Since the announcement of the CARS Tour in mid-November 2014 anticipation and hype has engulfed the new short track tour. The combination of both Late Model Stock Car and Super Late Model feature events on the same night at the same facility has truly created a “must see” event for short track facilities across the Carolinas and Virginia. The time for talk will now succumb to roaring engines as the green flag finally flies on the tour’s inaugural race at Southern National on March 28th. Experience at the 4/10 mile track can be found in both divisions, however; a new American Racer tire, a new tour, and close to 60 (sixty) cars expected to compete, the door has been left wide open to be the driver who wins the first ever CARS Tour race for their respected division.
X-1R Lubricants 300 NOTES & QUOTES
NOTES:
Track/Location: Southern National Motorsports Park-Lucama, NC Track Size: .400
Event Name: X-1R Lubricants 300 Laps/Distance: 150/60 miles (each)
Event Schedule: 11AM-1:15PM Practice, 5PM Qualifying, 6PM Last Chance Race, 7PM Green: SLM-LMSC
CARS SLM Tour Pre Entered Drivers: #00 Lucas Ransone, #2 Trevor Noles, #4 Brandon Lynn, #6 Brandon Setzer, #7 Tyler Church, #12 Harrison Burton, #14D Chris Davidson, #16 Lucas Jones, #18 Keil Spaulding, #29 Anderson Bowen, #31 Kyle Grissom, #41 Brandon Johnson, #47 Chris Fontaine, #51 Christopher Bell, #51N Stephen Nasse, #52 Kaz Grala, #54 Matt Craig, #56 Gus Dean, #66 Steve Wallace, #67 Clay Jones, #77 Zane Smith, Nick Robinson
CARS LMSC Tour Pre Entered Drivers: #08 Deac McCaskill, #07 Clint King, #1 Trent Barnes, #2 Myatt Snider, #7 Justin Crider, #12 Ryan Wilson, #16S RD Smith, #17 Stacy Puryear, #18 Bradley McCaskill, #20 Wesley Hawkins, #27 Tommy Lemons Jr, #28 Chris Hudspeth, #31 Thomas Beane, #34 Matt Waltz, #41 Brayton Haws, #42 Craig Stallard, #58 Tyler Ankrum, #59 Roddey Sterling, #82 Christian Eckes, #88 Chris Davis, #88D Doug Barnes Jr, #98 Stefan Parsons, #99 Mike Darne, #12M Austin McDaniel
***Official Entry Deadline Not Until Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 4PM***
Media Coverage:
-Speed51 (speed51.com) will provide LIVE Trackside Now Live Updates
-RACEFEEDX (www.racefeedx.com) – LIVE Pay per View Video Coverage (facebook.com/racefeedx), Instagram (@racefeedx), and Twitter (@racefeedx)
-CARS Tour Facebook (facebook.com/CARSProCup) and Twitter (@X1RProCup)
-Race22 (race22.com) will provide LIVE Twitter Updates
QUOTES:
Movers and Shakers of All Sorts Will Be in Attendance:
How big is this inaugural race? Drivers from as far away as Texas, Wisconsin, and even California are making efforts to be at Southern National. Multi-time champions and major race winners from events like Martinsville’s 300-lapper to the Snowball Derby will, for the first time, be at the same track for the same event. NASCAR Sprint Cup and IndyCar media veteran Matt Weaver, among others in the industry, are leaving Martinsville in order to attend the Southern National CARS Tour race. A lifelong late model fan and general racing purist, Weaver gave his opinion on the event.
“I’ve said from day one that CARS Tour events were going to look and feel like late model all-star races and the early, partial entry list doesn’t disappoint. Where else can you watch Bubba Pollard, Christopher Bell, Steve Wallace, Stacy Compton, Steven Leicht, Deac McCaskill and Tommy Lemons, Jr., among others, on the same night?! Nowhere but the CARS Tour. Southern National Motorsports Park is centrally located to most of the tour’s competitors and, as a result, the X-1R 300 has drawn interest from the best drivers from all over the country, including multiple champions and perennial race winners from across the East Coast. This is the first time that many of these champions will face each other head-to-head. It’s also the first time that many of them will have visited Southern National Motorsports Park — especially on the Super Late Model side. This event has quickly become an equal-footing proving ground that is welcoming the very best our discipline has to offer. I always get excited for any race, but unless I’m dead, I am not missing this one and fans shouldn’t either.”
LIVE Video Coverage All Season Long on carsracingtour.com Through RaceFeedx:
Keeping true to a commitment of utilizing modern technology wherever possible, an agreement was finalized in February to stream all 10 CARS Tour events on CARSRacingTour.com through the RACEFEEDX platform. A veteran and pioneer of motorsports video streaming, RACEFEEDX’s Barry Braun explained how the platform will help fans connect with the tour like never before.
“For any CARS Tour follower, this means you can watch every single lap of the CARS Tour this year through our service; multiple devices such as smartphones, PCs, laptops, whatever you want – you can watch it however you desire during the race. It includes everything, full coverage from the start of qualifying to the final checkered flag through CARSRacingTour.com and RACEFEEDX. As things get rolling in the future, we will continue the launch of RACEFEEDX and add more features throughout the next couple months into the next year. The race streams will even go to various services like Roku, the Xbox, the PS4 and things like that so you really will have access to the entire CARS Tour schedule virtually anywhere. Our tech support and user experience is second to none, so fans can rest assured they are in good hands when viewing races.”
Leveling Expectations:
The CARS Tour X-1R 300 at Southern National is the inaugural race of the CARS Tour, and while the buildup has been abundant it’s no secret that something new needs time to develop into something great. Director of Operations/Marketing, Chris Ragle, explains what the expectation levels are for all involved at the Southern National event on March 28th.
“If you look back a season ago when we were the Pro Cup Series we opened up at the same track about the same time of year and had eight cars. Now flash forward to this upcoming weekend and it looks like we are going to have close to 60. We have been doing everything we can to prepare ourselves for this and what lies ahead for our competitors when the pits open, and the same for the fan when they purchase the ticket to watch the show. However; we have to be honest with ourselves and all involved that there will be mistakes and there will be hiccups just as there is with anything knew. You don’t get a “preseason” or “exhibition” event in this sport. We just ask everyone to stand by us and let’s make it the best possible race weekend we can.”
For more information and to stay up with all the latest news and information about the CARS Tour, featuring both Late Model Stock Car and Super Late Model divisions, visit www.carsracingtour.com or contact the tour’s office directly at 704-662-9212. Stay social with the tour by “liking” the CARS Tour Facebook page and following along on Twitter @CARSTour.
