Southern National’s SpeedWeek boasts impressive entry list

Southern National Motorsports Park’s SpeedWeek kicks into full gear on Wednesday night with 21 drivers set to compete in a 125-lap I-95 Showdown Late Model Stock Car race at the 4/10-mile track in Lucama, North Carolina.

Doug Barnes, Sam Yarbrough, Matt Cox and Andrew Grady are among the heavy hitters signed up to compete on Wednesday.  They’re joined by former Southern National Motorsports Park track champions Tyler Matthews, and Ryan Joyner.  Longtime regional competitor Rusty Daniels is also among the entries for the Ultra Racing Association-sanctioned event.

“Always looking forward to going to Southern National,” Grady said.  “Especially with TORP Chassis.  We’ve been fastest every time we’ve been.  Just haven’t had the luck on our side that we need.  Anytime we go home to Southern National, I feel like you have to consider me a threat no matter what it’s in.”

Grady has over 30 wins at Southern National throughout his career at Southern National and has raced there fairly regularly throughout his career.  He is one of 18 drivers who are planning on racing all four nights during SpeedWeek at Southern National – which includes Late Model races on Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday afternoon as well as on Wednesday.

“I just hope everybody’s smart,” Grady continued.  “There’s a lot of racing, a lot of nights.  I feel like it’s going to be a really good show with the guys that are going.”

Tyler Matthews won the track championship at Southern National Motorsports Park in 2016 and has had a lot of success in Eastern North Carolina, also winning the championship at Carteret Speedway a year later and is a two-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series North Carolina state champion.

“It’s a pretty unique deal to get this many nights of racing in one week,” Matthews said.  “Pretty excited.  Trying to see if we can’t make up ground in the I-95 points deal and get four wins this week.  I think we still have a shot at it despite missing the Icebreaker.”

Another former track champion signed up to compete in SpeedWeek is Jonathan Findley, who will race on Friday and Saturday.

Wednesday’s entry list also features CARS Tour rookie Lanie Buice, SMART Modified Tour competitor Anthony Bello, and brothers Casey and Cody Kelley. 

“I’m very excited to race at Southern National,” defending Florence Motor Speedway track champion Casey Kelley said.  “It will be my first time racing at this track and we’ll see how it goes tomorrow before I say my chances on winning the I-95 Championship.”

SpeedWeek officially kicked off on Saturday at Southern National Motorsports Park with Hunter Brown sweeping a pair of Charger (Limited Late Model) races. Robert Arch, known most for his spotting duties in the CARS Tour and throughout various races across the country, was victorious in Mini Stock competition.

Entry List

Ultra Broadcasting assembles all star broadcast team

Alex Hayden, who is a resident of nearby Goldsboro, North Carolina, started his broaccasting career at Southern National Motorsports Park before moving up to MRN Radio.

On Wednesday night, he’s heading home to call the action at Southern National for Ultra Broadcasting.  Hayden will be joined in the booth by fellow MRN Radio broadcaster Steve Post, who regularly lends his voice to short track racing events across the region, most notably the INEX Summer Shootout races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

James Pike, who has emerged as one of the rising stars in motorsports broadcasting in recent years, will be the pit road reporter – a role he has become accustomed to with his work on FloRacing’s coverage of the zMAX CARS Tour.

Ultra Broadcasting is the exclusive broadcast partner of Southern National Motorsports Park and Florence Motor Speedway, the two tracks which currently make up both the I-95 Showdown and the Ultra Racing Association (URA).

Ultra Broadcasting is available nationwide for $164.99/year or $24.99/month.

Speedweek Schedule

Wednesday, March 12

• 4:00pm – Registration
• 5:45pm – Practice begins
• 7:00pm – Grandstands open / Qualifying
• 8:30pm – Pre-Race ceremonies, followed by green flag
• RACE ORDER/LAPS: Bandolero – 15 laps; Legend Car – 25 laps; Late Model Stock Car – 125 laps

Thursday, March 13

• 3:00pm – Registration
• 5:45pm – Practice
• 7:00pm – Grandstands open / Qualifying
• 8:30pm – Pre-Race ceremonies, followed by green flag
• RACE ORDER/LAPS: Bandolero – 15 laps; Legend Car – 25 laps; Late Model Stock Car – 50 laps

Friday, March 14

• 3:00pm – Registration
• 5:30pm – Practice
• 7:30pm – Grandstands open
• 8:20pm – Qualifying
• 9:00pm – Pre-race ceremonies, followed by green flag
• RACE ORDER/LAPS:Bandolero – 15 laps; Charger – 35 laps; Legend Car – 25 laps; Mini Stock – 30 laps; Any Car – 15 laps; Late Model Stock Car – 50 laps

Saturday, March 15

• 8:15am – Registration
• 10:00am – Practice
• 1:30pm – Grandstands open
• 2:00pm – Qualifying
• 2:50pm – Pre-race ceremonies
• 3:00pm – Green flag
• RACE ORDER/LAPS: Bandolero – 15 laps; Charger – 50 laps; Legend Car – 25 laps; Mini Stock – 50 laps; Late Model Stock Car – 100 laps; Any Car – 15 laps