The Most Impactful and Memorable Short Track Moments of 2024

Pavement short track fans like to talk about the good ole days, and while there were certainly things to love about previous generations, not enough energy is spent on the things we have right now.

The 2024 season was a celebration of many of things that are still great about this culture and discipline.

For example, never before in the history of short track racing has every notable event been consumable from the comforts of your own living room, thanks to streamers like FloRacing, Racing America and Pit Row TV.

What used to require a magazine subscription, just to learn who won a race time zones away, can be enjoyed in real time from anywhere around the globe. Like seriously, how cool is that? From that standpoint, these are the good ole days.

The current dynamic allows Bubba Pollard, Stephen Nasse, Bobby McCarty, Matt Hirschman, Brenden Queen, Connor Hall and Casey Roderick to cultivate dynamic fanbases and interest in their careers from coast to coast.

There is a lot to make better, but the discipline has never had the foundation under it to be more successful than it is now. From that standpoint, we should be grateful for the continued efforts of the streamers, promoters and racers working diligently to grow this thing we all love.

With that said, here are the most impactful and meaningful moments from the 2024 short track season.

Previous editions: 2023 | 2021 | 2020

50. Rodney Cook format

Ace Speedway’s annual race held to honor the legacy of Rodney Cook was overshadowed in the weeks leading up to the green flag by controversy over the format itself. In an effort to encourage drivers to pre-register, a challenge for every track, speedway co-owner Jason Turner unveiled an unconventional format that would originally set the starting lineup of the race based on order entries were received in, with the first 10 entries being guaranteed a starting spot. The format drew the ire of Cook’s daughter, Kimberlynn, who took to social media to express her frustrations. Her post caught Hermie Sadler’s attention, and Sadler offered the track $10,000 to go to the race winner’s purse if they changed the format to whatever Kimberlynn wanted it to be.

Jason Turner and speedway general manager David Sell were disinclined to acquiesce to Sadler’s request. Instead, they changed the format to make everyone have to run the heat races, with the first 10 drivers who submitted their entries starting at the front of their respective heat races. The race was ultimately won by Heath Causey, with 14 cars taking the green flag.

49. Big Blocks back to Star Classic

With ISMA’s diminished presence in New England, last year’s 58th Star Classic weekend lacked the cornerstone of the annual event: the big-block Supermodifieds. At the end of 2023, Star Speedway owner Bobby Webber and PASS founder Tom Mayberry reconciled, opening the door for Mayberry’s growing New England Supermodified Series to race at Star. September’s 59th Star Classic was the first with NESS sanctioning the big-block main event, with home-track ace Jonathan McKennedy taking home his fifth Star Classic trophy.

48. DJ Shaw’s sixth PASS title

The Northeast’s most notable Super Late Model title belt was up for grabs in 2024, but D.J. Shaw’s championship run was untouchable. The Granite State veteran won twice, never finished worse than 10th, and completed all but three laps en route to his sixth PASS North championship and his first since 2020. It was a solid year for Shaw, who finished second in ACT points and won in all three of New England’s touring Late Model series, while also earning accolades as a winning car builder.

47. Gabe Brown earns first ACT Tour title

“I have zero patience with anything, ever,” Gabe Brown admitted after winning the ACT Fall Foliage 200 in September. But the young racer who minces no words about his passion or aggression kept all emotions in check in 2024 as he turned in a title-worthy performance in the competitive ACT Late Model Tour. Aside from three finishes outside the top ten, Brown finished no worse than sixth and won once en route to his second touring championship, dethroning mentor D.J. Shaw to capture the coveted ACT crown.

46. Timmons’ NESS title

A blown engine with four races left in the New England Supermodified Series season was the latest and seemingly last heartbreak of Bobby Timmons’ trying 2024 season. But Timmons’ fortunes turned on a dime. A longtime supporter found an engine, and in the next three races, the third-generation racer finished no worse than third. Timmons, whose podcast has positioned him as an authoritative young representative for the niche discipline of Supermodified racing, needed only to start the season finale to become Maine’s first NESS champion in the series’ third year.

45. ACT Tour’s season

Even in a challenging racing economy, Vermont’s American-Canadian Tour continues to thrive. The ACT Tour celebrated a first-time champion in 2024 and twelve different winners in 13 points races. The series averaged over 34 entries per race, with only one race drawing fewer than 29 cars and eleven drivers attempting every race. And at year’s end, ACT had paid out over $540,000 in prize money to its participants. It’s a testament to a formula that leverages strong weekly participation with a healthy touring base.

44. Tri-Track Growth

Matt Hirschman clinched his ninth Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series title in November. But despite the familiar name at the front, what was once an intriguing miniseries of big-money features has evolved into a competitive alternative to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for the Northeast’s Modified aces. Far more than a three-track series, the Monaco Modifieds visited seven tracks for eight events in 2024, lending their name to events like Stafford’s Fall Final and Star Speedway’s SBM 125, and welcoming plenty of drivers with a history on the NASCAR Tour.

43. Inaugural North American Pro Stock Nats

Lee USA Speedway upped the ante on its usual big-money shows, opening its season with May’s $30,000-to-win North American Pro Stock Nationals. While some of the long-haul entries were no-shows, local star power was in force with Derek Griffith putting on a dominant performance. Joey Doiron stole the show, though, racing from a last-chance berth to pass Griffith for the big win with twenty laps to go and bringing home a massive check for car owner Peter Petit.

42. Doiron wins PASS Celebration of America 300

Nearly overshadowing its own Oxford 250, PASS organized its own blockbuster event, July’s midweek Celebration of America 300 at Oxford Plains Speedway. The $40,000 winner’s purse drew in NASCAR stars Kyle Busch and Daniel Hemric, and a modified qualifying procedure scrambled the usual long-distance tire strategy. In the end, though, it was Derek Griffith versus Joey Doiron, with Doiron prevailing for the inaugural win and the prize kitty.

41. ACT sanctions engine builders

What began as a career-defining win for Jesse Switser ended in controversy when ACT stripped the Vermonter of April’s Northeast Classic victory. ACT also sanctioned Redline Performance Engines, the company that sealed Switser’s non-compliant engine, suspending them from ACT’s approved supplier list for a year. Redline’s Spencer Robbins took responsibility and Switser responded with a redeeming win at Oxford two weeks later. But ACT’s suspension of a second engine builder in July for a similar infraction, and DIRTcar’s suspension of a driver for a non-compliant crate engine in August, highlight the opportunities for engine chicanery in a region that favors the sealed crate engine as its powerplant of choice.

40. CARS Tour West debuts

Kevin Harvick has always been very passionate about the long-term viability of short track racing both as an independent racing platform for veterans but also to teach youngsters the right ways to do things. It’s why he bought into the CARS Tour with Dale Jr., Jeff Burton and Justin Marks but also in starting his own west coast offshoot with Tim Huddleston. The 2024 season was kind of a cold open but the 2025 season sees the series expand into Super Late Model racing and an expansive blueprint and SPEARS Manufacturing support.

39. Both CARS Tour finales

It turned into a really dramatic championship night for both the CARS Pro Late Model and Late Model Stock season finales. Spencer Davis entered the night as the Pro points leader but a first lap incident trying to pass TJ Decaire caused tremendous damage to his No. 29, losing three laps and the title to Kaden Honeycutt, who also nearly got crashed by Tristan McKee. Meanwhile, Brenden Queen took a nine point Late Model Stock lead into the finale but suffered a broken carb spring that affected his throttle and cost him several positions in the first half of the race. Lee Pulliam was able to repair it at the halfway break but there was more drama that they would have liked to get to the championship.

38. Diaz slams Jones

This probably doesn’t make the list if not for the fact that Conner Jones was already under the microscope for intentionally crashing Matt Mills in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Homestead. Jones also closed out the year with two high profile CARS Tour wins at Tri-County and North Wilkesboro. But Jones can be abrasive and its earned him a reputation and one that Mason Diaz had a short tolerance for in the South Carolina 400. They were both involved in the big crash that night and when Jones walked over to shout at Diaz, it resulted in a slam against the hood of a race car.

Conner Jones and Mason Diaz fight pic.twitter.com/mB1llY5TEm

— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) November 24, 2024

37. Majeski Milwaukee DQ

In the grand scheme of things, this disqualification for engine compression wasn’t hugely consequential. Majeski had already decided to not defend his ASA STARS championship as he missed the second race of the season at Pensacola. But it was yet another example of the divide when it comes to Wisconsin, their racers and the status quo of racing with ASA, Majeski even expressing frustrations after the Winchester 400 over engine regulations.

36. Butcher wins Winchester

Cole Butcher missed most of the summer months for an Afib surgery but returned in time for autumn big race season. That meant coming back in time to claim the Winchester 400 to add to a resume that already included two Oxford 250s and the Redbud 400.

35. Podcasters help Pollard’s 250

Bubba Pollard’s best finish in the Oxford 250 since his 2018 victory did not come without help. When it appeared the Georgia native would not be able to make the long trip north this year, the hosts of the Maine-based Black Flagged Podcast threw together a last-ditch funding drive to raise enough money to change Pollard’s mind. Fans criticized the podcasters for directing their charity toward a visitor and not a local racer. But their efforts shed a light on how one of short track racing’s biggest stars still has finite resources.

34. Bobby Gill passes

Bobby Gill succumbed to Stage 4 brain cancer on October 17 but left an incredible resume in his wake, not only on the track but from those who swore by the man himself. On the track, Gill was a four-time Pro Cup champion in the hayday of the series, winning a division high 46 races. He also won the Snowball Derby twice and numerous other crown jewels

33. Speedfest and the Big 3

Not even a month after they wrecked out of the Snowball Derby, both seeking their first win in the event, Speedfest at Cordele came down to Stephen Nasse again fending off Bubba Pollard. Using a lapped car as a pick, Pollard nudged past Nasse in a race that also featured Casey Roderick, combined, the big three of southern short track racing. It was everything good about the discipline south of the Mason Dixon.

READ MORE: The Big 3 of the south deliver in Speedfest classic

32. Burt Myers championship

One of the undisputed faces of the Madhouse Modified division, Burt Myers claimed his 11th Tour Type championship at Bowman Gray Stadium. He reached 97 wins at The Stadium, second only to Tim Brown’s 101 and is second to Brown, who also has 12 championships. Myers also raced for a SMART Modified championship alongside his weekly track campaign.

31. Grill wins, reveals battle

Augie Grill returned to racing at Montgomery on October 20 after taking the summer off; winning a Pro Late Model race at the track and revealing in Victory Lane that he had been undergoing cancer treatment. “I was diagnosed with cancer in June. I took a break and realized I need to come back, try to have fun and be happy. I can’t pick a better way to be happy.” The two-time Snowball Derby winner has fans across the country for both his exploits as a racer and car builder, doing both the right way.

30. Professional Martinsville 300

One of the more overlooked stories of the season is the one that wasn’t a story at all: Race control at the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway. Chase Breshears replaced longtime ValleyStar Credit Union 300 event director Lynn Carroll, and Breshears’ first time at the helm was nearly flawless. The drivers meeting was direct and concise, complete with pre-produced videos to further emphasize procedures.

When you get over 60 cars to a racetrack, there’s bound to be chaos, and the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 has been somewhat defined by just that. But, in 2024, the chaos was limited to on the track, which is entertaining for the fans, instead of both on and off the track. It’s a testament to Breshears’ experience and leadership. The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is in good hands.

29. World Crown 300 returns

For years, the World Crown 300 became one of the crown jewels of southern short track racing at the venue knows as Georgia International and Gresham in various stints. When that track closed, Ricky Brooks sought the name to take to Cordele, where he now serves as general manager, attaching a $35,000 winner’s payout to its rich history. Michael Hinde drove away in the second half, saving his first Super win for a big, big moment.

28. Nasse, Huffman DNQ CARS opener

Both Stephen Nasse and Landon Huffman anticipated contending for a CARS Tour championship in 2024 but neither made into or through the first race at Southern National Motorsports Park. Nasse and Forrest Reynolds couldn’t get their car to work and Huffman could fine-tune the new R&S chassis he was using at the time either. They both missed the show and went on to do something different over the summer instead.

27. SMART Tour Doubleheader

When the SMART Modified Tour announced its 2024 schedule, one notable addition was a ‘Beach Trip’ on Labor Day Weekend, which consisted of both Coastal North Carolina tracks running the tour on the same weekend. Mother Nature had other plans, and those plans led to history.

Severe weather forced New River All American Speedway in Jacksonville to postpone their event. Track officials and the SMART Modified Tour decided to run the race on Saturday morning so teams could get the race in before heading to Carteret County Speedway in Swansboro, a track about 30 miles away, on Saturday night. New River’s race took place at 9am on Saturday morning, with Ryan Newman racing his way to victory. Later that evening, the tour ran at Carteret County with Danny Bohn scoring the victory.

26. The SMART 5?

What was supposed to be the countdown to the SMART 3, the SMART Modified Tour’s version of NASCAR’s final four format, got transformed into the SMART 5 instead due to a series of unfortunate events. The playoff opener at Lonesome Pine in Virginia got rained out. The next race at South Boston, which was going to decide the final three, resulted in a disqualification to Burt Myers, but only on a questionable technicality that led series operator Chris Williams to placing all five playoff drivers into the best finisher takes all showdown. Luke Baldwin went to claim the championship over Carson Loftin, Myers, Ryan Newman and Danny Bohn. It was messy but the finale at Wilkesboro was also quite compelling.  

25. Fans pay fine

After the June Whelen Modified Tour race at New Hampshire, NASCAR fined veteran racer Andy Seuss for walking on a hot track to gesture towards Austin Beers. Seuss felt like he was wrecked by Beers and fans shared that opinion to such an extent that they banded together to pay for the fine. It was just a $500 fine but it was a rare instance of a shared opinion from race fans.

24. Florence photo finish

One of the best finishes of the year went largely unrecognized because it was a weekly show in the Late Model Stock division at Florence on April 13. Casey Kelley won in a photo finish over Zack Miracle after having to race his way back from the rear due to a crash early in the second half of a Twin 40. There was a little bit of contact but it was an absolute clinic.

23. Nolands buy Cordele

Most recently known as Watermelon Capital Speedway at Crisp County Motorsports Park under the stewardship of the Lyle family, the property was sold to Greg and Lori Noland, who have begun immediately investing into the facility. In addition to the new tower and lighting system, they have also booked a CARS Tour event that has attracted Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the facility for an April show.  

READ MORE: Cordele turning itself into world class facility

22. Hall repeats as NASCAR champ

Connor Hall joined an exclusive club, becoming only the fourth driver to win back-to-back NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National Championships. Hall won 18 races during the NAAPWS season, with seven of those victories coming at his home track, Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia. He also had wins at Hickory Motor Speedway, Florence Motor Speedway, South Boston Speedway, and Southern National Motorsports Park.

The only drivers before him to win consecutive titles were Larry Phillips, Philip Morris, and Lee Pulliam. Making Hall’s season even more impressive was his runner-up finish in the final standings in the zMAX CARS Tour – a championship battle that went all the way to the final race of the season.

21. Butcher, Finch and Mobile

When the race was over, the engine builder for Cole Butcher said he wanted to give half the earnings to Jake Finch not only for the photo finish moment but how respectful the latter raced. People think that highly of Finch, his respect for the industry and others. It was a dramatically tremendous race, one that featured tire management before the great finish. There was a Jeremy Doss and Stephen Nasse incident plus Bubba Pollard chopping off Finch leading to a spin. So much happened. Go back and watch this one if you haven’t seen it yet.  

20. Roderick’s season

Casey Roderick won the Alabama 200 at Montgomery, a Blizzard Series race at Five Flags, the North-South Super Late Model Challenge at Nashville and the Glass City 200 at Toledo en route to the ASA STARS national championship. In addition to the wins, Roderick was a sure bet to finish races on the podium. He is one of the most interesting and exciting racers in the discipline and it’s just a shame that funding continues to elude him. His Snowflake 100 crash was also one of the most electrifying moments of 2025.

19. Kvapil wins Martinsville

Entering the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, most everyone knew Kvapil was earmarked for a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series ride with JR Motorsports in 2025. All that was really left for the two-time CARS Late Model Stock and Super Late Model champion to do was win the big races at Martinsville. The 21-year-old largely dominated it and cemented his reputation with a resume to match it on the way to a likely fruitful NASCAR career.  

18. Langley CARS finish

I mean, just look at the photo. It says it all, right? But read about the finish and all the vibes and commentary afterwards that night here.

17. Tifft, VanMeter scuffle

Matt Tifft made his pavement Super Late Model debut this season and was running in the top-10 of the ASA Glass City 200 when he was spun by Billy VanMeter. Tifft went to the VanMeter pit area for a confrontation, which then turned physical. Tifft was kicked in the head by a crew member, Bryan Glazer who was suspended by the series and team, with the two drivers ultimately issuing a joint press release putting the issue behind them.

16. Bonsignore’s championship

For much of the summer, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title race was a three-way battle between defending champ Ron Silk, surprise contender Patrick Emerling, and three-time champion Justin Bonsignore. But in the final three races of 2024, Bonsignore turned on the jets, rocketing to victory at Thompson and following up with big wins at North Wilkesboro and Martinsville. Bonsignore’s three-race streak propelled him to second on the Tour’s all-time win list and secured his fourth Tour championship.

15. NASCAR leases Stadium

Lost in the machinations of NASCAR bringing the Clash to Bowman Gray Stadium was that the sanctioning body had also acquired the lease to promote racing at the Winston-Salem football field for the next 50 years — allowing it to make principal renovations that will benefit local racing well after Cup cars leave in February.

14. CARS suspends Grady

Andrew Grady was suspended by the CARS Tour after a physical altercation in the Throwback 275 at Hickory. Frustrated due to an incident between them earlier in the race, Grady threw dirt at Landon Huffman as he drove down pit road after the race. While the details remain muddy, Grady says his mom was shoved by CARS Tour official and founder Jack McNelly. Grady shoved McNelly to the ground. McNelly left the series after this race and Grady served his suspension.

13. Irwindale falls

It felt as if Irwindale would always find a way to stave off closure. It had been on the literal chopping block for the entirety of this century but kept opening its doors. Ground pollution concerns always prevented redevelopment on the property, even as warehouses propped up all around the House of Drift. It managed to hold on until December 2024, when it contested its last event and was demolished in the days afterwards. It’s gone for good, nothing remaining but lifetimes of memories, in its wake.

12. Nasse keeps one

Stephen Nasse crossed the finish line first in the 2019 Snowball Derby and did not get to keep the trophy, getting disqualified in post-race technical inspection. He crossed the finish line first in the 2020 Snowflake 100 but the bump-and-run on Bubba Pollard overturned the victory and gave it to Jake Johnson instead. Nasse was leading late in the Derby in 2023 but crashed with Pollard and neither won the race. This year, Nasse won crossed the line in the Snowflake and kept it this time. It’s his first Derby weekend win after 15 years of coming to Pensacola.

11. Bonkers Ace CARS Race

There was Brenden Queen and Ryan Millington trading bump-and-runs. Blake Stallings ramped off the frontstretch wall. Queen was sent to the rear for spinning Millington. Treyten Lapcevich spun Connor Hall and was sent to the rear. Leading the race, Conner Jones got spun for slowing at the time of a caution and was tagged by Chad McCumbee who didn’t respond in time. That’s how Brent Crews first inherited the lead and went onto to win for the third time in 2024. It was just a surreal second half.

10. Pollard NASCAR debut

It felt like a really big deal, not only Pollard making his debut at NASCAR’s second highest level with JR Motorsports and getting recognized for his accomplishments, but also the legitimacy it established everyone that he races against on Saturday nights across the country. Pollard went out, first time in the car, and posted the fastest time in practice, messed up in practice, but went on to challenge for a top-5 at Richmond. All of short track racing benefited from this moment.

9. The Slinger DQ

After decades of trying to win the biggest race in Wisconsin, Brad Mueller thought he was going to take that distinction into 2025. But flagged winner Andrew Morrisey was disqualified for a roof height violation. It was a messy result because Morrisey, driving for David Mccardle, all felt like they were being targeted after having their qualifying time disallowed for a left side weight violation. Now Mueller will work towards winning it the traditional way.

8. Franklin County brawl

The most interesting thing that happened from the SMART Modified Tour event at Franklin County Speedway was actually the Carolina Crate Series race that followed. It included a brawl between Burt Myers and volunteer officials from Franklin County Speedway. Myers’ son, Slate, was involved in a crash and there was disagreement over where the second-generation racer should have restarted. An official, who technically had no authority over the race, interjected himself into the dispute and the ordeal unraveled from there.

7. Jeff Taylor … finally!

Rarely does one race winner’s achievement satisfy an entire grandstand full of fans. But Jeff Taylor’s win in August’s Oxford 250 did exactly that. The 57-year-old Maine racer and car builder claimed the 51st running of New England’s most prestigious Super Late Model race, the only race the nine-time track champ runs each year. Taylor’s car came to life after a mid-race rain delay, allowing him to hold off Bubba Pollard for ‘the cherry on top of a sundae’ in what may be his last start ever.

6. Lapcevich wins Wilkesboro?

Treyten Lapcevich won the summer race at North Wilkesboro for Chad Bryant Racing but was deemed to be in violation of the rules with its rear end housing — specifically over the semantics and implementation of a 9″ Ford rear end. The decision was appealed, and Lapcevich was awarded the win, but not the championship points or purse that came with it. It was a puzzling end to a puzzling affair.

5. Honeycutt wins Derby

With Honeycutt moving on to the Truck Series full-time in 2025, winning the Tom Dawson trophy with Jett Motorsports with Larry Blount was the perfect culmination to an era where a gritty ‘right way’ racer did more with less and on the merits of talent and relationships more than anything else. The fact that he won the race by outdueling Ty Majeski and Toby Nuttleman made it all the more sweeter.

READ MORE: This win was all about relationships

4. Butterbean’s title

Brenden Queen accomplished what he set out to do in joining Lee Pulliam Performance in November of 2022. He won some big races, elevated his national stock, delivered a series championship to its eponymous team owner and now leaves for an ARCA ride earned on merit. It was just two full-time seasons but Queen became one of the brightest personalities in CARS Tour and contributed it to its growth during his tenure.

3. Bonsignore v Silk

What began as a cordial relationship between two Modified Tour champions has intensified into a full-fledged rivalry in recent years. They raced each other for wins practically every race, frequently getting into each other along the way. The quotes were bitterly fiery. Watching a Modified Tour race over the past two years has a lot of entertainment value but it also means waiting for the next chapter in this storied narrative. They’ve split the championship amongst them the past two years.

2. Hall v Queen

The Late Model Stock season in 2024 was very much defined by Brenden Queen versus Connor Hall. They were the final two CARS Tour championship finalists and battled in two of the three Virginia Triple Crown NASCAR sanctioned races too. They raced each other incredibly hard, a relationship that goes back over a decade racing at Langley that teetered back and forth between respect and tension. The finish to the Hampton Heat, CARS Tour at Langley and various other run-ins all happened because they raced for wins literally every time they unloaded.

1. Hoosier STs

It was not a particularly good year for Hoosier when it came to quality control on the new ST line of pavement short track tires. The spring went well enough for the tracks and touring divisions that raced on them but something happened come summer. CARS Tour Late Model Stock teams practically revolted against the ST2 platform, forcing the series back on F45s. Nashville Fairgrounds’ weekly division put Pro Late Models on ST3s and the Snowball Derby was contested on ST3 right sides as well. Hoosier is already at work towards making 2025 better.