CARS Tour to throw green flag on New River’s 2024 season

JACKSONVILLE, NC – New River All American Speedway is shifting into high gear on Saturday when the zMAX CARS Tour and Grand National Super Series open the season in the National Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram 250.

Saturday’s race marks the third visit for the zMAX CARS Tour at the 4/10-mile track in Onslow County and the series’ second race of 2024.  Connor Hall won in the first CARS Tour race at New River in April 2022 while Brenden “Butterbean” Queen picked up the win in September 2023 – his second Late Model Stock Car win at the track in 2023.  Two-time defending zMAX CARS Tour champion Carson Kvapil picked up the win in the series’ opening act at Southern National Motorsports Park on March 10.

Saturday’s National Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram 250 will see the biggest names in short track racing congregate again at the abrasive New River All American Speedway, formerly called Coastal Plains Raceway.  Along with Hall, Queen and Kvapil, the race will also feature up-and-coming talent such as Brent Crews, Landen Lewis, Kade Brown, and Isabella Robusto.  A strong mix of veteran drivers, including Chad McCumbee, Deac McCaskill, and Ronnie Bassett, Jr., will also contest the 125-lap CARS Tour feature.

So, what exactly is the CARS Tour?

Today, the zMAX CARS Tour presented by Soundgear is owned and operated by two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion and Fox Sports commentator Kevin Harvick, 21-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and NBC Sports commentator Jeff Burton, and Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks.

Before its current success, the tour previously existed in the 1990s and through the 2000s as the once-popular Hooters Pro Cup Series, prior to the death of Hooters CEO Robert Brooks in 2006.  After his untimely passing, the series struggled for identity before it was purchased by Jack McNelly.  In 2015, series owner and president, McNelly reshaped the series into the CARS Tour.  The first race was hosted at Southern National Motorsports Park in Lucama, North Carolina when Todd Gilliland, now a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series, scored the victory in the inaugural race.

Since 2015, the series has been a proving ground for racing stars.  Previous competitors in the series include 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott, 2024 Daytona 500 winner William Byron, multi-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Christopher Bell, NASCAR Cup Series rookie Josh Berry, Ty Gibbs, Todd Gilliland, and Harrison Burton, among numerous other drivers who now compete in NASCAR’s national series.

Past champions:

• 2015 – Brayton Haws
• 2016 – Deac McCaskill
• 2017 – Josh Berry
• 2018 – Bobby McCarty
• 2019 – Bobby McCarty (2)
• 2020 – Jared Fryar
• 2021 – Bobby McCarty (3)
• 2022 – Carson Kvapil
• 2023 – Carson Kvapil (2)

Understanding the Grand National Super Series

Frank Kimmel on track during practice at New River All American Speedway. (Andy Marquis photo)

The Grand National Super Series will also return to New River for the fourth time in series history to kick off their 2024 campaign.

The series was formed in 2022 by former ARCA Menards Series team owner and competitor Bob Schact.  The full-body stock car series features former cars from the Gen-4 eras of the NASCAR Cup Series and ARCA Menards Series as well as old USAR Pro Cup Series cars as well.

A.J. Henriksen who has 91 starts in the ARCA Menards Series, has won the championship in both seasons of competition.  10-time ARCA Menards Series champion Frank Kimmel has won two races at New River in Grand National competition, and the series has also featured Jeremy Mayfield and Jason Kitzmiller – who are both expected to compete on Saturday.

Former New River All American Speedway GNSS winners:

• Frank Kimmel – July 16, 2022 (2)
• A.J. Henriksen – April 1, 2023 (2)
• Mike Kirk – September 2, 2023 (1)
• Kevin Kromer – September 2, 2023 (1)

The INEX Legends and Bandoleros will also be in action on Saturday along with the NASCAR-sanctioned Bombers.