The first annual Kyle Larson Late Model Challenge will take place this Thursday ahead of NASCAR’s weekend at Bristol Dirt.
However, only one Cup Series driver – Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron – is confirmed to race in the event that Larson wants to turn into something close to the Prelude to the Dream.
“I always watched (the Prelude),” Larson told FloRacing. “We would rent the pay-per-view. We’d have it at my house, my parents house or a couple of years at our Sprint Car shop. I had just got my drivers license so I would go drive and get the pizzas and get all the food to bring over. We’d have a little get-together party, kind of like a Super Bowl Sunday type deal, and watch some NASCAR guys struggle.”
Byron will drive a car belonging to Mike Nuchols and running a Warrior Chassis with backing from Valvoline for the race.
NEWS: @Valvoline will also sponsor @WilliamByron for Thursday's Late Model race at Volunteer Speedway.
The event is similar to the old "Prelude to the Dream" and is being put on by @KyleLarsonRacin and @FloRacing prior to #BristolDirt.
📸 & Design by the talented @BLACKBEARDltd pic.twitter.com/9klOW2INwN
— Always Race Day (@AlwaysRaceDay) April 12, 2022
So far, he’s the only Cup Series competitor that has submitted his name – which can come off as a little surprising on the week of the race.
However, the challenge of getting a group of NASCAR Cup Series racers into late models belonging to other people isn’t as logistically simple as it was when the Prelude to the Dream was ran at Eldora.
“There’s just a lot of logistics that go into it and really making it work,” Larson told FloRacing. “When it was at Eldora it worked perfect because it led into the Dream and all of the big teams were already there, they all had their equipment and were ready to go. I’m sure a lot of guys were in their backup cars. You just have to find the right track, right time of year, probably close to a track where a big race is that weekend that a lot teams are going to. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
Late Model team owners have to be willing to let someone else wheel their ride. There needs to be a date that makes it available for drivers to run – not that this Thursday isn’t that.
Not to mention, this is just the first year of the race. It’s not going to be the Winter Classic on attempt No. 1 (something to remember about Bristol Dirt, too, if the event remains on the NASCAR schedule in the future).
Clint Bowyer will be in the booth for the race – which will be broadcasted by FloRacing – which helps the star power and entertainment value there, too.
“Hopefully this is a step in the direction of what I want it to be in the future,” Larson said. “That’s kind of to bring back an event similar to the Prelude to the Dream. It’s been so long now since that event has happened and there’s a whole new crop of NASCAR drivers. I would love to build this event into something like the Prelude down the road. I think it leading up into a NASCAR weekend on dirt is a good reason for Cup guys to want to go run. I don’t know what the future holds but I hope this is the beginning to start that.”
There’s no shortage of drivers that want to race it, though.
Larson said the entire field would run it if it was that easy.
“Standing at driver intros at Atlanta, it got brought up about my race. I told the group of drivers I was standing with my thoughts of growing it into the Prelude and they were all for it,” Larson told FloRacing. “I know the whole field of Cup guys want to run Dirt Late Models. It’s just finding the right time and place that works for everybody. I’m not worried about what works for the NASCAR guys but what works for the full-time Late Model teams that would be supplying the rides.
“I had a lot of guys reaching out and wanting to race. It’s just a tough time of year with people getting ready for other races, parts shortages and stuff like that. A lot of drivers struck out trying to get rides.”
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. CT with the broadcast held on FloRacing and a winner’s check being awarded for $20,000. Always Race Day will have more updates on the field for the race as they become available.
Kyle Larson Late Model Challenge Expected Entry List
|
Number |
First Name |
Last Name |
Hometown |
|
0 |
Scott |
Bloomquist |
Mooresburg, TN |
|
1g |
Ryan |
King |
Seymour, TN |
|
6 |
Kyle |
Larson |
Elk Grove, CA |
|
7 |
Ricky |
Weiss |
Headingley, MB |
|
8 |
David |
Payne |
Murphy, NC |
|
8 |
Kyle |
Strickler |
Mooresville, NC |
|
10 |
Garrett |
Smith |
Eatonton, GA |
|
14 |
Wil |
Herrington |
Hawkinsvile, GA |
|
17m |
Dale |
McDowell |
Chickamauga, GA |
|
20 |
Jimmy |
Owens |
Newport, TN |
|
23 |
Cory |
Hedgecock |
Loudon, TN |
|
24 |
Michael |
Brown |
Lancaster, SC |
|
24 |
William |
Byron |
Charlotte, NC |
|
25 |
Shane |
Clanton |
Zebulon, GA |
|
40b |
Kyle |
Bronson |
Brandon, FL |
|
42 |
Cla |
Knight |
North Augusta, SC |
|
44 |
Chris |
Madden |
Gaffney, SC |
|
49 |
Jonathan |
Davenport |
Blairsville, GA |
|
54 |
David |
Breazeale |
Four Corners, MS |
|
56 |
Jonathan |
Rowan |
Jackson, TN |
|
71 |
Pierce |
McCarter |
Pigeon Forge, TN |
|
71 |
Hudson |
O’Neal |
Martinsville, IN |
|
76 |
Brandon |
Overton |
Evans, GA |
|
83 |
Jensen |
Ford |
Johnson City, TN |
|
89 |
Ashton |
Winger |
Hampton, GA |
|
118 |
Matt |
Henderson |
Loudon, TN |
|
157 |
Mike |
Marlar |
Winfield, TN |
