CHARLOTTE, NC (August 14) – Without a doubt, the 2008 season has to be one of the toughest yet for the teams of the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Model division. With eight races down so far, PASS South teams have already competed in the same number of races that made up the entire 2006 and 2007 schedules. Fortunately, for the drivers and especially their crew members, they have entered the longest down time of the season. When teams head to the Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, NC for the Piedmont Pride 125 on August 30th, it will have been four weeks since the last race was held at the Dillon Motor Speedway.
This break could be crucial in the race for the PASS South championship. Following Caraway, teams will race the very next weekend in the Daniel Boone Classic at the Newport Speedway in Tennessee. Then, after a couple of weeks off, PASS South will race at the Hickory Motor Speedway on September 27th, Greenville-Pickens Speedway on October 18th, and crown the 2008 PASS South Champion on October 25th at the South Boston Speedway. Each of those last three points races carry their own special challenge. Hickory Motor Speedway is a tight bullring that measures just under 3/8 of a mile. The 3rd Annual Over The Mountain 150 always attracts a lot of drivers to the historic oval. As a matter of fact, last year’s race had over 40 cars trying to qualify for just 28 spots. When PASS South heads to Greenville-Pickens for the 2nd Annual Howler 150 the race will carry added importance. A strong contingent of PASS North teams are expected because The Howler will be the final race of the four race PASS Champions Series. And then there’s South Boston. The Mason Dixon 500 will be the longest race of the PASS South season at 250 laps and will pay $10,000 to the winner. Most of the PASS North teams down for The Howler are planning to stay in the region for the Mason Dixon, in addition to a number of the Nation’s top Super Late Model teams ready to try and take the big money from the PASS regulars at South Boston. In addition, there will be a non-points race for PASS teams on Saturday, November 29th at the Southern National Raceway Park in Kenly, North Carolina. The Thanksgiving Classic will be 150 laps and pay $5,000 to win.
In the final five races, the battle for the PASS South championship could not be any tighter. Boothbay, Maine’s Corey Williams has led the points for most of the season, but has not won a race since the season opening Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory. Florida’s Perry Brown has quietly fought his way back to second in points after an early season win at the Watermelon Capital Speedway in Georgia. Four straight top ten finishes, including a third place finish in the South Carolina Clash at Dillon, have put Brown in a position to challenge for the title. Alex Haase leads all PASS South regulars with two wins the season, but Haase has been plagued by bad luck in the last two events. The Kyle Busch development driver was involved in an early crash at Orange County’s Southern Sizzler 200 and a flat tire at Dillon took away Haase’s chance of winning the South Carolina Clash. Last year’s Over The Mountain 150 winner Heath Hindman and Winston-Salem, North Carolina’s Mark Gibson round out the top five in points.
Although it will be a couple of weeks until the PASS South cars hit the track again, Williams will venture North for the PASS North Series biggest race of the season this weekend at the Wiscasset Raceway in Wiscasset, Maine. The Toyota Tundra 250 will take the green flag on Sunday, August 17th at Wiscasset paying a whopping $30,000 to the winner.
After the August break, PASS South is back in action once again for the Piedmont Pride 125 on August 30th at the Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, NC.
For information on any PASS division go to 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