Southern Nationals Bonus Series set for $3,500-to-win Tarheel 50 at Tri-County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Southern Nationals Bonus Series set for $3,500-to-win Tarheel 50 October 2nd at Tri-County Race Track
BRASSTOWN, NC (September 23, 2015)—The 12th Annual running of the Ray Cook-promoted and Rick’s Rental-sponsored Tarheel 50 presented by Jacky Jones Automotive Group and Hogsed’s Sports Wear of Warne, NC is set to go on Friday Night October 2, 2015 at the Tri-County Race Track in Brasstown, NC. An open practice session on Thursday Night October 1st from 6:00 until 9:30 pm will kick-off this special event.
The Southern Nationals Bonus Series-sanctioned event will pay $3,500 to win / $300 to start event and feature a complete show for the Super Late Models including practice, Time Trials, Dash, Last Chance Races and the 53-lap main event which will start 20 cars. The Limited/Crate Late Models will race for $600 to win and a $200 bonus to the highest finishing Crate, the Interstate Welding Modified Streets race for $400 to win and the Pony division will race for $300 to win. The 2nd Annual Street Stock Shootout that was postponed from a few weeks ago will be ran paying $500-to-win. This will be the final racing event of the season for Tri-County Race Track.
It’s been a ‘Who’s Who’ of dirt Late Model racing that has been in attendance at the event or has won the event since the inception in 2004 at Tri-County Race Track and when the event was held at Cleveland (TN) Speedway. Until 2012, no driver from the Tarheel State of North Carolina had won the event until local hot-shoe David Payne of Murphy captured the $3,500 victory over Indiana’s Don O’Neal. Only Casey Roberts is a three-time winner of this event. The regional stars will face off with the track’s hot-bed of weekly competitors including Shawn and Johnny Chastain along with Jamie Oliver, George Mashburn all from Murphy, NC; Danny Ledford from Warne, NC; David Payne of Murphy, NC; Kenny Collins of Colbert, GA. Also expected is National star Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., World of Outlaws Late Model Series star Shane Clanton of Zebulon, GA, Clint Smith of Senoia, GA; Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, GA; Casey Roberts of Toccoa, GA, Austin Smith of Cedartown, GA along with many other local and regional competitors are expected.
Casey Roberts has won every major Super Late Model event since 2013 so a bounty has been placed on Roberts for this year’s Tarheel 50 sponsored by Circuit World of Murphy, NC. Any driver who beats Roberts on the track for the win will receive $1,000. Roberts, however must finish the race in order for the bounty to be claimed. If Roberts does indeed win the race, he will receive the $1,000 bonus and could possibly take home $4,500. Also, a $1,000 bonus will go to anyone that has never won the Tarheel 50 race before. Past winners Billy Moyer, Shane Clanton, Jonathan Davenport, Dennis Franklin, Kayne Hickman, Dale McDowell, Casey Roberts and David Payne are ineligible for that $1,000 bonus. Fast Time and Dash money will be available and will be released as the event draws near.
For Thursday’s open practice, grandstand admission is free and all pit passes will be $15.00. On Friday October 2nd both grandstand and pit gates will open at 5:00 pm with the Driver’s Meeting slated for 6:45 pm and racing to begin at around 7:00 pm. Adult General Admission is $18.00 with children 11-16 admitted for $10.00 while children ten and under are admitted for Free. Adult Pit Passes are $30.00 with children 11-16 admitted for $20.00 while children under ten are admitted for Free.
Previous series winners at Tri-County Race Track this season have included Austin Smith of Cedartown, Ga. on July 9th (Southern Nationals Bonus Series) and Casey Roberts of Toccoa, Ga. on July 30th (Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series).
With lots to do in the area to open the Month of October, be sure to take in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Super Late Models that will also be in action at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA (October 3rd) and Rome Speedway in Rome, GA (October 4th) for the annual Dixie Shootout weekend as the Nation’s best will compete for two big nights of racing action. Plenty goes on the first weekend in October in the Western Carolina / North Georgia area in addition to the majestic Mountain views and the harvest leaves at their peak.
The Southern Nationals Bonus Series by Collins Signs will utilize the following Tire Rule for Tri-County: American Racer 44, 48 & 56 and Hoosier 1300, 1350 & 1600. At each Old Man’s Garage Spring Nationals, Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals and Southern Nationals Bonus Series event in 2015, the highest finishing CT525 engine in the main event will receive a $200 bonus and the highest finishing Steel Head/SPEC engine will also receive a $200 bonus.
Further information on the Tri-County Race Track can be obtained by calling the track Hotline at (828) 837-3815 or Ray Cook (@RayCook53) at (828) 360-5353 or log on to www.TriCountyRaceTrack.com.
Further information on the Spring Nationals, Southern Nationals and Southern Nationals Bonus Series can be obtained by calling Promoter Ray Cook at (828) 360-5353 or Series P.R. Coordinator Chris Tilley at (606) 219-1723 or visit the official website located at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com.
Southern Nationals Bonus Series/Tri-County Payoff: 1) $3,500, 2) $1,500, 3) $1,000, 4) $900, 5) $800, 6) $700, 7) $600, 8) $550, 9) $500, 10) $480, 11) $460, 12) $440, 13) $420, 14) $400, 15) $380, 16) $360, 17) $350, 18) $350, 19) $350, 20) $350.
Previous Tarheel 50 Winners:
2004-Billy Moyer-Batesville, AR
2005-Shane Clanton-Fayetteville, GA
2006-Jonathan Davenport-Blairsville, GA
2007-Dennis Franklin-Gaffney, SC
2008-Kayne Hickman-Soddy Daisy, Tenn.
2009-Dale McDowell-Chickamauga, Ga.
2010-Rained Out
2011-Casey Roberts-Toccoa, Ga.
2012-David Payne-Murphy, N.C.
2013-Casey Roberts-Toccoa, Ga.
2014-Casey Roberts-Toccoa, Ga.
Current Southern Nationals Bonus Series Points (after Sept. 6):
1. David Payne-1,440 (Murphy, NC)
2. Tommy Bailey-930 (Corbin, KY)
3. Michael Chilton-922 (Salvisa, KY)
4. Victor Lee-750 (Danville, KY)
5. Austin Smith-720 (Cedartown, GA)
6. Justin Rattliff-590 (Campbellsville, KY)
7. Stephen Breeding-556 (Isom, KY)
8. Jerry Rutherford-429 (Lawrenceburg, KY)
9. Ross White-423 (Knoxville, TN)
10. Ronnie Payne-405 (Murphy, NC)
Southern Nationals Bonus Series Winners:
March 21-Randy Weaver (Boyd’s Speedway)
July 4-Shane Clanton (Senoia Raceway)
July 9-Austin Smith (Tri-County Race Track)
July 18-Mike Marlar (Richmond Raceway)
September 3-Jackie Boggs (201 Speedway)
September 4-Dustin Linville (Ponderosa Speedway)
September 5-Justin Rattliff (Richmond Raceway)
September 6-Chad Ogle (Tazewell Speedway)
Southern Nationals Bonus Series/Upcoming Events:
October 2-Tri-County Race Track-Brasstown, NC-$3,500 to win
October 9/10-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$25,000 to win
November 14-Boyd’s Speedway-Ringgold, GA-$5,000 to win
November 21-Cleveland Speedway-Cleveland, TN-$5,000 to win
