Southern SLM Drivers Express Interest in Running CARS Tour

PENSACOLA, FL :: Several teams at the Snowball Derby this past weekend expressed an interest in competing in the new CARS Tour next season, citing the higher purses and procedure for the sanctioning body previously called the Pro Cup Series.

Pro Cup officially restructured last month, abandoning the Pro Car in lieu of two different divisions — one for Late Model Stock Cars and the other for straight-rail Super Late Models. Both divisions will race on the same night, each turning 150 laps.

The appeal for Super Late Model teams is a $5,500 prize for winning with a minimum check of at least $550. The concept of a four-tire 150 lap-race has also proven to be wildly popular, at least in the pits over the weekend at Five Flags Speedway.

Mike Garvey has spent the past two seasons competing in the Southern Super Series, finishing third in the inaugural standings back in 2013. Increasingly unhappy with the direction of the series, Garvey and team owner Tracy Goodson have started to look at other options, including CARS and the ARCA Racing Series.

“We’re looking at ARCA and we’re looking at some other stuff also,” Garvey said. “It just depends. We have a lot of people talking to us. There could be a bunch of big changes or not — but we’re definitely going to do some ARCA races and we really like what those CARS guys are doing too — four tires and more money.”

The Southern Super Series is definitely not on the agenda however.

“We won’t do the Southern Super Series,” he added. “If we do any of their races, it will be just (at Pensacola) because of the Snowball. The other races, we’re not going to do. We didn’t do them this year and we don’t plan on doing it next year.

“It’s not a series first of all. It’s just a few of us going to different tracks. So I mean it has the right intentions but something has to happen with it. It’s not a series because it doesn’t pay good enough to travel and they want us to change tires and bring pit crews for some of the races and what it costs to run, it’s not feasible.”

Bubba Pollard is the defending champion of the series and is the all-time wins leader after its first two seasons. He plans to return in 2015 to defend his championship but agrees that CARS is doing a lot of racer-friendly things and believes that the SSS should consider adopting them.

“I definitely like what (the CARS Series) appears to be doing,” Pollard said. “I hope the Southern Super Series makes it and they do well. I’m going to support it to the best of my ability. I want to see racing grow and grow in this area but there is a good chance and that we’re going to do a lot of those (CARS) races.

“It’s four tires and more money. That’s saving money.”

Pollard believes the key for the future of short track racing lies in young people. He is frequently seen signing autographs and entertaining children and says money will return to Late Model racing if younger people begin to take an interest in the discipline.

“It’s funny how things change and evolve,” Pollard said. “The economy was so much better in the 90’s and there were more races but we’re paying the same we did back then. A race like the Snowball Derby should pay more than $20,000. For the atmosphere here and all that goes on — it’s a prestigious race — this race needs to pay at least $30,000 or more.

“The tracks and series need to come together and understand why no one is coming and running these races anymore. Everything has gone up but the promoters are paying the same things they were paying in the 90’s and early 2000’s — trying to save that money and greedy, I guess.”

Casey Roderick intended to chase the Southern Super Series championship in 2014 after winning the season-opening Rattler 250 but a dispute with race director Dan Spence during the summer at Pensacola led to him and Graham Motorsports sitting out and cherry-picking select events. That has since been smoothed over and Graham is considering both the SSS and CARS.

“We’re looking at doing the Southern Super Series again,” Roderick said. “But we’re going to keep an eye on how this CARS Tour is going to turn out — the new Pro Cup. I really like the scheme of things they have planned with four tires and 150 laps.

“I think a lot of people appreciate that and I think the Southern Super Series should do the same thing. We shouldn’t have to change two tires for 50 laps. I think CARS is going to be a good series.”