A Florida short track that once sat closed is preparing to host one of the country’s most recognizable Late Model racing tours.
The Freedom Factory in Bradenton, formerly known as DeSoto Speedway, will host the zMAX CARS Tour’s 2027 season opener on February 6. It marks the series’ first visit to Florida and the latest step in the facility’s return to traditional short-track competition.
DeSoto Speedway previously hosted regional and national touring series, including the ASA National Tour and NASCAR Southeast Series. Financial difficulties eventually forced the facility to close in 2018 before automotive YouTuber Cleetus McFarland purchased it in 2020.
McFarland initially focused on automotive entertainment, building events around Ford Crown Victorias, burnouts, and other unconventional competitions. But traditional stock car racing has gradually returned, including the Bill Bigley Sr. Memorial 128 and UARA Super Late Model events.
The CARS Tour announcement represents another step in that transition. Both the Late Model Stock Car and Pro Late Model divisions will compete on the three-eighths-mile asphalt oval, with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, and McFarland among the drivers expected to participate.
The event also takes the CARS Tour farther south than ever before, expanding its reach beyond its traditional southeastern racing markets.
At a time when other short tracks are struggling with operating costs and uncertain futures, the Freedom Factory offers an example of how a historic facility can find new uses while bringing competitive racing back to its original surface.
The CARS Tour season opener is scheduled for February 6, 2027, with coverage on FloRacing.