03/25/2026
๐ผ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ก 10๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ค๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐ข๐ข๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐๐ข๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง
On April 10th, Ohio Valley Speedway will have the honor of hosting a truly special night of racing โ the Inaugural Tommy Dickson Memorial featuring the Gladiator Sprint Tour.
This event means more than just laps on the track. It is a tribute to a man whose legacy, passion, and impact continue to be felt throughout the racing community.
We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Dickson family for entrusting us with the privilege of honoring Tommyโs memory in such a meaningful way. It is something we do not take lightly, and we are committed to making this event a fitting tribute to his life and legacy.
We encourage everyone to take a moment to read the heartfelt tribute put together by Scott Wolfe. It beautifully captures the story, the passion, and the lasting impression Tommy Dickson left on so many.
Tommy Dickson. Marietta, Ohio was one of the Ohio Valley's greatest open wheel sprint car drivers, following in the footsteps of his legendary racing brother and multi-time USAC champion Larry Dickson. Although Larry made it to the big time, many believed that Tommy was the smoothest and most talented of the racing Dickson brothers. Dominating the competition locally with his start at the Ohio Valley Speedway in Lubeck, West Virginia, Tommy began to branch out into regional battles, and made a quick rise onto the national scene.
Not only was Tommy Dickson a great driver, but he was a great person. Tommy was a friend to many. Although soft-spoken, Tommy was admired by his fans and peers, yet had that fight in his chromosomes that made him a fierce competitor and a winner. Tommy's legacy was carried on by his son Chris Dickson, who was a tough competitor in the modified division, before venturing out to start his Dickson Racing Shock DRS business.
Tommy was best known for his success in winged sprint cars driving a couple versions of the family #0 and the #21 sprint car. As Tommy honed his talents at the local bullrings, he took a big jump toward stardom, when the family purchased the #10 Trevis Chassis from Lou Blaney and the Crash brothers, the iconic car that became the famous red, white and blue #0 with the word "Zero" overlayed across the number--The DiReCo Special. DiReCo the acronym for the family's business, the Dickson Rendering Company in Marietta.
Tommy was one of several racing brothers, most notably the younger brother of USAC legend and Hall of Famer Larry Dickson and brother Paul who was one of the local favorites and also a hard charger. Paul was badly injured and retired from driving, but was a common fixture at area tracks until his passing. Brother Richard never drove but was at nearly every race as a top supporter to his brothers.
With the new Trevis car came more victories, including one weekend, where Tommy made a clean sweep locally with wins at Ohio Valley, Skyline, and Hilltop. He simultaneously held the track records at Skyline and Atomic Speedway. His smooth style and hard-on-the gas driving style proved to be an asset in qualifying, a trait that often put him up front when feature time came.
Dickson was a respected regional competitor who won numerous races across Ohio and West Virginia. As more wins came, the local family team began to travel more to areas with 'stiffer' competition. Tommy was not intimidated. He placed well in races, frequently competing and winning at legendary venues such as Eldora, Millstream, Lima, Mansfield, Fremont, Atomic, Ohio Valley, and Skyline. He also had success with wins in Western Pennsylvania, and earned rides outside of the family car with stints with the United Racing Club (URC) and United States Auto Club (USAC), where brother Larry offered his tutelage.
Fans and car owners took notice. In 1970, he drove the Long Brothers #55 machine a few times. This premier ride, was a car previously campaigned by his brother Larry and was considered a Cadillac of sprint cars. More rides came, but the ride that appeared to rocket Tommy to national acclaim was the Marsh Stables car from Northern Ohio. The team clicked right off the bat with wins across the Midwest, and great runs during the winter months in Florida. In a dominant 1974 season with Marsh, Dickson won the Track Championships at 3 tracks-- Eldora, Millstream, and Limaland.
Dickson's driving career was reportedly "cut short" following a serious accident at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio in 1975. The racing trade papers cited that his career was over. The crash resulted in severe injuries, including the loss of an eye, But the story didn't end there. After being sidelined for a while, the retirement was cut short as Dickson got the itch to climb back into the cockpit. Several opportunities developed, and the next thing you know Tommy Dickson was back on the track in the Chuck Brown #99--the Charlie Brown Sprinter
Despite Tommy's eye injury, the team enjoyed success right out of the gate with several heat wins and several nice feature runs. Numerous feature wins were cut short with engine problems that plagued the team much of that first season. Tommy eventually won a few feature races in the 99, but he re-emerged in the spotlight, when Brown gained sponsorship with Renoโs Auto Parts and a new car; a Maxwell-built car previously driven by Jan Opperman and George Harbour.
The #77 was a first-class ride and Tommy gave it some first-class finishes, posting several wins and making feature events with the All-Stars and World of Outlaws. This included several starts in Eldora's Kings Royal. In the mid-1980s, Tommy transitioned to a team owner/driver role in the USAC Silver Crown Series, fielding a car #73 with Max Britton.
April 10th will be more than a race โ it will be a night of remembrance, respect, and celebration. We invite all fans, teams, and supporters to join us as we come together to honor a legacy that will forever be part of Ohio Valley Speedway.
