The 2020 Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour season is winding down as both the Late Model Stock CARS and Super Late Models head to Florence Motor Speedway in Timmonsville, South Carolina for the Aaron’s 250, the penultimate race in the calendar for both divisions.
Many of the Super Late Models will race for the second time in as many weeks after competing in the U.S. Short Track Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway last Saturday night, while the Late Model Stocks return to action after their most recent race at Carteret County Speedway on Sept. 12. Saturday’s race at Florence is the first time either series has raced in South Carolina in over two years.
Layne Riggs became the first repeat winner in the 2020 LMSC season with his victory at Carteret County. Championship contenders Corey Heim and Jared Fryar finished second and third. Riggs now trails Fryar by seven points in the LMSC points.
In the Super Late Models, defending champion Matt Craig leads by 18 points over Sammy Smith. However, Trevor Noles comes into Florence with the most momentum after winning the U.S. Short Track Nationals at Bristol on Sept. 26.
AARON’s 250 NOTES & QUOTES
NOTES:
Track and Location: Florence Motor Speedway — Timmonsville, South Carolina
Length: 0.4 mi (0.643 km)
Laps / Distance: 125 laps / 50 miles / 80.375 km (LMSC & SLM)
Event Schedule:
- Practice: LMSC – 1:00 – 1:30 p.m., 2:10 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.; SLM – 1:35 p.m. – 2:05 p.m., 2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
- Single-Car Qualifying: SLM – 5:15pm; LMSC – 5:45pm
- Race: 7:00 p.m.; SLM (125 laps) followed by LMSC (125 laps)
Media Coverage:
– CARS Tour TV (www.carstour.tv) will have the LIVE race broadcast.
– Speed51 (speed51.com) will provide Trackside Now live coverage.
– Race22 (race22.com) will provide Raceday Live coverage.
– CARS Tour Facebook (facebook.com/CARSTour) / CARS Tour Twitter (@CARSTour) / CARS Tour Instagram (@cars_tour)
Twitter Accounts / Event Hashtag: @CARSTour / @FlorenceMSpdwy / #Aarons250
Super Late Model Entry List (12 total):
| DRIVER: | HOMETOWN: | OWNER: | MAKE | SPONSORS: | |
| 7 | Justin Crider | Statesville, NC | Robin Crider | Chevy | JDS Glass, Service Partners, Metal Roofing Systems |
| 7c | Tyler Church | Concord, NC | Tyler Church | Chevy | Church’s Carpet |
| 11 | Michael Ritch | High Point, NC | Todd Fuquay | Ford | A Better View Glass & Mirror, Piedmont Fasteners, Bar Construction |
| 15 | Mike Hopkins | Hermon, ME | Gary Crooks | Chevy | Port City Racecars, JM Builders |
| 21 | Kris Wright | Mooresville, NC | David Pletcher | Chevy | Chevrolet Driven |
| 22 | Trevor Noles | Fuquay-Varina, NC | Donnie Wilson | Toyota | Noles Cabinets |
| 35 | Carson Kvapil | Mooresville, NC | Travis Kvapil | Chevy | Wehrs Machine |
| 45 | Kodie Conner | Kannapolis, NC | Kodie Conner | Toyota | FK Rod Ends, CRC Industries, Pro Source Fitness, Accent Imaging |
| 49 | Jeff Batten | Nashville, NC | Bobby Batten | Chevy | Batten Ceramic Tile, Digital Repair |
| 51 | Sammy Smith | Johnston, IA | Kyle Busch | Toyota | TMC Transportation |
| 54 | Matt Craig | Kannapolis, NC | Jeff Craig | Chevy | C&C Boiler Sales and Service |
| 57 | Cole Timm | Mooresville, NC | Murray Timm | Chevy |
Late Model Stock Car Entry List (20 total):
| DRIVER: | HOMETOWN: | OWNER: | MAKE: | SPONSORS: | |
| 08 | Justin Johnson | Rougemont, NC | Boyce McCaskill | Chevy | Puryear Tank Lines, Bobby Gregory Welding |
| 1 | Nolan Pope | Harrisonville, MO | Lee Faulk | Chevy | J&P Concrete Pumping, Wiley X |
| 2 | Lee Pulliam | Alton, VA | Lee Pulliam | Chevy | Fremont Properties, Discount Oil Co., Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort |
| 2s | Jonathan Shafer | Ashland, OH | Barry Nelson | Toyota | AutosByNelson.com, ThunderExhaust.com |
| 4 | Jonathan Findley | Bristow, VA | Lee Faulk | Chevy | Lee Faulk Racing and Development |
| 12 | Timothy Peters | Danville, VA | Barry Nelson | Toyota | AutosByNelson.com |
| 14 | Jared Fryar | Trinity, NC | Jimmy Mooring | Ford | Sterling Building Group, Asphalt Services, ADI/PDM |
| 16 | Chad McCumbee | Ocean Isle Beach, NC | Robert Elliott | Ford | Elliott Properties, Heritage Transportation |
| 19 | Deac McCaskill | Raleigh, NC | Marcus Richmond | Toyota | Puryear Tank Lines |
| 19c | Jessica Cann | Thomasville, NC | Bill Petroff | Ford | Black Acid Apparel, American Sign Craft, Davis Performance |
| 22 | Bobby McCarty | Kernersville, NC | Barry Nelson | Toyota | Autos By Nelson, Solid Rock Carriers |
| 51 | Chris Chapman | Stony Point, NC | Wendell Davis | Chevy | Solid Rock Carriers, Davis Farms, Lazy Gators Hemp Farm |
| 63 | Tyler Matthews | Beulaville, NC | Steve Matthews | Toyota | Dorwarts Garage |
| 74 | Ronald Hill | Rougemont, NC | Ronald Hill | Chevy | Gardner Marsh, Mincey’s Graphics |
| 78 | Corey Heim | Marietta, GA | Lee Pulliam | Chevy | Lee Pulliam Performance |
| 81 | Mini Tyrrell | Manassas, VA | Timmy Tyrrell Racing | Chevy | Mini T’s Fastest Grease in the East |
| 88 | Connor Mosack | Mooresville, NC | Jr. Motorsports | Chevy | Nic Taylor Custom Fit Underwear |
| 95 | Matt Cox | Longs, SC | Robert Elliott | Ford | Aaron’s Sales & Lease, Elliott Properties, Renegade Performance |
| 99 | Layne Riggs | Bahama, NC | Scott Riggs | Ford | Puryear Tank Lines, Romeo Guest Construction |
| 99s | Austin Somero | Taylors, SC | Ted Somero | Chevy | Fila Farms, Ted Cook Heating Service |
QUOTES:
Matt Cox chasing first win at Florence
Matt Cox is one of only two drivers from South Carolina competing in the CARS Tour and the veteran driver is hoping to score his first career victory in the series on home soil.
“It would mean a lot to win,” Cox said. “We have run the whole series this year. The CARS Tour is the premier Late Model Stock Car series right now. Week in and week out, the absolute best in LMSC racing are running it. Anytime you win against a high-caliber field like the CARS Tour has, it is really special. To win so close to home would make it mean even more.”
Despite being from South Carolina and racing many years at the now-defunct Myrtle Beach Speedway, Cox has never competed at Florence Motor Speedway.
“I never saw the place until we tested there two weeks ago,” Cox said. “It is a different place than a lot of the other tracks we have run at. When we tested there, it was not quite what I was expecting. It was a little bit tougher to get a grasp on the racetrack than I thought it would be. It was not as easy as I thought.”
Cox will be in a different car, one out of Chad McCumbee’s stable, and will run a different number after his primary car was torn up in an accident at Carteret County Speedway. That race was the latest in a string of poor results that has seen Cox only score one top-10 finish in 2020. He hopes to turn that around on Saturday night.
“We have had okay speed, but we also have had a lot of bad luck,” Cox said. “We have been in some unfortunate situations. We got caught up in a wreck at Southern National, broke a shock at Hickory running sixth with 15 to go, had a good run going at Franklin County and I got in the fence and knocked the rear-end out. It has been downhill from there. Hopefully, we will be able to put something together and have a good run at Florence. The entire team has been working really hard to get better and find a little extra speed.”
Noles confident after Bristol victory
Trevor Noles picked up his second career Super Late Model victory in the CARS tour in the U.S. Short Track Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night. He now hopes to build off that momentum with back-to-back CARS Tour wins.
“I have a lot of confidence going into Florence,” Noles said. “I’m hoping to make it two-for-two this weekend. I know the guys at Donnie Wilson Motorsports have been working really hard to prepare fast Rowdy machines. Jeremy Upchurch has given me a great motor. We’ll see if we can build on momentum from Bristol and carry it onto Florence.”
Noles’ victory on Saturday night was one of the biggest of his career. Prior to that, his only victory in the CARS Tour came at Orange County Speedway in the 2019 edition of the Mid-Atlantic Classic.
“It meant the world to me, my family and everyone at Donnie Wilson Motorsports to win at Bristol,” Noles said. “I told myself I wanted to win at Bristol if I didn’t win any others. Donnie Wilson Motorsports has given me great cars off the truck every weekend and I just try to do my part. They have done their part and they deserve more wins than they have got. We will try to go two-for-two at Florence.”
CARS Tour Policies to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 Continue
The CARS Tour’s COVID-19 policies will continue to be in effect for this weekend’s race at Florence Motor Speedway. They include (but are not limited to) the following:
- All personnel will have their temperature screened before entering the race track.
- Driver Intros will not be held amongst the crowd, per usual; instead, drivers will be introduced from their cars on the grid.
- Trailers will be spread out across the infield to maintain proper social distancing.
- Spotters will be required to wear masks during the race.
- Masks will be strongly recommended for those who are in the infield and required for all Victory Lane celebrations.
About the CARS Tour
The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour is one of the premier short track series in the United States. Drivers compete in Late Model Stock Cars and Super Late Models at the best short tracks across the Carolinas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. The CARS Tour can be found on Facebook at “CARS Tour”, on Twitter @CARSTour, and on Instagram as @CARS_Tour. For more information, visit www.carsracingtour.com or call their Mooresville, N.C. offices at 704.662.9212. All races of the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour are streamed LIVE on CARSTour.TV.
