Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected] — @langleyaustin
Copper Hill, VA(December 13, 2011) — Things have been a little quiet since the final checkered flag fell on the 2011 Late Model Stock Car season at Myrtle Beach Speedway, but it might just be the calm before the storm.
As the 2011 was winding down at Myrtle Beach with Garrett Campbell taking the win over the stout field in what becomes more and more of a chess match each year on the old coastal South Carolina track, other race tracks and series throughout the area were busy working on 2012. Soon after we all packed up and headed back to our homes from our time at “the beach”, the PASS South Super Late Model Series released their 2012 schedule and Concord and Motor Mile Speedway followed suit within three days.
South Boston Speedway had already released their schedule around their season finale as they do every year and while at Martinsville Speedway for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300, track manager, Cathy Rice also announced that the season ending big race would be the 2012 season opening race paying $10,000 to win on March 10th. Rumors are bounding now about a big race the week before South Boston on March 3rd at a track that’s layed dormant for the last few years, but nothing official has been released from Southern National Motorsports Park.
With South Boston moving their date to the spring due to a schedule change at Martinsville that puts the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 later than usual in the fall of 2012, it could set off a chain of other tracks doing the same thing, giving us a big race season at the beginning of the season like we saw in this region not too many years ago. It will certainly give Late Model Stock Car racing a little buzz heading into the 2012 season after one of the most lack-luster seasons of racing in the divisions 29 year history with single drivers dominating most all of the regions tracks and touring series.
The season as a whole might not have been what us Late Model Stock Car enthusiast had expected, but over the next few weeks RACE22.com is going to bring you the “Best of 2011”. A series of articles that will feature the best crashes, best races, best paint schemes, best performances, best rivalries, best moments, best finishes, best rookies and the best drivers.
Plus, we’ll have championship stories from many of the tracks, state and series champions as we can get done and whatever else we come up with between now and then, so be sure to keep an eye on RACE22.com for the next few weeks as we say goodbye to 2011 and usher in the 2012 season. Be sure to catch us on Facebook and let us know what you think the best of 2011 was at your home track!
