Southern Thunder Sseries Announces 2023 Working Schedule

ABERDEEN, AL – The Southern Thunder Series has released its 2023 Working Schedule that features nine events at six different tracks in Mississippi and Alabama. The Southern Thunder Series is for dirt late models powered by the economical Chevrolet Performance 602 Circle Track Engine and an affordable shock package.

Six of the nine races will be $1,200-to-win $75-to-start races. Those races will include the 2023 Season Opener on March 4 as a part of the Battle of the States Races at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS.

Other $1,200-to-win $75-to-start events will be held at The Bullring at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, MS on April 1, Tri-County Speedway in Flomaton, AL on May 6 and September 9, and Buckshot Speedway on Clanton, AL on June 10 and August 19. There will be one $2,000-to-win $75-to-start on July 8 at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.

Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS will host a pair of two-day events with the 50-lap $3,000-to-win $300-to-start Southern Thunder Series World 602 Championship Race on May 27 and May 28. There will be Qualifying and Heat Races on May 27. Fast Time will pay $100 courtesy of Terry Wilson Logging, and each Heat Race will pay $400-to-win and $50-to-start. The Main Event will be held on May 28.

The Cotton Pickin’ 100 weekend at Magnolia Motor Speedway on September 22 and 23 will also include a two-day show for the Southern Thunder Series with extra laps and extra cash to be announced. Southern Thunder Series officials are calling their schedule a “Working Schedule” because they are still working to secure more dates at other venues for the 2023 season.

Terry Wilson Logging will pay the $100 Fast Time Award at each Southern Thunder Series event in 2023. Also signing on with the Southern Thunder Series as Contingency Product Sponsors for the 2023 season are Quickcar Racing Products, Dominator Race Products, Advance Lazer and Machine, Boland Performance, Traktion Technology, Jones Racing Products, Willy’s Carburetor and Dyno Shop, Brown Engineering, RPI Racing Suspension, Swift Springs, and Total Custom Carbs.

Motorsports businessmen Mike Boland of Boland Performance in Cuba, AL and Robert Brown of Brown Engineering Racing Engines in Aberdeen, MS are the Founders of the Southern Thunder Series. Their goal is to give racers and tracks an economical option to make a little extra money in a tough economy. There will also be a proposed Season Points Fund for the Southern Thunder Series.

“The 602 Late Model is now the affordable way to go Dirt Late Model racing, and the goal of the Southern Thunder Series is to give entry level late model racers an opportunity to travel to different tracks to compete without having to spend a lot of money to do so,” Boland said. “We intend to keep the purses low because big purses bring in big spenders and more experienced racers. We also want to make these races affordable to track owners in a tough economy.”

The engines that will power the Southern Thunder Series Dirt Late Models are the affordable all-steel 350 horsepower Chevrolet Performance 602 “Crate” Engines that are built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. The Southern Thunder Series will also utilize an affordable Shock rule with a claim option.

The Chevrolet Performance 602 powerplants are called crate engines by Chevrolet Performance because of the wooden containers that are used to ship the engines to Chevrolet Performance Dealers across the county, and then on to the racers.

For more information about the Southern Thunder Series, contact Mike Boland at 601-527-2990, or by E-Mail at mboland222@bellsouth.net, and Robert Brown can be reached at 662-436-0977. The Southern Thunder Series Rules are available on the series’ Facebook page.

2023 SOUTHERN THUNDER SERIES WORKING SCHEDULE

DATE TRACK LAPS $ WIN/START
March 4 Whynot Motorsports Park, Meridian, MS 25 $1,200/$75
April 1 Columbus Speedway, Columbus, MS 25 $1,200/$75
May 6 Tri County Speedway, Flomaton, AL 25 $1,200/$75
May 27 Magnolia Motor Speedway, Columbus, MS Qual/Heats $100/$400/$50
(Southern Thunder Series World 602 Championship Race)
May 28 Magnolia Motor Speedway, Columbus, MS 50 $3,000/$300
June 10 Buckshot Speedway, Clanton, AL 25 $1,200/$75
July 8 Talladega Short Track, Eastaboga, AL 25 $2,000/$75
August 19 Buckshot Speedway, Clanton, AL 25 $1,200/$75
September 9 Tri-County Speedway, Flomaton, AL 25 $1,200/$75
September 22 Magnolia Motor Speedway, Columbus, MS Qual/Heats TBA
September 23 Magnolia Motor Speedway, Columbus, MS TBA TBA

All races pay $100 for Fast Time courtesy of Terry Wilson Logging