On the asphalt side, I've had the pleasure of working with and supplying carburetors for some very talented drivers, young and old. In recent years Sam Bigham ("Stretch") has proven to be one of those gifted and respectable drivers in everything from Karts and Enduros to Open Modifieds. He plans to also dabble more in the Street Stocks in 2025. Sam comes from good people and his only crew is often his dad, Paul, and girlfriend, Christine ("Stubby" who also races a Modified). This is certainly not an over funded team, yet they've traveled to several states to compete with the Modified and Street Stocks. I've been honored to have him represent DFC Racing Carburetors at every track he visits, including Bristol Motor Speedway. This youngster was raised to race with class and respect, win or lose. This year he did plenty of that winning with class thing. He went undefeated for the first five weeks at Norton Raceway Park. Not only is that tough to pull off but in talking to some who race with him and other veteran racers, he's earned the respect of them simply by how he handles himself at all times. Picking up the 2024 Championship was just icing on the cake. Hats off to ya kid!

On the dirt side I've had the pleasure of getting to know a few young drivers that still respect this sport while running with the absolute best veteran racers out there. Drake Troutman is just one very good example of how a young driver can climb to the top while showing and earning respect along the way. I first met him when he picked up my bonus money for fast qualifier at Hilltop, which he has done more than once now. They used to call him "The Kid" but I've always called him "young man" because the only thing "kid" about this guy is his age. His awesome talent on the track is only out shined by his shy yet confident personality. Always being a threat to win at any local show he attempts is simply not enough for Drake. He picked up the win at "The Dome" in 2023 in the Modified division then set his eyes on joining the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for 2024. He had some tough nights on the tour but his determination and the help from his very young and small crew kept him not only in contention but brought him his very first win with the series. Some of his fellow competitors actually teared up when congratulating him on his win. That's EARNED respect! The first half of the season would see him in a tight race for Rookie Of The Year honors, but once he took the lead he only ran away with the title. He's also in the running for "Most Popular Driver" in the series for 2024. It was recently announced that Drake will have a full time Late Model ride with another team for 2025, and I'm hoping he stays with the Lucas Oil series. Wherever he ends up I wish him nothing but the best in his racing future.

The final youngster I want to show some respect to is none other than my very own granddaughter/race carburetor specialist, Angelena. I've been braggin' about her since long before she made her way into Speedway Illustrated magazine. Many of you know that her other passion is being a majorette, which she has busted her ass for since before her first carburetor. I've never known any racer to put in as much practice to hone their skills as this girl has done for way too many years. Her hard work and "suck it up" attitude has been evident on the football field throughout her high school years and with this being her senior year she really stepped things up. Her amazing feat this year was an entirely "drop free" season including through the playoffs. For us racers not familiar with twirling a baton, that means she went the entire season without dropping the damn thing even once! Not only is that incredibly impressive, it's something that no others were able to come close to matching. CONGRATS Munchkin! That might just be as big of a moment as completing her very first aerosol carburetor for Rory Reed. I know in my heart that her future focus will turn toward things other than racing carbs, but I have no doubt she has what it takes to accomplish anything she sets her mind to. Don't worry guys, I'm sure she'll continue to build carbs for her "favorites".

The 2024 racing season is finally about to get started. Three tracks in particular are looking to make 2024 bigger and better than ever with plenty of action of all varieties. Probably the most awaited news in this area has finally become official in recent days. Under new ownership and even a brand new name those familiar sounds and smells of racing will return to what was known for decades as Barberton Speedway, or as many folks called it, "Barbertucky Speedway". After the death of the previous owner the future of the track was in doubt as things were tied up in the courts for what seemed like forever. I gotta say this Dennis Knox fella is one very determined and motivated sumbitch who wasn't about to let this place slip away into permanent silence as other tracks have done. With plenty of support from the area racers and others he finally sealed the deal this week with the blessings of the Norton zoning commission. The 1/4 mile paved bullring that helped to make the Miller family and many others famous will now be known as Norton Raceway Park. While some folks didn't exactly welcome the new name, I'm reminded that Wayne County Speedway and Lakeville also had name changes in their past but we all got over it and moved on. Well except in the case of Lakeville, since it's latest name is "farm land". So I say we should all be thankful that somebody so dedicated stepped up and returned racing action to the place, no matter what they call it. My only concern is what do us old timers call it now. I mean is it Nortontucky or just Nortucky? ;-) Call it what you will as long as you racers and fans show up to support the place. I look forward to whatever they throw at us this year!

Last season we saw the new owners of Midvale Speedway jump in full throttle from the start. Randy and Kim Smart certainly aren't new to racing but operating a track is completely different from operating a race team, and always quite a challenge. The proved in 2023 that they were absolutely up to that challenge. They added plenty of extra entertainment along with the top notch weekly racing action throughout the season and it seemed to pay off with improved car counts and much better crowds than in recent years. Their 2024 schedule is out and you'll want to check it out to make your summer plans. There's something there for everybody for sure. Shucks, even this old fart is gonna make the trip back down there.

2023 was also the first season for new owners at Hilltop Speedway too. Tyler and Beth Evans took over the place at the very end of the 2022 season and we got a glimpse of their intentions with improved track conditions from the start. In 2023 they decided to try some new things on the schedule which sure surprised me. After years of requesting a shot, those winged "tumble buggies" got their chances to take on "the hill" to put on their version of a race show. While the racing action was decent the car count and support from the loyal weekly fans just wasn't there on those nights. Ya can't say Hilltop didn't give the Sprints a chance at least. This season you won't see them on the schedule nearly as often, and I know I'm not the only one that's alright with that. As Jeff Norris used to say, "if I want to see wings I'll go to the airport". Improvements at the facility for this season have been underway for weeks now and I'm happy to report that the damn sound system that everybody complained about is being upgraded for 2024. Myself, I can see the action and the only sounds I need come from those screamin' engines 3 and 4 wide out of turn four. A basic schedule has been released for now but there will be some tweaks and additions as things get sorted out. The return of the Jeff Norris Memorial is hopefully one of those additions.

Coming up on Labor Day Weekend, SUNDAY September 3 at Midvale Speedway is the prestigious OHIO INVITATIONAL!!
Presented By The U.S Air Force, The U.S Army New Philadelphia Recruiting Station.

Outlaw Late Model 70, Open Mod 50, Open Street Stock 35, Open Compact 30 & the Ace Racing League will all be in action!! We will also have a Candy Rush during Intermission for the Kids!!!

We will finally have our long awaited FIREWORK DISPLAY!!! One of the biggest and baddest Firework shows in the area!!! Bring your friends, family, and even your neighbors to Midvale Speedway for a great night of racing and family fun!!!
Below are the Payouts for the event and times.

Payout:
Outlaw Late Model (Midvale Rules - American Racer Tire - Spotters NOW allowed in Midvale Rules):
$2500, 2000, 1500, 1000, 800, 700, 600, 500, 450, 400, 350, 300 to start.

Open Mods: Jokers Wild 50 (2) 25 lap features back-to-back. The first leg will be set up by the Top 12 from qualifying with staggered heat races for starting positions. The top 3 in First Race Pay: $500, 300, 200. The cars will stop on front straightaway for 10 mins, YOU WILL BE allowed to make adjustments/fuel. YOU CANNOT Jack up the Car, all 4 tires MUST stay on the ground. Before the start of the second leg, the Top 8 will redraw for starting spots. The Winner can either go first or last on draw. Everyone else will start the second leg, where they finished the first leg.
Final Pay: $1500, 1200, 1000, 800, 700, 600, 500, 450, 400, 350, 300, 250, 200 to start. (American Racer Tire - No Recap Tire)

Open SS: (Lorain/Painesville/Wheelman Rules. American Racer Tire. Crate Motors allowed 4BBL & No Chip) $800, 600, 500, 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150, 130 to start.

Open Compacts: (Midvale/Painesville/Lorain/Sandusky Rules. Min Weight 2400. 400 Treadwear Tire) $400, 200, 100, 85, 75, 65, 50, 35 to start. B-Main: $50, 40, 30, 20 to start.

We are doing position sponsors for the Ohio Invitational Open Modified 50 Joker's Wild race for $10 a position.....please contact Matt, Randy or Kim if you or your business wants to sponsor a position. You can put your business name, in remembrance or in honor of someone.
Pits Admission: 12 and up $40, 4–11 with Paid Adult $20, 3 and Under Free with a Paid Adult
Grandstand Admission: Adults $20, Seniors $15, Students 14-17 $15, Students 6-13 $10, 5 and Under FREE
Pit Gates open at noon, hot laps at 1:30, grandstand gates will open at 2, qualifying at 4:30 and racing takes the green flag at 6:30!!
*Only tow vehicles are permitted to park in the pits!! All other vehicles (even those “containing parts�) will be required to park in the parking lot outside the gate*

TIRE ROTATION:
Tires are available! They can be purchased at the track while Ditto is there. They will also be available at practice & are $175 each.

BRING A RADIO AND SOME EARBUDS AND TUNE INTO 105.7 in the grandstands and 107.9 in the pits to hear the LIVE PA BROADCAST!! We have added FM broadcasters so YOU THE FANS can hear the racing action from the Announcers better!!
110 Racing Fuel will be $11 per gallon at the track
Transponders are $20 to rent plus an ID.
Driver Radio Frequency is: 454.0000

Practice will be on Friday September 1st 4-8 and Saturday September 2nd From 12-5....cost is $10 per person age 4 and up

Coolers - SMALL BACKPACK or 6 pack coolers that can be kept UNDER your seat. NO LARGE COOLERS, NO WAGONS, NO GLASS, NO ALCOHOL. We accept Cash or Card.
The Fireworks are set to music and will be shot off after dark, depending on the racing program. Estimated around 10pm. YOU will NOT want to miss this!!!

Camping is permitted along the fence line area BEHIND the Bullpen in the field, along side the wooded area and the back ONLY!! You are RESPONSIBLE for your own camp site!! NO LARGE FIRES, No water, sewer or electric hookups and PLEASE clean up after yourself!!
There will be Parking attendants, PLEASE be respectful to them, they are simply trying to make sure that we get as many cars in the lots as possible and everyone can put safely and quickly in an emergency....PLEASE PARK WHERE YOU ARE ASKED and DO NOT PARK 3 AND 4 DEEP!! Not everyone can park in the front row, if you want a good spot, get there early!!!
ALL HANDICAPPED PARKING WILL BE BEHIND THE CONCESSION STAND AREA, we do have a Handicap accessible area in the grandstands, which is the Family Section closest to turn 1.
Personal Chairs - You can bring a personal chair and use it in the grandstands or in front of the grandstands but you CANNOT put a personal chair next to the wire cables or fence. You also CANNOT put your chair in a walkway or isle.

When I asked him recently what made him decide to buy a track, it was clear that this guy lives for racing and making it better for all racers and fans. It's always a huge risk buying a track, but Randy, Kim, and the rest of the crew jumped in with both feet from the start. Their focus is always on making the show better each week for all involved. I'd say it must be working based on increased car counts and fans in the stands. Larger car counts have recently led to later nights which is good and bad I guess. Fans get more show and more racers get to race, but some folks got used to getting home early. I get that, and so do the folks at Midvale. Rest assured they will do whatever they can to pull off this balancing act.

Their season is winding down just like it is at all area tracks but there's still plenty of action to be enjoyed before Fall moves in. Load up the family and anybody else that might enjoy some door to door action and take in a show at Midvale Speedway. You certainly won't regret it!!

This new fella that owns Hilltop Speedway sure isn't afraid to try different things. Not only has he made huge improvements to the track surface and facility, finally filled those empty sponsor boards, and brought in a variety of those "Winged Tumble Buggies", but this week the Valvoline Iron Man Late Model Series is coming to The Hill for the first time ever. Anytime a series rolls into town to take on the very stout weekly field of drivers we're treated to some serious kickass action. They will do battle to chase the $5000 to win as well as the DFC Racing Carburetor Fast Qualifier Bonus/Challenge. Setting fast time will earn that driver $100 as usual, but if that driver goes on to win the feature they will pick up another crisp $100 bill. We offer this challenge from time to time to highlight the quality of talent and racing action at hilltop. The fastest qualifier doesn't simply skate to an easy win here. In fact, this challenge has only ever been won once in the past and it took Fast Freddie Carpenter to pull it off. This is a show you sure as hell don't want to miss so you know what to do. Load up the family, friends, coworkers, and maybe even the neighbors ol' lady and get to Hilltop Speedway this Friday night July 7th. I'll see ya there!!

The Late Models won't be the only division taking to the track on Friday night. The Modifieds, Modlites, and Mini Stocks will also be there to round out the show. Complete details are posted below.

I know this is kinda short notice but you won't want to miss this event, or any other chance to see the best side by side action found on dirt. Load up the family, friends, neighbors, and awe hell the crazy kid down the street and head to Hilltop. I'll see ya there!!!

The more promising changes this year come from Tyler and the gang at Hilltop Speedway. New track ownership always makes plenty of us old timers a bit nervous, and for good reason, but so far I'm pretty damn impressed with the fresh new ideas that Tyler and Beth have brought to Hilltop. They showcased their dedication last season in just the couple shows they had since taking over. Different divisions and a kickass racing surface were the most obvious. While Mother Nature hasn't been kind to their Winter Enduro Series, ya gotta give them credit for thinking outside the box in such a way. Below is the 2023 schedule they've put together and it's easy to see some major changes. In what I consider a bold move, you'll find Sprints taking to the track fairly often this year. 410 Sprints, 305 Sprints, Micro Sprints, Winged Sprints, and even Wingless Sprints. What the hell is going on? ;-) While it's probably no secret that I'm not a big fan of the "tumble buggies", I welcome and fully understand the changes. Racers and fans have asked for more Sprint action for years and Tyler has decided to give them the opportunity to prove their support by adding them to the schedule. Hopefully the Sprint folks respect that and make this a successful change. The most important thing to me on the schedule was seeing that the Jeff Norris Memorial will continue. THANKS Tyler! There certainly will be tweaks and changes made to the schedule throughout the season as always but it's pretty impressive so far. DFC Racing Carburetors may have to work on some different ideas this season for bonuses and such but I'll be happy to Support Hilltop any way that I can.

On a more personal note, 2023 will bring other changes around here at DFC Racing Carburetors. My all-time favorite carburetor builder, my granddaughter will turn 16 in a matter of days. Her time in the shop has been limited a bit lately as she chases her other dreams, but Grumpa couldn't be more proud. She busted her ass for years to make the majorette line and she nailed that the first year she was eligible in 2022. She still found time to help with carbs and even pass out some bonus money last year and I figure that will continue, but I know my Munchkin will be busy with other obligations as she grows up even more. She's been my side-kick in and out of the shop for many years now and certainly cherish every moment of that time. This young lady doesn't just build racing carbs, she's built winning carbs, and even championship winning carbs, while getting to know some pretty cool racers along the way. Those memories will be with both of us forever. Oh, and she's pretty damn good with a baton too. ;-) Happy Birthday kiddo!!

The racing world was surely wondering how the new ownership at Hilltop would handle a 2 day show for their first ever events. Even I had several concerns but Tyler, Beth, and the entire staff stepped up to put those concerns to rest. Did everything go perfectly? Of course not, and that's never happened at any track anywhere. It did go better than many shows I've been to that were put on by veteran track owners.

I'm not a Sprint car guy but I made the trip Friday night to take in the show and partially to see how things went. I can describe the track conditions on Friday night in just 2 words. Fuggin WOW! Ok, I coulda probably got it down to 1 word but that wouldn't be fair. Apparently when you actually put moisture INTO the track, instead of on top of it, it makes for great multi-groove racing without the dust, even with Sprint cars punishing it all night. Many of us already knew that, and remember days gone by when all tracks did this, including Hilltop. Doing this isn't always easy and it's pretty hard to get perfect but they pulled it off Friday night for sure. Every driver I talked to was very impressed and thankful for the effort put into it. The surface may not have been perfect on Saturday night but it was pretty damn close. 26 Late Models, 30 Modifieds, and the rest of the strong fields would work it hard all night resulting in still almost no dust and just a couple dry spots at the end of the long night. It's been a very long time since I've witnessed an entire 40 lap Late Model show where you could see the action without a dust storm. The Sprints went 30 laps (26 straight green flag laps) without a dust cloud to be found. Both nights allowed the 3 (and more) wide battles this place has been known for in the past. Hats off to everybody that helped to make this possible!!

One of the new changes for this weekend was double file restarts in Late Models and Modifieds. I gotta tell you the racer in me doesn't always like the idea, but maybe if the leader was given lane choice it would win me over. The fans sure seemed to love it and were treated to some awesome action because of this new idea. I reckon that putting on a more entertaining show for the fans is the whole idea after all, and it sure as hell did that. The Late Model Feature showcased this very well. While Conley, Markham, Carpenter, and Drown put on one hell of a show fighting for the lead, there was no way to pick a winner until the final couple of laps. They used the entire surface to trade slide jobs the entire race, including Drown wheeling his ride from the tail to finish second. In the final laps Freddie Carpenter turned up the wick a bit and finally secured the lead in his new Kryptonite Vision chassis. Yes, a budget chassis running Sport Mod springs and shocks took home the $5000! It was even more impressive to me since we had a chat right before he strapped in for the Feature. He told me that they got the car mostly straightened out after some ugliness at Eldora but it still should have a new front clip to make it right. Well, it was "right enough" on Saturday night. CONGRATS to ya Freddie and thanks to the rest of the drivers that put on such a thrilling show, with the exception of Corey "The Crying Ace" Conley. We've seen this guy whine and bitch about any track surface that allows for real racing action, even if he wins, so it was no surprise to see him show his lack of class after losing. What a dickhead! In case Corey couldn't hear the crowd, his bullshit isn't welcome at Hilltop. My tip for him would be to try to find another track that will pay him to show up and bash that place. Just in case he does return, I'll keep a box of tissues in my car for his next hissy fit. ;-)

CONGRATS to Cody Scott for picking up DFC Racing Carburetors fast qualifier bonus. He was gonna be my pick for the feature win but mechanical demons ruined that dammit.

Let's not forget to thank Buck for all the years of hard work he and his family put into keeping the action alive at Hilltop. Hats off to him for turning the Jeff Norris Memorial race into not just the biggest show that Hilltop has ever pulled off, but one of the best shows anywhere on dirt in recent years. It was awesome to see the racers, fans, and staff send Buck out in a big way. The 4 wide salute from the Late Models was almost the icing on the cake but the outcome of the Feature may have topped it. None other than George "The General" Lee would pick up the Dash win before putting on a clinic in the Feature race. George once dominated this place but has struggled a bit in recent years. Not on this night. George was back to his old ways squeezing every pony from his ride while using every inch of the track to show that the ol' fella still has what it takes to run out front. It sure brought back some great memories of when we were almost tired of seeing him kickin' ass every week ;-) That smile on his face was just plain priceless. I hope Buck enjoyed his final night as track owner and he takes a deep breath before moving onto any future adventures. He sure as hell earned a break from the madness!

The racing action all night was awesome and the show was very well run. I didn't expect to get home before sunrise after such a show, but that was far from the case Friday night. It probably helped that the 50 lap Late Model feature went totally caution free. WOW! Another huge time saver was not having to deal with what had become the Jerry Springer Show with fighting and much worse now that the source of the drama has been removed. What a refreshing change to enjoy an entire night of racing without the shit show that had turned many of us away recently. We were treated to good clean side by side racing and fun between teams all night, just like it used to be. In the end Devon Moran would take home the $10,000 win and Dave Hess would pick up the $1200 Modified feature win. Hats off to all the teams and to the entire Hilltop staff for making this a night that will be remembered for a very long time!

It was also a special night for me personally as I got to bring my granddaughter Angelena with me to not only meet some of her carburetor customers in person but to also hand out our qualifying bonus money. Picking up the bonus in Late Models was Drake Troutman. In recent weeks the ugliness has finally been removed from the pits so she also got to hand out a bonus for the fast qualifier in the Modified division, picked up by Dave Hess. (If only we would have had another one of those giant checks printed in advance for the Modifieds;-)) That smile you see on her face in the pictures was still there the next day and mostly thanks to the drivers and crew at Hilltop that made her feel right at home on race night. For the first time in her life she finally felt like more than a spectator or just a kid, she was honestly one of the rest of us crazy people that are hooked on this sport. When we got stuck in the infield waiting to give out the awards, she was more than happy to witness the show from there and would probably still be there today if we wouldn't have had to go home. She got some good pictures from there but I'm pretty sure the memories of that night will last much longer, and that's all I could ever ask for. THANKS to all of you that helped welcome her to our world of racing and for making racing fun again for this old fart. Oh and to Ed Fredrick,,, she's still laughing about her "conversation" with you.

She showed alot of interest in it from the start and she was very eager to learn anything I'd show her. That eagerness really grew when she starting working on carbs for racers that she not only knew, but loved to see doing well. She had been helping with various carbs for a while before an aerosol style carb came in from one of her early heroes, Rory Reed. Racers are often intimidated by an aerosol carb, but her only reaction was to ask if she could could do this one on her own. It seemed to mean alot to her so I turned her loose on it with limited supervision from me. It's a damn shame Rory doesn't race much in recent years because she turned out a kickass carb on her first try. I'm not sure who was more proud to see her name on that data sheet, her or me. As I had promised her, I made her a custom shirt to celebrate her first complete racing carburetor. It reads "Not All Girls Are Scared Of Carbs". Since that day she's built several more winning carbs for dirt and asphalt in all divisions. In just the past couple of years racers such as Dwayne (Dewey) Powell, and Sam Bigham have been winning everywhere they go with carbs built by this awesome young lady who turned just 14 years old a couple months before the magazine article. The 2021 season began with a carb from another one of her heroes, George The General Lee. She couldn't wait to get started on that one as soon as it hit the bench. She was even nice enough to autograph that data sheet for him since she'd gotten his in the past ;-) George got caught up in some ugliness the first couple nights out but has since set fast time and ran off with a Dash win at Hilltop in recent weeks. Grumpa couldn't be more proud!