Jimmy Owens is “most definitely in the market” for rides the remainder of the 2026 Dirt Late Model season, the Newport, Tenn., driver’s merchandise manager Michael Hayes told DirtonDirt before the 54-year-old’s season debut Friday on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., in a CVR Race Car fielded by Vic Hill.

The 54-year-old's hopes of running the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series this season, and then perhaps a couple more, before shifting to a pick-and-choose schedule did not materialize as funding from his team owner Bobby Koehler and manpower for the grind were not sufficient. Koehler said during last month’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., that the Newport, Tenn., driver's interest in chasing the national tour came too late for him to budget his finances for such an effort.

Hayes said Owens has two Rocket Chassis and two engines from Koehler still at his shop, but the powerplants need to be freshened and Koehler sold the hauler and trailer that Owens had been using so Owens is uncertain about how active he can be this year. Koehler had said at Volusia that he would be agreeable to providing backing to Owens if he could land a regular ride; at that time Koehler specifically mentioned Owens finding a Lucas Oil Series deal, which of course can’t happen now, but Owens is certainly interested in putting his name out there for any opportunities that would allow him to race more and perhaps even defend his title on the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series that kicks off next Sunday at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Ala.

This weekend’s WoO doubleheader in Tennessee — Friday at Volunteer and Saturday at Maryville’s Smoky Mountain Speedway — is a big one for Owens on his home turf as he begins his 35th season of racing and he has a sharp-looking, one-off ride running both races in a Hill-owned No. 20 CVR car for the veteran racer and engine builder from Mosheim, Tenn., who also promotes Volunteer’s action.

Hayes is expecting brisk business from Owens’s fans, noting there’s “lots of hype” around Owens with the veteran competing in his backyard. According to Hayes, the team made a limited run of diecast cars for the blue-and-yellow No. 20 Owens will pilot and fans have already swept them up and interest is high for the special-edition 35th anniversary T-shirts that Hayes will be selling at the tracks.