Kate Dallenbach has emerged as one of the hottest up-and-comers in the Late Model Stock Car scene.

After an impressive performance at Southern National Motorsports Park on Sunday, the third generation driver is now looking ahead her first appearance in the Championship Auto Racing Series (CARS) Late Model Stock Tour when the series heads to Myrtle Beach Speedway on Saturday night.

Dallenbach, 18, enters that race with a new found state of confidence following a pair of hard fought third place finishes in Sunday’s races at Southern National Motorsports Park.

“We ran Myrtle Beach a few times and I feel pretty good about it,” Dallenbach said. “I guess I’m really just treating it like any other race I guess.”

Dallenbach’s performance on Sunday served as an introductory act in many ways.

Prior to that race, she had never been viewed as a legitimate contender but that she certainly created a new image for herself after joining Lee Pulliam and Bradley McCaskill in a battle for the win.

“It felt really good to be side-by-side with the national champion and being able to keep up so that was fun,” Dallenbach said after Sunday’s race.

She not only showed that she can be competitive, she also showed she will not roll over. Her impressive performance almost came to an end after being on the receiving end of contact from Jonathan Findley. Dallenbach steered out of what should have been a wreck and, in the next corner, leaned on Findley’s car before getting back around.

“I mean, someone’s going to try to spin me around then I’m going to give it back a little bit,” Dallenbach remarked.

Tire management, not speed, will be the key on Saturday night. Myrtle Beach Speedway is known for a rough, abrasive racing surface that abuses tires.

“That’s always the toughest part there especially Myrtle Beach,” Dallenbach explained. “It’s about who’s there at the end and track wise, it’s a pretty rough track like the asphalt is made up, it has a lot of shells in it and wears the tires down faster so that’s going to be a big thing to be aware of to be there at the end of the race.”

Having shown improvement throughout the season, Dallenbach hopes a victory is on the horizon.

“I definitely feel like a win is coming,” Dallenbach commented. “We’ve been getting better and better every weekend so I have a really good feeling that, in the near future, we’re going to get a win.”