Inaugural Move Over Michigan Dirt Late Model Series Presented by Kapnick Insurance / MacAllister Machinery Company, 2026 Mini-Series Season Announced

📸 Mike Powell - Biography Photography

St. Johns, MI (Monday, July 20th, 2026): There's a new Dirt Late Model Series ready to launch in the State of Michigan, dedicated to stout and ultra-competitive drivers and teams from the Great Lakes State. The Move Over Michigan Dirt Late Model Series Presented by Kapnick Insurance and MacAllister Machinery Company will host the Inaugural race weekend on Friday and Saturday, August 14th and 15th, at Winston Speedway and Merritt Speedway, with

the Mini-Series Championship Event, set for Friday, August 21^st, at I-96 Speedway.

The brand new Series, is spearheaded by Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame driver, Northside Towing and Service leader, and current DIRTcar Late Model team owner, Jeff Finley, who's ultimate goal of the Series is to bring awareness to the Move Over Michigan Law in honor and memory of Keagen Spencer, while, at the same time, providing Michigan based DIRTcar Late Model drivers and teams a Series to call their own within the state lines of their home state.

"Truthfully, I just want to bring major awareness to this law," Finley said. "Roadside workers, from tow truck drivers to construction workers, to police officers, and so many others are tragically killed in the line of duty every day, because people simply don't respect the Move Over / Slow Down Law," he explained. "Towing is a way of life for us, and we want to give something back, and through motorsports is the only way I know how. I also want to see some of the best drivers get off the couch and come have some fun."

The inaugural Michigan Dirt Late Model Series event will be held on Friday, August 14th, at the fast 3/8s (0.375) mile, high-banked, clay oval of Winston Speedway, located north of Muskegon, in Rothbury, MI.

Then, the next night, Saturday, August 15th, the 1/4 (0.250) mile, semi-banked, clay oval, of Merritt Speedway, located west of Houghton Lake and northeast of Cadillac, in Lake City, MI, will close out the historic race weekend.

The final event of the 2026 sneak preview season will be on Friday, August 21st at the fast 3/8s (0.375) mile, semi-banked dirt oval of I-96 Speedway, located east of Grand Rapids, and northwest of Lansing, in Lake Odessa, MI. The DIRTcar UMP Late Models will join the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series for a doubleheader of Late Models and Sprints.

The first two events at Winston and Merritt will be 30 Laps, paying $2,500 to win, and $400 to start. The Series Championship event at I-96 will be 40 laps, paying $5,000 to win, with the Mini-Series Champion being crowned at the conclusion of the feature.

"The Motorsports fan base is huge and passionate, and I feel comfortable that race fans will help us spread the word and bring more awareness about the law, while enjoying some great DIRTcar Late Model racing at two very competitive facilities," Finley continued. "I can't thank Andrew and Crystal Heykoop at Winston, as well as Mike Blackmer at Merritt, and Larry Curtis at I-96 enough for taking this leap of faith with us. I genuinely believe that this is the start of something pretty special."

Veteran motorsports broadcaster, Matt Prieur, is also part of the Series and will serve as the voice of the brand-new organization as well as help Finley get things going on the administrative, communications, and operations side.

"Jeff (Finley) reached out back in October 2025, about wanting to create a new series for Dirt Late Model teams, here in our home state," Prieur explained. Any drivers and teams from Michigan, if they want to run in a competitive Touring Series, have to go out of state to do so. With this Series, the travel is all within Michigan, and that will never change," explained Prieur. "We have so many great dirt facilities right here in our home state, and some of the very best Dirt Late Model drivers in the country, all right here within the Great Lakes. Both deserve something to call their own, and that's what this series aspires to be." he added.

"We're big fans of the American Ironman Late Model Series, and especially the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour when they come to Michigan," Prieur continued. "Chris Tilley and Sam Driggers do such a wonderful job with both entities. With this series though, this is something all of us here in Michigan can call our own." Prieur ended

All three events will be broadcast LIVE, exclusively on TrackTune (Audio-Only). Whether you're on the property, or worldwide, download the TrackTune App today. For Android Users, go to the Google Play App Store, and for iPhone users, go to the Apple Store for free.

The Move Over Michigan law is in Memory of the late Keagen Spencer, who was tragically killed on November 4th, 2023, while assisting alongside the road. A reckless and distracted driver crossed into the median, avoiding the slow down move over law, and hit him at an extremely high rate of speed. Spencer was just 25 years old.

The law requires motorists to slow down and move over for stationary authorized vehicles with flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights activated. When approaching a stationary authorized vehicle with flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights activated, motorists are instructed to carefully slow down to at least 10mph below the posted speed limit and fully move over into an open lane. If this is not possible due to traffic, weather, or road conditions, slow down and pass with caution, allowing the authorized vehicle as much space as possible.

This law applies to these authorized emergency vehicles: Police, Fire, Rescue, Ambulance, and Road Service Vehicles, which includes Tow Trucks and Safety Service Vehicles operated by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The Move Over Michigan law also applies to these other authorized vehicles with flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights activated: solid waste haulers, utility service vehicles, and road maintenance vehicles

For more information about the Move Over Michigan movement, go to the website at MoveOverMichigan.com

For the abbreviated 2026 season, the Series will utilize the 2026 procedures and rulebook of World Racing Group's DIRTcar Late Models, including the tire rule of a Hoosier 2 or 3 on the LF, LR, and RF; and a Hoosier 3 or 4 on the RR. Teams that race within the Michigan Dirt Late Model Series in the three-race mini-series will also earn 2026 DIRT Late Model National Points, as well as 2026 DIRTcar Late Model Eastern Regional Points.

The 2026 DIRTcar Late Model Rulebook can be found here: https://dirtcar.com/rules/division-rules/dirtcar-midwest/dirtcar-late-model

That's good news for 10-time Merritt Track Champion, Eric Spangler, who currently leads the DIRTcar UMP Late Model Eastern Regional Points standings, as well as the Merritt track points. The Lake City, MI, veteran, with one feature win at his home track, leads Rylee Knoll in both Standings. Austin Harnick is third in track points, and fourth in regional points, behind another veteran, Bill Bray.

Knoll leads the way in feature wins at Merritt with three, while Harnick has one. Cody Bauer, who is fourth in track points, is the most recent Feature Winner at the Lake City, MI, dirt oval, back on July 18th. Bray and Chad Finley have also recorded feature wins.

Over at Winston, Tom Sprague, Jr. leads the way on Friday nights in West Michigan, with three feature wins in seven starts, and leads a trio of young rising stars. 19-year-old Justin White, the most recent feature winner on July 17th, is second in points over 21-year-old, Zack Swarts, and another 19-year-old, Shelbi Grabe. Dirt Late Model standout, Brandon Thirlby, has made three appearances, and those have resulted in two trips to Victory Lane, while Nine-Time Track Champion, Rich Neiser has a single triumph as well.

Lastly, at I-96, Travis Stemler is the man to beat at his home track, with three feature wins in four starts so far in 2026. Two-time DIRTcar UMP Late Model National Champion, Rusty Schlenk is the only other driver to go to Victory Lane at I-96, and that was in the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour visit, back on July 8^th. Spangler is second in points with Bray, defending track champion, Chase Burda, and Brady LaJoye rounding out the top five in the season-long points chase.

An expected stellar field of Dirt Late Model competitors will vie for the coveted Move Over Michigan Dirt Late Model Series Presented by Kapnick Insurance and MacAllister Machinery Company championship, including those mentioned above. Throw in more stout competitors such as Dona Marcoullier, Curtis Roberts, Devin Sheils, Jeff Erickson, Jr., Jacob Stuhr, Mike Vandermark, Jr., plus young rising stars like Carter Schlenk, Logan Nickerson, Mason Vanderveen, Josh Hendershott, and Brayden Shiels, and the prospective fields will truly bring Michigan's very best competitors together for a memorable series.

Plans are already in the works for the 2027 racing season, as any and all information regarding the first full year of competition will be revealed throughout the off-season

Kapnick Insurance Group, based in Adrian, MI, with locations on each side of the state in Detroit and Grand Rapids, is a premier insurance broker with Midwest roots and a global reach. Kapnick is your trusted independent insurance brokerage throughout the United States and internationally. Your family, your business, and your possessions are all important, but you may not know how to best protect them. They have the experience to navigate your unique risks

Founded in 1946, Kapnick is an independent professional insurance advisory firm. Their 220+ colleagues provide expert guidance and creative problem-solving pertaining to business insurance, risk solutions, employee benefits, worksite well-being, and personal insurance to a vast and diverse base of clients worldwide. For over 80 years, companies and individuals have looked to Kapnick as a trusted advisor, providing solutions that protect their operations and employees. They innovate. They partner. They lead clients in new directions that minimize risk and reduce cost.

To learn more about Kapnick Insurance Group, go to the website at: Kapnick.com.

Since 1945, MacAllister Machinery Company has been Michigan and Indiana’s Caterpillar Dealer, and leading equipment supplier with over 45 locations serving the Construction, Power Systems, and Industrial Rental markets. MacAllister Machinery Company acquired the former Michigan CAT in 2011 but continued to operate under that name until 2025, when the brands merged to become one name, one team, powered by trust, MacAllister Machinery Company.

For more information, go to: macallister.com.

For more information about the brand-new Move Over Michigan Dirt Late Model Series Presented by Kapnick Insurance and MacAllister Machinery Company, go to the Social Media Channel on Facebook and search for "Michigan Dirt Late Model Series".