12/2/2023
Crate Racin' USA Dirt Late Model Series
Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series Schedule Released
EASTABOGA, Ala — Crate Racin’ USA officials have released a nine-date schedule for the ninth edition of the organization’s highly-successful Winter Shootout Series, which will begin a couple days before the new year with the traditional $3,000-to-win Hangover scheduled to happen Dec. 29-30, 2023, at high-banked 411 Motor Speedway. The event will count points towards the ’24 Winter Shootout Series championship.
The series-opening race is slated at the first of five different tracks in three states that will host the winter racing stretch for the Adam Stewart-managed touring series. The eagerly-awaited annual Ice Bowl at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Ala., is next on the slate Jan. 4-6 , followed by the three-day Sunshine Nationals Jan. 18-20 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., the traditional three-day Florida Winternationals scheduled Jan. 25-27 at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., and the series-ending HTF Winter Shootout Finale set for Feb. 17 that will pay $10,000 to win at Southern Raceway in Milton, Fla.
2024 Winter Shootout Series Schedule:
Dec. 29-30… 411 Motor Speedway, Seymour, Tenn.
Jan. 4-6… Talladega Short Track, Eastaboga, Ala.
Jan. 18-20… Volusia Speedway Park, Barberville, Fla.
Jan. 25-27… East Bay Raceway Park, Gibsonton, Fla.
Feb. 17… Southern Raceway, Milton, Fla.
Points Fund Receives Big Boost
The points fund for the popular series will receive a significant 200 percent increase from last year, and the champion will now receive $4,000 as opposed to $2,500 in past seasons. The top 10 drivers in the standings are set to carry away money as long as they have perfect attendance for the entire eight-date miniseries.
2024 Winter Shootout Series Points Fund
- $4,000
- $2,500
- $2,000
- $1,750
- $1,500
- $1,300
- $1,200
- $1,100
- $1,000
- $900
A Rookie of the Year will also be declared, and that award will also carry monetary rewards for the top three in that category. The top freshman driver will receive $1,500, while second will receive $750 and third is set to earn $500. Perfect attendance will be required.
The dramatically-increased points fund structure sets into motion a quest to increase the popularity of the winter trek even more among drivers and teams, many of whom have loyally supported the miniseries for its eight-year existence.
“We feel like the teams have been participating wholeheartedly in this program for a long time and that has been a big part of its growth, and it was time for us on our end to make it a little more lucrative for them,” series director Adam Stewart said. “We felt it was time to match their efforts and pay more money. To be honest we started this program mostly without realizing the potential it had to reach its current heights, and it’s turned out over its history to be a much stronger program than we had anticipated. We look forward to its continued growth.”
Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn., has claimed the Winter Shootout Series championship for the past two years to join Jimmy Elliott as the only two-time titlist in its 8-year history, and will be one of the leading candidates to add another title as the touring series heads to the Sunshine State for the bulk of its races during the Jan./Feb. time period.
Some of the largest car counts are likely to descend on both Volusia Speedway Park, where the annual Sunshine Nationals will be a collaboration with DIRTcar’s Pro Late Model division, and East Bay Raceway Park’s long-running Florida Winternationals.
Due to the number of drivers expected to attend, formats for those two weekends are to be determined. Track and series officials are collaborating to create a format that will allow more drivers to participate, but no firm decisions have yet been made.
Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series (Past Champions)
2016: Chase Edge
2017: Kyle Bronson
2018: Jimmy Elliott
2019: Jimmy Elliott
2020: Pierce McCarter
2021: Dylan Knowles
2022: Cory Hedgecock
2023: Cory Hedgecock
For more information and future developments concerning the 2024 Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series, access the organization’s website at www.crateracinusa.com, or keep up on the company’s various social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Article Credit: Brian McLeod
Submitted By: Carolyn McLeod
