Late Model

A "late model car" is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. (An "early model car" or "classic car" is a car old enough to be of historical interest; there is no usual intermediate term.) The term is broadly used in car racing, and often appears in common use, as in: "The officer was driving an unmarked, late model sedan."

The precise definition of "late model" varies.

Late model race cars are the highest class of local vehicles at many race tracks in the United States and Canada. Some regional and lower national-level series race in late models. Varieties of late models (ranked from highest vehicle performance to lowest) include super late models, late models, and limited late models. Some series require crate motors to be utilized by racecars under their sanction, which often utilize GM 604 engines. Vehicles raced on dirt tracks are significantly different from vehicles raced on asphalt.

Super late models are the premier divisions of asphalt short track racing in the United States and Canada. They typically feature 600+ horse power engines under the hood of a custom built chassis weighing around 2,750 lbs. Most bodies are constructed from fiberglass and conform to the 2002 Approved Body Configuration agreement. This standard, along with the widespread use of this style of racecar, allows teams to not only compete at local tracks but also to travel throughout the country hitting major events nationwide.

Late model stock cars are a product of the Carolinas and are the premier class raced at local and regional tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. These purpose-built racecars weigh around 3,100 pounds and utilize both factory-designed crate and custom-built racing engines. The power plants produce over 400 horsepower underneath a fiberglass body built to withstand the rigors of short track racing without the weight of stock body panels. Some of the larger late model stock car events include the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway, the Myrtle Beach 400 at Myrtle Beach Speedway, and the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, a celebrity charity race held at South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Virginia.

Asphalt late model racing is an extremely common stepping stone for drivers who race in regional and national touring series including NASCAR. Racers of both dirt and asphalt late models have won the national championship of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

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