(BRASSTOWN, NORTH CAROLINA) The start of the nineteenth edition of the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco Race Fuels is only days away, as the barnstorming tour is scheduled to sanction events across the states of West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina from July 14-29. The miniseries will get underway this weekend with a pair of $10,053 to win shootouts on Friday, July 14 at Beckley Motor Speedway in Mount Hope, West Virginia and on Saturday, July 15 at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia.
Unfortunately before the tour even had a chance to get underway, news broke yesterday that the promoters at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee have stepped away. Round three of the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series was set to take place at “The Gap” on Monday, July 17. With a limited amount of time to find a replacement venue, the $7,553 to win program has been scratched from the schedule and will now serve as an off-day for the series competitors.
In much better news, North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, Georgia was added to the series schedule in recent weeks to take the place of Boyd’s Speedway, which closed earlier this spring. A $10,053 top prize will be up for grabs in an event dubbed as the ‘Young Memorial’ on Friday, July 28 at the northern Georgia facility. With these schedule changes, a total of eleven events will be sanctioned by the tour in a matter of only sixteen days.
“We obviously hate to lose a race date before the series even starts, but we’ll just have to play the cards we are dealt,” stated series founder and promoter Ray Cook earlier today. “If I knew about the Bulls Gap deal even four or five days ahead of yesterday’s announcement, we could have probably found another track willing to take the date or I could have possibly leased a track to make something work.”
“Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough time to do anything with that date right now, but we are very excited to work with the ownership of North Georgia Speedway again,” Cook continued. “They stepped up in our Spring Nationals to take over the open Boyd’s date and did so in the summer as well. Hopefully, the fans will turn out in droves to support the track just like they did over Memorial Day weekend!”
Another small change to the series slate is the winning amount of the contest at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia on Thursday, July 20. Instead of a standard $7,553 winner’s check, the victor at Senoia in what is now round four of the tour will receive $7,544 in honor of the legend Roscoe Smith. The ‘Roscoe Smith Classic’ will also be 44 laps in length instead of the standard 40 circuits. Total event purses and the point fund for 2023 are listed below.
$7,544 to Win Event Purse (44 Laps):
1. $7,544, 2. $3,500, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,200, 6. $900, 7. $700, 8. $650, 9. $600, 10. $575, 11. $550, 12. $540, 13. $530, 14. $520, 15. $510, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500 – – – $25,266 TOTAL
$7,553 to Win Event Purse (40 Laps):
1. $7,553, 2. $3,500, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,200, 6. $900, 7. $700, 8. $650, 9. $600, 10. $575, 11. $550, 12. $540, 13. $530, 14. $520, 15. $510, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500 – – – $25,275 TOTAL
$10,053 to Win Event Purse (53 Laps):
1. $10,053, 2. $5,000, 3. $3,000, 4. $2,000, 5. $1,500, 6. $1,000, 7. $800, 8. $700, 9. $675, 10. $650, 11. $625, 12. $600, 13. $575, 14. $550, 15. $525, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500 – – – $31,700 TOTAL
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Point Fund:
Championship Points
1. $10,053, 2. $5,053, 3. $2,553, 4. $2,053, 5. $1,553, & $1,053 to all other perfect attendance drivers
* Each driver will be able to drop their worst race after the finale at Tazewell Speedway
Dirt Draft Rookie of the Year Points
1. $1,000, 2. $500
Body rules and the Droop Rule will be the same as those agreed on by both the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series – among others. The entry fee will be $100.00 each night and transponders will be available to rent. Any driver not advancing into the feature field will receive $75.00 in tow money.
The following tire rule will be in effect for ALL Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series events during the course of the 2023 racing season:
Left Front: Open
Right Front: Open
Left Rear: Hoosier Crate 21, Crate 55 – American Racer 48, 56, Pro 3
Right Rear: Hoosier Crate 21, Crate 55, LM40, NLMT 4 – American Racer 48, 56, Pro 3
2023 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule:
Friday, July 14 | Beckley Motor Speedway, Mount Hope, WV | $10,053 to win
Saturday, July 15 | Wythe Raceway, Rural Retreat, VA | $10,053 to win
Tuesday, July 18 | I-75 Raceway, Sweetwater, TN | $7,553 to win
Thursday, July 20 | Senoia Raceway, Senoia, GA | $7,544 to win
Friday, July 21 | East AL Motor Speedway, Phenix City, AL | $7,553 to win
Saturday, July 22 | Screven Motor Speedway, Sylvania, GA | $10,053 to win
Sunday, July 23 | Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro, GA | $10,053 to win
Tuesday, July 25 | Toccoa Raceway, Toccoa, GA | $7,553 to win
Thursday, July 27 | Tri-County Race Track, Brasstown, NC | $7,553 to win
Friday, July 28 | North Georgia Speedway, Chatsworth, GA | $10,053 to win
Saturday, July 29 | Tazewell Speedway, Tazewell, TN | $10,053 to win
For more information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco Race Fuels, please point your Internet browser to www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com or feel free to call series promoter Ray Cook at 828-360-5353. You can also follow us across social media platforms on facebook.com/southernnationalsseries and on Twitter @sonationals.
The Southern Nationals Series would like to thank all of our marketing partners including: Schaeffer’s Oil & Specialized Lubricants, Coltman Farms Racing, Sunoco Race Fuels, American Race Tires, Delph Communications, E-Z-GO, Vidalia Powersports, Arizona Sport Shirts, Boyd Bilt Fabrication, Capital Race Cars, Collins Signs, DirtCarLift.com, DirtonDirt.com, Dirt Draft, FK Rod Ends, Hoosier Racing Tire, MasterSbilt Race Cars, SFP Performance Systems, The Joie of Seating, The Steering Buddy, Velocita-USA, Vic Hill Racing Engines, and Wiles Driveshafts.
About Schaeffer’s Oil & Specialized Lubricants:
Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants: synthetic motor oils, hydraulic fluids, and diesel fuel additives have achieved a world-class reputation for improving engine performance and fuel economy, but their diverse product line includes all types of industrial lubricants, industrial greases, and industrial oils as well as specialty items like their chain lubes and degreasers. Founded in 1839, their philosophy is to provide advanced lubricants for improved performance, reliability, and fuel economy. Learn more or find a rep near you at www.SchaefferOil.com.
Media Contact: Ryan Delph – Delph Communications
www.DelphCommunications.com