CONCORD, N.C. — Six years ago, Cody Overton fully expected to end up like Shane McDowell.
As a dirt late model team owner, McDowell fielded cars for his brother — Hall of Famer Dale McDowell — in competition and played a significant supportive role in Dale McDowell’s career off the track.
That was the path Overton has been heading down with his brother, Brandon Overton, who has practically been married to the seat of a race car since hopping in a go-kart at six years old. Meanwhile, Cody Overton witnessed his brother’s career progression from the pit area as a crew guy most race weekends.
“We didn’t really have the money for me to race, so I always just went with him (Brandon),” Cody Overton explained. “I was just gonna be that brother who just helped.”
Things changed in 2019 when Brandon Overton scored a big-time ride with Rum Runner Racing. At that point, Cody Overton had two choices: Get a job, or try to race. With a little coaxing from his brother, Cody Overton went racing.
“I was like, ‘I’m not getting a job,’” Cody explained with a chuckle. “I kinda got a really late start to it, but I just started racing.”
As someone who had never raced go-karts or quarter midgets or any type of race car, Cody Overton realized he’d likely be at a strong disadvantage no mattered where he competed on the dirt-late-model scene.
But that didn’t prevent him from trying to give it a go.
“At some places, I would always say like, ‘Man, I know I can drive. Like I believe I can be better than you,’” Cody Overton said, referring to the way he’d often prod his brother while at the track. “Then, I would drive through the pits or make a lap when we went testing, and I’d be like, ‘Man, this stuff’s kind of hard.’”
Nonetheless, reaching the crossroads of either working a 9-5 job or going dirt late model racing was enough to convince Cody Overton to commit to a career as a race car driver. And the decision paid off quickly.
He won his third race out and earned $2,000.
“It was a pretty big deal around our house,” Cody Overton said. “It probably wasn’t a pretty win, but it was a win.”
In hindsight, he admitted it was pretty obvious he had no idea what he was doing.
Six years after making his dirt late model debut, Cody Overton still has the same “winging it” mentality. And that’s essentially what his plan is heading into his rookie season on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series tour. He’s set to drive the No. 97C Tri Star Promotions Rocket Chassis for Dave Steine.
“I’m one of those people that luck into a lot of stuff, so it’s probably what happened here, but it is what it is,” the younger Overton brother joked.
In addition to his lack of seat time, one factor working against Overton is the stacked rookie class on the tour this year. He is one of six drivers who will be fighting for the rookie-of-the-year title on the 53-race campaign.
“I kind of wish none of them were doing it,” Cody Overton said, referring to the rookie roster.
His brother won the rookie-of-the-year award in 2015, so Cody Overton has given himself the task of becoming the second Overton to lock up rookie honors with the Outlaws.
“No one has said anything, but I feel like I need to for myself,” Cody Overton said.
He pointed out that during Brandon Overton’s rookie year, there were only two rookies competing.
“I picked a terrible year,” Cody Overton said, cracking a smile.
While the rookie-of-the-year title is on his mind, he hasn’t let himself think about winning races yet. He’s simply hoping to make each race and be competitive.
“I don’t feel like I’m prepared. I guess I’m ready, but I think some of these guys have been racing a long time. They know everything. I don’t know half the stuff they know. I’m just winging it,” Cody Overton said.