Epic Preview For an Epic World Series of Asphalt Week

The time is near. The entire short track community has been waiting since December.

Friday will mark the first day of racing for the 55th Annual World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna. The nine-day short track racing spectacular runs through Saturday, February 13.

Drivers, teams, and fans travel to Florida from all across the country to kick off the 2021 short track racing season at the half-mile asphalt oval.

Fans unable to attend can watch the World Series play out on Trackpass on NBC Sports Gold every night, beginning at 7:30.

It’s almost that time of year again! https://t.co/4m54zfCHJt pic.twitter.com/MqFRLo8dxH

— TrackPass™ (@_TrackPass) February 3, 2021

Four divisions of cars are set to run for week-long points championships: Super Late Modifieds, Tour Modifieds, Pro Late Models and Florida Modifieds.

Tour Type Modifieds

Last year’s World Series saw “Big Money” Matt Hirschman dominate the week, finishing no worse than third while capping off his points title with a win in the Richie Evans Memorial 100 at the end of the week.

The entry list for the Tour Modifieds is nothing short of stacked 44 cars that are headed to Florida, including many of the biggest names in Modified racing.

Matt Hirschman, winner of last year’s World Series points title and two in the last three years, makes his return to New Smyrna for PeeDee Racing in the No. 60. Joining Hirschman will be Chuck Hossfeld, the 2019 track champion. Hossfeld also won the title in 2012. Ron Silk is another World Series champion (2014) who will be running for another.

And Ryan Preece will be back in a ground-pounder, splitting time between the World Series and Daytona International Speedway 10 miles away, where he’ll be preparing to qualify for his third career Daytona 500. While he’s not running for the points title at the World Series this year, Preece is a three-time champion in his own right, having won three in a row from 2015 to 2017, and is also the 2013 Whelen Modified Tour champion.

Preece won’t be the only Tour champ in the division. Six-time Tour champion Doug Coby is set to compete as well, driving his own Doug Coby Racing No. 10 Modified.

With the same cast of contenders back from years prior, along with an entry list that continues to grow bigger and bigger, fans are in for a real treat when the Tour Modifieds run their first feature Monday night.

Super Late Models

The longest running division of the World Series, Super Late Models have been clicking off laps at New Smyrna since 1968.

The division is named in honor of David Rogers, a longtime New Smyrna racer and 1994 national champion who passed away last year.

Seven races are on the schedule for the SLMs, who wrap up their points title run with the Orange Blossom 100.

Not to be outdone by the Tour Modifieds, the entry list is all-star caliber in its own right.

Defending champion Derek Griffith is back in the World Series, behind the wheel of the No. 12. Also set to compete are Bubba Pollard, the 2019 champion, along with Brad May, who won a pair of races in last year’s World Series.

Two new names on the entry list are anything but new to SLM success. Jacob Goede and Peyton Sellers are both NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champions (Sellers 2005, Goede 2019). Sellers also finished second in 2020 to Josh Berry.

One race that will be up for grabs is the Orange Blossom 100. The defending winner of that race, Ty Majeski, is not entered in the World Series this year.

There are always fireworks after a World Series SLM race. The 2021 running shows no signs of being any different.

Hold onto your hats

While the Tour Modifieds and SLMs are the crown jewel divisions of the World Series, there’s going to be plenty more racing going on throughout the week.

Pro Late Models run six times, finishing up with a 100-lap feature on February 12. Other divisions racing include the Florida Modified, Sportsmans, Bombers, E-Mods, eBay Motors 603 Modifieds, Pro Trucks and LKQ Super Stocks. Florida Modifieds will also run six nights, ending with an extra-distance 75-lap feature on Tuesday, Feb. 9 – while Sportsman will run the first two nights; eBay Motors 602 Modifieds will race Sunday, Feb. 7-Tuesday, Feb. 9; Pro Truck will run the final two nights; and the LKQ Super Stock will run a 50-lap open race on Saturday, Feb. 13.

And of course, the World Series will also be the site of the season-opener for the ARCA Menards Series East, as they run the JEEP Beach 175 on February 8.

The wait is almost over.

ENTRY LISTS

Super Late Models

4	Travis Wilson	Bartow, FL
7	Doug Elliott	New Smyrna, FL
9M	Brad May	Oviedo, FL
11	Jaden Cretacci	Walkerton, IN
12	Derek Griffith	Hudson, NH
20	Mike Stacy	Dayton, OH
21	Kris Wright	Wexford, PA
21	Jessie Love	Redwood City, CA
22	Nick Panitzke	Lonsdale, MN
22	Sammy Smith	Joshton, IA
26	Bubba Pollard	Senoia, GA
26	Peyton Sellers	Danville, VA
26	Kody Swanson	Kingsburg, CA
28	Connor Mosack	Charlotte, NC
35	Jake Garcia	Monroe, GA
36	Dan Fredrickson	Northfield, MN
43	Daniel Dye	Deland, FL
44	Justin Mondeik	Gleason, WI
47	Kelly Moore	Scarborough, ME
51	Jake Finch	Lynn Haven, FL
51	Michael Atwell	Naples, FL
56	Gus Dean	Bluffton, SC
57	Tovia Grynewicz	Clyde, TX
69	Michael Hinde	Hernando, FL
72	Jacob Goede	Carver, MN
74	Ryan Moore	Mooresville, NC
81	Jett Noland	Groveland, FL
92	RJ Braun	Wales, WI
112	Steve Weaver	Plantation, FL
148	Max Calles-McDonald	Mission, TX

Tour Type Modified Entrys

0	Randall Richard	Titusville, PA
0	Zane Zeiner	Bath, PA
1	Bobby Jones	Palmerton, PA
1NY	Chris Ridsdale	Rochester, NY
02	Joe Bertuccio	Centereach, NY
2	Chuck Hossfeld	Ransomville, NY
4	Burt Myers	Walnut Cove, NC
6	Ryan Preece	Berlin, CT
07	Patrick Emerling	Holland, NY
7	Jon McKennedy	Chelmsford, MA
8	Chris Finocchario	Macedon, NY
9	Tom Martino Jr	Farmingdale, NJ
10	Doug Coby	Milford, CT
11	Paulie Hartwig III	Galloway, NJ
14	Bobby Measmer Jr	Concord, NC
16	Ron Silk	Norwalk, CT
17	Tommy Catalano	Ontario, NY
17K	Danny Knoll Jr	Amherst, NY
20	Eddie McCarthy	Brick, NJ
21	J.R Bertuccio	Statesville, NC
21	Jim Gavek	Effort, PA
25	Brian Robie	Sunapee, NH
28	Paul Charette	Woodstock, CT
32	Tyler Rypkema	Owego, NY
32X	Dean Rypkema	Owego, NY
36	David Sapienza	Riverhead, NY
45	Timmy Catalano	Ontario, NY
46	Craig Lutz	Miller Place, NY
48	Marcello Rufrano	Northhaven CT
50	Ronnie Williams	Tolland, CT
51	Jimmy Blewett	Howell, NJ
54	David Catalano	Ontario, NY
55	Jeremy Gerstner	Wesley Chapel, FL
56	Amy Catalano	Ontario, NY
58	Eric Goodale	River Head, NY
59	Matthew Galko	Moodus, CT
60	Matt Hirschman	Northhampton, PA
64	Tyler Catalano	Ontario, NY
70	Andy Seuss	Hampstead, NH
73	Paul Hartwig Jr	Galloway, NJ
79	John Jensen	Ormond Beach, FL
92	Anthony Nocella	Woburn, MA
99	Tyler Truex	Manahawkin, NJ
158	Michael Curtis	Riverhead, NY
179	Stephen Kopcik	Newtown, CT

Pro Late Model Entry List

1	Chris Munson	Chelsea, MI
3	William Cox III	Raleigh, NC
5	Jerry Artuso	Sault Ste. Marie, ON
5	Jeremy Miller	Rockford, IL
5	Jade Buford	Brentwood, TN
8	Chad Butz	Greenbay WI
9	Braison Bennett	Menasha, WI
11	David Weaver	Plantation, FL
12	Justin Drawdy	Huntersville, NC
12	Chase Williams	Arcade, NY
14	Conner Jones	Fredricksburg, VA
17	Kevin Folan	North Attleboro, MA
21	Tommy Neal	Rural Hill, NC
23	Steve Schultz	Webster, MN
26	Kody Swanson	Kingsburg, GA
28	Cody Hall	Griffin, GA
29	Hunter Wright	Lebanon, TN
38	Joshua Hicks	Senioa, GA
41	Hayden Sprauge	Howell, MI
51	Jean-Phillips Bergeron	Terrebonne QB
53	Zachary Tinkle	Speedway, IN
69	Michael Hinde	Hernando, FL
76	Jerick Johnson	Mooresville, NC
77	Andrew Scheid	Kent City, MI
77	Colt Hensley	Avon Park, FL
81	Jett Noland	Groveland, FL
88	Paige Rogers	New Haven, IN
149	Diego Rodriguez	Mexico City, MX

DAILY SCHEDULES

Friday, February 5
Feature Divisions: Sportsman (35 laps), Super Late Model (35) / Intermission / Pro Late Model (35), Modified (35), Bomber (20)

Saturday, February 6
Feature Divisions: Modified (35 laps), Pro Late Model (35), Sportsman (30) / Intermission / Super Late Model (35), E-Mod (25)

Sunday, February 7
Feature Divisions: Super Late Model (35 laps), Modified (35) / Intermission / Pro Late Model (35), 602 Modified (35)

Monday, February 8
Feature Divisions: New Smyrna 175 (ARCA Menards East) / Intermission / Tour Modified (50 laps), 602 Modified (25)

Tuesday, February 9
Feature Divisions: Pro Late Model (35 laps), Modified (75) / Intermission / Tour Modified (35), Super Late Model (50), 602 Modified (50)

Wednesday, February 10
Feature Divisions: Pro Late Model (35 laps), Modified (35) / Intermission / Super Late Model (35), John Blewett III Memorial 76 Tour Modified (76)

Thursday, February 11
Feature Divisions: Pro Late Model (35 laps), Modified (35) / Intermission / Tour Modified (35), Super Late Model (35)

Friday, February 12
Feature Divisions: Pro Late Model (100 laps), Modified Reunion (10) / Intermission / Richie Evans Memorial 100 Tour Modified (100), Pro Truck 25), Ground Pounders (25)

Saturday, February 13
Feature Divisions: Modified (35 laps), Pro Truck (50) / Intermission / Orange Blossom 100 Super Late Model (100), Super Stock (50)

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