MOORESVILLE, NC :: The 9th Edition of the Easter Bunny 150, which has become the signature race for Pro All Stars Series South Tour, will see the strongest field of competitors to date. While the car count will not exceed the 50+ that where seen a few years ago, the competition level from top to bottom is quite possibly the best in the Super Late Model racing world.
There is already an entry list of 30 cars registered with more expected on race weekend. Among those is 2-Time and defending race winner Preston Peltier racing in the Hamke Race Cars house car this weekend. Peltier is looking for a rebound after a tough start to the 2014 season, and what better place for the PASS South All-Time Wins leader to return to than Hickory Motor Speedway. Peltier also finished 2nd in the fall race at Hickory in 2013.
Current PASS South points leader, and Hickory native Tyler Church could possibly be the driver to beat this weekend. Church is the most recent winner at Hickory after earning his first career PASS South victory last October in a hard fought battle with Peltier in the Over the Mountain 150. Church would also go on to win the season finale at Southern National Raceway Park in November, and has two top 5’s in the season’s first three events. He is the hottest full-time driver in the PASS South Tour since his initial win.
Defending PASS South Champion Jay Fogleman returns to the series this weekend to try and claim his first Easter Bunny trophy. Fogleman finished 2nd to Peltier in 2010, and 3rd the following year, along with a 3rd here last fall. Although Fogleman is only running a part-time schedule in 2014 to focus on his son Tate’s career, you can never count him out.
Another driver returning to the series this weekend is Daniel “Hotshoe” Hemric. Hemric has competed in two PASS South events in 2014, and won them both using perfectly played tire strategy. Hemric has proven over the past couple of years that he is the driver to beat in any Super Late Model race he enters. Hemric returns to the seat of the famous Carswell Motorsports #98 this weekend.
Then there is the PASS North contingent of drivers that cannot be counted out. North driver Mike Rowe was the inaugural PASS South and Easter Bunny 150 winner in 2006, and his son Ben Rowe won this race in 2009 and is back on the entry list for this weekend. Along with Rowe, the other podium finishers in 2013 D.J. Shaw and Trevor Sanborn are making a return to Hickory to try and take the trophy back up North with them. Joey Doiron, Ryan Moore and Austin Theriault are also part of a strong pack of PASS North drivers that will be threats to take the victory this weekend.
What about a first time winner? Sure there are several potential candidates and a real possibility that the Easter Bunny 150 will see a first time series winner. Second place points driver Cole Timm has been lightning quick this year and has shown tremendous growth in experience and patience in the Super Late Model. Timm would not surprise anyone by being in victory lane following this weekend’s race. Jared Irvan, Harrison Burton, Tyler Dippel, and Trevor Noles have all been competitive and top ten runners in the 2014 season. Of these drivers, Noles has perhaps the best opportunity to claim his first South win as he has one fast-time qualifying run this year, and almost took home the trophy in Orange County finishing a solid 3rd after coming to the checkered flag backwards following the close finish with race winner Roger Lee Newton.
Joining the PASS South Super Late Models this weekend will be the PASS Pro Late Models for a 50 Lap race in what has become a rough take them out racing division this year. The Super Cup Series and the CCS Legend Cars will also be racing this weekend.
For more information on updated entry lists and the event schedule go to www.proallstarsseries.com or “Like” them on Facebook. Race22.com is the exclusive media provider for the Pro All Stars Series and we will be in full force with our crew covering the 9th Annual Easter Bunny 150 this Saturday from legendary Hickory Motor Speedway.
