Mooresville, NC 4/10/18 – A growing staple event of the CARS Response Energy Super Late Model Tour, the Puryear Tank Lines/Thrifty Tire Centers “Mid Atlantic Classic” presented by TheGrillingStore.com, will see a small tweak in the format for the $10,000 to win Super Late Model race at Orange County Speedway on April 21st. Controlled cautions will be utilized for the eight tire race with segments of 30, 60, 40, and 20 laps making up the 150 lap race distance.
Similar to the inaugural event, each segment winner will receive a $500 cash bonus. If the segment winners are on the lead lap at the end of the third segment they will be guaranteed a top eight starting position in the final 20 lap segment that decides who will take home the $10,000 top prize.
“This past month we spoke with several teams, drivers, and spotters and received great feedback on races with the controlled caution format. We were told that with races that use multiple tires the controlled caution provides the best format for teams to utilize options for strategy,” explained CARS Tour Series Director Chris Ragle. “The segments, along with the stages, are a perfect mix that will keep the race flowing and avoid the start and stops of the stage breaks we utilized before. Based on feedback, we believe this format will add strategy and create comers and goers in the field which makes for a great show.”
Last July, Cole Rouse and Bubba Pollard picked up segment wins early but it was Steven Wallace who muscled his way to the front in the final few laps to win the inaugural event. With the event moving to an earlier point in the season, on April 21st, a strong contingent of cars is expected to be in attendance. In addition to defending champion Wallace, Super Late Model names like Stephen Nasse, Tate Fogleman, Jared Fryar, Bubba Pollard, and short track ace turned NASCAR Cup Series regular Corey LaJoie are just a few of the names expected to be at OCS in hopes of drinking the juice in Edelbrock Victory Lane.
In addition to the Super Late Models, the fan favorite Late Model Stock cars will see several drivers from the North Carolina Piedmont hitting the high banks of the 3/8th mile track. Touring 12 drivers Ronald “The Thrill” Hill, Craig Moore, Brandon Pierce, and Justin Johnson all call Orange County their home track on the tour. Outside of the Touring 12 fans can expect to see the Late Model Stock Tour’s most recent winner, Lee Pulliam at the 3/8th mile track, as well as several local drivers such as Christopher Denny, Terry Dease and defending race winner from a season ago, Deac McCaskill.
Fans are encouraged to take advantage of a big discount by ordering their tickets online in advance at carsracingtour.com. Tickets for the event will be $17 in advance and $25 at the gate. If the savings were not enough, all fans who pre-order tickets will automatically be entered to win a “Grilling Prize Pack” courtesy of TheGrillingStore.com. The prize pack, valued at $70, includes Jack Daniels smoking chips with smoking tube, three piece grilling tool kit, racing rub, and racing grilling sauce.
CONTROLLED CAUTIONS EXPLAINED: All cautions that are not quickie yellows will see the pits open for competitors for a period of four laps at pace car speed. These laps will not count toward the total race distance. Competitors will hold their place in line until deciding at a commitment cone, located at the pit entrance, to make the decision to pit under that caution period. Teams can change 0-4 tires each controlled caution, during the four lap period. Any team working past the four lap time period will start in the rear of the field. Competitors that pitted will be positioned behind those cars who did not pit, based on their previous running order when the caution was displayed, regardless of the number of tires changed or adjustments made. Positions can not be lost or gained on pit road, unless due to a competitor penalty. Each segment break will be a controlled caution no matter what, and will occur exactly on the specified segment ending lap. No controlled cautions will occur inside the final 20 lap segment.