CHARLOTTE, NC (June 30 2008) – Entering Thursday’s running of the 3rd Annual Firecracker 125 at Greenville-Pickens (SC) Speedway, the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Models are in the midst of the most competitive season in the series’ three year history. Through the first five races, there has not been a repeat winner. Corey Williams was the winner at Hickory (NC) in April and each of the next four drivers to win races were first time winners: Perry Brown at Watermelon Capital (GA), Zach Stroupe at Motor Mile (VA), Trevor Sanborn at Orange County (NC), and Alex Haase at Wake County (NC). Furthermore, the top four drivers in PASS South points are only separated by 32 points. Included among those four drivers is second place point man Heath Hindman, still searching for his first win of 2008.
“I feel like we’ve had one or two get away from us this year,” said Hindman, who calls Signal Mountain, TN home. “I think we could’ve won, but we’ve either waited too long to go or were just a little bit off. We were faster than [Haase] at Wake County, but we needed a caution to catch up with him and just never got it.”
2007 was a real breakthrough season for Hindman and his 3 Stooges Racing team. After starting the year out as a relative unknown to PASS South competition, Hindman closed out 2007 as a favorite to win in every race. Heath finished the season fourth in points with a win at Hickory in September and five top ten finishes. However, last year’s Howler 150 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway was not one of the brighter moments for Hindman and his team as they struggled to finish 14th.
“We just had way too much motor last year at Greenville,” said Hindman of the 18:1 ratio built motor the 91 team utilizes. “Even though Greenville’s a half-mile, it’s got those big, flat, sweeping corners and all we did was spin the tires off the corner. We were okay in practice, but we couldn’t get the power to stick in the race.”
Now, Hindman and the rest of the PASS South contingent hope to try and learn more about Greenville-Pickens Speedway in the Firecracker 125. Some might think that the track will be quite different in July than it was in October. And why not? Track temperatures will be at or near 100 degrees much of the day on Thursday and the Firecracker is 25 laps shorter than October’s Howler. Hindman, though, is gambling that the old track will not be as different as some of his competitors might think.
“You’re still going have to get the power down,” said Hindman. “I know it sounds weird, but we’re gonna take some power out of the engine compared to what we had in October. If you’re spinning the tires off the corners, it won’t do you any good. The other thing we will have to deal with is those flat corners. You can still be too tight. Hopefully, we can get the set up right and get a win.”
No matter what, Hindman and the rest will have there work cut out if they want to win the Firecracker 125. Among the favorites will be PASS South points leader and winner of last year’s Firecracker at Peach State Speedway, Corey Williams, Wake County winner Alex Haase, and Georgian Justin Wakefield, winner of the final NASCAR Southeast Series race ever held at Greenville-Pickens back in 2006. Other contenders include Perry Brown, Dean Clattenburg, and Mark Gibson.
The 3rd Annual Firecracker 125 will be held on Thursday, July 3rd with gates opening at 1 PM, PASS South practice at 3 PM, and qualifying at 6 PM. Racing for the Chargers and Renegades will kick off at 7 PM and the green flag for the Firecracker 125 will drop at approximately 9:15 PM. Following the Firecracker 125 will be one of the largest fireworks displays in South Carolina. Greenville-Pickens Speedway is located just off the Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley, SC.
Also, the second race of the PASS National Series will be held on July 18-19 at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC. The Southern Sizzler 200 will feature the top Super Late Model drivers in the country racing for $10,000 to win. Also in action will be the Late Model Stock cars racing for 150 laps and $3,500 to win.