The starting line-up for the Thanksgiving Classic was finalized on Sunday afternoon at Southern National Motorsports Park.
The top-15 in qualifying made the field after Saturday time trials with the remaining drivers having to race their way into the 32-car starting line-up via a last chance race. Will Burns went to Victory Lane but most of the drama occurred deeper in the field as desperation triggered several pile-ups.
Jason Barnes, Sam Mayer, Terry Carroll, Nolan Pope, Rodney Boyd, Colin Garrett and Ryan Haddock ultimately failed to race their way into the Classic, but three of them were inserted via track provisional rules. Garrett and Haddock were placed into the field via loyalty provisionals with Cameron Burke earning the final position via a blind draw.
First, here is the complete starting line-up for the 17th Thanksgiving Classic.
- #5 Lee Pulliam
- #27 Tommy Lemons Jr.
- #22 Bobby McCarty
- #21 Mike Darne
- #01 Philip Morris
- #51 Matt McCall
- #07 Bradley McCaskill
- #24 Mason Diaz
- #26 Peyton Sellers
- #4 Jonathan Findley
- #44 Justin Johnson
- #03 Brenden Queen
- #19 Cameron Bowen
- #63 Tyler Matthews
- #99 Layne Riggs
- #82 Will Burns
- #17 Stacy Puryear
- #55 Mark Wertz
- #9 Alex Brock
- #90 Terry Carroll
- #22 Grayson Cullather
- #18 Jason York
- #2 Robert Powell
- #9 Charlie Watson
- #1 Juan Gonzalez
- #41 Sam Mayer
- #46 Thad Moffitt
- #9 Devin Dodson
- #5 Adam Resnick
- #82 Cameron Burke
- #24 Colin Garrett
- #33 Ryan Haddock
Now, some race procedures:
- The cone rule will be implemented with two laps to go before the green flag.
- Drivers are ineligible for cone if they caused the caution, were penalized, or a lap down.
- Pit stops are on the frontstretch.
- Caution laps count for the 200 lap race
- There is a restart line, not a restart zone.
- Drivers can only pass to the outside on a restart.
- A $2,000 halfway bonus will be rewarded to the driver who leads at Lap 100.
- Drivers can change two tires at halfway.
- There will be a 15-minute halfway break, with a random invert determined by a fan.
- If a caution comes out with 2 to go before the halfway break, there will be a five-lap shootout to the break.
- Competition cautions will be implemented.
- Drivers in LCQ can purchase 4 tires after the race. (optional)
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