Tom Pistone is an accomplished racer and a successful businessman and he’s now hoping to be a successful race promoter.  Now at the helm of the Southeast Limited Late Model (SELLM) tour as the series promoter, Pistone has leased Tri-County Speedway in Hudson, North Carolina for five races to give the series an expanded schedule at one of racing’s most exciting tracks.

Pistone, 44, has won multiple championships in the Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway and has also raced in the Southeast Limited Late Model Series where he has finished second in races at Tri-County Speedway and at Myrtle Beach Speedway.

“I was going to call this Limited Late Model All-Stars and then right before I announced everything,” Pistone said.  “I have the reigns to the Southeast Limited Late Model thing so I did the site, I have the Facebook page and since it has the name, I see it being a better thing than having a one-off five race thing myself.”

Pistone has a three year deal with Tri-County Speedway and, if things work out, he could expand the series to even more venues in future years.

“I’m going to do those five races this year and I have a verbal to do two more years at Tri-County,” Pistone said.  “With it being successful, I’d look at taking it to some other tracks but it would be a deal where I rent the track out instead of bringing the show to them.  I like the idea of renting the track out myself.”

Being a racer himself, Pistone thinks his presence can instill confidence with the racers and the teams.

“That’s why I want to run the show myself because I want it to be consistent,” Pistone explained.  “I’m taking it from the racer perspective to keep the racer happy instead of just being bullheaded and thinking how it’s been done in the past is the right way.  They’re our customers and I do whatever I can do keep the customers happy.”

Pistone has been eager to become a race promoter for some time.  After selling Performancenter Racing Warehouse several years ago, he had an agreement to lease Tri-County Speedway with Larry Ransone and Ray Short but the deal fell apart at the last minute.  Pistone said this is something he’s thought about for years.

“I’m real excited,” Pistone remarked.  “I paid attention over the years to things I liked and things I thought could be improved on so I hope to roll out of the gate with a flawless package the first race.  I’ll have good people with me so it won’t be a learnig curve and the first race should be as good as the last race.”

While other sports leagues and racing series start up expecting some bumps along the road in their first season, Pistone expects the season to start off smooth and run flawlessly.

“Honestly, it better be flawless.  I can’t handle the weather but I’ve got my t’s crossed and my i’s dotted.  There won’t be a lot of standing around.  You won’t camp out at the track.  We’ll come, practice, qualify and race and still have time to have dinner and not go home at 2am.”

The Southeast Limited Late Model Series will kick off at Tri-County on May 16th.  The series will run four other races at Tri-County on July 25th, August 22nd, October 10th and October 31st.  In addition to those races, the series will race at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, North Carolina on September 26th and Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina on November 14th.

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2015 Southeast Limited Late Model Series schedule

May 16th: Tri-County Speedway (Hudson, North Carolina)
July 25th: Tri-County Speedway (Hudson, North Carolina)
August 22nd: Tri-County Speedway (Hudson, North Carolina)
September 26th: Caraway Speedway (Sophia, North Carolina)
October 10th: Tri-County Speedway (Hudson, North Carolina)
October 31st: Tri-County Speedway (Hudson, North Carolina)
November 14th: Myrtle Beach Speedway (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)