Overton recalls a test session with his now car owner Joey Coulter who was learning to race on dirt; The car had no brakes
Brandon Overton has a new ride for 2019. He’s the new pilot of the Rum Runner Racing #2 dirt late model.
Joey Coulter is the owner of the team. Coulter has moved to Texas with his wife as she pursues a job in the at Simpson Race Products.
It’s not the end of a racing career for Coulter. But, he is dialing back his time behind the wheel. Now, he’s selected Overton as the pilot of his North Carolina based dirt racing team.
The racing team is currently running the first leg of the 2019 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series tour. They opened with a 14th and a 12th place run in the two races at Golden Isles Speedway last week.
This week, the team is following the Lucas Series over to East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Florida. In 2018, Overton picked up two wins at East Bay during the week long showing at the bullring.
Brandon Overton talks 2019 plans
You’re one of the guys that I’m unsure of the plans for the year as far as schedule?
“We’re kind of unsure too. We’re going to head over to East Bay and kinda see what East Bay has to offer,” Brandon Overton told RacingNews.co.
“If we run good, we’ll stay. If not, we’ll go over to Screven and kinda start there.”
Screven Motor Speedway will host the World of Outlaws Late Model Series opener on February 8th. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is set to run at East Bay from Feb 4-9th.
Hypothetically, if you win two races at East Bay you’ll hang on to the Lucas tour?
“We’ll make a decision. It will probably make it a little easier to stay.”
“I always enjoy going to Screven though. I do really well there.”
“At the end of the day, we ain’t really sure. We’re kinda just going to take it day by day and see what happens.”
Brandon Overton helped Joey Coulter get his feet under him in dirt racing
Years ago, Joey Coulter stepped out of a career in NASCAR and began seeking a new opportunity on the dirt tracks. It was a drastic career change, as to that point, Coulter had zero dirt experience.
He began running test sessions around home to get going. At one of those tracks, Brandon Overton was there testing as well. Overton was asked to jump in the car and shake it down to make sure nothing was wrong.
Something was certainly wrong….
Joey told me a story about when he first got into dirt racing. He said you were there to kind of teach him the ropes of the dirt late model. He sent you out on the track without brakes. What do you remember about that story?
“That’s pretty much how it happened. He had just got out of his asphalt stuff and was just kind of running a crate car close to home.”
“He had practiced pretty much all night. Randall was working on it. He asked me to get in it and take it for a couple laps.”
“Hell, I got to pit road, hit the brakes and that thing kept on rolling. ‘It ain’t even got no brakes!’ So, I turned around and brought it back.”
“It just shows how much different the asphalt stuff is. The world he comes from and the world we’re in. It’s two totally different deals.”
That testing day turned into a friendship. The two drivers would park next to each other at most of the tracks from that point on. This year, when Coulter went on a search for a driver of his #2 dirt late model, Overton was the first one to receive a call.
More
Joey Coulter explains the link to Brandon Overton
Brandon Overton to Rum Runner Racing
2019 national dirt late model drivers list
Links
Joey Coulter Racing | Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series | World of Outlaws Late Model Series
