Following a two-year hiatus, racing fans returned to the Golden Isles Speedway in droves this week as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series kicked off its 2022 season with the Super Clean Super Bowl of Racing.
Golden Isles Speedway has acted as the opener for the series since it began in 2005, but last year’s event was canceled due to the venue owners at the time’s bout with COVID. The year prior, a fan-less race was held ahead of the pandemic’s height.
“We like the area, we’re familiar with the area, we do a lot of shopping in the area, a lot of eating out and using the hotels in stuff in the area,” said Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Director Rick Schwallie. “It’s as important to the area as it is to us…
“Golden Isles has treated us well, and we like this area, so it’s good to be here.”
Racing fans around the area proved to be just as eager to have the series back at the Golden Isles Speedway.
RVs lined the woods across from the track, making for a community of dedicated spectators rooting on their favorite drivers.
“We just enjoy seeing familiar faces,” Schwallie said. “Once you go to places routinely long enough, you start to see fans you recognize year to year.
“They’re fans of an individual driver, so they have the same shirts on year to year to year. It makes them pretty identifiable.”
A practice round was held at the track Wednesday before races kicked off Thursday evening — the main event a 40-lap racing paying $10,000 to the winner.
Devin Moran earned the checkered flag in his third career win on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
The fourth and final leader of the race, Moran took over on lap 18 and held off Brandon Sheppard to win by a 1.370-second margin.
However, most eyes in attendance were locked on the third-place finisher — reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, who is making his debut at the Golden Isles Speedway fewer than three months after capturing the Drivers’ Championship.
“He enjoys this, that’s what we like about it,” Schwallie said. “It’s not like he’s coming out because someone paid him to do it or anything like that. He just genuinely wants to be here and do this.
“It’s a lot of fun to have him come out here and compete with our regulars and our guys, and he’s well-received in our racing community.”
The 50-lap main event Friday paid $12,000-to-win, and Saturday’s $15,000-to-win finale will also be 50 laps. The 602 and 604 Late Models will also have a complete program each night.