CHARLOTTE, NC (September 2) – Just when you think the run for the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Model championship could not get any tighter it does. Prior to last Saturday’s Piedmont Pride 125 at Caraway Speedway, PASS South points leader Corey Williams had a 50 point lead over then, third place driver in points Alex Haase. At Caraway, Williams was involved in a late race accident with Dean Clattenburg while racing for second and finished back in twelfth. Haase managed to come back and finish second after being involved in a spin while battling race long leader Mark Gibson for the top spot.
That second place finish by Haase has allowed him and the Kyle Busch owned Toyota team to move in to second in PASS South points just 30 points behind Williams. Perry Brown, who was second in points entering the Piedmont Pride 125, was involved in a wall grinding crash in turn two early in the race resulting in a disappointing 22nd place finish. Brown’s early departure has dropped him to third in points leaving him with a lot of work to do to prepare for this weekend’s Daniel Boone Classic at the Newport Speedway.
Perhaps the two sleepers for the PASS South championship are fourth in points Mark Gibson and fifth in points Heath Hindman. Gibson and his Yarborough Transfer Company #62 have been one of the hottest cars on the circuit as of late. Gibson has recorded top five finishes in three of the last five races and led all but 25 laps of the Piedmont Pride 125. Car owner Jeff Day says the team has worked hard on few areas of the car that were lacking and the difference in performance has been stark with Gibson moving up to fourth in the PASS South standings just 58 points out of the lead. For Hindman, the last few weeks have been just the opposite of Gibson. Since 2007, Hindman has been consistently won of the fastest cars at each and every PASS South event and that has carried over to 2008. However, where there has been speed for Hindman in 2008, there has not been any luck. Through the first six races, Hindman finished in the top ten in every race but one. In the last three races, though, Hindman has struggled through a combination of crashes and mechanical problems to only average an 18th place finish and fall to fifth in points. But, luck looks to turn around for the native of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, first by racing this weekend in his home state at the Newport Speedway’s Daniel Boone Classic. Then, Hindman heads to the Hickory Motor Speedway as the defending winner of the Over the Mountain 150.
Newport Speedway will not be an easy adversary for the drivers of the PASS South Series. At 3/8 of a mile and with corners banked at 24 degrees, regulars of the Newport Speedway like to brag that it is a miniature version of the Bristol Motor Speedway. And, with laps expected at less than 13 seconds in qualifying, many drivers say that by the time you see an accident happen, it’s already too late because you are already in it.
Hooter’s Pro Cup North veteran Jay Fogleman, fresh off a third place finish in that series first Championship Race held at Mansfield, Ohio, will join a strong group of Newport Speedway Super Late Model drivers in the hopes of taking the coon skin cap away from the PASS South regulars.
Action gets kicked off on Friday, September 5th at the Newport Speedway with practice for the PASS South Super Late Models from 3 PM to 7 PM. On Saturday, September 6th, pit gates open at 2 PM with practice starting at 4PM, and qualifying for the Daniel Boone Classic at 6:30 PM. In addition to the PASS South Super Late Models on the racing card will be the Limited Late Models, Street Stock, Road Rage, and Front Wheel Drive.