The first ever CARS Tour race in 2015 at Southern National featured 36 cars with some of the top names in the region competing. Fast forward to the upcoming Do The Dew 150 on March 10th at Tri-County Motor Speedway, and all indications show that the 2018 season opener could outdo that inaugural event.
Headlining the list of early pre-entries are defending CARS Tour champion Josh Berry driving for JR Motorsports, 2016 CARS Tour champion Deac McCaskill, and making his CARS Tour debut, four-time and defending NASCAR All American champion Lee Pulliam. The Semora, NC driver has never raced at the Hudson, NC track but is looking forward to the challenge and competing on the CARS Tour circuit.
“I’m really excited to be making my CARS Tour debut at Tri-County. The last time I raced a CARS race, was 2013 when it was still the Pro Cup cars, that race was $10,000 to win and I ended up in victory lane, so it would be nice to pick up where I left off,” noted Pulliam. “I’ve never raced at Tri-County but have watched some videos and I’m really looking forward to getting on track there. It seems to be a place that has multiple grooves, which as a racer you really enjoy because it allows you to move around throughout the race to find speed and fix any handling problems you might have in your car. With a limited schedule this year, I’ve got a lot of emphasis on this race and making it our goal to end up in victory lane at a CARS Tour race.”
Plenty of local flare will be in attendance as well led by Touring 12 driver Charlie Watson from nearby Lenoir, NC. Thomas Beane (Hudson), Dexter Canipe Jr. (Claremont), and part-time NASCAR Truck Series competitor Landon Huffman (Claremont) will look to keep the $10,000 winner’s check close to home. All three drivers have never won a CARS Tour race, but out of all the expected in attendance, these three drivers will have the most experience around the Caldwell County 4/10th mile track.
Ronald Hill, Craig Moore, Justin Johnson, Ty Gibbs, and 2017 CARS LMSC Tour points runner-up Layne Riggs, are just a handful of the Touring 12 drivers that will kick off their attempt at putting their name on the Bob Brooks Memorial championship trophy at season’s end. Fresh-faced Touring 12 drivers Brandon Pierce, Grayson Cullather, Cody Haskins, Bradley McCaskill, and Sam Mayer will also be a welcome sight to the series this season. The five drivers have just fifteen combined CARS Tour starts among them when they roll through the tunnel at Tri-County.
In addition to the Late Model Stock race, a 75 lap Limited Late Model race is expected to draw a large field as well. The race will pay $13,100 in prize money with $2,500 going to the winner. Limited teams wanting to compete in the event can enter online in advance via the CARS Tour website www.carsracingtour.com. Entry fee for the LLM race is $100 if submitted online by 4pm on March 6th. An additional late fee of $50 will be added to all entries past the pre-entry deadline period.
The event schedule and tickets are on sale now at www.carsracingtour.com. Fans planning on attending the event need to bring their Mtn Dew products to the gate the day of the race for $3 off general admission tickets. Additional discounts on general admission tickets, Mtn Dew four packs (4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 tickets: $60), and Pepsi Park It (2 tickets, 1 parking spot: $45) trackside parking spots are also available online only.
For additional information on the CARS Late Model Stock Tour and the CARS Super Late Model Tour visit www.carsracingtour.com. Be sure to stay active and social with the tour by liking “CARS Tour” on Facebook, following @CARSTour on Twitter, and scrolling through photos on Instagram cars_tour. Additional series information can be obtained by calling the CARS Tour series office, located in Mooresville, NC, at 704.662.9212.
