Chris Madden
The Dirt Late Model world has long been known for drivers making chassis changes off the track as teams seek to find that right combination that will lead to success on the track. Often times, the switching of brands takes place during the off-season. However, the past two weekends have seen some rather high profile national touring stars in the middle of the season.
Each of those drivers have won races this season and are running in the top-10 of the standings on their respective tours, but with the competition so close, everyone is looking for an edge.
Last week during the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series events at Iowa’s Davenport Speedway the driver who currently sits second in the standings for that tour arrived with a new ride. Chris Madden of Gray Court, SC had begun the season as he finished last year driving a Rocket Chassis. But beginning last week, the Gray Court, South Carolina native’s No. 44 has been converted to a Longhorn Chassis.
Madden had won three WoO features with the Rocket but nonetheless trailed Longhorn driver Bobby Pierce in the standings and in the series win column.
In the three races held at Davenport, ‘Smokey’ recorded finishes of 7th, 2nd and 4th. In Friday night’s WoO Late Models show at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wisconsin he scored another top-5 but still lost ground to points leader Bobby Pierce who placed second and third-place points man Brandon Sheppard who won the feature.
Both Pierce and Sheppard employ Longhorn Chassis as their primary rides as well.
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Kyle Bronson
Another driver debuted a new Longhorn on Friday night at Mississippi Thunder in the person of Kyle Bronson.
Like Madden, the ‘Killer’ had been using a Rocket Chassis which had carried him to one World of Outlaws feature win(as well as a preliminary victory that does not count in the series standings) and 18 series top-10 results placing him 7th in the overall standings.
The driver who hails from Brandon, Florida ended his new No. 40B car’s debut night on Friday in the 4th position after starting from the fifth row at Mississippi Thunder.
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Tyler Erb, who is a regular on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, showed up for the World of Outlaws race on Friday night at Mississippi Thunder with a new MB Customs Race Car. The New Waverly, Texas driver put his new machine through its paces before returning to his regular tour on Saturday night at Ohio’s Portsmouth Raceway Park then on Sunday in the Hillbilly 100 at West Virginia’s Tyler County Speedway.
Tyler Erb
Erb and his Best Performance Motorsports team had been using Rockets throughout this season but had, in the past, also tried out a Longhorn Chassis. The No. 1 car won a Lucas Oil feature early in the season at East Bay Raceway Park as well as scoring other wins off the tour.
‘Terbo’ made the recent cut to get into the UNOH Great Eight in the Lucas Oil ‘Chase for the Championship’ as he currently resides in the 7th position of the series standings.
Chassis changes are certainly nothing new in Dirt Late Model racing. Four-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Jimmy Owens jumped from Longhorn to Rocket earlier in the season and has since made multiple trips to victory lane.
Only time will tell if Madden, Bronson and Erb will also experience greater success after making these recent moves.
Please consider also reading:
Brandon Sheppard adds Mississippi Thunder victory to recent WoO Late Models success
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