RAIN HALTS NSS QUALIFYING THIS WEEKEND
Defending Race
Champions Set to Preserve Titles While List of Starters Grows
This past weekend was scheduled to be a big one in North-South
Shootout Qualifying competition. Three of the final remaining
qualifying races for the 6th Annual John Blewett III Memorial
North-South Shootout were originally scheduled for the weekend of
September 27 and 28. But yet another tropical storm pounded the
northeast canceling all racing in the region for the duration of the
weekend.
The "King of the Mountain" event scheduled for Saturday and Sunday
at Mountain Speedway were to have carried starting spots for both
the Modified and SK-Type Modified portions of the annual North-South
Shootout. On Sunday, in Claremont, NH, the Twin State Speedway was
set to proudly host the first-ever Ricky Miller Memorial 100 for the
True Value Modified Racing Series. The winner of that event would
also secure a starting spot for their car owner in the Modified
portion of the Shootout.
Both the Sport Mod and Modified events at Mountain Speedway
have been rescheduled for next weekend, Saturday, October 4 and 5,
respectively. With a busy schedule in New England racing, Twin State
Speedway has scheduled their make-up for the event on October 25 and
26, 2008. All three events will remain on the Shootout qualifying
race schedule.
The final two qualifying spots in the Modified portion of the 6th
Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout will be up for
grabs on October 25. A northern winner will be decided in the final
installment of the Sno ‘n Go All-Star Modified Series at All-Star
Speedway in Epping, NH while a southern starter will be determined
in the ASA Southern Modified Tour race at Hickory Speedway in
Hickory, NC.
Two competitors who do not have to worry about qualifying for the
6th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout include
the defending race champions. Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, the
two-time and defending champion of the John Blewett III Memorial
North-South Shootout and 2007 SK-Type Modified winner, Jimmy
Blewett, removed the first obstacle in their respective title
defenses with wins in recent qualifying race wins. Both drivers have
expressed their intentions to defend their titles in 2008.
By virtue of his dominating performance in the Race of Champions
event as part of Modified Mania at Thompson International Speedway
September 7, 2008, owner/driver Hirschman earned a guaranteed
starting spot in the field of the North-South Shootout for his
family-owned #60. Blewett, who had previously won a guaranteed
starting spot in the Modified portion of this year’s event for car
owner George Bierce with a victory at Stafford Motor Speedway on
August 8, scored a popular victory at Thompson Speedway on August
28th in the 50-lapper for the Sunoco Modifieds to earn long-time car
owner Eddie Partridge a spot in the SK-Type potion of the event as
well.
A host of other contenders have also secured their place on the
starting grid on November 8, 2008 at Concord Motorsport Park. In
Southern Modified competition, the highest finishing Southern
Modified Tour competitor in NSS history, Brian Loftin, put himself
solidly in the field as he prepares to become the first Southern
winner of the prestigious event. Loftin earned a guaranteed starting
spot for his family owned and operated team with a victory in the
Whelen Southern Modified Tour on August 22, 2008 at Caraway
Speedway. Loftin is joined by southern ‘bad boy’ Burt Myers, who won
on a very emotional night at Ace Speedway to earn his car owner
Phillip Smith a spot on the starting grid. Myers took top honors on
September 1, 2008 in the ASA Southern Modified Race Tour race
dedicated to the memory of Brian Pack.
Myers was not done there. He was victorious in another Modified
qualifying race on September 13, 2008 in the Whelen Southern
Modified Tour event at Southern National. With Myers already in the
field, runner-up Tim Brown was awarded the guaranteed starting spot
for his brother, car owner Ben Brown.
Previous Modified qualifiers have included Ronnie Silk (North) and
Brian King (South).
The Supermodified contingent, who have their own East-West
Supermodified Shootout as part of the John Blewett III Memorial
North-South Shootout have been busy earning guaranteed starting
spots of their own. In Supermodified qualifying race action,
Englewood Racing Association competitor Nick Haywood earned a
guaranteed starting spot in the East-West Supermodified Shootout for
his car owner by virtue of his victory on August 30th at Colorado
National. Subsequently, because Haywood, the winner of September 6
event also held at Colorado National, had already earned his
starting spot, runner-up Tom Adler was awarded the second ERA
guaranteed starting spot at this year’s Shootout. On August 31,
2008, owner/driver Doug Didero bested a stellar field of competition
at the celebrated Non-Wing Classic at Oswego Speedway to earn a spot
on the starting grid for the East-West Supermodified Shootout.
Continuing with the pattern of repeat winners, Chris Perley earned
a guaranteed starting spot for his car owner Vic Miller on July 27th
with his win in the qualifying race at Sandusky Speedway. He
replicated his winning ways defeating young driver Jon McKennedy
after a fierce battle in the prestigious All-Star Classic on
Saturday, September 13, 2008. (The event was originally scheduled
for September 6 but was ultimately postponed due to inclement
weather in the form of tropical storm Hanna). Despite settling for
the runner-up position to Perley, owner/driver McKennedy was awarded
the starting spot on November 8 at Concord Motorsport Park.
Charlie Schultz and Brian Warf had previously earned guaranteed
starting positions for their car owners for the East-West
Supermodified Shootout.
Aces Doug Coby, Tyler Chadwick, and Henry Stampfl will be joined by
the Sport Mod winner at Mountain Speedway as guaranteed starters in
the SK-Type Modified portion of the North-South Shootout on November
8, 2008.
The sixth Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout,
scheduled for November 7&8, 2008, is 125 laps of green flag racing
for the ground-pounding Modifieds that features the best open-wheel
drivers from both north and south of the Mason-Dixon Line. For the
second year in a row, the ultra-fast Supermodifieds will add an
incredible level of intensity with the 50-lap East-West
Supermodified Shootout. The SK-type Modifieds have provided their
own brand of excitement as part of the festivities with a 50-lapper
of their own. The Vintage Modifieds and Street Stocks will also be
on hand.
The event is a throwback of sorts with drivers from various tracks
and racing organizations joining together for two-days of racing
action at one of the fastest half-mile race tracks in the country.
Every year, the roster for this annual event reads like a “Who’s
Who” of Modified racing.
In 2008, C&C Racing Promotions has extended the annual event to
include two nights of racing at the quarter-mile speedway located on
the grounds of Concord Motorsport Park; making the event a five-day
racing extravaganza. Divisions competing on Tuesday and Wednesday,
November 4&5, 2008 include Ford Focus Midgets, Four-Cylinders,
Legends and Bandoleros.
The action of the North-South Shootout kicks off on Tuesday,
November 4th and Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at the short track.
Thursday, November 6, Concord Motorsport Park will host an open
practice. On Friday, November 7th, qualifying will be held for all
divisions. Time trials will be run for the Tour-Type Modifieds and
SK-Type Modifieds followed by heat races for all five of the weekend
divisions. The Street Stocks will have their 50-lap feature event on
Friday night. The remaining feature events, the ever-popular pit
party, and the renowned “Little Shootout” will all take place on
Saturday, November 8, 2008. A complete schedule is available online
at
northsouthshootout.com.
For more information on the John Blewett III Memorial North-South
Shootout, please call 336-250-4383. For more information on the
North-South Shootout events being held at the Quarter Mile Track,
please contact Chad Kepley at 336-250-4385. Visit the official
website for a comprehensive look at the entire 2008 North-South
Shootout.
The North-South Shootout and East-West Supermodified
Shootout are registered trade marks of C&C Racing Promotions.
THE END