CHARLOTTE, NC (August 28) – As the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Models get ready for this weekend’s Piedmont Pride 125 presented by 93.1 FM The Wolf, the series championship is gearing up to be quite a battle. Coming to Caraway Speedway, PASS South points leader Corey Williams is in a tight battle that sees him leading fifth place in points Mark Gibson by just 74 points. It could be the unknowns, however, that will play the biggest factor in who leaves Caraway in the best position for the championship.
The first unknown is the speedway itself. The PASS South Series has never competed at the Caraway Speedway and the Piedmont Pride 125 presented by 93.1 FM The Wolf will mark the first time Super Late Models have competed there since 2005. In that race, J.R Norris won a NASCAR Southeast Series event. Why is that important? Because Spencer Wauters will be behind the wheel of the car owned by his father, Richie, who owned the car J.R. Norris won with back in 2005. Also, several drivers racing at Caraway this weekend have raced in previous NASCAR Southeast Series races at Caraway, including Jeff Fultz and Hal Goodson.
The Caraway Speedway will provide a unique challenge to the PASS South drivers visiting there for the first time this weekend. At .455 mile, the track is just under a half-mile, with long straightaways and tight, sharp turns. That will put an emphasis on engines, gears, and brakes. And from the behind the wheel, drivers will have to set up their competitors to get a run coming off the turns so they can be in position to make the pass in the following turn.
The next unknown factor for the PASS South regulars will be the large contingent of drivers coming to Caraway who are not regulars with the series. As mentioned above, Hal Goodson comes back to Super Late Model racing behind the wheel of Jesse Lynch’s #0 Dodge. Texas rookie Trey Mitchell will make his first of several PASS South starts at Caraway after competing at South Alabama Speedway and several other touring divisions. After a stellar run at the season opener at Hickory and a disappointing run at the Orange Blossom Special at Orange County, Florida’s Jeff Choquette comes back to PASS looking to turn his season around. Joining Choquette will be a several other drivers from Florida looking to make their first PASS South starts. Among those drivers will be Cale Gale in a car owned by NASCAR Nationwide Series driver David Stremme. Gale has established himself as one of NASCAR’s top prospects by qualifying on the pole and finishing fourth in last week’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Bristol in a car owned by former Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick. The NASCAR ties continue as Ryan Blaney, son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dave Blaney, looks to make his second career PASS South start in the Piedmont Pride 125 presented by 93.1 FM The Wolf. In Blaney’s first PASS South start in the Southern Sizzler 200 at Orange County, Blaney shocked everybody by running in the top five and challenging for the lead in the early going. Unfortunately, Blaney’s great run was negated by a mechanical problem that resulted in an 18th place finish.
Finally, and perhaps the biggest unknown to this weekend’s race, will be the PASS South championship contenders themselves. Yes, that sounds like an oxymoron, but think about it. All of the regulars, with the exception of points leader Corey Williams, have not raced since the South Carolina Clash at Dillon on August 2nd. Williams showed his strength by finishing second in PASS North’s Toyota Tundra 250 at the Wiscasset Raceway on August 17th. Contenders Perry Brown, Alex Haase, Heath Hindman, and Mark Gibson have all been dormant since Dillon. That could play into their hands, though. Drivers and crews might be refreshed and energized with equipment that has been rested and massaged. Or, they could be rusty and unorganized. PASS South’s sixth place driver in points Alex Fleming has competed every week of the break in local races at Wake County Speedway and Southern National Raceway Park. Which strategy will prove to be the right one? That remains to be seen.
After the August break, PASS South is in action with back to back races in the coming weeks. On Saturday, August 30th, PASS South makes their first trip to the Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, NC for the Piedmont Pride 125 presented by 93.1 FM The Wolf. Then, it’s another first time trip as PASS South heads into the Great Smokey Mountains for the Daniel Boone Classic on Saturday, September 6th and the Newport Speedway.
For information on any PASS division go to www.racewithpass.com. For marketing or media questions contact Alan Dietz at 704-231-2039 or for technical information contact Scott Reed at 207-625-3230