CARS Tour Event Preview powered by KRC Power Steering: CSX Play It Safe 250 pres. by MMIA – Southern National Motorsports Park
CARS Tour Event Preview powered by KRC Power Steering: CSX Play It Safe 250 pres. by MMIA – Southern National Motorsports Park
3PM – November 12, 2016
MOORESVILLE, NC (November 8, 2016): The CARS Tour will visit Eastern North Carolina for the second time this season as they close out the 2016 season at Southern National Motorsports Park in Lucama, North Carolina. Fans at the 4/10thmile track saw Deac McCaskill dominate the Late Model Stock race and then Quin Houff outduel 2015 tour champion Cole Timm in the Super Late Models to score his second career CARS Tour victory to kick off the year. Now it’s the same guy by the name of McCaskill that could be crowned the 2016 Late Model Stock champion; while its French-Canadian sensation Raphael Lessard who has all but wrapped up his Super Late Model championship in his rookie season with the tour, that all eyes will be on this weekend. Despite those championship implications on the line, multiple drivers that are local to the Southern National race track, hope they can steal a win at their home track before the CARS Tour goes dormant at the Motorsports Park in 2017. One major factor for all involved this weekend could be the special VP Racing adhesive the CARS Tour officials will be spraying in the second and third lane with hopes to produce a wider racing grove than normal at the 4/10 mile track.
CSX Play it Safe 250 pres. by MMIA NOTES & QUOTES
NOTES:
Track/Location: Southern National Motorsports Park-Lucama, NC
Track Size: .400-mile
Event Name: CSX Play It Safe 250 pres. by MMIA
Laps/Distance: 125/50 miles
Event Schedule: 10AM-11:35AM Practice, 1:15PM Qualifying, 3PM Green: LMSC-SLM
Twitter Handle/Event Hashtag: @CARSTour / @SNM_Park/ #playitsafe250
CARS SLM Tour Pre Entered Drivers: #01 Jake Crum, #2 Garrett Archer, #6 Brandon Setzer, #14 Jared Fryar, #16 Lucas Jones, #16M Vinnie Miller, #17B Tanner Berryhill, #21 Mike Darne, #28 Jared Irvan, #49 Jeff Batten, #54 Matt Craig, #54G Todd Gilliland, #56 Gus Dean, #67 Clay Jones, #97 Chase Purdy, #98 Cole Timm, #98M Jody Measamer, #99 Raphael Lessard (18 total)
CARS LMSC Tour Pre Entered Drivers: #08 Deac McCaskill, #1 Christian Eckes, #1M Craig Moore, #9 Bruce Anderson, #11 Jeff Oakley, #16S RD Smith, #17 Stacy Puryear, #24D Mason Diaz, #27 Tommy Lemons Jr, #28 Chris Hudspeth, #42 Craig Stallard, #74 Ronald Hill, #81 Adam Murry, #88 Chris Davis, #88B Josh Berry, #99 Layne Riggs (16 total)
***Official Entry Deadline: Tuesday, November 8, 2016 at 4PM***
Media Coverage:
-Speed51 (speed51.com) will provide Trackside Now Live Updates
-RACEFEEDX (www.racefeedx.com) – LIVE Pay per View Video Coverage
-CARS Tour Facebook (facebook.com/CARSTour) and Twitter (@CARSTour
QUOTES:
Multi Groove Racing at Southern National:
It’s no secret that the preferred groove around the 4/10thmile Southern National Motorsports Park is right along the bottom with competitors left side tire glued to the white line that separates the banking from the apron. There’s a chance that could change this weekend. Officials from the CARS Tour will spray a VP Racing adhesive product to the second and third groove in all four turns with hopes of widening the racing groove for Saturday afternoon’s race. The change could mix things up for competitors, but it could make for some exciting racing for the fans.
“This weekend’s championship race at Southern National should be a good one for sure. We’re spraying the track on Thursday with hopes of having the top grooves of the track come in where guys can race top to bottom. It will be down for Friday’s test session so if guys will go up there I think we’ll see rubber start to build which is the key to getting this product to work. If that happens the fans could be in for one of the best races we’ve had at Southern National.” Chris Ragle – CARS Tour Director of Operations
Opportunity Knocking:
Reigning CARS Tour champion Cole Timm will be behind the wheel of a different ride than he was a year ago when he picked up the first ever CARS Tour Super Late Model victory at Southern National in April 2015. Through a partnership between David Gilliland Racing and Toyota Racing Development, Timm will pilot the #97 I Brake For Trains Toyota in Saturday night’s 125 lap Super Late Model portion of the event. According to Timm the opportunity to step into a car that he knows he can win in, having done so earlier this season at Tri County, is very rewarding.
“I’m very thankful to have this opportunity with David Gilliland Racing and Toyota Racing Development this weekend at Southern National. The DGR guys have had fast cars week in and week out, so I feel like we’ll definitely have a shot at the win which makes you feel pretty good headed into the weekend. They are a high caliber race team and I’m just grateful to be behind the wheel of the I Brake For Trains #97 Toyota Saturdaynight. Hopefully we can have a repeat of the Tri-County race in June.” – #97 Cole Timm – I Brake For Trains Toyota Super Late Model
A Campaign for Cause for CSX:
This weekend’s CARS Tour race at Southern National is sponsored by CSX Transportation through their “Play It Safe” initiative to bring public awareness to the importance of staying safe around trains and railroad tracks. Since 2007, CSX has supported safety outreach through partnerships with NASCAR. Growing the initiative with the CARS Tour is an ideal fit to reach the Eastern North Carolina region, an area heavy with railroad tracks and trains.
“At CSX, safety is a way of life, and it’s even one of our Core Values. Our goal for today is to help spread the safety message and promote safe practices for drivers and pedestrians around the railroad. It may be a race to see who finishes first at today’s event – but when you’re near trains and tracks take the time to be safe.” — Sandra Sea, Manager Community Affairs and Safety, CSX
For more information and to stay up with all the latest news and information about the CARS Tour, featuring both Late Model Stock Car and Super Late Model divisions, visitwww.carsracingtour.com or contact the tour’s office directly at 704-662-9212. Stay social with the tour by “liking” the CARS Tour Facebook page and following along on Twitter @CARSTour.
Sources: Chris Ragle/CARS Tour PR