Tour Returns to Fast Half Mile After Postponement
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Following a rainout on March 19 the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour is set to return to Concord Speedway this Saturday to contest the Southern Sizzler 150.
Race postponements always come with logistical challenges, but at least one benefit resulted in this instance. Due to the NASCAR XFINITY Series having a weekend off, 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece will now compete in the race.
Preece has two wins, nine poles and 10 top-10 finishes in 14 starts in the southern tour. He’ll be joined at the North Carolina oval by another former NWMT champion as Ted Christopher is still slated to compete in the race.
Christopher’s resume is also strong in his limited time in the southern tour. Christopher won the only other time the NWSMT visited Concord in 2009. The Connecticut native has grabbed six wins in 18 southern tour starts dating back to 2005.
A total of six drivers who competed at Concord in 2009 will return with current points leader Burt Myers leading the way. Myers won the pole back in 2009 with a top speed of 118.569 mph, making the track one of the fastest on the southern tour.
Former Concord track champion and current NWSMT competitor, Bobby Measmer Jr., scored a career-best second place finish at the season opener at Caraway.
RACE CENTRAL LIVE: EVENT SCHEDULE & ENTRY LIST
| RACE: | Southern Sizzler 150 |
|---|---|
| PLACE: | Concord (N.C.) Speedway |
| TIME: | 7:45 p.m. ET |
| TRACK LAYOUT: | .5-mile asphalt oval |
| 2015 WINNER: | New event |
| 2015 POLE SITTER: | New event |
| EVENT SCHEDULE: | Driver/Crew Chief Meeting: 2:30 p.m.; Practice 3-4 p.m.: Qualifying: 5 p.m. |
| TRACK TWITTER: | @ConcordSpeedway |
| EVENT HASHTAG: | #SouthernSizzler150 |
| TRACK CONTACT: | Renee Hackett, (336) 629-5803; renee@carawayspeedway.com |
| NASCAR IMC CONTACT: | Tim Southers, (386) 235-3634 or tsouthers@nascar.com; @tsouth1968 |
Fast Facts
The Race: The Southern Sizzler 150 at Concord Speedway will be the second of 11 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship events in 2016. This is the tour’s second visit to the unique oval, and the second of eight races this season in the state of North Carolina.
The Procedure: The maximum starting field is 26 cars, including provisionals. The first 23 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials while the remaining three starting spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race is scheduled for 150 laps (75 miles) and teams have an opportunity to pit and change one tire during the event.
The Track: Concord Speedway is a half-mile mile banked asphalt oval located in Concord, North Carolina. The facility opened in 1982 originally with a dirt racing surface and was later paved. The track hosted the southern tour in 2009.
The Records: Burt Myers set the tour’s track qualifying record on March 21, 2009 with a mark of 15.181 seconds (118.569 mph).
Southern Sizzler 150 Note
NASCAR Hall of Famer to Serve as Grand Marshal: Newly inducted NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and modified racing legend Jerry Cook will serve as Grand Marshal of the race and will give the command to start the Southern Sizzler 150 on Saturday.
