Remembering Scott Bloomquist: Dirt racing legend killed in Tennessee plane crash

The most impactful driver in the history of late model dirt car racing died Friday morning.

Scott Bloomquist, the rock star figure who became a larger-than-life icon in the sport, was struck when he crashed his personal airplane on the outskirts of his family property in Tennessee.  

To put it simply, Scott Bloomquist was dirt racing. He barnstormed around the country in his late model for over 40 years, earning a legendary reputation at tracks from rural Upstate New York to the sunny Southern California racing scene in which he hailed from. 

The son of an Air Cal pilot, Bloomquist grew up in Riverside County. He raced all around Southern California as a teen and into his early twenties, dominating at his home track in Corona while also making a name for himself at tracks like the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico.

Bloomquist was a nearly untouchable force on the track in his prime, but it was his unmistakable personality and charm that made him a beloved cult-like figure to race fans across the country. 

He had his fair share of haters too. His trailblazing attitude and relentless style almost demanded it. But whether you loved “Black Sunshine” or you hated him, when he was on the track you always knew you were going to get one hell of a show.

“The image that most people have of dirt racers is exactly what Bloomquist isn't,” Chris Blair wrote in 1991. “He looks more like a rock star than a racer. His long hair, flashy clothes and an army of groupies that follow him to and from each event contrast with the average racer who drives a pickup truck and listens to Hank Williams Jr.”

“Bloomquist prefers to cruise the town in his Porsche and listen to new-wave rock 'n' roll.”

The interview, featured in an edition of Stock Car Racing Magazine, was shared by popular NASCAR historian @nascarman_rr on X. It succinctly captured the impact of dirt racing’s biggest personality. 

"Many say Scott Bloomquist has changed dirt racing the same way Tim Richmond changed Winston Cup racing, by breaking the mold and going against tradition,” Blair wrote. “He's a little brash, a whole lot different, and he's on his way to the top.”

American racing legend Rick Mast shared an emotional tribute of his own, touching on a quote from Kyle Petty after Dale Earnhardt’s death at the 2001 Daytona 500.

“I’ll never forget what (Petty) said when we lost Dale Sr.,” Mast wrote. ‘Earnhardt was our cowboy and cowboys aren’t supposed to die.’ Dirt track racing lost their cowboy.”

Those were two of the most touching tributes, but the entire racing community came out in force to pay respects to the man who became synonymous with late model dirt racing. 

Drivers including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Kyle Busch all shared emotional posts in the wake of Bloomquist’s passing.

“Thought about Bloomquist all day,” Dale Jr. wrote. “Still don’t have it straight. I do know he lived life his own way. It was great to interview him. Regret I didn’t get to decades ago. What a run.”

Beyond his personality, his accomplishments on the track were innumerable.

He was the 2004 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Champion, he was a three time champion in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, as well as a four time champion the Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Late Model Series.

He won all of the biggest events in dirt racing a number of times. He was an eight time winner at the Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway in Ohio. He also won the World 100 and the Blue-Gray 100 four times each. 

Bloomquist was inducted to the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2002, 18 years before he won his final race at Pennsylvania’s Thunder Mountain Speedway in September 2020. He even made a start in the NASCAR Truck Series, running in the 2013 “Mudsummer Classic” dirt race at Eldora. 

In a venue full of NASCAR’s future stars, it was Bloomquist who stood out as the legendary race car driver in the room and one that even NASCAR’s biggest names were a bit starstruck by. After his passing on Monday, the tributes shared by these drivers exemplified how tight-knit the national racing community is.

“Scott was one of a kind,” Jimmie Johnson said on X. “He earned the respect of racers nationwide, including mine. He will be missed.”

“What he could do behind the wheel of a racecar was matched by the ingenuity he put into building his racecars,” Tony Stewart wrote. “He was a force on the track and off, with a personality as big as his list of accomplishments. He made dirt racing better with a presence that will be greatly missed.”

Scott Bloomquist is survived by his daughter, Ariel. He was 60 years old.