Mayberry Leads PASS into Next Generation

CHARLOTTE, NC :: Schedule changes and a groundbreaking streaming media deal highlight offseason changes in the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) as the series makes moves to take the series into the next generation.

During the offseason, PASS announced the launch of PASS TV, a pay-per-view video streaming service for select races in the PASS tour.  PASS President Tom Mayberry hopes PASS TV can take the series into the 21^st Century.

“It remains to be seen,” Mayberry said when asked if PASS TV takes the series to the next level.  “Teams that have an interest in the series, family members, or PASS fans in Canada, the Pacific Northwest, or New England or the Southeast, depending on where the race is, PASS TV gives them the opportunity to see races that might have been too far away for the average fan to travel to.  We want PASS TV to be a 21st Century way for fans all over the world to be able to watch our brand of short track action.”

Mayberry was excited about the growth of the series in 2013 and hopes the series will continue to grow in 2014 in terms of fans and car counts.

“The car counts are stable in the North and the South,” Mayberry stated.  “PASS actually had an uptick in 2013 as far as car counts go while some series were struggling.  But, in all of racing, the fan base has got to stabilize or grow, across the board.  I think the quality of cars and drivers that race in PASS is exceptional.”

Mayberry is also excited about the diversity in the PASS tour and bringing new venues in to the series.

“I think reaching out to new venues is always good,” Mayberry explained.  “When you go to a new track and they want to make it there marquee event for the year and are excited and want to promote, it makes you feel good… The cooperation with the promoters has been exceptional already.  Langley (Austin) at Franklin County Speedway and Karen (Tunnell) at Lonesome Pine Raceway, for example, have been very helpful and easy to work with.  They both want these PASS races to be one of their marquee events of the season and we’re excited to see how it turns out for the fans and competitors.”

When asked what race he looks forward to the most, there’s no doubt his answer would be the Oxford 250, PASS’ premier race.

“I went to it as a kid, I raced in it, and last year we were able to resurrect it and have the highest car count of any Super Late Model event in the country,” Mayberry expressed.  “The fact that it has been around now for 41 years and the reputation it’s built, it’s obviously something we’re proud to continue and build on.  But all of our events are major events.  A lot of places that have been successful over the years were made that way because of the cooperation of promoters, fans, and competitors with the series to build big events.  The Easter Bunny has built up as one of the main events in the South.  It’s exciting to see how the events in Quebec have taken off. “

Mayberry was also asked about what races, outside of the Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory, stand out in the PASS South tour.

“Aside from the Easter Bunny 150, the Mason Dixon Meltdown has always been an event racers wanted to win since PASS South started in 2006, no matter where it has been held,” Mayberry remarked.  “The South Boston events have built up every year.  Other than Hickory, we’ve had more races at Orange County than any other track we go to.  It seems like the races there get better and better every year and we get some of the biggest crowds of the whole year at Orange County.  But again, most of the tracks we go to promote our events throughout the year and when we get there, our competitors see just how excited the fans are to have PASS at their track.”

Mayberry’s excited about the 2014 and he should be.  New venues in the south allow the series to reach in to new markets, the Oxford 250 once again lives up to its glory days, streaming video brings fans from all regions closer to the series than ever and the PASS tour stands out not just in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast but also in the Pacific Northwest and in Canada as well.

PASS’ 2014 season begins on Saturday evening with the Fox Carolina 150 at Greenville Pickens Speedway.  The race will be the first race ever streamed on PASS TV.  RACE22.com will also have Live Coverage of the race beginning at 11am on Saturday, March 1^st.