6/17/2024
Crate Racin' USA Dirt Late Model Series
America's Leader in Racing will honor two East Tennessee racing legends this weekend
(Eastaboga, AL - 6/17/24) - The Rogers-Dabbs Performance Parts Crate Racin' USA Dirt Late Model Series will have back-to-back nights in the Volunteer State and honor a pair of East Tennessee legends. On Friday night, the series will return to Tazewell Speedway to try and finish the 6th Annual Melvin Corum Memorial, which was originally scheduled for May 18th and then postponed again on June 1st due to rain after Chevrolet Performance Heat Race 3 rolled onto the race track. The namesake, Melvin Corum, lived in Maynardville, TN, and passed away on September 15, 2018. Corum was a long-time dirt track race car driver in the East Tennessee region and won many championships in the area, including wins and titles at Tazewell Speedway. After retiring from active driving, Corum’s hobbies included restoring vintage cars and trucks. Previous winners of the event include Jesse Lowe ('19), Jason Trammell ('20), Aaron Guinn ('21 & '23), and Josh Collins ('22).
On Saturday night, the series will head an hour and a half south to the Mitch McCarter-owned 411 Motor Speedway for the 13th running of the J.T. Kerr Memorial. Kerr won over 200 races on dirt and pavement throughout the Southeast, and he was inducted into the Atomic Speedway (TN) Hall of Fame in 1992. Following that, in 1993, at the age of 63, Kerr picked up the runner-up spot in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Championship with 18 victories at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN, achieving this at an age when most drivers were retiring. The event will once again pay $10,000 to win and will be the third straight season the Crate Racin' USA series has sanctioned the event. Previous winners of the event include Chris Wilson ('12), Ronnie Johnson ('13 & '14), John Ownbey ('15), Greg Martin ('20), Cameron Weaver ('21), Jason Welshan ('22), and Cory Hedgecock five times ('16, '17, '18, '19, '23).
This will be the start of the summer stretch for the Crate Racin' USA Dirt Late Model Series. After leaving Tazewell and 411, the series will take back-to-back weeks off before heading to "The Mag" Magnolia Motor Speedway for the 20th Annual Governor's Cup, paying $10,000 to win. Then it’s off to Summerhill, TN, and the always exciting Thunderhill Raceway Park for the King of the Hill event, paying $4,000 to win. The series will then jump into August and visit North Alabama Speedway for back-to-back nights of racing for the King of Crates, paying $2,000 on Friday night and $3,000 on Saturday night. The series returns to Senoia, GA, and the Senoia Raceway on August 17th for another $3,000 to win feature, and then the summer concludes with the "Battle By The Bay." The final crate late model event to be held at East Bay Raceway Park will be Labor Day weekend on Saturday, August 31st, and Sunday, September 1st, paying $10,000 to win at the clay by the bay in Tampa, FL.
For rules and information on the Rogers Dabbs Performance Parts Crate Racin' USA Dirt Late Model Series (604 Late Models) visit our website at www.crateracinusa.com or email us at crateracinusa@gmail.com.
Crate Racin' USA would like to thank it's marketing partners Rogers-Dabbs Performance Parts, Chevrolet Performance, Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, VP Racing Lubricants, KRC Power Steering, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, LLC, Willy's Carb & Dyno Shop, LLC , Competition Racing Equipment,Inc. , Cruise with the Champions, Savage Chassis, BMF Race Cars, Velocita by Melissa Markewitz, Eagle Racing Engines, Inc., Hickman Manufacturing, ATC Bolts & Fasteners LLC, STAKT Products by CV Racing Products , and Sin City Bail Bonds.
Article Credit: Cody Earley
