Notebook: Zach Less delving deep into Big 8 Late Model racing

As racing has evolved over the last several years — and the economy has taken its hit on the industry — it's become exceedingly rare to see racers compete both on dirt and asphalt simultaneously. It's a difficult ask both from a time investment perspective, as well as a competitive perspective.

But at least for the short term, Manchester driver Zach Less, his dad Randy and his team are up to the task.

Less made his re-debut on asphalt on Saturday (after running asphalt in 2012) at Hawkeye Downs Speedway, then made the trip up to Independence Motor Speedway to get back in his IMCA Modified. He didn't get a full event at Hawkeye Downs after his engine broke, but the sensation of doing both the same day was one he couldn't help but laugh about.

'I raced asphalt back in 2012, so it was about trying to remember what I had to do to race asphalt,' Less said through a laugh. 'I just had to focus on what I had to do, and then went back to the dirt, it was pretty easy to get back into because I had that memorized, how to drive that. It was just hard trying to remember for the asphalt car. Once I got out there and made a couple laps, it started coming to me. If we would've gotten more time, I believe we'd have gotten even better.'

Less is doing double duty for an indefinite period as he and his dad determine what the best course of action forward is for Less and his career.

The Wartburg senior (and wrestler) has some time to figure it out, and said nothing is set in stone, even for this year. But they worked out a deal with ARCA Midwest Tour racer Andrew Morrissey to house and work on the asphalt car in order to help Less along and further his asphalt endeavors.

As much fun as Less as had on the dirt the last four years, he sees his future on asphalt.

'I don't look at racing as a hobby. I look at it as my business. It's really important to me and I take it very seriously. I want to pursue a career in that and I want to go forward in racing,' Less said. 'I believe with asphalt you can go farther than you can in dirt. You might not race as much as dirt cars, but you can go forward.

'I want to race asphalt and make the push toward that more and more. … Asphalt is more fun, I think. You go to the track, you don't get dirty. Your car is clean. You're not spending hours washing the car when you get home. It's more relaxing going to asphalt tracks than the dirt.'

Less stays very busy with school and work — he and his family recently opened their own truck stop, Pit Lane Travel Plaza — plus his last year of wrestling with the Knights, so he doesn't much pay attention to the financial end of things, leaving that up to his dad.

The chance to strike a deal to have Morrissey teach and help the Less team with their car was one they jumped at. Morrissey was the ARCA Midwest Tour champion in 2011, and has wealth of experience from which the Less crew wants to draw.

'I just do what I'm told and show up and drive,' Less said. 'I know the asphalt stuff, we own our own stuff, but we don't have to. There are plenty of developmental teams out there to team up with, so we don't have to own the equipment, but it's ours, other than the motor, and Andrew Morrissey and his crew are helping us out as best they can. I'm excited to work with those guys the rest of the year. Hopefully we can make some noise. He'll be there with the Big 8 asphalt car whenever we're racing.'

Less isn't turning his back on dirt, nor his many fans who've come to follow him there. He said the reaction to the asphalt car has been pretty emphatic.

There's no specific timetable for getting rid of his dirt equipment, and there's still no specific race schedule for the asphalt car, other than the Big 8 Series races. They're just going to show up and race as much as possible and find their groove when they can — even if his fans want to see him on dirt.

'I've had quite a few reactions on social media from going to asphalt,' Less said. 'A lot of people have said they wish I wouldn't be going to asphalt. It kind of makes you feel good, but again, I've got to look after myself. I can always go back to racing dirt. I have a chance now to go race asphalt and I'm going to take it.'

OLSON GOES 3-FOR-3

Cedar Rapids driver Tony Olson had a trio of races every driver and team hopes for this weekend. The defending track champion at Davenport Speedway, Independence Motor Speedway and Benton County Speedway in Vinton pulled into all three tracks this weekend and left all three with a victory in IMCA Sport Mod.

He added to the short list of drivers to win at Independence and Vinton on the same weekend, and is in elite company in winning three races in three nights. In fact, it's the fourth time in his career he's done it — once in 2007, twice last season and this weekend.

'I'm excited because I'm finally figuring out this new car,' Olson said Friday night after his win in Davenport.

His wins this weekend gave him five already in 2016.

MLRA BACK IN DUBUQUE

The Lucas Oil MLRA Late Model tour makes its way back to Iowa after a pair of shows last week at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson and Davenport Speedway, this time heading to Dubuque Speedway.

Brian Birkhofer, Chris and Chad Simpson, Justin Kay, Terry Phillips, Ryan Gustin, Jesse Stovall and the same crowd that were at the last two shows are expected to be in Dubuque on Sunday, vying for $5,000 to win. IMCA Late Models also will be in action, racing for $1,000 to win.

Grandstands open at 5:30 p.m. with hot laps at 7.

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