A podcaster who rekindled his love for Dirt Late Model racing after 30 years away from the sport today announced plans for a regional Crate series with tentative 2027 plans for a 20-race schedule at unrevealed tracks in Arkansas, southeast Missouri, northeast Oklahoma, southeast Kansas and northwest Texas.

Oklahoma-based Skip Garland, who last year launched Mid America Dirt with podcasts along with YouTube interviews and videos, says he and his backers are “laying strong foundations now with one goal in mind: building the premier Late Model series in the Mid-South.”

Reluctant to reveal details with the series “in development,” Garland said in an interview that more information will be released in the second half of September about the Mid America Dirt Late Model Series that's largely sponsored by Tyler, Texas-based Day Motor Sports. MAD rules will closely follow Crate Racin’ USA 604 Late Model package with competitors exclusively using American Racer tires in chasing standard purses of $2,500-to-win and $500-to-start.

The 50-year-old Garland grew up watching Dirt Late Model Hall of Famers like Billy Moyer, Wendell Wallace and Bill Frye compete at Ozark-area tracks, but “got busy with life” and drifted away until a Facebook photo of a Late Model caught his eye, renewing his interest. He launched Mid America Dirt in April 2025 and hopes his first venture into series promotions creates new spectators and draws long-lost fans.

“I just want to see Late Models in our area flourish in one form for another. I want it to be like it was when I was a kid,” Garland said. “The more people I can get to the track, the better. I want to fill (grandstands) every week, every track. That may be naïve, but that’s what I’d like to see.”

Garland says he's lined up an experienced race director and tech officials to operate the series and has a solid list of drivers committed to running the tour.

“It really is a group effort with people I know and trust that know what they’re doing,” he said. “It's a work in progress but it's going to be solid. When I get this going, it’s going be a solid, dependable series.”

Besides Day Motorsports, other sponsors involved are Shiney Hiney Truck Wash, Bryke Racing, Schoenfeld Headers, Collins Signs and Jordan Barbee Companies.

Correction: Fixes Garland's surname.