NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – On Oct. 29, 2023, Bobby Jones wasn’t sure if he would ever drive a race car again.

One day earlier, Jones was competing in a 602 Modified race during the season finale at Mahoning Valley Speedway in Leighton, Pennsylvania, when a violent crash changed his outlook on racing and nearly the rest of his life.

“It was on a restart. Cars got out of shape, and one came across and caught me,” Jones explained. “That’s how it is. It just works that way sometimes. I was just the guy that was in the way.

“I climbed the other car. I think it might have been his right front I hit. It picked me up and put me up over top of him in the air and I landed in the top part of the wall and the bottom of the fence. I took that part of it out. The gentleman underneath me, he went into it as well and we just destroyed the whole fence. It was in pieces.”

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The 51-year-old Jones was transported to a local hospital where it was discovered he had fractured his T12 vertebrae in two places. No surgery was needed, but the injury did require a lot of bed rest while the fractures healed.

Jones was suddenly faced with a potential reality he had not experienced since he was a child, a reality without racing.

“That happened and I said, ‘I’m done. No more racing. I’m done now. I don’t need to go back,’” Jones said. “Well, three months of sitting in bed and doing nothing, I thought a lot about it. Then I started working on the car when I was able, which was like my rehabilitation, which helped me a lot.

“The doctor wanted me, at a point, to start doing things. So I started doing little things during the day while I was home and I got better a lot faster I think.”

As Jones began to feel better while work progressed on repairing his damaged race car, he began to look at the schedule for the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway.

One season prior, Jones made his second trip to New Smyrna Beach, Florida, to compete in the annual stock car racing extravaganza. He ended up leaving frustrated and disappointed.

“We got here and we unloaded for first practice, and I was second on the board,” Jones said. “I felt really good about the car. We were fast. I went out for our timed practice, and we burned the motor up. We were done for the couple nights. We rebuilt the motor and put a crank and bearings in it. We raced the last two nights, but we were down on power. We wiped the cam out, but we didn’t know it at the time.

“All summer I raced, and I said we were going to come back and we were going to redeem ourselves. I planned to run that race and it was going to be that race and maybe I’d do a couple of races throughout the year to go off into the sunset and end my career.”

That was all before Jones was injured in the crash at Mahoning Valley, which put into question his plans for the World Series of Asphalt a few months later.

Roughly a week before the start of the event on Feb. 9, Jones finally made the decision to load up his race car and head to New Smyrna from his home in Palmerton, Pennsylvania.

“It was a big decision to be here. I’d say up until probably about a week ago I wasn’t 100 percent sure I was I was going to be able to,” Jones said. “I was weighing how I felt and should I or shouldn’t I. We were working on the car. We needed to keep working on the car because that car had to be fixed anyway. It wound up being ready.

“I decided that I was OK. I had full clearance from doctors. They told me straight up there ain’t nothing different than there was before I broke it. I was actually waiting for them to tell me that, oh, you’re a little bit worse off now so I would have made the decision not to race.”

Fast-forward to Monday, and Jones was starting sixth in the second 602 Modified race of the week. By the fourth circuit Jones had made his way to second and was chasing Ray Fattaruso for the lead.

A restart with 15 laps left gave Jones the opportunity he needed. He powered around the outside of Fattaruso to take the lead coming out of Turn 4 and survived one final restart to secure a trip to Victory Lane during the World Series of Asphalt.

It was something that only a few months prior seemed unlikely at best.

“It was a big decision to be here,” Jones said. “There was so much emotion there for me.”

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After climbing from his race car and dancing on the roof of his car, Jones made a declaration: He was putting in his resignation. He won’t say he’s retiring; Jones knows better.

Instead, he’s putting in his resignation with the intent of stepping away from racing. But even he knows there is a chance that won’t stick.

“I don’t want to say retire. I want to say I’m handing in my resignation because I can get another job somewhere else,” Jones said. “I don’t know how it’s going to go to step back away from racing and not do it. It’s all I do right now. So I’m going to try. We’re going to try hard because I’d like to take a break.

“I don’t want to be that guy that says I’m retired, I’m done, and I won’t ever get in the car. I don’t know what the future is for me, whether or not I can handle not racing. I’ve done this since I was 18 years old, so I’m leaving it open because I don’t know if I can. I want to, but I’m not sure if I can.

“This is what I do, I don’t know anything else.”

If Jones never straps in a race car again after leaving New Smyrna this week, he’ll be at peace with it.

His return from injury and subsequent World Series of Asphalt victory was the storybook ending for which he was looking.

“I’m very happy actually,” Jones said. “I did what I needed to do. It’s the final checkmark.”

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — When Ty Fredrickson climbed out of his No. 36 Super Late Model after qualifying for the Clyde Hart Memorial at New Smyrna Speedway on Tuesday, he was astounded at some of the names behind him in the running order.

His time of 17.836 was better than that of defending ARCA Menards Series East champion William Sawalich, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series veteran Ty Majeski and 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott. It also secured him a starting position of sixth amidst the impressive, 32-car field.

Although the 200-lap feature did not unfold the way he wanted, Fredrickson found some satisfaction with the speed he displayed against so many talented drivers, which served as another solid chapter in his debut World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing appearance.

“I kind of impressed myself with that [qualifying run],” he said. “We fell back early, and then someone checked up in front of me, and I made contact with him, which really put us back. We battled back with some damage only to have a tire go down at the end.”

Like many drivers currently competing in NASCAR’s top ranks, Fredrickson’s love for racing started by watching his father Dan Fredrickson compete at tracks around the Midwest.

Dan emerged as one of the most consistent short-track competitors from his region during the 2000s and 2010s. On a national level, Dan found his stride with the ASA Midwest Tour with a resume that includes 15 victories and two championships in 2008 and 2013.

The catalyst that jumpstarted Dan’s career was the World Series of Asphalt in 2001. When a fellow midwestern driver had to pull out of the Limited Late Model class at the last minute, Dan ended up contacting his team about driving the car for the full week at New Smyrna.

What both sides ended up agreeing on was that Dan would drive for them full-time in the NASCAR Midwest Series that year if he won at least one race.

The deal was nearly immediately reneged when Dan was involved in a hard crash just five laps into the first Limited Late Model feature. Both sides refused to give up that early, and a long process commenced to get Dan’s car back to race-winning form.

By the end of the week, Dan had his World Series of Asphalt victory and a guaranteed ride in the NASCAR Midwest Series.

Seeing Ty in a similar-yet-different position over two decades later is a full-circle moment for Dan. Ty already has a full season lined up in the ASA Midwest Tour, but Dan said a full week at New Smyrna, competing in several types of Super Late Model races, is only going to bolster his son’s long-term development.

“I can’t really think of a better place to put [Ty] through the wringer of the grind,” Dan said. “It’s a great deal with sprint races, and then you have a 200-lapper with pit stops. With 47 of the best cars from the U.S. and Canada, Ty timed in sixth, so I’m very happy with him.”

Ty also had the benefit of entering the World Series of Asphalt already battle-tested. He earned a third-place finish in just his second ASA Midwest Tour appearance at 14 years old during the Oktoberfest 200 before embarking on his first All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

None of those milestones would have been possible for Ty without Dan constantly being in his ear teaching him all the fundamentals of being successful both on and off the track.

“I raced Legends cars before [Super Late Models], which are about twice the size with twice the horsepower,” Ty said. “You’re going to bigger tracks with a lot more cars, but [my dad] has been teaching me setups, along with dealing with media and how to earn respect.”

Dan particularly saw the maturity of his son following an incident with Matt Craig that ended up knocking Ty out of the Clyde Hart Memorial.

The first thing Ty did when he and Dan returned to New Smyrna the following morning was reach out to Craig and show him his in-car video of the accident. While Craig was not upset over what happened, the initiative Ty took to have a formal discussion on the manner helped him garner respect from a Super Late Model veteran at such a young age.

Staying on good terms with the competition is something Dan has repeatedly told to Ty since he started competing, but he made sure to emphasize that point ahead of a long week of racing in World Series of Asphalt.

“Don’t make any enemies,” Dan said. “That’s the biggest thing when you get [to New Smyrna]. Some of these guys are mad at each other the first night. That’s kind of like pissing off your roommate when you have to live with them for a week. It doesn’t make any sense, but [Ty] has done a great job.”

By teaching his son to be clean instead of overly aggressive, Dan believes he is setting Ty up to be a draw for potential sponsors that are needed to continue funding their Super Late Model program.

Dan has done everything possible to ensure Ty can keep thriving behind the wheel, which is why he has been impressed by the knowledge Ty is picking up on his own. If he can maintain a headstrong but composed mindset, Dan believes Ty can become a driver capable of one day racing on Sundays.

Despite this, the only top 10 Ty has scored so far at New Smyrna came during the Wednesday feature, which Dan anticipated given his son’s inexperience and the quality of the fields. Dan hopes Ty can take part in the World Series of Asphalt again next year and apply the knowledge accumulated from the long week and through a busy 2024 campaign.

“[Ty] is in the hardest class, and the competition is massive,” Dan said. “You’ve got all the mega teams here, but if he could win one, it would be pretty unbelievable experience. He’s got the talent, but he’s still pretty young in his career, and I’m just happy with where he’s at.”

Ty’s first World Series of Asphalt has been every bit the obstacle he envisioned it would be. He has grinded for every position on track no matter the race length yet has stayed true to his principles by keeping his car clean and avoiding any unnecessary conflict.

Every night at New Smyrna has taught Ty so much about himself and what he needs to improve his consistency. If he gets the chance to come back in 2025, Ty knows he can use that knowledge to join so many other notable names that have a World Series of Asphalt victory.

“This week is all about making it through and learning a bunch of stuff,” he said. “Most of the Cup guys have come here in a Super Late Model at my age, younger or older. The World Series of Asphalt is just super important for a young driver’s career.”

Outqualifying the titans of Super Late Model racing in the Clyde Hart Memorial was a huge moment for Ty during the biggest week of his brief career. The next milestone on his agenda is to usurp all of them and earn his first Super Late Model victory.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — When Katie Hettinger and her team pulled into New Smyrna Speedway for the 2024 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, all the memories from 2023 immediately rushed back.

It was during her maiden venture into the marquee event that the third generation competitor from Dryden, Michigan made history as the first female World Series of Asphalt Pro Late Model feature winner. Katie accomplished this in the fifth race by engaging in a tough battle with Carson Brown before passing him with 10 laps remaining.

A full year of Pro Late Model races around the southeast provided Katie plenty of confidence as she approached another grueling week at New Smyrna with the goal of further cementing herself into the World Series of Asphalt record books.

“It was really cool,” Katie said. “We didn’t even know I was the first female to win a [Pro Late Model] race until afterwards, but milestones like that are awesome. Now I want to break another record by winning a [World Series of Asphalt] championship along with some more races.”

Hettinger’s path to achieving a Pro Late Model win in the World Series of Asphalt for was dominated by adversity and a copious amount of studying.

Her only experience in a full-bodied stock car at New Smyrna prior to the 2023 World Series of Asphalt was the Red Eye 50/50 the year before. A full week at New Smyrna would present more challenges such as dynamic track conditions and a larger field consisting of drivers like Brent Crews, Conner Jones and Eddie MacDonald.

With so many unknowns entering the World Series of Asphalt, Hettinger knew she needed to utilize every resource at her disposal to be fully prepared. She regularly conversed with her car owner and veteran racer Anthony Campi on how to best approach each night at the track all while receiving input from her father Chris Hettinger.

Campi’s background with competitors like William Byron, Casey Roderick, Chandler Smith and others gave Chris some assurance about Katie’s potential for that week. Despite this, Chris still emphasized to Katie the importance of avoiding trouble and finding a comfort zone.

“The biggest thing with [the World Series of Asphalt] is consistency,” Chris said. “It’s a long week, and this is about getting strong finishes and being there at the end. You don’t want to tear everything up early in the week, but you do want to learn and get better every night.”

Unfortunately for Katie and Chris, trouble ended up finding them during the fourth Pro Late Model event.

After Katie Hettinger set the fastest lap in time trials, an invert moved her back to sixth for the 35-lap feature. Contact between Brown and Crews for third collected Katie and sent her into the outside retaining wall, ending her night on the second lap.

The crash ended any chance Hettinger had of securing the Pro Late Model championship following two consecutive podium finishes. It also further invigorated her, knowing she still had two more opportunities to leave New Smyrna with a trophy in hand.

A long night of repairs commenced to get the team’s No. 81 Chevrolet prepared for the following Pro Late Model race. Any concerns about the speed of the car were quelled with Hettinger putting together her best night at New Smyrna to earn a trip to Victory Lane.

The simultaneous jubilation and relief were evident when she climbed out of her car to celebrate her accomplishment.

“My team was talking me through everything and telling me to stay calm,” Hettinger said. “That’s what I was trying to do by taking off my laps, hitting my marks and not overthink anything. It was a good celebration, and I got a lot of comments on it.

“That win set a high for all of us.”

Hettinger used the momentum from the World Series of Asphalt victory to put together a solid season in Pro Late Model competition. She ended up securing a runner-up finish in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour standings with seven top-five finishes before concluding the year with a win at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Now with more experience on her side, Hettinger returned to New Smyrna this year determined to open 2024 on a positive note, this time in her family-owned No. 71. She said chemistry has been a strength within the program so far and hopes everyone’s hard work translates into several more victories.

Results have been mixed in her sophomore World Series of Asphalt campaign. A top-five finish in the second Pro Late Model feature was eliminated by an infraction in post-race inspection, but she has been constant at the front on each night.

Chris would love to see Katie replicate what she did in 2023 but knows that will be an arduous task with drivers like Dawson Sutton setting the pace in the Pro Late Model class. He said the goal for Katie is the same from 2023: Build consistency and keep the car in one piece.

Even if they do not procure any checkered flags this year, Chris still can not help but be proud of the progress Katie continues to make as a driver. Seeing Katie ecstatic over such a pivotal win remains one of Chris’ happiest moments in his life, and he looks forward to enjoying similar occasions long after the World Series of Asphalt concludes.

“This is such a huge event,” Chris said. “With NASCAR being in town for Daytona, there’s a lot of people watching at home. Katie’s win last year was huge because of the following the World Series of Asphalt gets, so it definitely got a lot of attention.

“To see Katie break through that night and get the win was pretty special.”

Any plans for Katie Hettinger to return to the World Series of Asphalt next year are dependent on a myriad of factors. The possibility remains that she could advance into the Super Late Model class, where she could become the first female winner in that division since Becca Kasten in 2011.

For now, Hettinger is focused on the Pro Late Model races remaining in this year’s World Series of Asphalt. A title might no longer be a feasible goal, but she believes she’s more than capable of finding her way back to New Smyrna’s Victory Lane before the end of the week.

“I’m a lot more confident now, especially with my own team,” she said. “Everyone is working really hard. There’s some good competition, but we have a really good car and a really good shot to get things done.

“We know we got more wins coming.”

Just like her first venture, the second visit to New Smyrna for the World Series of Asphalt has produced plenty of positive memories and lessons, all of which Hettinger intends to use as motivation to further consolidate her status as a top NASCAR prospect.