Opinion: Pro Late Models Have Become A Headliner At New Smyrna World Series
Opinion: Pro Late Models Have Become A Headliner At New Smyrna World Series
The Pro Late Model division has experienced significant growth over the years during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway.

After years of being an undercard division at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, the Pro Late Models have paved their way into the limelight at New Smyrna Speedway. We can no longer consider this division as a non-headlining division as they have produced a long list of winners and close championship battles, while also showcasing some of the freshest young talent we have seen.
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This writer recall some of the early years of the Pro Late Model division at New Smyrna where we would ask ourselves, "What are these guys thinking?" It was a new division and a new experience during Speedweeks to have a Crate Late Model division compete during the week. Regardless of what we saw, we quickly learned they could put on a good show.
The division started back in 2007 and seemed like an "add on" to the traditional Florida faithful. But instead, what the division did was re-spark the interest of Speedweeks to areas that had long said goodbye to Super Late Model racing.
By the third season, the three champions at Speedweeks had come from three different states. By the end of the 2011 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, the long-running Limited Late Model class was merged with the Pro Late Models to create a healthy division for the future.
In 2013, the class got their own 100-lap race for Speedweeks and this year will mark the 13th running of the event now known as the Hart to Heart 100. In that period the 100-lap race, much like the championship picture, has produced 12 different winners.

VIDEO: Watch highlights from the 2023 Hart to Heart 100.
As of last year's event, an average of 25 drivers have competed in the Pro Late Model division during the week.
Along the way, we witnessed a career start for 13-year-old Stephen Nasse who won in this division in the early years. From there we saw Landon Cassill, Zane Smith, Harrison Burton, Kaden Honeycutt, Sammy Smith, and many other drivers get their first dose of Late Model action on the New Smyrna high-banks.
This year, Pro Late Models are in action during more nights than any other division with six calendar dates among the nine during the week.
The division also features one of the largest entry lists of all with 26 drivers pre-entered. Out of those 26 drivers, 13 states and two Canadian provinces are represented.
Race fans unable to make it out to New Smyrna Beach, FL will be able to watch all nine nights of racing live on FloRacing. If you're not already a FloRacing subscriber, click here to sign up today.