Rain Halts NSS Qualifying This Weekend
Defending Race Champions Set to Preserve Titles While List of Starters Grows
Lexington, NC — This past weekend was scheduled to be a big one in North-South Shootout Qualifying competition. Three of the final remaining qualifying races for the 6th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout were originally scheduled for the weekend of September 27 and 28. But yet another tropical storm pounded the northeast canceling all racing in the region for the duration of the weekend.
The “King of the Mountain” event scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Mountain Speedway were to have carried starting spots for both the Modified and SK-Type Modified portions of the annual North-South Shootout. On Sunday, in Claremont, NH, the Twin State Speedway was set to proudly host the first-ever Ricky Miller Memorial 100 for the True Value Modified Racing Series. The winner of that event would also secure a starting spot for their car owner in the Modified portion of the Shootout.
Both the Sport Mod and Modified events at Mountain Speedway have been rescheduled for next weekend, Saturday, October 4 and 5, respectively. With a busy schedule in New England racing, Twin State Speedway has scheduled their make-up for the event on October 25 and 26, 2008. All three events will remain on the Shootout qualifying race schedule.
The final two qualifying spots in the Modified portion of the 6th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout will be up for grabs on October 25. A northern winner will be decided in the final installment of the Sno ‘n Go All-Star Modified Series at All-Star Speedway in Epping, NH while a southern starter will be determined in the ASA Southern Modified Tour race at Hickory Speedway in Hickory, NC.
Two competitors who do not have to worry about qualifying for the 6th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout include the defending race champions. Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, the two-time and defending champion of the John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout and 2007 SK-Type Modified winner, Jimmy Blewett, removed the first obstacle in their respective title defenses with wins in recent qualifying race wins. Both drivers have expressed their intentions to defend their titles in 2008.
By virtue of his dominating performance in the Race of Champions event as part of Modified Mania at Thompson International Speedway September 7, 2008, owner/driver Hirschman earned a guaranteed starting spot in the field of the North-South Shootout for his family-owned #60. Blewett, who had previously won a guaranteed starting spot in the Modified portion of this year’s event for car owner George Bierce with a victory at Stafford Motor Speedway on August 8, scored a popular victory at Thompson Speedway on August 28th in the 50-lapper for the Sunoco Modifieds to earn long-time car owner Eddie Partridge a spot in the SK-Type potion of the event as well.
A host of other contenders have also secured their place on the starting grid on November 8, 2008 at Concord Motorsport Park. In Southern Modified competition, the highest finishing Southern Modified Tour competitor in NSS history, Brian Loftin, put himself solidly in the field as he prepares to become the first Southern winner of the prestigious event. Loftin earned a guaranteed starting spot for his family owned and operated team with a victory in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour on August 22, 2008 at Caraway Speedway. Loftin is joined by southern ‘bad boy’ Burt Myers, who won on a very emotional night at Ace Speedway to earn his car owner Phillip Smith a spot on the starting grid. Myers took top honors on September 1, 2008 in the ASA Southern Modified Race Tour race dedicated to the memory of Brian Pack.
Myers was not done there. He was victorious in another Modified qualifying race on September 13, 2008 in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour event at Southern National. With Myers already in the field, runner-up Tim Brown was awarded the guaranteed starting spot for his brother, car owner Ben Brown.
Previous Modified qualifiers have included Ronnie Silk (North) and Brian King (South).
The Supermodified contingent, who have their own East-West Supermodified Shootout as part of the John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout have been busy earning guaranteed starting spots of their own. In Supermodified qualifying race action, Englewood Racing Association competitor Nick Haywood earned a guaranteed starting spot in the East-West Supermodified Shootout for his car owner by virtue of his victory on August 30th at Colorado National. Subsequently, because Haywood, the winner of September 6 event also held at Colorado National, had already earned his starting spot, runner-up Tom Adler was awarded the second ERA guaranteed starting spot at this year’s Shootout. On August 31, 2008, owner/driver Doug Didero bested a stellar field of competition at the celebrated Non-Wing Classic at Oswego Speedway to earn a spot on the starting grid for the East-West Supermodified Shootout.
Continuing with the pattern of repeat winners, Chris Perley earned a guaranteed starting spot for his car owner Vic Miller on July 27th with his win in the qualifying race at Sandusky Speedway. He replicated his winning ways defeating young driver Jon McKennedy after a fierce battle in the prestigious All-Star Classic on Saturday, September 13, 2008. (The event was originally scheduled for September 6 but was ultimately postponed due to inclement weather in the form of tropical storm Hanna). Despite settling for the runner-up position to Perley, owner/driver McKennedy was awarded the starting spot on November 8 at Concord Motorsport Park.
Charlie Schultz and Brian Warf had previously earned guaranteed starting positions for their car owners for the East-West Supermodified Shootout.
Aces Doug Coby, Tyler Chadwick, and Henry Stampfl will be joined by the Sport Mod winner at Mountain Speedway as guaranteed starters in the SK-Type Modified portion of the North-South Shootout on November 8, 2008.
The sixth Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout, scheduled for November 7&8, 2008, is 125 laps of green flag racing for the ground-pounding Modifieds that features the best open-wheel drivers from both north and south of the Mason-Dixon Line. For the second year in a row, the ultra-fast Supermodifieds will add an incredible level of intensity with the 50-lap East-West Supermodified Shootout. The SK-type Modifieds have provided their own brand of excitement as part of the festivities with a 50-lapper of their own. The Vintage Modifieds and Street Stocks will also be on hand.
The event is a throwback of sorts with drivers from various tracks and racing organizations joining together for two-days of racing action at one of the fastest half-mile race tracks in the country. Every year, the roster for this annual event reads like a “Who’s Who” of Modified racing.
In 2008, C&C Racing Promotions has extended the annual event to include two nights of racing at the quarter-mile speedway located on the grounds of Concord Motorsport Park; making the event a five-day racing extravaganza. Divisions competing on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 4&5, 2008 include Ford Focus Midgets, Four-Cylinders, Legends and Bandoleros.
The action of the North-South Shootout kicks off on Tuesday, November 4th and Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at the short track. Thursday, November 6, Concord Motorsport Park will host an open practice. On Friday, November 7th, qualifying will be held for all divisions. Time trials will be run for the Tour-Type Modifieds and SK-Type Modifieds followed by heat races for all five of the weekend divisions. The Street Stocks will have their 50-lap feature event on Friday night. The remaining feature events, the ever-popular pit party, and the renowned “Little Shootout” will all take place on Saturday, November 8, 2008. A complete schedule is available online at northsouthshootout.com.
For more information on the John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout, please call 336-250-4383. For more information on the North-South Shootout events being held at the Quarter Mile Track, please contact Chad Kepley at 336-250-4385. Visit the official website for a comprehensive look at the entire 2008 North-South Shootout.
The North-South Shootout and East-West Supermodified Shootout are registered trade marks of C&C Racing Promotions.