
Baton Rouge (La.) Raceway
Camden (Tenn.) Speedway
Deep South Speedway (Loxley, Ala.)
Greenville (Miss.) Speedway
Hattiesburg (Miss.) Speedway
Jackson Motor Speedway (Byram, Miss.)
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.)
Moulton Speedway (Danville, Ala.)
Needmore Speedway (Norman Park, Ga.)
North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Ala.)
Outlaw Speedway (Perkinston, Miss.)
Sabine Motor Speedway (Many, La,)
Senoia Raceway (Newnan, Ga.)
Super Bee Speedway (La.)
Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, Ala.)
Whynot Motorsports Park (Meridian, Miss.)
Late Model Sportsman (602)
Camden (Tenn.) Speedway
Deep South Speedway (Loxley, Ala.)
Jackson Motor Speedway (Byram, Miss.)
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.)
Moulton Speedway (Danville, Ala.)
North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Ala.)
Outlaw Speedway (Perkinston, Miss.)
Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, Ala.)
Tennessee National Raceway (Hohenwald, Tenn.)
Thunderhill Raceway Park (Summertown, Tenn.)
Whynot Motorsports Park (Meridian, Miss.)
Modified Sportsman
Camden (Tenn.) Speedway
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.)
Moulton Speedway (Danville, Ala.)
North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Ala.)
Senoia Raceway (Newnan, Ga.)
Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, Ala.)
Tennessee National Raceway (Hohenwald, Tenn.)
Thunderhill Raceway Park (Summertown, Tenn.)
Street Stocks
All-Tech Raceway (Lake City, Fla.)
Camden (Tenn.) Speedway
Deep South Speedway (Loxley, Ala.)
Dothan Motor Speedway (Cottonwood, Ala.)
Greenville (Miss.) Speedway
Hattiesburg (Miss.) Speedway
Jackson Motor Speedway (Byram, Miss.)
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.)
Needmore Speedway (Norman Park, GA)
Outlaw Speedway (Perkinston, Miss.)
Tennessee National Raceway (Hohenwald, Tenn.)
Thunderhill Raceway Park (Summertown, Tenn.)
Western Kentucky Speedway (No, Ky.)
Whynot Motorsports Park (Meridian, Miss.)
Article Credit: Brian McLeod