Concord, NC — There have been a few guys that have become synonymous with the PASS South Super Late Model Series. Just a few names have made every single start since the inception on the series in 2006. One of those is Concord, North Carolina’s Preston Peltier.
Peltier has quite a track record in his PASS South career. In 13 races, Peltier has earned three top-fives, six top-10s and a series-leading five poles. But that doesn’t quite tell the whole story. If there was a category for “near wins,” Peltier would easily have a number that closely matches the 13 PASS South races he has run.
As the series heads to Hickory Motor Speedway on September 29th, Peltier will be looking to break his 2008 “runner up” curse and grab his first PASS South victory.
“We’ve been pretty close at just about every race this year,” said Peltier. “When Corey (Williams) has been beating me, he’s been doing a better job at saving his tires. At Orange County, I think I did a better job at saving my tires and had him covered, but we couldn’t’ finish the race. Since then, I think Corey saw what I did and took it to the next level. He’s just done a better job at saving his tires.
“I had a good car at Lanier. I felt he (Williams) and I were the class of the field and it was going to come down to us at the end. But he just did a little better job at saving his tires, so he had a little extra when it was time to go.”
In the last three races, Peltier has been right there. He was leading at Orange County when he broke a suspension part in the front that sent him into the wall. Then, in the next two races (Peach State and Lanier), Peltier came home second.
He hopes to change that luck at Hickory.
“We’ve been close. Everything is in order; the car is in good shape, I’m in good shape. I feel pretty good everywhere we go. From now on, it will be just how circumstances play out.
“I like Hickory and I think we’ll have a good shot there. It’s a little rough, but that makes for good racing. The track is old and slick. It’s one of those places that are similar to Lanier other than it’s really rough and bumpy. It will be so much more critical to manage tires there. That is what I’ve struggled with in the past. I can be fast anywhere we go, but I have a problem of being fast at lap 100 or lap 125. We are getting that figured out. I’ve learned to save my stuff and be there at the end.”
In addition to the PASS South Super Late Models, the Hickory 150 event will also feature races for both the Allison Legacy Series and Hickory Motor Speedway’s Street Stocks. The Street Stock event will be 50 laps and pay $500 to win. This race will be run under Hickory Motor Speedway 2007 Street Stocks Rules (can be found at www.hickorymotorspeedway.com) and overseen by Hickory Motor Speedway Tech Officials.
“We are excited to have our Street Stocks paired with the PASS South Super Late Models,” said Hickory Motor Speedway Track Promoter Sherry Clifton. “We are expecting most of our regular drivers and a bunch of guys from some of our neighboring tracks to show up for the race. It really should be a big draw. We’re expecting 2007 track champion Kevin Eby, Jeff Sparks, Gary Ledbetter Jr and the legendary Marshall Sutton to all show up as well. With the level of competition we see here in the Street Stock division for one of our weekly shows, we can only imagine what this race will be like.”
Gates open for the 150-lap event on Saturday, September 29th, at 10am, with tech beginning at 10:30am. Qualifying is set to begin at 4pm with heat races beginning at 6pm. There will be an open practice on Friday. Gates will open at 1, with rotating practice from 3-6pm.
For more information on the PASS South Series, contact Jeremy Troiano at (704) 788–2134 and be sure to visit www.racewithpass.com for all your PASS South news. For technical and rules information on the entire PASS tours, contact Scott Reed at (207) 625-3230.
Sources: Jeremy Trojano/PASS South PR