I Won Last Place at Dillon Motor Speedway

Back to Dillon… and Yep, I Finished Last

Well, I went back to Dillon Motor Speedway in South Carolina for another Legend Car race weekend. And before I tell you the whole story, I’ll just spoil it right now: I won last place. That’s the joke I keep telling myself, because if you’re gonna finish last, you might as well laugh about it.

But honestly? It was a fun weekend. I learned a lot, came home in one piece, and didn’t bend the car. In my book, that’s still a win.

Where I’m At With Racing Right Now

I’m still pretty new to this whole racing thing. So right now, the goal isn’t trophies. The goal is simple:

• Get laps.
• Learn the car.
• Get a little better every time out.

That’s it. I’m not throwing money at brand new tires every weekend. I’m trying to use what I have, learn the craft, and stretch every dollar. Racing is expensive enough as it is, and I’d rather spend that money on seat time than chasing lap times I’m not ready to use yet.

Big shoutout to Race Driven Performance for helping me get the car set up. Having good people in your corner makes a huge difference when you’re still figuring stuff out.

Flying Solo This Weekend

One thing that was different this trip — my dad couldn’t make it. He’s usually right there helping me with the car, walking me through stuff, and being an extra set of eyes and hands. Without him, I had to figure out a lot more on my own.

Loading up, unloading, prepping the car, checking everything between sessions… all me this time. And you know what? It was actually really good for me. I needed to learn how to handle more of a race weekend by myself. I won’t lie, I missed having him there, but it forced me to grow a little.

I didn’t film much practice either, because I wanted to put my focus on driving. There’s only so much brain power to go around when you’re still learning, and the camera comes second.

The Race

When the green flag dropped, I got held up a little at the start. Not the end of the world, but in a short race those little hiccups stack up fast. You lose a couple positions early and suddenly you’re playing catch-up the rest of the night.

I settled in, started running my laps, and was feeling okay. Not great, not terrible. Just trying to be smooth and not do anything stupid.

The Pass on the Outside (a.k.a. My Lesson)

Then it happened. Coming up near the finish, another driver got to me. I thought, “No big deal, I’ll just stay low and block him.” In my head, the low line was the safe line.

Yeah… he just went high and drove right around me.

And here’s the part that stings a little: I was so worried about losing the spot that I got loose coming out of the corner because I was afraid to move up the track and run my line. I gave up my own momentum trying to protect a position I ended up losing anyway.

That right there is the whole lesson in one corner.

What I Learned

Finishing last sounds rough, but I actually walked away from this weekend with a bunch of stuff rattling around in my head. Some of the big ones:

• Momentum is everything in a Legend Car. If you give it up trying to block, you’re just slowing yourself down and handing the spot away anyway.
• Confidence matters. Being scared to move up the track cost me more than the pass did.
• Racecraft is its own skill. Driving fast is one thing. Racing other cars side by side is a whole other deal.
• Seat time beats everything. No book, no video, no setup sheet can replace just getting laps in.
• You can learn a ton from a bad finish. Sometimes more than from a good one.

So yeah, on paper I finished last. But I left Dillon a better driver than I showed up. That counts for something.

Racing, Books, and Why Old-School Knowledge Still Wins

Here’s the thing about cars and racing — the people who get really good at it almost always read, study, and dig in. They’re not just turning wrenches. They’re learning why stuff works the way it does.

That’s a big reason I run Midlife Classic Cars. We carry automotive books, repair manuals, restoration books, racing books, and car history books — the kind of stuff that helps you understand your car, fix it yourself, and appreciate where it came from.

Whether you’re wrenching on a project in the garage, restoring something old, or just love reading about cars and racing history, there’s a book for it. And honestly, those old manuals and racing books still teach better than half the YouTube videos out there (and I say that as a guy with a YouTube channel).

Up Next

I’ll be back at it soon. More laps, more lessons, hopefully fewer last-place finishes. But even if it takes a while, I’m enjoying the ride.

Thanks for hanging out and reading this. If you watched the video too, even better.

Check Out the Bookstore

If you love cars, racing, or working on your own projects, check out the books and manuals we carry at Midlife Classic Cars. Repair manuals, restoration guides, racing books, car history — good stuff for the garage and the coffee table.

👉 Shop Midlife Classic Cars

See you at the next race.

— Chad
Midlife Classic Cars