The number of NASCAR drivers signing on to race at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals continues to rise. On Tuesday, it was announced by Cory Hedgecock Racing that Austin Dillon and Corey LaJoie will race in the Crate Late Model division for the Loudon, TN team.
Dillon, the 2018 winner of the Daytona 500, cut his racing teeth on dirt driving under the tutelage of famed Dirt Late Model crew chief Shane McDowell. And it was his former mentor who put the deal between Dillon and Hedgecock together.
“I raced at dirt tracks across the country during my early years in motorsports, so I’ve really been looking forward to the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway,” Dillon said in a press release posted on CoryHedgecock23.com. “It’s even more exciting that I will be able to try out the track a week before the Cup race thanks to this opportunity with Cory Hedgecock Racing. I’m passionate about Dirt Late Model racing, so I’m looking forward to experiencing Bristol on dirt. This will be a unique experience, for sure, so I’m very grateful to Shane McDowell, Cory Hedgecock and all of the partners who were able to work together to make this happen.”
Dillon, 30, drives the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing on the NASCAR Cup Series. He currently ranks 11th in the series standings.
The 29-year-old LaJoie has never competed on dirt. The driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet looks forward to the challenge and he hopes to use this experience to aid his Cup Series efforts one week later.
“It’s kind of cool how this whole deal came together. Austin Dillon’s team reached out to my crew chief (Ryan Sparks) and told him about their plans to race for Cory Hedgecock Racing. From there it progressed into me piloting a team car at the Bristol Dirt Nationals,” LaJoie said in the release. “I have zero dirt experience, so racing at the Bristol Dirt Nationals will be good to get me some seat time in advance of the NASCAR race there at the end of the month.”
The Bristol Dirt Nationals are set to take place on the week of March 15-20. The NASCAR Cup Series will contest a one-day show at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 21st which will allow those drivers to race on Saturday night in Bristol.
The Food City Dirt Race will take place in “Thunder Valley” on March 28th.
Dillon and LaJoie join Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson and Joey Logano as those who have announced intentions to race on the high-banked half mile track.
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