Todd Gilliland was fastest in final practice for the Championship Auto Racing Series (CARS) Late Model Stock Tour season opener at Southern National Motorsports Park.

Gilliland’s 15.592 second lap was quick enough to top four-time Southern National Motorsports Park track champion Jamey Caudill and his 15.603 second lap.  Myatt Snider, who scored a victory at Southern National last summer and finished second in track points, was third on the charts while defending Autumn Classic winner Brayton Haws was fourth and sophomore driver Tyler Ankrum was fifth.

Gilliland has prior experience at Southern National.  He finished second in the Autumn Classic to Brayton Haws last November.

Former Hickory Motor Speedway track chapion Austin McDaniel, who paced the first practice session, was sixth in the final practice session while Jeff Oakley was seventh.  Former Old Dominion Speedway track champion Mike Darne, who won two races at Southern National last summer was eighth.  Clint King almost missed the race because his uniform, helmet and shoes were stolen from his hotel last night, but he is able to race today and was ninth in final practice.  The top-10 was rounded out by former Caraway Speedway track champion Ryan Wilson was 10th.

Final practice session times

1. ‪#‎98G‬ Todd Gilliland – 15.592
2. #50 Jamey Caudill – 15.603
3. #2 Myatt Snider – 15.620
4. #41 Brayton Haws – 15.743
5. #58 Tyler Ankrum – 15.762
6. ‪#‎12M‬ Austin McDaniel – 15.775
7. #16 Jeff Oakley – 15.780
8. #99 Mike Darne – 15.781
9. #07 Clint King – 15.795
10. #12 Ryan Wilson – 15.797
11. #08 Deac McCaskill – 15.799
12. #17 Stacy Puryear – 15.807
13. #44 Justin Johnson – 15.812
14. #60 Stacy Compton – 15.812
15. #31 Thomas Beane – 15.813
16. #1 Trent Barnes – 15.827
17. #7 Justin Crider – 15.828
18. #27 Tommy Lemons, Jr. – 15.830
19. ‪#‎1T‬ Tyler Dipple – 15.846
20. #54 Michael Fose – 15.848
21. #16 R.D. Smith – 15.849
22. #82 Christian Eckes – 15.851
23. #98 Stefan Parsons – 15.858
24. ‪#‎88D‬ Doug Barnes – 15.864
25. #77 Blake Stallings – 15.879
26. #34 Matt Waltz – 15.918
27. #18 Bradley McCaskill – 15.934
28. ‪#‎12C‬ Garrett Campbell – 15.936
29. ‪#‎88T‬ Robert Tyler – 15.937
30. #59 Roddey Sterling – 15.954
31. #28 Chris Hudspeth – 16.003
32. #42 Craig Stallard – 16.077
33. #23 Donnie Puryear, Jr. – 16.144
34. ‪#‎5B‬ Brian Barnhill – 16.215
35. #20 Wesley Hawkins – 16.322
36. ‪#‎23R‬ Payton Ryan – 16.495