CHARLOTTE, NC :: Heading into this weekend’s 11th Annual North-South Shootout, Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Model points leaders Jay Fogleman and Kyle Grissom both come to Caraway Speedway with lots of optimism, but differing goals. Fogleman’s win in last year’s North-South Shootout helped propel him to the 2012 PASS National Championship and Grissom has two wins in his last three PASS South starts at Caraway.
This year has seen the PASS South championship fight once again come down to Fogleman and Grissom with two races left, but unlike last year, Grissom is the one pursuing Fogleman. After a strong start to the season that saw Grissom win at Myrtle Beach Speedway and Caraway, the defending PASS South Super Late Model champion has struggled and has fallen 76 points behind Fogleman. He’s finished no higher than 9th in the last three races. And, Grissom failed to finish at Southern National in August due to a mechanical problem and most recently at Orange County due to a crash while racing for the lead with less than 15 laps to go. With more PASS South wins at Caraway Speedway than any other driver, Grissom knows any chance to repeat as champion relies on nothing less than a win in the North-South Shootout.
“We’ve taken the whole car apart to try and figure out what’s going on and haven’t found anything major yet, so hopefully we can get it figured out for Caraway,” said Grissom. “Caraway is a track that you’ve really got to hit your marks every lap and be consistent. It fits my driving style and we’re looking forward to hopefully getting things turned around there.”
While Grissom has struggled through the summer and early fall, Fogleman has been on a consistent march towards his first PASS South title. The Durham, NC veteran has finished no lower than third in the last three races and scored a popular win at his home track, the Orange County Speedway. After barely missing out on the title the last two years to Ryan Blaney and Grissom, Fogleman looks to have his best shot yet heading to Caraway this weekend and the season ending Mason Dixon Meltdown on November 23rd. And, with 13-year-old son Tate’s racing taking more of a priority moving forward, Fogleman knows that this year is likely his last chance to win that elusive PASS South championship.
“It’s been easier this year honestly because I’ve been spending so much time working on Tate’s stuff that I haven’t had time to think about it,” says Fogleman. “It’s been hard the last two years because we’ve lost the PASS South points right at the end of the year. To be that close the last two years and with this being my last run for a championship, I want to get the South and the National done. Caraway and Southern National are good tracks for us. All we can do is keep doing what we’re doing and hopefully we can end up winning this deal.”
While Fogleman and Grissom look to close in on a championship, they will be faced with field of hungry competitors looking for a win in the prestigious North-South Shootout. Gus Dean returns to PASS South competition this weekend in the potent #2 out of the Coulter Motorsports shops. Justin Allison, Bobby Measmer, Jr., Randy Gentry, and Kyle Moon also return and look to build on their strong runs at Caraway in May. John Batten and Jody Measamer will also be in competition in the hopes of backing up top 5 runs at Orange County, while Rodney Brooks and Bill Catania look to get their entries back up front. The North will once again be well represented in this Civil War on Wheels by 4-time PASS North champion Ben Rowe, Massachusetts’ Kyle Desouza, and New York’s David Russell. Short track veteran Lee Tissot steps behind the wheel of Jimmy Doyle’s familiar #71, while rookie Ashely Rogero steps into the Hamke Race Cars house car and hopes to join fellow rookies Joseph Mursuli and Karl Weber near the front of the field.
Entry forms and the complete weekend schedule for both 11th Annual North-South Shootout at Caraway Speedway and the 8th Annual Mason Dixon Meltdown at Southern National Motorsports Park can be found at ProAllStarsSeries.com.
Action gets under way on Friday, November 8th for the North-South Shootout at Caraway Speedway with practice and qualifying for the PASS South Super Late Models that afternoon. On Saturday, November 9th, racing will start at 2 PM featuring 150 laps for the PASS South Super Late Models, 125 laps for the Tour-type Modifieds, 50 laps for Southern Modified Lite, 25 laps for Legends, and 50 lappers for the Limited Late Models and Late Model Supertrucks.
Two weeks later on November 23rd, the PASS South and PASS National Champions will be crowned at Southern National Motorsports Park as part of the 8th Annual Mason Dixon Meltdown, which will also feature the Must See Xtreme Racing Winged Sprint Cars, PASS Pro Late Models, and Mini Cups.
