Charting the course to NASCAR stardom via short-track Late Models.

Going back a decade or so, the path to professional stock car success, especially in its three national series, has commonly gone through dirt racing. Kyle Larson is just one example of a driver who advanced to the big leagues after a winning education in midgets and sprint cars. Larson's not alone, because anybody involved in this industry will agree that open wheel cars teach a driver, appropriately, to race intensely, wheel-to-wheel with a competitor.

Which is fine, and very useful. Most short-track dirt races, however, are conducted over distances averaging 30 laps on tracks frequently less than a half-mile around. That kind of racing doesn't generally provide the lessons in tire management, discipline, and saving one's race car for the end that will be essential qualities when the race consists of 500 blinding laps around Bristol Motor Speedway. Even the dirt competitors with countless wins have to get up on a new learning curve before they're ready to take on the NASCAR touring series, or to learn about bigger tracks by competing in ARCA. For that reason, short-track late models, Pro Late Models and, especially, Super Late Models have emerged as a training ground for short-trackers of all disciplines who want to rise to bigger and better things.

The full-fendered cars now boast a national touring series with livestreamed TV coverage to introduce drivers to a wider audience. The races typically range anywhere from 50–400 laps, which means that tire management is essential. Some Super Late Model events restrict teams to a single set of tires for the whole event. This is big-time auto racing, scaled down only slightly, and it's recently become hugely popular with both competitors and fans. Tin-top race cars, particularly Super Late Models, are now the pathway to professional series in NASCAR and elsewhere.

Sanctions Across the Country

Sanctioning groups exist across the country for both Pro and Super Late Models, running from the CARS and Southern Super Series tours in the South, the SRL Southwest Tour in the desert states, PASS in New England, and the Northwest Super Late Model Series. All of them provide an entryway into serious, fendered short-track competition.

"This racing is a steppingstone," said Bob Sargent, the founder of Track Enterprises and the impresario behind the recently formed ASA STARS National Tour for Super Late Models. "The race car itself gives drivers a lot of seat time experience. And there's still a lot of strategy involved in terms of tires, suspension, shocks, and everything else they can adjust. Super Late Models or Pro Late Models give a driver a lot of experience to move up to NASCAR level."

Track Enterprises has been acquiring and expanding regional tours for Super Late Models including...

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