Story By: MIKE WARREN / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – CONCORD, NC – Logan Martin hasn’t been a stranger to the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series in his career.
However, when the 2023 season begins at Volusia Speedway Park during Sunshine Nationals on Jan. 18-21, he’ll encounter a new experience.
The West Plains, MO driver will join the tour full-time as he aims for Rookie of the Year honors—an opportunity he said came together at the right time.
“It’s just something I kind of always wanted to do,” Martin said. “The timing was right for us and our team, and with what I have going on in my life right now. The stars just kind of lined up, and we had a couple of sponsors step up to help us out a little bit.
“So, everything just kind of worked out good for us.”
Martin has competed with the Series on occasion in the past few years, earning a top five at Boone Speedway in 2021, along with setting quick time at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 last season.
Those flashes of success are something he hopes to build on in 2023.
“I’ve always felt like we’ve had streaks of lightning with the Outlaws,” Martin said. “I’ve always felt like we’ve been competitive and been up front, but we’ve never ran with them consistently to show we consistently deliver. We’re excited to be able to do that this year and maybe build a little more consistency into our streaks we’ve had in the past.
“That’s kind of a goal is to get out of the gate strong and find some consistency pretty quick.”
While many rookies are joining a Series for the first time, that’s not the case for the Show-Me State competitor.
Martin is a 2-time Comp Cams Super Dirt Series champion, a regional Series run primarily in the Deep South region.
He hopes the experience of traveling up and down the road gets him acquainted quickly with the 53-race grind drivers will face this season.
“Running a tour in the past, although it’s not the Outlaw tour, it teaches you a lot of things,” Martin said. “Like how to get up and down the road, how to be efficient with your time. Not even on the track, but getting up and down the road, where to travel, where to go, when’s the best places to stop.
“It also teaches you how to points race and take that ninth-place car and get a fifth or sixth out of it. That’s the trick to it all, and just being able to put those pieces to the puzzle together.”
As Martin begins his inaugural World of Outlaws CASE Late Models experience at Volusia Speedway Park, he understands what’s ahead of him—and the mindset he needs to have when the season officially starts.
“Just show up prepared,” Martin said. “It’s easy to come out the first race of the year when everyone’s excited to get to the track, but you have to realize these are points-paying races, and they’re going to set the tone for the first half of your season.
“You’ve got to come out with the level of intensity that you want to end the season with.”
The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models commences their 2023 season in Florida at Volusia Speedway Park during Sunshine Nationals on Jan. 18-21. The event is a True Late Model Palooza, as joining the Series are the DIRTcar Late Models and 602 Late Models.