Content by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected] (@langleyaustin on twitter)
List Compiled by RACE22.com Staff and Industry Experts
Copper Hill, VA(January 1, 2012) — The “Best of 2011” continues into the New Year here on RACE22.com as we add the Limited Late Models to the mix here.
At RACE22.com, we have long covered the Late Model Stock Cars, but in the last season and a half we have started to cover the Limited Late Models a little closer as more and more tracks are making this division their top tier and the ones who aren’t are seeing car counts comparable to the LMSC division weekly. The Limited Late Models were put even more “center stage” by the creation of the SouthEast Limited Late Models by Ed Cox and with a touring series going strong for the division, RACE22.com would have a hard time ignoring the division and it’s drivers.
Speaking of drivers, much like any division of racing, the Limited Late Models have veterans, rookies and everything in between with big budget teams with young drivers looking to move up to veteran teams on a low budget just looking to catch the eye of a LMSC team owner. It’s a great mix and one that makes the Limited Late Models, maybe one of the most competitive divisions anywhere, which is evident when you take a peek at the list of winners in the division from last season, where at most tracks, no one dominated, but rather three to four drivers won multiple races and there were many one time winners.
This list, it was way harder to determine the “Top 11” from the past season as unlike the Late Model Stock Cars, there weren’t many dominators and only one driver had double digit wins on the season. So, I’m sure in making this list, we’re going to step on some toes, we’re going to piss off some of the drivers from the Limited Late Model ranks, but in truth, this list best represents the division as a whole and the drivers who make up the “Best of”.
Ok, enough talk ….
11 – Brian Pembleton
There was a point in the 2011 season where it looked as if maybe Brian Pembleton was going to take charge of the Limited Late Model division at South Boston Speedway, but of course there were times when it seemed, Justin Snow, Bobby McCarty and Danny Willis, Jr. were all going to do the same. South Boston Speedway only had five drivers go to victory lane over the course of the 2011 season, with Austin Thaxton winning one race and the other four drivers winning three or more races and all four of the multiple winners made this list.
10 – Robbie Brewer
Sometimes Bowman Gray Stadium drivers get a little overlooked in the Limited Late Model rankings with their “Sportsman” division, but there’s no denying that in 2011 Robbie Brewer was the standout from there this season. En route to his first division championship, the veteran racer raced his way to three wins in the 2011 season tying Kevin Neal, who narrowly missed this list for the most wins on the season. Brewer got the job done at Bowman Gray every week despite a most unique style of racing, where you often draw for starting positions and other things that make the “Madhouse” one of a kind.
9 – Tim Allensworth
Former Ohio NASCAR Whelen All-American Series State Champion, Tim Allensworth got his first taste of racing in the Carolina’s after moving to North Carolina in advance of the 2011 season. Allensworth bought a used Late Model Stock Car and headed to his closest track, Coastal Plains Raceway, where he started out the 2011 season strong, winning in just his second start. The Ohio transplant continued to compete strong all season long, where he was able to win four races, the most of anyone at Coastal Plains and completed the season with his first track championship from the coastal North Carolina area track in hand.
8 – Michael Elliott
Often times in this region, racers who compete at tracks in the coastal area of South Carolina aren’t given the respect they deserve, but over the years as car counts have risen and racers from the area have made a name for themselves locally, they get the recognition they deserve. Michael Elliott is one of those such racers and this season after winning nine races total, seven at Florence Motor Speedway and two at Dillon Motor Speedway, the veteran wheel man is getting the respect he deserves. Elliott had an incredible season and was the class of the Pee Dee area of South Carolina.
7 – Danny Willis, Jr.
Danny Willis, Jr. is another one of those veteran drivers, who gets the job done on less budget than his competition and wins races year after year. South Boston Speedway seems to have more competition in the Limited Late Model division than anywhere and this season was no exception as Willis, who won the track championship, finds himself as one of four racers from there to make this list. Willis had a great season with the championship in the end, but also won four races on the way to that championship.
6 – Anthony Barnes
Anthony Barnes is one of those drivers that you just expect to see win and win a lot at Motor Mile Speedway in the Limited Late Model division. Anthony had another good season at Motor Mile Speedway and looked to be headed to another track championship, before a crash in the season finale derailed his chances and handed the championship to Matt Taylor. However, the classy driver, who announced his retirement from racing earlier in the season, took it in stride and congratulated his fellow driver and rode off into the sunset.
5 – Bobby McCarty
Bobby McCarty stood out above the crowd at South Boston Speedway this season, despite the fact that it was his first year in a Limited Late Model. The young driver took to the track for the first time in March and reeled off all top five finishes this season, but one and once he got over the hump of finishing third every week and got a second place finish, his first win wasn’t very far away. McCarty picked up his first career win in the biggest Limited Late Model race of the season at SoBo, in the July 1st 100-lap event and from there it was like the old saying goes “After your first win, they get easier”. And for McCarty they did as he ripped off five wins in five consecutive weeks(one of them resulted in a DQ). In the second half of the season he was the hottest driver at SoBo in Limiteds.
4 – Matt Taylor
Matt Taylor has become one of Limited Late Model racing’s top competitors in the past few seasons from almost winning a championship in 2009 to winning back to back titles in 2010 and 2011. He’s certainly put himself on the map in the last few seasons and winning the most races of anyone in the 2011 season(4) added to his great season. Like we mentioned South Boston Speedway earlier as one of the most competitive tracks for Limiteds, Motor Mile Speedway, where Taylor competes regularly is much the same with a couple of drivers winning multiple races and many more winning just one race each.
3 – Justin Snow
Justin Snow has been a mainstay at the top of the Limited Late Model division at South Boston Speedway for years and the 2011 wasn’t much different as Snow won the first two races of the season and three of the first five races. However, he went into somewhat of a slump after winning his fourth race of the season on June 18th and didn’t win again until the season finale on September 3rd. That slump cost him the title, but he did end the season with most official wins and went away as the top driver on this list from South Boston.
2 – Tripp Massengill
Before the 2011 season, I’ll admit, I didn’t know who Tripp Massengill was, but after the young driver ripped off three SouthEast Limited Late Model touring series race wins in a row, I began to take notice. Massengill won his first SELLM race at Orange County Speedway, his home track and then laid claim to the final two races of the season Coastal Plains Raceway and Myrtle Beach Speedway. It was an unbelievable ride for the young driver to go from virtual nobody to one of the top Limited Late Model racers in the region.
1 – Dillon Bassett
Anyone who followed the Limited Late Model scene or Ace Speedway had to see it coming for Dillon Bassett to be the number one rated driver. 12 wins on the season …. yeah, 12 from a rookie driver, who before the end of the 2010 season had never sat in a Limited Late Model car. It was impressive to say the least, but to do it at a tough venue like Ace Speedway was even more special and coming in a division that rarely see’s someone win in double digit numbers. Dillon Bassett certainly proved that he was the best in the Limited Late Model ranks, the best driver, the best rookie and the best young gun in the division and next year he’ll get to prove himself all over again in the Late Model Stock Car division.
