late-model-stock

Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour Event Preview MTP Tire 250 pres. by Cloer Construction – March 20, 2021 Hickory Motor Speedway – Hickory, NC

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 16, 2021) – The only track to host multiple CARS Tour events during the 2021 season, Hickory Motor Speedway, will welcome the tour for Saturday night’s MTP Tire 250 presented by Cloer Construction. While it will be race two of the season for Late Model Stocks, this weekend’s event will act as the season opener for the Super Late Models. Just as the case in the Late Model Stocks this season, the defending Super Late Model champion Matt Craig will be back to defend his series championship. Craig without question will once again be the title favorite, and if he does succeed, he will have earned three consecutive Super Late Model championships. The door is wide open on the Late Model Stock field on who stands victorious at night’s end. Veterans like Bobby McCarty and Deac McCaskill have won over the years, but so have a variety of youngsters like Corey Heim, Anthony Alfredo, and Ryan Repko; picking up their first career series wins.

 

EVENT NOTES

Track: Hickory Motor Speedway

Location: Hickory, NC

Track Size: .363 mile

Event Name: MTP Tire 250 pres. by Cloer Construction

Laps: 150L (LMSC) – 100L (SLM)

Distance: 54.45 miles (LMSC) – 36.3 miles (SLM)

Event Schedule: Practice: 11:45AM-2PM / Qualifying: 4PM / Green Flag: 6PM

 

PRE ENTRY LIST

LMSC Entry List (23 total)

#08 Deac McCaskill, #07 Chase Dixon, #2 Brandon Pierce, #2N TBA, #4 Jonathan Findley, #4H Kaden Honeycutt, #14 Jared Fryar, #14J Conner Jones, #17 Joe Valento, #19 Jessica Cann, #22 Bobby McCarty, #24 Mason Diaz, #41 Tyler Matthews, #44 Justin Johnson, #57 Justin Carroll, #81 Mini Tyrrell, #81B Sam Butler, #87 Mike Looney, #88 William Cox III, #91 Jonathan Shafer, #95 Sam Yarbrough, #97 Daniel Silvestri, #99 Lanye Riggs

 

SLM Entry List (15 total)

#4ME Ben Rowe, #6 Brandon Setzer, #7 Jeremy Barclay, #7C Justin Crider, #11 Michael Ritch, #15 Mike Hopkins, #21 Jacob Perry, #28 TJ Duke, #35 Carson Kvapil, #45 Kodie Connor, #49 Jeff Batten, #51 TBA, #54 Matt Craig, #74 Ryan Moore, #94X Garrett Hall

 

SOCIAL

Facebook: CARS Tour / Hickory Motor Speedway

Instagram: cars_tour / hickoryspeedway

Twitter: @CARSTour / @hickoryspeedway / #MTPTire250

 

MEDIA

CARS Tour TV (carstour.tv)

Race22 (race22.com)

Speed51 (speed51.com)

Short Track Scene (shorttrackscene.com)

Speed Sport (speedsport.com)

 

QUICK HITS

Supers Set to Kick off Season Title

The chase for the Super Late Model division championship title kicks off this weekend at Hickory. While there may be a new face or two in the field, one clear favorite to win his third consecutive series title is defending champion, Matt Craig. The Kannapolis, NC driver has faced several tough battles over the years to earn individual race wins, but no other consistent competitor has come close to challenging him for the championship title. Follow Kannapolis native Kodie Conner along with John Batten are the only two threats to dethrone Craig from the top spot.

 

Super Late Model Mix Up

In addition to just kicking off the 2021 season, Super Late Models will get their first taste of shorter length races, a single change tire option, crate engine finishers bonus money, as well as big bonus money for the top four qualifiers should they choose to start from the rear of the field.

 

This weekend’s Super Late Model feature race will be 100 green flag laps with each teams taking the green flag on three new tires and one scuff tire on the left front (only). All teams will have a single new tire in their pit that can be changed anytime during a competition yellow without losing position on pit road. With the forty (40) consecutive green flag competition caution gone, depending on how the race plays out, the chance to see drivers come and go in the sprint to the finish could be at an all-time high.

 

Not only will the new tire option be in play, but top four qualifiers will have the option to start at the rear of the field as part of the Fast 4ward Challenge. A $3,000 bonus for winning the race is in play for any of the top four, while $2,000, $1,500, and $1,000 will be up for grabs for the top four should they get back within their respective qualified positions inside the top four. Along with the sealed crate engine, competitors will earn a bonus of $750, $500, and $250 for three highest finishers.

 

Different Winners Trend to Continue at Hickory?

Hickory Motor Speedway has hosted the most races in CARS Tour history and along the way, it has produced a wide variety of Late Model Stock Car winners. Anthony Alfredo, Josh Berry, Corey Heim, Justin Carroll, and Ryan Repko are just a few of the different names that found their way to Edelbrock Victory Lane at .363 mile track. With now ten different winners over the last eleven series events dating back to the season opening of the 2020 season, the trend for a new winner could easily continue. R&S Racecars Rookie of the Year contender, Kayden Honeycutt, swept the twin 40 races at Hickory last Saturday night in preparation for the MTP Tire 250. Hickory Motor Speedway remains unfamiliar to Honeycutt, and although this was the first time he has ever seen the track, he will be going into the weekend confident. Veteran Mike Looney finished second to Honeycutt in the first race while JR Motorsports and series rookie William Cox III did so in the second race.

 

The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour is one of the premier short track series in the United States. Drivers compete in Late Model Stock Cars and Super Late Models at the best short tracks across the Carolinas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. The CARS Tour can be found on Facebook at “CARS Tour”, on Twitter @CARSTour, and on Instagram as @CARS_Tour. For more information, visit www.carsracingtour.com or call their Mooresville, N.C. offices at 704.662.9212.