Alex Stoltz running Rodney Cook throwback scheme at Ace Speedway

Alex Stoltz will be competing in Saturday’s Rodney Cook Classic with a familiar paint scheme at Ace Speedway.

Stoltz, who is the nephew of Boo Boo Dalton and the son of longtime Bowman Gray standout Derek Stoltz, grew up watching Rodney Cook race at Ace Speedway and is now engaged to his daughter, Kimberlyn.  He is racing with Cook’s iconic paint scheme in a car prepared by Dalton.

“I just liked watching [Rodney] race,” Stoltz told Short Track Scene.  He did what he had to do to win.  He was a hard nosed racer snad didn’t care if you liked him or not.  I never met him personally but I am engaged to his daughter and I decided to do the paint scheme for her and her family.  It means a lot to me because I hear all of their stories about him and how much he meant to them.”

Stoltz began racing in Late Models last season at Florence Motor Speedway.  Since then, he’s won races at Caraway Speedway and Ace Speedway and has also competed frequently at Orange County Speedway.

“I don’t race often,” Stoltz said.  “I probably race once every two months or so.  I share the racecar with my brother, Enoch, so we take turns running.”

Stoltz will be competing in the Limited Late Model portion of the event while his uncle, Boo Boo Dalton, will race in the Late Model Stock Car race.  Both races have double digit car counts, with 18 drivers set to compete in the 140 lap Late Model Stock Car race and 16 in the Limited feature.

Winning on Saturday would be a sentimental victory for Stoltz and for the Cook family.

“Winning that race would be the best thing I’ve ever done,” Stoltz stated.  “I don’t race often and gave up a few races this year just to be able to run it.  To be able to win it for Kimberlyn and her family would mean a lot to me.”

Stoltz’s dad, Derek Stoltz, is a two-time Sportsman (Limited Late Model) champion at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The Rodney Cook Classic comes on the heels of another loss for the Cook family.  Calvin Hendrix “Nukey” Cook, III passed away on Monday, October 7, 2024.

Here is a look at the entry lists as of October 30.

Late Model Stock Car

1. #05 Mason Bailey; Chesterfield, VA
2. #1 – Jamie York; Reidsville, NC
3. #4 – Kyle Dudley; Roanoke, VA
4. #7 – Conner Branch; Lewisville, NC
5. #11 – Buddy Isles, Jr.; Abingdon, VA
6. #17 – Brody Monahan; Waterford, CT
7. #17 – Bryan Reedy; Daleville, NC
8. #43 – Brandon Sharpe; Burlington, NC
9. #44 – Coy Hedrick; Southport, NC
10. #44 – Jason York; Reidsville, NC
11. #50 – Ross “Boo Boo” Dalton; Greensboro, NC
12. #59c – Gary Causey; Snow Camp, NC
13. #59 – Heath Causey; Snow Camp, NC
14. #71 – Dean Fogleman; Burlington, NC
15. #73 – Jimmy Mullins; Bassett, VA
16. #77 – Darren Krantz, Jr.; Huntington, NY
17. #77 – Blake Stallings; Danville, VA
18. #77 – Trevor Ward; Winston Salem, NC

Limited Late Model

1. #06 – J.R. Goode
2. #07 – Riley Neal
3. #5 – Tyler Payne
4. #9 – Jason Payne
5. #10 – Jordan Brown
6. #13 – Luke Travis
7. #22 – Eric Winslow
8. #23 – Chase Murphy
9. #26 – Tony Housman
10. #40 – Joe Marshall
11. #50 – Alex Stoltz
12. #71 – Colby Fogleman
13. #77 – Josh Waldron
14. #89 – David Latour
15. #92 – Lane Woods
16. #93 – Jonathan SImcek

The event also boasts an impressive field of Mini Stocks, Modifieds, Champ Karts, and Ace Speedway’s four-cylinder XTremes divisions.

The Rodney Cook Classic will go green at 3:45pm on Saturday, November 2.