The ‘Little Charlotte’ of the Midwest - Grow Your Bulk Freight Business - Expert Insights & Trucking News

The ‘Little Charlotte’ of the Midwest

In this high-energy episode of the BulkLoads Podcast, race car driver Dalton Cloyd joins host Jared Flinn to share the story behind his dirt-track racing career and its deep roots in the trucking and agriculture community. Dalton, a second-generation racer from Fairgrove, Missourionce nicknamed Little Charlotte for its racing heritagetalks about how his father introduced him to motorsports and taught him everything from chassis work to engine building. Viewers get an inside look at the life of a part-time racer balancing work, shop time, and travel across the Four-State Dirt Late Model Series. Dalton opens up about the financial and mechanical challenges of the sport, from building $50,000 race cars to running on limited resources while competing against top-tier equipment. The conversation also dives into the tight-knit community surrounding grassroots racing, the legacy of drivers like Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray, and why so many in the trucking industry race so they can drive fast on weekends. This episode resonates with BulkLoads members who invest in their passions and pass down values of hard work, grit, and family tradition. Whether you're a motorsports enthusiast, a bulk hauler, or a sponsor looking to support the next generation of racers, this story highlights the powerful connection between trucking and racing.