The first thing I notice is the massive steel bridge, towering over the scene like a benevolent caretaker. In its shadow lies Portsmouth Raceway Park, nestled at the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers.

One of the most enjoyable elements of working with the broadcast team with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series over the past few years is that it has allowed me to visit a number of tracks I had not yet experienced. One of my favorites thus far is Portsmouth, where each Labor Day we’ve MORE

A few weeks ago, my home track of Southern Raceway in Milton, Fla., held the only Late Model special event it currently has on its 2011 schedule. It was the second annual Champions Memorial. For the past two years, the unsanctioned, $2,000-to-win event has replaced what used to be the Derek Henley Memorial, a race that ran for 16 years at Southern and for the majority those years, paid $4,400 to the winner.

I'm not going to question the track’s management at for axing the $4,400 winner’s pay. MORE

As I stood by the stage at Florence Speedway on a rainy Saturday and watched as each of the new members of the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame were introduced, I could not help but feel a real sense of pride and history as these great legends received their respective honors.

In late 2010 I was appointed as a member of the NDLMHOF governing board. This was an honor that I was certainly quick to agree to. The appointment would allow me to give my input on future nominees and the future of MORE

The car rolled to a stop in victory lane, the engine falling silent. Jimmy Owens caught his breath and smiled before squirming through the window opening, climbing atop the roof to celebrate. While the huge Sunoco Race Fuels North-South 100 crowd at Florence Speedway cheered, Owens offered a jubilant wave as colorful confetti streamed all about him.

Then he hopped from the roof to face the TV camera, calm and confident and completely relaxed, looking like a guy who is solidly within his comfort MORE

David Ragan sat on his pit box at Watkins Glen and said that he learns something new every time he goes to a road course. And every time that he does, he wonders why he didn’t figure it out two years sooner.

I completely understand that. There are a lot of things that I wish I had known two years sooner than it took me to figure out on my own. Having the proper information — at the right time — can make an average night at the racetrack a good night. It can turn a good night into a great MORE