Bubba Pollard, Super Late Model heavy hitters return to Cordele in World Crown preview

This weekend’s Georgia Summer Nationals doubleheader for the ASA Southern Super Series will serve as a preview of October’s World Crown 300 at Cordele Motor Speedway, with Super Late Model racing’s biggest names competing on Friday and Saturday.

Bubba Pollard, who won the last time the ASA Southern Super Series raced at Cordele back in January, headlines a stacked entry list.  In all, 17 drivers are on the preliminary entry list, which includes Johnny Sauter, Michael Atwell, Jade Avedisian, Gavan Boschelle, Jake Garcia, Stephen Nasse, Jake Finch, Matthew Craig, and Dylan Fetcho, among others.

Several of the drivers competing in Saturday’s race will be eligible for a bonus in October’s World Crown 300 which would bump their take-home pay to $5,000-to-start and $50,000-to-win in October’s marquee matchup. The World Crown 300 takes place on Saturday, October 25.

“Kudos to what they’ve done over there at Cordele Motor Speedway and what they’re trying to accomplish that they put up a substantial amount of prize money,” ASA Southern Super Series general manager Tim Bryant told Short Track Scene.  “We always look forward to going to Cordele.  It’s a very racey track, even nicer facilities now than it was in the past.  It’s always been a favorite on our schedule so we’re really happy to get back over there.  We’re looking for two really good races this weekend and, of course, very excited about the World Crown 300.”

The bonuses have also been well received by Asphalt Super Late Model racing’s most prominent competitor, Bubba Pollard.

“I think it’s really what short track racing needs,” Pollard told Short Track Scene.  “I hope it gets the attention that it deserves.  The Noland family and Cordele Motor Speedway have really stepped up and kind of given us a chance to race for some money, not just this weekend, but the $50,000 in the World Crown and stepping out on a limb, so I hope other promoters can see what they’re doing and maybe it can be done.”

10 of the 17 drivers pre-registered remain eligible for the bonuses in the World Crown 300.  Those 10 drivers are Johnny Sauter, George Gorham, Jr., Michael Atwell, Hudson Bulger, Bubba Pollard, Daniel Webster, Jett Noland, Stephen Nasse, Dustin Dunn, and Colin Allman.

“It kind of reminds me of the dirt side of things in the dirt world,” Pollard continued.  “If we have races like this week in and week out, us asphalt drivers could possibly race for a living on the asphalt side of things.  We can’t right now.  We’re excited.  The Noland family’s done a great job stepping up and putting it on the line.  Hopefully it can draw some attention to get some racers to come for next year.  Hopefully they’ll want to do it again, but I think it’s just awesome and great.”

This weekend’s non-points races are part of the Super Fest Series.  After Ricky Brooks and the UARA National Tour split from Cordele Motor Speedway, Bryant and the ASA Southern Super Series elected to sanction and help run the Super Fest races as well as the World Crown 300.  The start and winning bonuses are eligible for drivers who compete in the Super Fest races.

“We started our 2025 season at Cordele with Speed Fest, which was a points race for us,” Bryant said.  “We went on about the rest of our season and they went on with the rest of theirs.  Whatever happened over there with the change of management is not up for me to know.  All I do know is, they called and asked for some assistance in completing their season and we were happy to provide it.”

While the race is a non-points event in the Southern Super Series, it will count for points in Super Fest.  So far, Pollard has been the dominant driver at Cordele with two wins on the season.

“It’s one of our better racetracks,” Pollard said.  “We’ve had some good runs down there in the past several years honestly.  This weekend, we just hope we can just pick up where we left off and continue a little momentum here at Cordele.  It’s a place we like coming to.  It’s kind of our home track only being two hours away.  It’s kind of where I grew up racing all these years.  I really, really enjoy going there.”

While Pollard and Butcher, who is not entered for this weekend’s races, have been the dominant drivers in Southern Super Series competition, Matt Craig and Gavan Boschele have also been perennial contenders.  Craig picked up a win at Montgomery back in June and has six top-five finishes on the season.

Jake Garcia, who competes regularly in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is also amont the entries competing.  James Finch will be competing for Ronnie Sanders instead of in his own family’s Phoenix Racing equipment.  Dylan Fetcho will be competing for his family team as well.  And Colin Allman, who has a pole at Cordele and has been a contender in recent appearances, is pursuing his first win at the Georgia track.

Both of this weekend’s races will be broadcast live for on the Racing America streaming platform.

The full entry list can be seen below: