34 Cars Entered for $30k in CARS Tour Finale at Greenville

The 2020 Late Model Stock Car season for the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour concludes this weekend with the year’s highest-paying LMSC race in the United States — the Heritage Transportation Risk Management Old North State Nationals presented by GXS Wraps at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, in Easley, South Carolina.

Paying $30,000-to-win, the second running of the Heritage Transportation Risk Management Old North State Nationals presented by GXS Wraps has 34 cars entered, while the 2020 Late Model Stock Car champion of the CARS Tour will also be crowned. Jared Fryar enters the race with a 15-point advantage over Layne Riggs, but both drivers will be fighting for victory over the best drivers in Late Model Stock Car racing, including Josh Berry, Mike Looney and Jeff Fultz.

The Heritage Transportation Risk Management Old North State Nationals presented by GXS Wraps was originally scheduled to be held at Orange County Speedway in April before being pushed back and eventually relocated due to the Phase 2 and Phase 3 policies of the State of North Carolina’s “Safer at Home” program. Lee Pulliam won the inaugural Old North State Nationals one year ago.

This weekend’s program is the only one this season to be spread out over two days. Old North State Nationals weekend begins on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET with the Qualifying Races presented by GXS Wraps. Drivers will compete in four races and a Last Chance Qualifier to set the field for the 200-lap feature, which runs on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET. Following Saturday night’s racing, Tyler Hatley & The Little Mountain Band will perform at the track to close out the evening. Admission to the concert is free with a grandstand ticket or pit pass.

HERITAGE TRANSPORTATION RISK MANAGEMENT OLD NORTH STATE NATIONALS PRESENTED BY GXS WRAPS NOTES & QUOTES

NOTES:

Track and Location: Greenville-Pickens Speedway — Easley, South Carolina
Length: 0.500 mi (0.805 km)
Laps / Distance:

1. Qualifying Races: 25 laps / 12.50 mi / 20.125 km
2. Last Chance Qualifier: 25 laps / 12.50 mi / 20.125 km
3. Feature: 200 laps / 100 mi / 161 km

Event Schedule:

1. Saturday
   • Practice: 12:45 – 1:15 p.m., 1:30-2:00 p.m., special Qualifying Run Practice Session from 2:30-2:45 p.m.
   • Gates open: 4:30 p.m.
   • Qualifying: 5:30 p.m.
   • Old North State Nationals Qualifying Races pres. by GXS Wraps: 7:15 p.m.; four Qualifying Races (25 laps) followed by one Last Chance Qualifier (25 laps)
2. Sunday
   • Gates open: 12:00 p.m.
   • Windshield Deep Pre-Race Show: 1:00 p.m.
   • Driver Introductions: 2:00 p.m.
   • Pre-Race Ceremonies: 2:45 p.m.
   • Heritage Transportation Old North State Nationals pres. by GXS Wraps: 3:00 p.m. (200 laps)

Media Coverage:

• CARS Tour TV (www.carstour.tv) will have the LIVE race broadcast.
• Windshield Deep (www.facebook.com/WindshieldDeep) will have live pre-race and post-race shows on-site.
• 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 / @GP_Speedway / #OldNorthStateNationals

Late Model Stock Car Entry List (34 total):

QUOTES:

Jared Fryar poised to clinch championship

If Jared Fryar finishes eighth or better, he will become the first driver to win both a Late Model Stock Car championship and a Super Late Model championship in the CARS Tour.

Fryar won the Super Late Model title in 2018 and has led the Late Model Stock Car points throughout much of the 2020 season. Now, he’s hoping to seal the deal on Sunday in the biggest race of the year.

“It’s nerve-racking leading the points and also going into the biggest race of the season with the most cars and some locals,” Fryar said. “We have a lot on the line to win and it will be harder than ever before to accomplish both goals, but we have a strong enough team to do it.”

Fryar, who is part of the Lucas Oil Touring 12, has backed up his victory at Franklin County Speedway in August with seven top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes through nine races in 2020. His average finish through those races is 4.4.

Consistency has been the road Fryar has traveled this season, much like his championship triumph in the 2018 CARS Super Late Model Tour season. That year, Fryar won the title off the back of four top-fives and seven top-10s. If he can seal the deal on Sunday and clinch the championship, it will be a career-defining moment.

“It would mean my whole racing career to me, my dad, and everyone who helped us accomplish great seasons in both divisions,” Fryar continued. “I feel like these CARS Tour championships are hard to come by, because it’s about being good  over a 10-race schedule, not just a couple of good runs.”

Josh Berry returns to CARS Tour action

After laying claim to the 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National Championship on Sunday at Southern National Motorsports Park, former CARS Tour LMSC Champion Josh Berry is back, with his sights set on the $30,000 prize going to Sunday’s race winner.

His appearance in the Old North State Nationals will be his first since Ace Speedway in June.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to Greenville-Pickens Speedway,” Berry said. “We’re gonna prepare.  I’m going to have a lot on my plate this week but we’re going to do our best to get prepared and see what we have Friday when we get there.”

In NAAPWS competition, Berry has had a phenomenal season with 24 wins — but he has not won in either of his two Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour starts this year.  A victory in the Old North State Nationals would not only be his first CARS Tour win since South Boston last November and 19th in his CARS Tour career, it would also be his richest achievement since winning the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway last September.

“If I was able to win that race on top of everything else we’ve done this year, I think I could probably just hang it up there because it’s not going to be any better,” Berry continued. “We’re going to give it our best shot. It will be a tough race. A lot of great competition there, but I feel like we have as good a shot as anybody.”

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 Greenville-Pickens 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. The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour is streamed LIVE on CARSTour.TV.