West Virginia Motor Speedway
Fast Facts: 46th ARP Dirt Track World Championship
By Aaron Clay
DirtonDirt weekend editor
Dates: Oct. 15-17
Track: West Virginia Motor Speedway (high-banked third-mile clay oval)
Location: Mineral Wells, W.Va.
Purse: $100,000-to-win
Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Live streaming: FloRacing
Last year’s winner: Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., his second consecutive DTWC triumph at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio
Tickets: $30 adult general admission for Thursday; $45 adult general admission on Friday; $60 on Saturday (details below)
Sponsors: Automotive Racing Products and Summit Racing Equipment.
Websites: lucasdirt.com or wvmotorspeedway.com/
Track phone: (855) 250-9867
Notes: Carl Short’s 46th annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship presented by Summit Racing returns to West Virginia Motor Speedway and serves as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season finale. … It’s the first DTWC held at WVMS since 2010, a $50,000 payday won by Earl Pearson Jr. on the old 5/8-mile layout. … This weekend’s program begins with Friday’s twin 25-lap, $5,000-to-win split-field semifeatures where the top-16 point earners will lock into Saturday’s 100-lap, $100,000-to-win main event, the most lucrative payout in track history; the rest of the field will need to qualify through one of Saturday’s consolations. … WVMS has had a revival under owner Mike Hurley, who shortened the track and made extensive renovations. Super Late Model winners this year at WVMS include Bobby Pierce and Tyler Erb (World of Outlaws), Drake Troutman (Iron-Man) and Devin Moran (unsanctioned Hillbilly Hundred). … Points leader Brandon Sheppard is a five-time DTWC champ, four of them coming at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park (2013, ’16, ’19-’20) before 2023’s edition held at Eldora. Sheppard enters the weekend with a 45-point lead over Devin Moran seeking his first career Lucas Oil Series title. … Modifieds are on the undercard nightly contesting prelims on Friday before Saturday’s consolations and $5,000-to-win feature. … The Burlile Ohio Valley Late Model Dirt Series is in action Thursday with a $5,000-to-win program.
DTWC winners
Year: Winner, hometown
2025: Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
2024: Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
2023: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2022: Garrett Smith, Eatonton, Ga.
2021: Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
2020: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2019: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2018: Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
2017: Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
2016: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2015: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2014: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2013: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2012: Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
2011: Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
2010: Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
2009: Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis.
2008: Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
2007: Chub Frank, Bear Lake, Pa.
2006: Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.
2005: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2004: Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
2003: Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
2002: Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.
2001: Bart Hartman, Zanesville, Ohio
2000: Wendell Wallace, Batesville, Ark.
1999: Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
1998: Freddy Smith, Knoxville, Tenn.
1997: Marshall Green, Dalton, Ga.
1996: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1995: Jack Boggs, Grayson, Ky.
1994: Ronnie Johnson, Chattanooga, Tenn.
1993: Freddy Smith, Baton Rouge, La.
1992: Ronnie Johnson, Chattanooga, Tenn.
1991: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.
1990: Jack Boggs, Grayson, Ky.
1989: John Mason, Millersburg, Ohio
1988: Donnie Moran, Frazeysburg, Ohio
1987: Larry Moore, Dayton, Ohio
1986: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1985: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.
1984: Jack Boggs, Webbville, Ky.
1983: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.
1982: Charlie Swartz, Ashland, Ky.
1981: Jim Dunn, Roseville, Ohio
Weekend purses
Friday’s twin semifeatures
1. $5,000
2. $3,000
3. $2,000
4. $1,500
5. $1,250
6. $1,000
7. $950
8. $900
9. $850
10. $800
11. $700
12-16. $600
17. $550
18-24. $500
Saturday’s feature event
1. $100,000
2. $25,000
3. $10,000
4. $8,000
5. $7,500
6. $7,000
7. $6,500
8. $6,000
9. $5,500
10. $5,000
11. $4,200
12. $3,600
13. $3,000
14. $2,900
15. $2,800
16. $2,700
17. $2,600
18. $2,575
19. $2,550
20. $2,535
21. $2,525
22. $2,515
23.-26. $2,500
Saturday’s non-qualifiers’ race
1. $3,000
2. $2,000
3. $1,800
4. $1,600
5. $1,400
6. $1,200
7. $1,100
8. $1,000
9. $950
10. $900
11. $850
12. $800
13. $750
14. $700
15. $650
16. $600
17. $575
18. $550
19. $535
20. $525
21. $515
22.-24. $500
Event schedule
(All times local; subject to change)
Thursday
10 a.m. - Pits and grandstands open
3 p.m. - Technical and registration open
4:45 p.m. - Technical and registration close
5 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Limited Late Model group qualifying
- Sport mod group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Limited Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Sport mod heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Limited Late Model consolations (8 laps)
- Sport mod consolations (8 laps)
Feature events
- Limited Late Models (40 laps)
- Sport mods (20 laps)
Friday
10 a.m. - Pits and grandstands open
1:45 p.m. - Tech and registration open
4:45 p.m. - Tech and registration close
5 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (10 laps)
- Late Model consolations (12 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model first semifeature (25 laps)
- Late Model second semifeature (25 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
Saturday
10 a.m. - Pits and grandstands open
1:45 p.m. - Tech and registration open
2 p.m. - Church outreach service
4-4:45 p.m. - Driver autograph session
4:45 p.m. - Tech and registration close
5 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps (consolation entrants)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model consolations (12 laps)
- Late Model hot laps (feature entrants)
- Modified consolations (8 laps)
- Modified hot laps (feature entrants)
Feature events
- 46th annual Dirt Track World Championship (100 laps)
Postrace ceremonies
- Late Model non-qualifiers’ race (25 laps)
- Modifieds (30 laps)
Tickets
Thursday
One-day general admission (13-and-up): $30
One-day youth general admission (6-to-12): $30
Three-day advance general admission (13-and-up): $90
Three-day general admission (13-and-up): $120
Three-day advance youth general admission (6-to-12): $60
Three-day youth general admission (6-to-12): $80
Reserved seating (all ages): Additional $10
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $30
Three-day all access pit pass (all ages): $120
Friday
One-day general admission (13-and-up): $45
One-day youth general admission (6-to-12): $30
Reserved seating (all ages): Additional $10
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $45
Saturday
One-day general admission (13-and-up): $60
One-day youth general admission (6-to-12): $30
Reserved seating (all ages): Additional $10
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $60
Camping
Primitive camping: $100
Online reservations: wvmotorspeedway.com/camping/wvms-camping/camping-101/
Camping questions: (855) 250-9867, (304) 771-6874 or (304) 771-5051.
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