CHARLOTTE, NC :: For second generation racer Harrison Burton, this Saturday night’s 150 lapper at South Boston Speedway for the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Model has special meaning.  It will be the first time the younger Burton has ever competed at the speedway that helped make his father, Jeff, and uncle, Ward, famous.  Although Harrison lives in Huntersville, NC, it is not lost on him what South Boston Speedway has meant to the Burton family.

“South Boston Speedway is where my family started racing stock cars and it’s definitely got a lot of history for us,” said Burton, driver of the Dex Imaging/Morton Builders/Cessna #12 Chevrolet.  “I can’t wait to add to that history and possibly get a PASS win there.”

After starting out in Go Karts, both Jeff Burton and his older brother, Ward, graduated to stock car racing at their hometown track, South Boston Speedway.  The Burton brothers both enjoyed success at South Boston in the Late Model Stock car ranks and eventually moved on to compete in Busch Series events there in the early 1990s.  The Burtons have left an indelible mark on the Virginia racing scene and both Jeff and Ward have been honored with grandstands named for them at South Boston Speedway.

This year, Harrison Burton has been able to compete at places like Hickory Motor Speedway and Orange County Speedway, leading laps and establishing himself as a top contender whenever he races a PASS South Super Late Model.  Like Hickory and Orange County, Burton feels a sense of pride competing at tracks, South Boston included, that his dad honed his driving talent at as he rose through the ranks.

“I feel more excitement than pressure racing at places that my dad started out at,” said Burton.  “Just to run the same laps that he ran and feel the same track that he felt, it’s a really cool experience for me.”

Burton joins a long list of drivers following in their father’s footsteps competing in PASS.  Throughout the years, Ben Rowe, DJ Shaw, Jared Irvan, Brandon Setzer, and Tate Fogleman have all got to experience many of the same feelings Harrison Burton currently is as he seeks his first PASS South Super Late Model win.  With each passing week, Burton looks to be getting closer to that win, hoping this weekend at South Boston might provide some of the magic his family has felt there through the years.  But, despite his father and uncle’s success at South Boston, its older cousin, Jeb, who actually has more experience on the current 4/10 mile configuration.

“He’ll certainly be able to provide me with some pointers and I’ll get on the phone with Jeb if he can’t be there and talk to him about it,” said Burton.  “I definitely have a lot of mentors to help me out this weekend.”

PASS South points leader Tyler Church and championship contenders Cole Timm and Jared Irvan lead the list of drivers currently pre-entered for this weekend’s action at South Boston Speedway.  Brandon Setzer will be looking for another strong run following a third place finish at Ace Speedway and a second place run at Southern National.  Jared Fryar returns after his strong showing a few weeks ago at Ace Speedway along with veterans Tate Fogleman and Clete Caywood, who finished fourth at South Boston last August.  Virginia’s Tanner Rumburg will also be back as he competes at a track he has seen great success in while competing in the Modified ranks.

Action gets under way on Friday, June 6th at South Boston Speedway with rotating practice for all divisions from 10 AM – 4 PM.  On Saturday, June 7th,   practice will start at 2 PM, followed by qualifying at 4:45 PM and racing slated to start at 7 PM.  The PASS South Super Late Models will race for 150 laps, along with a Twin 25s for the Limited Sportsman, 30 laps for Pure Stock, and 25 laps for the Legends.

PASS South Super Late Model entry forms for this weekend’s action at South Boston Speedway can be found at ProAllStarsSeries.com.