News

Lakeland, FL - February 2017 didn't start like every other racing season Dylan has known. Dylan's season was approaching with uncertainty and without immediate direction. Dylan found himself searching for a new chapter and adventure in his racing career. He decided to trade his Super Late Model for an Open Wheel Modified and found budget racing was going to be the key to his 2017 race season.

Dylan has found great success on and off the track over the last 11 years and the 2017 season was going to be a challenge like none other. Most racers don't want to talk about the real struggles of racing. They want everything to be green flags and victory lanes, but the reality is there are yellow, red and for some, black flags along the way. We could imagine most successful racers experienced the yellow, red and black flags in their career paths. Dylan is experiencing those now. On the anniversary of Dylan's first ARCA race at Fairgrounds Nashville Speedway (2016), Dylan finds himself watching the race on TV, instead of watching it from inside the cockpit of the #48 Empire Racing Group Ford Fusion he drove in 2016. This isn't a vantage point any racer wants to watch a race from, but there are times (many times), they find themselves watching from the outside. He's passionate about a sport that has left him on the sideline so far for 2017. It's a painful experience, but a growing one as well. While Dylan may not be behind the wheel and on the track, he is in the shop. He's torn the OWM down to the chassis and has had it powder coated and he's rebuilding the car piece-by-piece, bolt-by-bolt. Dylan's committed to rebuilding the OWM and getting it on the track to compete with the best of the best. He's anxious to strap in and pull those belts tight again, but until that race day comes, he'll buckle down, rebuild the OWM and learn to handle the yellow flags of the racing journey. You may not have seen him in the line ups on the track just yet, but this hasn't stopped his drive to compete on the highest levels. He'll continue to strive to inspire kids to follow their dreams and reach for the stars.

Gianna is one of the kids that CARS is raising money for this year and we are happy to report that this week she had surgery to remove her halo and she's now in a neck brace while she's healing. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as her road to recovery may still have many bumps along the way.

You can follow her progress on the CARS Facebook page (link below). There will be several opportunities for you to be involved in the fundraising for Gianna and Kaitlynn during this year. Keep a look out for how you can help make an impact in their lives as they learn to navigate their recovery.

CARS Racin' For A Dream

C- Cares
A - About
R - Restoring
S - Smiles

Dylan will be on his way to Shriner's Hospital for Children - Tampa on Tuesday to visit with the patients and take the Soda Tabs that everybody has been collecting. Dylan wasn't able to visit Shriner's last year while he was in North Carolina so he is anxious to get back and see some familiar faces with the staff and spend some time putting smiles on the faces of kids who are battling daily more than we may be able to battle in a lifetime.

Lakeland, FL - Another chapter is waiting to be written for Dylan Martin in his racing journey. Dylan starts the 2017 season with optimism that he will have many new challenges to face and find success in a new class this coming season. In an unexpected turn, the #7 Blackwater Integration Super Late Model has found a new home as Dylan has acquired a Open Wheel Modified in its place in the garage.

He has brought on a new challenge in a new class. Dylan is tearing the Open Wheel Modified down to its chassis and rebuilding it. How best to know what you have in a newly acquired car, but to tear it down and rebuild it yourself, bolt-by-bolt. Dylan is excited about the task he's taken on and is looking forward to seeing the progression of the car from the rails to the track. He hasn't driven in this class before but he is anxious to get behind the wheel and continue to improve his driving skills in yet another class.

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Lakeland, FL - What's ahead for Dylan Martin for the 2017 season? That is the question on many minds these days. Dylan raced in back-to-back races on January 7th and 8th at New Smyrna Speedway and Auburndale Speedway. His Super Late Model might have still had some dust on it that needed to be dusted off. He finished both races, but neither were finishing positions he had wanted. His car struggled at both tracks lacking in speed. Chad Pierce, crew chief, dug hard looking for those extra tenths that were needed, but the car fought them all weekend. Dylan did a heck of a job wheeling it to finish the races but both races brought their own challenges. Finishing the Red-Eye 100 at New Smyrna Speedway and driving to Auburndale Speedway at 1am and back at it with the crew at 8am to change the set-up of the car for the short track of Auburndale Speedway proved to be a challenge that the whole crew was up for and were successful at. Dylan's super was ready for the short practice session and qualifying for the Diamond 100 at Auburndale Speedway on their season opener. But throughout the race, the car just wouldn't come to Dylan. He fought a very loose car and maybe some damage from the earlier wreck at the Governor's Cup was haunting the car. Nonetheless, the crew did a great job getting the car ready for Dylan for both the Red-Eye 100 and the Diamond 100.

So what's ahead for Dylan for 2017......It's a question to remain unanswered at this point as Dylan is exploring his options for the 2017 season and wants to move ahead with purpose and intentions of success. There may be changes in the future for DMR. Just buckle up and stay on course with us to see where the road twists and turns in the future.

Dylan's Super Late Model will carry the CARS' Racin' For A Dream logo for the 2017 season. We are proud to be a part of this amazing cause. Dylan is honored to be able to support Kim Scheffler and the families that CARS will be helping this season. Stay tuned to see how you can be involved in changing lives in our community and making a difference.

https://www.facebook.com/CARSRacinForADream/?fref=ts

Dylan is still collecting Soda Tabs for the children at the Shriners Hospital in Tampa. If you have soda tabs you want to drop off at the shop, please email us at Staci@DylanMartinRacing.com. Dylan will be visiting the patients at the hospital in just a few weeks and taking the Soda Tabs that have been collected. The staff at the hospital is always so thankful for the support. The monies raised from recycling the soda tabs goes directly into special programs or events for the patients at the hospital.

The children are always excited when Dylan comes to visit them and it puts a smile on the faces of the patients and the staff. Dylan missed visiting with them during his 2016 season and is excited to be able to be back to spend some time with the patients.

http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/locations/tampa

New Smyrna Speedway starts its 50th Year Anniversary Celebration this Saturday night! Pro Late Models will be in action for 125 laps in The Zack Donatti Memorial 125! The Top Super Late Model drivers will battle for 100 Laps in the Red Eye 100! The American Auto Sportsman start their season with a 25 lap feature race AND a DASH FOR CASH presented by Atlantis Contractors! And the always entertaining Bombers will there!

The first 50 people in the grandstands are FREE!

(In the event of rain out Saturday, the races will be ran on Sunday 2 PM)

Gates Open Saturday at 6 PM. Racing starts at 7:30.

Adults $20. Seniors/Military $18. Kids 11 & Under are Free!

New Smyrna Speedway is Your NASCAR Home Track!

It has been an eventful year for Dylan Martin. He began his season thinking he was running his Blackwater Integration Super Late Model in the Sunoco Series in Florida and instead he found himself running ARCA races at Fairgrounds Speedway in Tennessee; Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis and Chicagoland Speedway in Illinois. It wasn't the season Dylan thought it was going to be when February rolled around. Instead, at the age of 18 he moved to Mooresville, North Carolina alone and took a position with Empire Racing Group/Grumpys Inc (Grumpy & Sherry Cheek) in the race shop and signed as a driver with Richard Petty Driver Development Program. Dylan faced a new environment on his own. He graduated high school and moved to the mecca of racing in North Carolina. He was given an opportunity to expand his racing career and he took on the challenge with full force. Dylan learned to drive the heavier cars in the Late Model Stock class.

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There's still time to get your 2016 DMR T-shirt. They make great Christmas gifts. Get them before they're gone as sizes are limited.

Go to http://dylanmartinracing.com/store/

All T-Shirts are On Sale for $3.00 OFF (discount price listed on store web page)

November 17-18, 2016

Dylan had the privilege of being asked to return for this year's Great American Teach-In at 2 local schools in Polk County, Florida. He was honored to have had the opportunity to speak to the students and share his passion for racing. He was met with great enthusiasm from the students and the staff at Crystal Lake Middle School, Lakeland, Florida and Garner Elementary, Winter Haven, Florida. The students asked some great questions and the teachers were very grateful for Dylan sharing his time. Many of the students wanted to know why Dylan chose racing as a sport/career. Dylan said he enjoyed the thrill of the speed and he had tried other traditional sports (football, baseball and soccer), but they didn't move fast enough for him. He explained that racing required his time and attention and if he wanted to succeed he had to set goals and work towards those goals. He shared with the kids that they could make goals and work towards them even if they didn't reach every one of their goals, but it was admiral to have set goals and strive to reach them.

December 9th - 11th

It's almost here. We're raising money for these precious kids/families and you still have a chance to be a part of changing their lives. Come be a part of this great weekend at Auburndale Speedway, Auburndale, Florida, but if you can't make it you can click on the CARS link below and see how you could help donate to this amazing cause and help these families with their daily medical expenses as they battle life-changing illnesses.

Lakeland, FL - The 51st Florida Governors Cup Weekend is here. Dylan, Chad Pierce, Crew Chief, and the DMR team have put hours into getting Dylan's #7 Super Late Model back on the track after having a year off from Florida local track racing. The car looks good again and the driver is excited to be back in front of his home crowd of family, fans and friends. The weekend started off yesterday with tech and practice.

The car was initially tight in the corners and loose coming off the corners. Chad and the crew made several adjustments to the car to find speed and improve the handling for the 200 lap race on Sunday. The field of cars are running faster now than they were this time last year as technology and precision improves and Dylan and Chad are hard at work to get the #7 Super Late Model up to speed. Track conditions in the late evening practice session weren't anywhere near what they will be on race day tomorrow, so the focus of the team has been to dial the car in to what

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Lakeland, FL - We're dusting off the tires and putting the #7 Blackwater Integration Ford Super Late Model back on the track.  Chad Pierce, Crew Chief, has been giving her a thorough inspection to get her ready for New Smyrna Speedway next weekend at the 2016 Governor's Cup 200.  If you followed Dylan last season, you'll know there's some redemption   to be had by all those on the Dylan Martin Racing team at the Governor's Cup.  Dylan's super late model hasn't seen a track since last year's Governor's Cup when for some unknown reason, the super wouldn't fire after having had a great day of practice at NSS.  The super wouldn't make the race and hasn't been on a track since that day.  It wasn't without the help and efforts of so many trying to get the car fired up for qualifying, but she just wasn't having any of it. 

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Lakeland, FL - While NASCAR is deep in the chase, Dylan Martin's 2016 season is winding down. Chicagoland Speedway was the final confirmed race on the schedule for 2016. With a 24th place finish, it wasn't the race results Dylan or his team at Empire Racing were looking for. The Empire Racing hauler pulled into Chicagoland Speedway and unloaded a really sharp looking No. 48 Ford sporting the Petty Blue paint scheme. The car was an eye-catcher wherever it was on the track. Unfortunately, with some troubles on pit road and a couple challenging pit stops, the No. 48 car spent the last 70 laps of the Scott 150 in the garage. Unable to finish the race with shock bolt damage, it wasn't the wrap up to the 2016 season anybody was hoping for. Martin wrote this after the ARCA Racing Series Scott 150, "Our night is over unfortunately. Broke a LF (left front) shock bolt and blew a tire because of it. We had a good car and were just riding. But it's racing. Thank you everyone for all the support and to my team and sponsors for the endless hours put in to make sure we get to the track."

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MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Taking to the track on Thursday, September 15, at Chicagoland Speedway for the ARCA Racing Series Scott 150, Dylan Martin (@DylanMartin07) will make his third start in the No. 48 Empire Racing Group/Richard Petty Motorsports Development Team Ford, in a special tribute to “The King,” Richard Petty.

The No. 48 car will don the famous “Petty Blue” paint scheme, celebrating a year-long tribute leading up to Richard Petty’s 80th birthday next July. The NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee won 200 races in his time on the NASCAR circuit and currently owns Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series. Petty continues to craft the future champions of the sport through the Richard Petty Motorsports Development Team by preparing future industry talent for the next step in stock car racing with top-quality equipment and an understanding of what it takes to be successful in the sport.

“All of the Petty entities are celebrating 80 years of the King in a special way,” said Rebecca Moffitt, daughter of Richard Petty. “We thought it would be fun for Empire Racing Group to get in on the celebration by running a paint scheme that mimicked the 1969 Ford Torino that the King drove.”

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