Rod Conley Advances
to Fourth in Topless 50 at Ohio Valley!
(April
30, 2022) Rod Conley and the #71R Conley Motorsports,
Inc. (CMI) team entered one lone event over the weekend, as
they ventured to Ohio Valley Speedway in Washington, West Virginia
on Friday night, April 29. An unsanctioned Super Late Model
bout was held and the 'Topless 50' boasted a $5,000 paycheck.
In the roof-less special, Rod stopped the clock eighth fastest
during the qualifying session before running second in his heat
race. The Wheelersburg, Ohio ace then stayed out of trouble
during the 50-lap headliner and ultimately placed fourth at
the checkers behind only victor Tyler Carpenter, Jacob Hawkins,
and Tim Dohm! Complete results from the 'Topless 50' can be
found online by clicking on www.raceovs.com.
(Zach Yost Racing Photography)

"Hot Rod"
Nabs Top Five in Sunday Stop to Sprawling WVMS
(April
25, 2022) The #71R team and driver Rod Conley
competed in a huge three-day weekend from April 22-24 in the
states of Ohio and West Virginia. Things kicked off at Atomic
Speedway in Alma, Ohio, as the World of Outlaws Case Construction
Late Model Series presided over the two-day 'Outlaw Invasion.'
On Friday night during the $10,000 to win opener, Rod unfortunately
just missed out on transferring into the 40-lap feature after
placing eighth in his heat race and fourth in his B-Main. At
Atomic on Saturday evening, Rod finished sixth in his heat race,
third in his B-Main, and sixteenth in the 50-lap finale, which
shelled out a $15,000 paycheck.
The action then quickly shifted to the sprawling
West Virginia Motor Speedway on Sunday for the track's season
opening event. A $10,000 top prize was up for grabs at the Mineral
Wells, West Virginia speedplant. "Hot Rod" ran third
in his heat race to earn the inside of the third row for the
start of the 25-lap feature event. The Wheelersburg, Ohio native
then maintained his position during the course of the contest
and eventually recorded a solid fifth place effort behind only
victor Max Blair, Ryan Montgomery, Devin Moran, and Tyler Carpenter.
Full results from all three weekend races can be found online
at www.woolms.com
and www.wvmotorspeedway.com.
(Zach Yost Racing Photography)

Rod Conley Returns
to Atomic Speedway for Second Event of 2022 Season
(April
3, 2022) Rod Conley, of Wheelersburg, Ohio,
and his #71R team invaded Atomic Speedway in Alma, Ohio on Saturday
evening, April 2 for their second event of the young 2022 campaign.
A solid field of 23 competitors showed up to the 3/8-mile oval
to do battle for the $3,000 top prize.
Rod stopped the clock eleventh quickest overall
during the qualifying session before running third in heat race
action. After starting the 25-lapper from the outside of the
fourth row, "Hot Rod" fought hard for a top ten showing
before winding up fourteenth in the final rundown of the contest.
Complete results from Atomic Speedway can be viewed online by
clicking on www.atomicspeedway.net.
(Flag to Flag Photography)

Brothers Rod and
R.J. Conley Open Up 2022 Campaign at Atomic Speedway
(March
21, 2022) The Conley Motorsports, Inc. (CMI)
teams opened up their 2022 campaign on Sunday, March 20 in the
annual running of the 'Buckeye Spring 50' at Atomic Speedway
in Alma, Ohio. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series rolled into
the 3/8-mile oval to preside over the single-day throwdown and
31 competitors signed into the pit area to vie for the $12,000
winner's check. Rod Conley stopped the clock eleventh fastest
in Group A during the qualifying session prior to placing sixth
in his stacked heat race. After nabbing the fifth transfer spot
through the B-Main, "Hot Rod" was eventually paid
for a nineteenth place performance following fifty green flag
circuits.
His brother R.J. Conley was also in competition
at Atomic Speedway and started off his evening by posting the
ninth quickest lap in Group B despite qualifying on a half flat
Hoosier tire. The Wheelersburg, Ohio native then finished sixth
in his heat race and fourth in his B-Main to earn the outside
of the tenth row for the start of the 50-lapper. R.J. unfortunately
went down a lap early in the contest, but ran some fast laps
at the end of the race and was credited with a seventeenth place
showing in his season opener. Full results from the 'Buckeye
Spring 50' can be viewed online at www.lucasdirt.com.

Hall of Famer Delmas
Conley Unfortunately Passes Away at Age 79
(January
4, 2022) Delmas Conley, the patriarch of the
talented southern Ohio racing clan who won more Super Late Model
races in his 70s than most drivers do in a career, died Tuesday
afternoon, according to team publicist Ryan Delph. The 79-year-old
Wheelersburg, Ohio, resident who owned and operated Conley Trucking
had been hospitalized with cancer since mid-December.
The ageless wonder inducted into the National Dirt Late Model
Hall of Fame in 2003 tallied 561 career feature victories over
seven decades of racing as one of the state's all-time winningest
drivers, scoring numerous track championships and capturing
major events that included the Beckley USA 100 at Beckley (W.Va.)
Motor Speedway, the Southern 100 at his hometown Southern Ohio
Speedway, Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park's Cornett Clash and
Eldora Speedway's Johnny Appleseed Classic.
Conley's famed red No. 71 — his also successful sons Rod Conley
(71R) and R.J. Conley (71C) drove near identical cars for Conley
Motorsports alongside their father at many of the same tracks
— was popular as Dirt Late Model racing moved from the
early to modern era, but he was later even more popular among
older spectators as he became the sport's fastest septuagenarian.
"I never feel like I’m an older guy,” Conley said after a 2012
victory. "Everybody puts a lot of emphasis on age, and age is
a factor, without a doubt, but it’s what you feel and what you
want to do. If I didn’t feel like I could drive a race car,
I wouldn’t get in it. If I didn’t feel like I could be competitive,
I wouldn’t race.”
Conley's career included track championships at Southern Ohio,
Beckley, Atomic, Portsmouth and Checkered Flag Speedway near
Ashland, Ky. He was a nine-time starter of the World 100 (best
finish of seventh in 1991 and '94) and a six-time starter of
the Dirt Track World Championship (best finish of ninth in 1987)
and fourth-place finisher in 1980's Hillbilly 100 at I-79 Speedway
in Shinnston, W.Va. His 561st and final victory came Aug. 7
at Portsmouth.
“I never want to retire," Conley said in the 2012 interview,
adding he arose for work at 5 a.m. daily. "I’m a firm believer
that if you retire and shut it down, you just rust. If I live
to be 80, I want to be going at 80. If I live to be 90, I want
to be doing something at 90. I want to be productive.” (Rick
Schwallie Photo - Story by DirtonDirt.com)

Delmas and R.J.
Conley Diecast Cars Now Available Online!
(October 18, 2021) If
you are a diecast car collector or a fan of Delmas and R.J.
Conley, be sure to view and purchase BRAND NEW stock through
our online store, which is available safely and securely at
www.olddirtshirts.com/collections/delmas-conley!
These 1:24 scale ADC diecast cars are new in box, never been
opened, and have all original packaging. We appreciate your
support of Conley Motorsports, Inc.!
