World Crown 300 Adding Another Chapter to History Books on Saturday

Saturday's Cohen Law Group World Crown 300 presented by Noland's Roofing at Cordele Motor Speedway continues a proud tradition for one of the marquee events in Super Late Model racing.

The World Crown 300 returned after a 10-year hiatus in 2024 at Cordele, with Michael Hinde scoring the win in the event's comeback. It was the first running of the World Crown since the closing of Gresham Motorsports Park following the 2014 season.

Dick Trickle won the inaugural World Crown in 1983 at Gresham, then known as Georgia International Speedway. At the time, Trickle considered the win one of the biggest of his career, as the Wisconsin driver made the trek south and beat some of the best short track racers in the country and took home $50,000.

Since then, a prestigious list of drivers have joined Trickle as World Crown winners. In 1986 and 1987, NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Darrell Waltrip became the first back-to-back winner of the event. At the time, the World Crown was part of the NASCAR All-American Challenge Series. Rich Bickle joined Waltrip as a back-to-back winner of the event in 1990 and 1992, and Paul Kelley matched the feat in 2006 and 2007.

Kelley holds the record in the event for wins, with four World Crown victories. Kelley also won the event in 2001 and 2009. Short-track racing greats Freddie Query and Bobby Gill are two-time World Crown winners. The late Bobby Gill won in 1993 and 1997, while Query won in 1996 and 1999. Other all-time legends of short track racing who don the list of World Crown winners include the likes of Gary Balough, Mike Eddy, Casey Roderick and Ronnie Sanders.

Chase Elliott won the event in 2012 during his rise up the ladder as a young Late Model racer. The World Crown 300 victory joined wins in the Snowball Derby and Winchester 400 triumph on Elliott's list of crown jewel wins at the time, all before his 17th birthday.

Part of the World Crown's legacy will be celebrated before the start of Saturday's contest. Jim Gresham, the owner of Gresham Motorsports Park from 2009 until its closure in 2014, is serving as grand marshal for this year's World Crown 300.

READ MORE: Jim Gresham Named Grand Marshal for Cohen Law Group World Crown 300 Presented by Noland’s Roofing

Following a brief attempt to return racing to Gresham in 2020 with the Peach State Classic, the track was sold and would no longer be used as a racing facility. The World Crown was reborn last year at Cordele, and continues this year with a stout field of Super Late Model competitors expected.

Who will join the list of World Crown winners this Saturday? Purchase your advance tickets now at CordeleMotorSpeedway.com or watch live this Saturday on RacingAmerica.TV.

-Racing America Photo

World Crown 300 Winners