Last year, Cade Nelson became the youngest track champion in the 66-year history of the Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., and locked up the USRA Late Model National Championship as well as the Swift Springs USRA Rookie of the Year Award.
No longer a rookie, Nelson repeated his feat from one year ago to claim his second USRA Late Model National Championship in 2024.
Now a 15-year-old racer from Hermantown, Minn., Nelson claimed a narrow margin (4340 to 4303) over USRA Late Model Rookie of the Year Matthew Larson of Lake Elmo, Minn., in the final points standings.
Both drivers come from good stock. Cade Nelson is the son of Darrell Nelson and Matthew Larson is the son of Brent Larson—both long-time racers with glowing résumés across many disciplines on dirt.
In addition to winning 16 times during the 2024, Nelson drove to 28 top-five and 29 top-ten finishes in 34 starts while also racing his USRA Late Model at the Cedar Lake Speedway, Eagle Valley Speedway, Gondik Law Speedway, Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Proctor Speedway and Rice Lake Speedway.
USRA Late Models
1. 44 Cade Nelson, Hermantown, Minn., 4340
2. 8 Matthew Larson, Lake Elmo, Minn., 4303
3. 52 Jason McFadden, Jim Falls, Wis., 3631
4. 14 Steven O’Brien Jr., Red Wing, Minn., 3569
5. 99F Mitchell Fenske, New Richmond, Wis., 3549
6. 73 Larry Fitzsimmons, East Bethel, Minn., 3452
7. LXV Lucas Peterson, Stockholm, Wis., 3017
8. 208 Kory Ressie, Alma, Wis., 3005
9. 19 Josh Wahlstrom, Rice Lake, Wis., 2962
10. 54 Chad Prissel, Rock Falls, Wis., 2945
Complete 2024 USRA Late Model standings
Past USRA Late Model National Champions:
2023 – Cade Nelson, Hermantown, Minn.
2022 – Dylan Kromschroeder, Cambridge, Minn.
2021 – Lance Hofer, Cochrane, Wis.
2020 – Lucas Peterson, Grand Meadow, Minn.
2019 – Lucas Peterson, Grand Meadow, Minn.
2018 – Lance Hofer, Cochrane, Wis.
2017 – Lance Hofer, Cochrane, Wis.
Nelson will collect $1,000 from an overall points fund of more than $100,000 and contingency awards worth over $40,000. Including national, regional, rookie and track points funds, nearly $1 million is returning to racers at season’s end.
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series national points for all divisions include each competitor’s best twenty (20) points nights during the 2024 campaign. Each competitor must have competed in at least one-half of the events held at any one USRA-sanctioned racetrack to be eligible for national points funds.
USRA points funds are made possible by sanction fees contributed by the racetracks and support from the following marketing partners: American Racer Racing Tires, Beyea Headers, Callies Performance Products, Chevrolet Performance, Fast Shafts, Featherlite Trailers, FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt, Summit Racing Equipment, TicketSmarter, VP Racing – Heartland, Wieland, ARMI Contractors, Boomtest Well Service, Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Collins Brothers Towing, Gene Nicholas LLC, Hacienda Mechanical, Hochatown Saloon, Mel Hambelton Ford, Miller Welders, PBM Performance Products, Rancho Milagro Racing, Salty’s BBQ & Catering, Shop Quik Stores, STAKT Products, YouDirt.com, AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Bear Graphix, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Danny Crane Racing Engines, Deatherage Racing Opticians, Edelbrock, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, Gunshepherd.com, Hooker Harness, Hyperco, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, JE Pistons, Keyser Manufacturing, MD3, Mel Hambelton Racing, MSD Performance, Penske Racing Shocks, Performance Bodies & Parts, QA1, Quarter Master, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Total Power, Victory Fuel, Victory Vault, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products and Wilwood Racing.
Awards Banquet approaching: The annual USRA Awards Banquet is Saturday, January 25, inside the 12,000-square-foot Star Pavilion at the Ameristar Casino Hotel located at 3200 N Ameristar Dr, Kansas City, MO 64161. This will once again be a joint celebration for the USRA and United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS). Tickets go on sale Nov. 29.
Entering its 25 season of dirt track racing in 2025, the United States Racing Association has attracted more and more racetracks and dirt track racers each year through fair, logical and cost-effective rules accompanied by an organization that puts the racers, racetracks and their fans first. During the 2024 Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series, more than 60 of America’s finest dirt ovals hosted more than 1,000 nights of racing.
To learn more about the USRA, check out USRAracing.com and follow our social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.
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