PORT ROYAL, Pa. — Wearing the appearance of a summer night’s worth of exertion, Kyle Hardy stood on the frontstretch of Williams Grove Speedway after a podium finish with the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series.
A fan bypassed winner Gregg Satterlee and World of Outlaws driver Chris Madden to meet Hardy with a noticeable need.
“Do you need something to drink?” the fan asked Hardy, who moved through the cooler filled with beer to grab a bottle of cold water.
Hardy’s efforts this summer surely aren’t going unnoticed. His 26 dirt late model wins elevate him as one of the winningest drivers in the nation.
Two years after his goal of racing full time with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series fell apart midway through 2019 with Viper Motorsports, Hardy is making his hardest push yet to earn another touring ride.
The 28-year-old racer from Linden, Va., feels he is beginning his best years.
In February, he won the Crate Racing USA Late Model event at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., piloting Chuck Bowie’s No. 14c.
He’s gone on to win most of his races — 20 to be exact — in his own No. 99 crate machine racing around the Virginia area. Over the winter, he took over the driving duties of Sommey Lacey’s No. 45 super late model after the team parted with veteran driver Jamie Lathroum.
Two weekends ago, he won the $4,100-to-win Nathan Durboraw Tribute race at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway against a field that included National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famers Rick Eckert and Gary Stuhler. It marked his fourth super late model win of the year.
“The ultimate goal is to race on tour,” Hardy said. “It’d have to be the right deal. It’d be hard to leave these [the Lacey No. 45] after everything they’ve done. They understand that. That’s the goal, to be on the road one day. Hopefully, we can do it.
“It takes a lot of experience and time,” Hardy added. “We’ve put a lot of time and effort into this to get good.”
This is Hardy’s 13th year in the late model ranks. He cut his teeth in the lower-tiered late model divisions at Winchester (Va.) Speedway, a three-eighths mile clay oval.
In 2018, he finished second in the ULTIMATE Super Late Model series standings to Zack Mitchell driving the Billy Hicks No. 79.
The following year, Hardy joined Viper Motorsports to make a run at the World of Outlaws Late Model Series Rookie of the Year, but left the team midway through the year.
When racing finances aren’t rolling in, Hardy does side work for his father’s mobile glass business.
“But if you run well through the summer you can do pretty well with the money that’s out there,” said Hardy, who’s already exceeded those words.
Now he’s found a comfortable pairing with Lacey’s team based in Clinton, Md., which carries plenty of momentum into this weekend’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series tilt at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway.
Hardy has never won with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, but he has two shots on Thursday and Friday at Port Royal to do so.
On Saturday, he heads to Sharon (Ohio) Speedway to compete in the $3,199-to-win Bill Forney Memorial with the RUSH Late Model Tour.
“I’m ready to keep on going,” Hardy said.