By Ben Deatherage
TAYLORSVILLE, Ky. (Apr. 8, 2026) — In a small Kentucky town where the evenings are quiet, the roads are narrow, and neighbors gather around campfires, Dillan Baldwin found his calling long before he could even understand it.
He was just two years old the first time he saw Sprint Cars.
It was the 2011 Kings Royal — a night filled with thunder, speed, and spectacle.
“It was probably a bad decision for my dad,” Baldwin said with a grin. “Because I’ve been hooked ever since.”
From that moment on, the path was set. What started with arrive-and-drive go-karts turned into Champ Karts, then Quarter Midgets, and eventually — with a leap most wouldn’t dare take — straight into Sprint Cars.
No Micro Sprint detour. No gradual easing in. Just full commitment.
“It was definitely a big jump going from five horsepower to almost 500,” he said. “Just a small step, right?”
Now 17 years old, Baldwin has already carved out a name for himself in the RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Car ranks, competing against seasoned veterans while balancing school, work, and the grind of building his own operation.
Early Breakthroughs and Big Wins
At just 14 years old, Baldwin captured the 2023 Kokomo Klash at Kokomo Speedway, a breakout moment that turned heads across the region.
He backed that up in 2024 with a Harvest Cup victory at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt and finished fifth in national IMCA Sprint Car points — a remarkable accomplishment for a driver still early in his career.
Then came 2025 and one of the biggest moments yet.
The $10,000-to-win Kevin Huntley Memorial at Bloomington Speedway brought together a loaded field and a demanding track that required patience and precision. Baldwin entered the night hoping for a top-five finish.
Instead, he found something more.
“We figured if we ran in the top five that would be great,” he said. “But everything started to slow down for me. I could think ahead more and make smarter moves.”
Starting third, he worked his way forward, found a moisture patch others missed, and took control of the race. A late caution set up a restart with one of Indiana’s toughest competitors — Ethan Barrow — right behind him.
“I wasn’t excited to see that yellow,” he admitted. “But I was able to hold on.”
He did — securing the biggest win of his young career. Later that season, he added another Kokomo Klash victory, proving it was no fluke.
Baldwin’s rise hasn’t come from a long family racing résumé.
His father, Donnie, didn’t grow up racing — just a fan who loved the sport. His grandfather, Don, raced, but much of what this team has built has come through learning, trial, and persistence.
“We were kind of going in blind,” Baldwin said. “We talked to a lot of people, and once we realized Sprint Cars were the goal, we just decided to go straight to them.”
That decision shaped everything.
Preparation came from anywhere they could find it — including iRacing, which helped Baldwin understand visuals, car placement, and reaction before ever strapping into the real thing.
“It’s not the same as being in the car,” he said. “But it helps you get comfortable with what you’re seeing.”
On track, the learning curve was steep. Managing throttle, adapting to changing surfaces, and racing in traffic all took time. Now, those lessons are turning into results.
Dillan Baldwin celebrates atop his car after winning the $10,000-to-win Kevin Huntley Memorial on Sept. 5, 2025, at Bloomington Speedway. (Photo by Huntley’s Series)
Life in the Middle of Everything
Taylorsville, a small town just outside of Louisville, sits quietly in the rolling hills of central Kentucky — a place where life moves slower and community still matters.
Founded in 1799 on land once owned by Richard Taylor, the father of future U.S. President Zachary Taylor, the town has deep roots that stretch back to the early days of the frontier. It was formally recorded in 1814 and later became part of newly formed Spencer County in 1824.
Today, with a population of just over 1,200, Taylorsville remains a place shaped by its past — from early settlement days to Civil War history, including the nearby death of notorious Confederate guerrilla leader William Quantrill in 1865.
“It’s peaceful out here,” Baldwin said. “Everyone’s super friendly. When we’re not racing, we have campfires with the neighbors.”
But race weekends are anything but quiet.
To compete regularly, the Baldwins make the trek north into Indiana, often battling traffic just to cross the Ohio River and navigate the Louisville metro area before the real journey begins.
“It can be a traffic jam getting across the river,” he said. “We’ve had to deal with that a time or two.”
Still, their location provides opportunity.
Positioned within reach of several racing regions, Baldwin has the flexibility to branch out — heading to Indiana on a weekly basis while also traveling to places like the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Ohio.
He’s already logged miles in 2026, competing in places like Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina with the Carolina Sprint Tour this spring.
“In Indiana, we’re blessed with some really fun tracks,” he said. “But we want to see more.”
Plans for 2026 include a focus on the Huntley’s Hoosier Winged Sprint Series, along with potential appearances at the RaceSaver Nationals in September, Carolina Sprint Tour events, and Stan Cisar Speedweek in Nebraska.
Three Jobs, One Dream
Away from the track, Baldwin’s schedule doesn’t slow down — if anything, it only gets busier.
He attends Spencer County High School as a junior while also enrolled in the welding program at the Shelby County Area Technology Center, balancing academics with hands-on training that mirrors the work he does in the shop.
At the same time, he runs a growing graphics business, Slick Race Graphics, wrapping more than 20 race cars this year alone — designing, printing, and installing wraps for teams while managing deadlines that don’t always line up with race nights.
“I feel like one person doing three jobs,” he said. “But I’ve figured out a way to get it done.”
That creative side started early — and it still shows up every time he hits the track in the no. 67B.
“For my number, I had a notebook when I was really young where I would draw numbers, wing panels and things like that,” Baldwin said. “I drew 67 and thought it looked cool, so I rolled with it.”
He was around six years old at the time — not thinking about branding or identity, just what stood out.
“It’s served me well so far,” he added. “I like that it’s unique.”
His days are carefully structured.
Homework often gets handled on the bus to vocational school. Afternoons are spent in the shop, where he’s been given the freedom to take on real responsibility — setting up components, working through the rear end, managing tires, and learning the details that make a race car competitive.
When his dad gets home, the two tackle the bigger jobs together.
Evenings might include time in the gym, finishing wrap designs, or troubleshooting equipment for his business — all while preparing for the next race weekend.
“I don’t know how I do it sometimes,” he admitted. “It all kind of feels like a blur.”
But it’s a blur he thrives in.
Because whether he’s in the classroom, the shop, or behind the wheel, everything connects back to the same goal.
“It’s my happy place,” he said. “I enjoy working on these things as much as I enjoy driving them.”
The Spencer County Courthouse stands in downtown Taylorsville, Ky., the hometown of Dillan Baldwin. Built in 1914 and expanded in 1974 with an adjoining former bank building from 1903 (left). (Flickr photo)
Still Climbing
Baldwin is quick to credit those who have helped along the way.
“I want to thank my family — especially my mom, dad, and little brother for traveling every weekend,” he said. “My grandpa Don and my uncle Kenny, too. They’re a big help.”
He also thanks his sponsors including Central Ohio Fabrication, Thank You Veterans, Hanning Racing Components, Backwoods Transport, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Cometic Gasket Inc., Douglass Family of Dairies, Tompkins Custom Machine, Epic Coatings & Blast, Strapinno, Slick Race Graphics, and Winplex for their continued support.
For all he’s already accomplished, Baldwin knows he’s just getting started.
The wins matter. The trophies matter.
But it’s the process — the learning, the travel, the competition — that continues to drive him forward.
Because for a kid who fell in love with Sprint Cars before he could even remember it, this was never just a phase.
It was always the path.
And now, he’s chasing it at full speed.