With a month to go, 20 of the biggest names in Super Late Model racing have accepted their invitation to compete in the Speed51.com Super Select at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indiana on September 8 — the Saturday before the Brickyard 400.
The Super Select has one of the more unique formats in Super Late Model racing. It’s a winner-take-all showdown, paying $10,000-to-win with the rest of the field leaving empty-handed and wishing they had made it to Victory Lane.
To receive an invite, drivers must have won a major race or championship over the past calendar year. With their invite comes a free entry into the event and four free tires to compete in the 75-lap all-star main event.
Additionally, there will be a 30-lap open preliminary for anyone to enter, with the top two finishers racing their way into the Super Select.
So, who has already been invited?
Naturally, Bubba Pollard received an invite. The de facto face of the discipline was invited due to his 2017 Slinger Nationals victory.
“I like it, it throws a little bit of a mix into things,” Pollard said of the race. “I’m excited to try different things, new things, new formats and race against some of the best. You’re racing against some of the best that have been invited to this deal that have won big races and championships throughout the country.”
“I’ve never raced there so that’s a good opportunity for us to go. You always hear about the history and it’s racing on Brickyard 400 weekend. “That will be cool, you’ll get a lot of those guys that come over there and watch the race. It’s got a lot of history and I think it will be awesome. I’ve never been there, but looking forward to it.”
NASCAR Truck Series winner Noah Gragson accepted his invited after winning the Winchester 400 last October.
Rattler 250 winner Harrison Burton has accepted his invitation as well.
Three championship leaders from across the country will take part in the main event with Jeremy Doss (Southwest Tour,) Austin Nason (Midwest Tour) and Josh Brock (CRA Super Series) having accepted their opportunities due to early season victories in their respective territories.
Another west coaster, NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship leader Derek Thorn, will also take part in the event.
Chris Dilbeck (CARS Tour,) Derek Griffin (PASS National,) Jesse Dutilly (Top Gun Super Six) and Matt Craig (PASS) will also compete.
Additional invitationals will be revealed in the coming weeks, as will a full entry list of drivers hoping to make the main event through ‘The Open.’
Although the race is a winner-take-all affair, there will be contingency bonuses announced leading up to the event.
The race will be broken down into three 25-lap segments, with inverts after the first two segments. The starting lineup will be determined by traditional time trials. The race is being promoted by Speed51.com and will be sanctioned (non-points) by the Champion Racing Association.
The Super Late Models will also be joined by the ARCA Racing Series and the USAC Silver Crown division that weekend at the track known as ‘IRP.’
The list of known invitees can be viewed below.
Car Number | First Name | Last Name | Hometown |
---|---|---|---|
2W | Donnie | Wilson | Oklahoma City, OK |
6 | Matt | Wallace | Concord, NC |
9 | Chris | Dilbeck | Concord, NC |
12 | Harrison | Burton | Huntersville, NC |
12G | Derek | Griffith | Hudson, NH |
14 | Austin | Nason | Roscoe, IL |
15 | Roy | Hayes III | Millvillage, PA |
17 | Josh | Brock | Corbin, KY |
18 | Noah | Gragson | Las Vegas, NV |
26 | Chandler | Smith | Jasper, GA |
26B | Travis | Braden | Wheeling, WV |
26P | Bubba | Pollard | Senoia, GA |
30 | Jesse | Dutilly | Sarasota, FL |
43 | Derek | Thorn | Bakersfield, CA |
47 | Brian | Campbell | Wyoming, MI |
48 | Preston | Peltier | Brighton, CO |
51 | Stephen | Nasse | Pinellas Park, FL |
54 | Matt | Craig | Kannapolis, NC |
56 | Gus | Dean | Bluffton, SC |
75 | Jeremy | Doss | Upper Lake, CA |
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Matt Weaver is the owner and founder of Short Track Scene. Weaver grew up in the sport, having raced himself before becoming a reporter in college at the University of South Alabama. He also has extensive experience covering NASCAR, IndyCar and Dirt Sprint Cars.
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