Bo Miller Acquires Ararat BullRing -  Inaugural “Working Man Dirt Nationals” set for October 25th
By Julian Austin
October 15th, 2025

 

Ararat, VA — October 15, 2025 — The future of one of Southwest Virginia’s favorite bullrings is secure. Bo Miller, owner of Miller Brothers Racing, has officially purchased Ararat BullRing in Ararat, Virginia. Racing will continue for the rest of the 2025 season under the continued leadership of promoter Langley Austin, beginning with a brand-new event — the Working Man Dirt Nationals, set for Saturday, October 25th.

This special event will celebrate the blue-collar backbone of local racing, showcasing the Pro4, Stock4, Crown Vic, Enduro, and Vintage Racer divisions — the same grassroots racers who fill the pits and thrill the fans all season long.

“I fell in love with Ararat BullRing at first sight during open practice back in April,” said Bo Miller, new owner of the facility. “I wanted to help secure its future for generations to come. Don’t expect a lot of changes because we love the place just the way it is, but we’ll make subtle improvements and work to make the track even better for racers and fans.”

Miller’s connection to racing runs deep. As the owner of Miller Brothers Racing, he has fielded cars for his son Carder Miller, who has competed in both regional and national dirt late model events. With Carder now focusing on his family and career, Bo is turning his attention to preserving and improving local grassroots racing for the next generation.

Under Miller’s ownership, Langley Austin will remain the track promoter, continuing his successful leadership that brought Ararat BullRing roaring back to life in 2025.

“I’ve enjoyed this track first as a fan and now as its promoter,” said Langley Austin. “I can’t thank former owners Gary and Alesia Nester enough for allowing me to lease it for 2025, and I’m thrilled to work with Bo going forward. We put this place back on the map this season, and with Bo’s ownership, we’re going to make it a destination track in 2026 and beyond. His investment will help us upgrade equipment, improve facilities, and keep all the things that make this track great.”

Adding to the leadership team, Kimberly Austin will continue in her role as Race Director for both Ararat BullRing and Oak Level Raceway. She has earned praise for her professionalism and dedication throughout the 2025 season, helping ensure smooth race nights and fair competition for every driver.

Miller also recently purchased Oak Level Raceway in Bassett, VA — a once-forgotten facility that had become overgrown and inactive. Under Miller’s ownership and Austin’s direction, Oak Level Raceway is being fully revived and will reopen in 2026, complementing Ararat BullRing’s growing reputation as one of the region’s most exciting dirt tracks.

“We’ve come a long way at Oak Level Raceway, and Langley and his wife Kimberly have made magic happen at Ararat BullRing this season,” said Miller. “We’re going to step that up another notch next year. There won’t be two better places to race or watch racing in 2026. We’re also going to work with other area tracks — it’s important that we all pull together and make the local dirt track scene stronger than it’s ever been.”

The 2025 season at Ararat BullRing will conclude with two major events — the Stock4 World Championship and the Dirty Turkey Derby, both scheduled for November, wrapping up a landmark year for the track.

Looking ahead to 2026, both Ararat BullRing and Oak Level Raceway will feature a full schedule of grassroots racing, including similar divisions and staple events that fans have already embraced — ensuring that these two venues will stand as the heartbeat of the local racing scene in Southwest Virginia.

“There are bigger and nicer facilities around,” said Austin, “but these two tracks are going to be the heartbeat of the local racing scene in Southwest Virginia. They’ll represent everything that’s right about small-town, big-passion short track racing.”

Event Details:

Working Man Dirt Nationals
📍 Ararat BullRing – Ararat, VA
🗓 Saturday, October 25, 2025
🏁 Featuring Pro4, Stock4, Crown Vics, Enduros, and Vintage Racers

About Bo Miller

Owner of Miller Brothers Racing, Bo Miller has been involved in regional and national dirt late model racing for years, fielding cars for his son Carder Miller. His mission now is to grow and sustain the local racing scene through his ownership of both Ararat BullRing and Oak Level Raceway.

About Langley & Kimberly Austin

Langley Austin, founder of RACE22.com, Pit Chatter Media, and The BullRing Banter Podcast, has been a key figure in short track racing for over two decades. After years of promoting asphalt events at Franklin County Speedway, he transitioned to dirt promotion at Ararat BullRing, where he and his wife Kimberly, the track’s Race Director, have helped spark a dirt racing revival across the region.

Media Contact:
📧 langley@araratbullring.com
🌐 www.AraratBullRing.com
🌐 www.OakLevelRaceway.com
📍 Ararat BullRing – 119 Puckett Lane, Ararat, VA

North Carolina to Protect the Right to Race. Governor allows House Bill 926 to become law.
By Julian Austin
October 3rd, 2025
The scene at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina during Easter Weekend Photo by Julian Austin
Racetracks all across North Carolina received a boost on Wednesday as Governor Josh Stein allowed House Bill 926 to become law. What this will do is preserve North Carolina's motorsports scene which has come under fire with nuisance complaints. 

The bill includes the Protect the Right to Race which was spearheaded by Rep. Allen Chesser. This protects racetracks from "nuisance actions made by surrounding property owners who arrived on the scene after a motorsports facility legally established development rights, permits and approvals to begin construction and operate.
In a statement provided by The Specialty Equipment  Market Association (SEMA) and its Performance Racing Industry subsidiary (PRI), “Few places in the U.S. capture the spirit of motorsports like North Carolina, and Gov. Josh Stein has cemented his legacy as a champion of racing by allowing HB 926 to become law,” said Michael Good, president of Performance Racing Industry. “Too often our vibrant motorsports community finds itself playing defense against opportunistic residents and developers who see racetracks as ripe for exploitation, rather than appreciating and respecting the positive benefits such facilities offer to the surrounding community. SEMA and PRI thank Rep. Allen Chesser, who affirmed his race fan bonafides by standing up for local tracks and the enthusiasts who enjoy them and helping push these protections into the final stretch.”
Cory Pack poses in victory lane at Ace Speedway in North Carolina. Under new laws, the track will be able to field off nuisance complaints per law. Photo by Julian Austin.
Essentially, this means that if you buy a house near a racetrack and start complaining about the noise coming from the track, you cannot sue.

This is great news for racetrack owners and promoters in the state.  Most of them operate on a smaller budget and limited resources while working tirelessly to provide a place for racers to compete and for families to enjoy a night of entertainment in spite of rising costs all around. Racetracks especially at the grass roots level are vital for auto racing to continue to thrive and spark that love affair for speed and cars.