After many years of success in stock-bodied classes, Ricky Greene jumped into the late model world this season. He scored his first late model victory last Sunday during the American All-Star Series Presented by PPM Racing Products event at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia. However, what made Greene’s three-year-old son, Luke, even more excited was getting his picture taken with second-place finisher Logan Roberson.
“For some reason, ever since he could talk, he always talked about a No. 7 late model,” Greene, 28, of Newton, North Carolina, said. “Then, it was a blue No. 7 late model.”
Last Christmas, Greene and his wife, Ashley, looked for a die-cast car that fit Luke’s description. The closest one they could find was the No. 17 of Logan Roberson. (For more on Roberson, read, “Logan Roberson: A Man With a Plan”.)
“He carries the little [die-cast car of Roberson’s] everywhere,” said Greene. “I tried to get Luke to get a picture with [Logan]. He always said, ‘Next day, Daddy.’
“[Before the event at Wythe Raceway,] I said [to Luke], ‘Look, Logan’s going to be there — you’re taking a picture with him.’
“He said, ‘Logan Roberson?’
“I said, ‘Yeah.’
“He said, ‘Okay, I’ll take a picture with him.’”
Little did Ricky Greene know that he would take that snapshot after winning his first late model race.
“Logan was second,” Greene said. “I asked Logan if he would take a picture with Luke. The only way [Luke] would take a picture was if I was in it. So, we both got our picture taken with Logan.”
It’s a moment that the father and son will always remember.
“Logan probably used to be his favorite late model driver until I started driving one, and now Logan’s his second favorite,” said Greene. “My father-in-law joked that when we were putting the car together that we should make it blue and put a seven on it. But, I don’t really care for blue. So, Luke didn’t get a blue No. 7 late model that his daddy drives. Maybe when he’s big enough to have one, he can drive the blue No. 7 late model.”
Logan Roberson will look to extend his 80-point lead over second-place Zach Sise when the American All-Star Series Presented by PPM Racing Products returns to action next week. They’ll visit Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia, on Friday, September 17. The following day, Saturday, September 18, the series heads to Crossville Speedway in Tennessee.
Outside Groove Note of Transparency: Outside Groove is a sponsor of the American All-Star Series. The American All-Star Series paid for the production of this article. The content was not subject to the approval of the American All-Star Series.
The Outside Groove Executive Editor has covered motorsports since 2000. His many awards include the 2019 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Jim Hunter Writer of the Year and the 2013 Russ Catlin Award for Excellence in Motorsports Journalism.
