DINWIDDIE, VA :: Corey Roberts will make his Late Model debut on April 20th at South Boston Speedway.  Roberts comes to Late Model Stock Car racing with a very successful career running go-karts at dirt tracks across Virginia.

Roberts’ main goal is to learn about the cars and earn respect from South Boston Speedway veterans.

“I’d like to learn week in and week out and I would like to be running in the top-five and hopefully get a win by the end of the season,” Roberts said.  “Keep everything in one piece, earn respect and learn – that’s my expectations.

“It’s awesome to race at South Boston.  I’m really excited knowing all the boys, Philip Morris, CE Falk.  There are so many people I know and raced my whole life that race there.  The history means a lot to me.  I have family in South Boston so that’s my home track.  It means a lot to me to have an opportunity to go out there and compete with the best in the business.”

Roberts’ background is in Dirt Karts where he raced mostly at Capital City Speedway in Ashland, VA.  Roberts has also raced in the Allison Legacy Series, a series that drivers such as Regan Smith, Trevor Bayne, Brian Vickers, Joey Logano and Timmy Hill have all used in their paths to NASCAR racing.

“I’ve only run pavement one time in go-karts and I’ve run Allison Legacy running tracks like South Boston, Kenly, Hickory and Friendship,” Roberts explained.  “It’s a positive that I’ve run these tracks and have knowledge about them.”

Roberts got interested in racing watching his father race on the drag strips.  Roberts chose to go to race on ovals, saying drag racing just doesn’t excite him as much.

“My dad drag raced his whole life, he asked me when I was eight years old if I wanted to run a junior dragster or if I wanted to run go karts.  Drag racing was over way too quick to me,” Roberts stated alluding to making one pass and then waiting around.  “I knew I wanted to run ovals.  Since then, everyone’s always stuck beside me and been behind me.”

Roberts will race in a car owned by Bill Steinhagen.  He said the opportunity came around at a dirt race last season when he was approached by Steinhagen who asked him to run a Late Model.

“We went back to go-karts after a season of Allison Legacy and started winning,” Roberts mentioned.  “Bill Steinhagen and Brian Mack watched a race I was at and they approached me after the race and presented me with this opportunity to run their Late Model and we jumped on board.  I just wanted to take that and jump on board.  I want to prove that this is where I belong and hope for the best.  I plan to give it my all and give it 110% see where it takes me.  Hopefully, we’ll end up in victory lane.”

Roberts comes to Late Model Stock Car racing this season after having his most successful season in racing last year.

“Last year was my most successful year as a racer,” Roberts said.  “We had 35 wins in 71 starts.  That kind of accelerated everything.”

Roberts’ effort will be sponsored by American Family Fitness, Discovery Title Services of Virginia, Unique Auto Sales, BDL Motorsports, AMSoil and Sticker Shock Graphics.