FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Runs July 15th through July 29th 

Contact: Chris Tilley
Southern Nationals Series P.R. Coordinator
828-361-5981 | tilleyracing@gmail.com

BRASSTOWN, NC. – July 9, 2017 –The busiest weeks of dirt track racing in the Southeast kick off on Saturday July 15th with the running of the Thirteenth Annual Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Tennessee RV.

Drivers will race for over $266,000 in prize money in 11 races. Drivers will have driven over 1,422 miles in 26 hours of driving during the Southern Nationals. If one driver were to win every race, they would receive $63,400 in first place money and $68,453 total after the first-place points money.

The 11-race mini-tour kicks off Saturday Night July 15th at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va. paying $10,000-to-win. Last year’s event winner at Wythe Raceway was Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga.

At Wythe Raceway on July 15th, drivers must meet the following criteria for being eligible to race in the feature event where Promoter Fred Brown has announced all cars that attend the event will be allowed to qualify for the feature event paying $10,000-to-win and $500-to-start. All cars will qualify and heat race. No cars will be locked in through qualifying. The only drivers past the 22-car starting field will be the ones who meet the following criteria: 1) Qualifying lap times must be within 1.5 seconds (max) from the fifth overall fastest driver at the end of qualifying. 2) Legitimate all-aluminum engines will only be permitted. 3) Driver must have raced at least twice in 2017.

Tri-County Race Track in Brasstown, N.C. will host Round 2 on Monday Night July 17th paying $3,500-to-win. Shanon Buckingham of Morristown, Tenn. won last year’s visit to Tri-County Race Track over Casey Roberts, Ricky Weiss, Devin Gilpin and Kenny Collins.

411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. will again be on this year’s schedule as the series will roll into the beautiful Smoky Mountains on Tuesday Night July 18th paying $3,500 to win. Randy Weaver of Crossville, Tenn. won the inaugural visit in 2014 and Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, Ga. won the 2015 series visit. David Crabtree won his first-career series victory during last year’s series visit.

On Thursday Night July 20th the series will head to the Gray Gumbo of Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Ga. for the tour’s first-ever visit paying $3,500-to-win. The track has produced some of the best racing in the Southeast and was ranked on the DirtonDirt.com’s Top-5 Best Races of 2016 during the Spring Nationals Series visit.

On Friday Night July 21st the Southern Nationals competitors travel to Swainsboro (Ga.) Raceway for Round # 5 of the tour paying $5,300-to-win. Last year at Swainsboro, Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, S.C. captured the victory.

Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga. will host the series on Saturday Night July 22nd paying $10,000 to win during the 18th annual Rebel Yell event. Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, S.C. claimed the 2014 and 2015 series visits while Chris Ferguson of Mt. Holly took the payday in the 2016 visit. The $10,000 payout will mark the highest payout for the series at Screven.

On Sunday Night July 23rd, Round # 7 of the series will bring action to the Rome Speedway in Rome, Ga. paying $5,300-to-win. Randy Weaver won in 2014 while the 2015 tour appearance was claimed by rain at the famed Rome Speedway. Dale McDowell claimed the $5,300 payday in 2016.

Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Ga. will host Round # 8 of the tour for the third time on Monday Night July 24th as the SNS competitors will be competing for the $3,500 top prize. Casey Roberts of Toccoa, Ga. won in 2015 at Boyd’s while David Payne of Murphy, N.C. won the 2016 series visit. It will also be a huge night featuring NASCAR stars Austin and Ty Dillon signing autographs and visiting with race fans.

On Thursday Night July 27th the tour will roll into Crossville (Tenn.) Speedway for a 35-lap $3,500-to-win show and Round # 9 of the tour. Chris Madden won the series visits to Crossville in 2008 and 2009 while Craig Vosbergen of Perth, Western Australia captured his first-career victory in 2016.

Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. will host Round # 10 of the tour on Friday Night July 28th. This will mark the series’ sixth appearance to the track located just minutes from Knoxville. The event pays $5,300-to-win. Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C. claimed the 2014 series visit while Randy Weaver of Crossville, Tenn. won in 2015. The event was rained out in 2016.

On Saturday Night July 29th the tour will finish the eleven-race journey with a $10,000-to-win event at the Gary Hall owned high-banked oval. Eric Jacobsen of Rio Del Mar, Cal. won the 2014 series visit while Vic Hill won the 2015 series visit to the Bad Fast Taz. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn. won the $10,000 payday in 2016. Tazewell has been the only track on the tour that has hosted the finale every season.

Some of the drivers that have given intentions on trying to complete the entire tour include: Shanon Buckingham of Morristown, Tenn., Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., Kenny Collins of Colbert, Ga., David Doherty of Sydney, Australia, Vic Hill of Mosheim, Tenn., Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, Ga., Robby Moses of Maryville, Tenn., Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., David Payne of Murphy, N.C., Craig Vosbergen of Perth, Western Australia and Ricky Weiss of Headingly, Manitoba, Canada.

Each night, the tour will feature a complete show of Practice, Qualifying, Heat Races/Conseys and the Main events (either 35 or 53 laps in distance). A $100 entry fee will be charged each night and transponders will be available for rent at each event. At the first series event, provisional starting spots will be based on one from last year’s Southern Nationals Series points and this year’s final Spring Nationals Series points if needed.

The Southern Nationals Series will feature a points fund in excess of $15,000 with $5,053 going to the Series Champion, second place receives $2,553, third place receives $2,053, fourth place receives $1,553, fifth place receives $1,053, sixth place receives $753, seventh place receives $653 and eighth place in series points will receive $553 along with all other prefect attendance drivers. Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind. is the defending series champion. Race purses in excess of $266,000 will go out the door in just eleven days of racing. The top AR Bodies/MasterSbilt Race Cars Rookie of the Year for the tour will receive a $1,000 cash award. The top-five drivers in points after the first event will be guaranteed to leave each race with $600 minimum if they make the feature race and $300 minimum if they don’t make the feature race.

One driver will collect an additional $5,053 if he is the overall champion of the Spring, Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals and Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals Bonus Series at season’s end.

At each Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals, Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals and Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Bonus Series event in 2017, the highest finishing CT525 engine in the main event will receive a $200 bonus and the highest finishing Steel Head/SPEC engine will also receive a $200 bonus.

Former Southern Nationals Series Champions include: Jeff Cooke (2005), Anthony White (2006), Chris Madden (2007/2008/2011/2012/2014), Tommy Kerr (2009), Jonathan Davenport (2010/2013), Casey Roberts (2015), Devin Gilpin (2016).

Further information on the Spring Nationals, Southern Nationals and Southern Nationals Bonus Series can be obtained by calling Promoter Ray Cook at (828) 360-5353 or Series P.R. Coordinator Chris Tilley at (606) 219-1723 or visit the official website located at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com .

2017 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule:
Saturday July 15-Wythe Raceway-Rural Retreat, VA-$10,000 to win/53 laps
Monday July 17-Tri-County Race Track-Brasstown, NC-$3,500 to win/35 laps
Tuesday July 18-411 Motor Speedway-Seymour, TN-$3,500 to win/35 laps
Thursday July 20-Senoia Raceway-Senoia, GA-$3,500 to win/35 laps
Friday July 21-Swainsboro Raceway-Swainsboro, GA-$5,300 to win/53 laps
Saturday July 22-Screven Motor Speedway-Sylvania, GA-$10,000 to win/53 laps
Sunday July 23-Rome Speedway-Rome, GA-$5,300 to win/53 laps
Monday July 24-Boyd’s Speedway-Ringgold, GA-$3,500 to win/35 laps
Thursday July 27-Crossville Speedway-Crossville, TN-$3,500 to win/35 laps
Friday July 28-Smoky Mountain Speedway-Maryville, TN-$5,300 to win/53 laps
Saturday July 29-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$10,000 to win/53 laps

$3,500 to Win Event Purse:
1) $3,500, 2) $2,000, 3) $1,500, 4) $1,200, 5) $900, 6) $700, 7) $600, 8) $550, 9) $525, 10) $500, 11) $480, 12) $470, 13) $460, 14) $450, 15) $440, 16) $430, 17) $420,
18) $410, 19) $400, 20) $400, 21) $400, 22) $400

$5,300 to Win Event Purse:
1) $5,300, 2) $2,600, 3) $1,800, 4) $1,400, 5) $1,100, 6) $850, 7) $750, 8) $725,
9) $700, 10) $675, 11) $650, 12) $625, 13) $600, 14) $580, 15) $570, 16) $560,
17) $550, 18) $540, 19) $530, 20) $530, 21) $530, 22) $530

$10,000 to Win Event Purse:
1) $10,000, 2) $5,000, 3) $2,500, 4) $2,000, 5) $1,500, 6) $1,100, 7) $1,000, 8) $950,
9) $900, 10) $850, 11) $800, 12) $750, 13) $650, 14) $600, 15) $550, 16) $530,
17) $520, 18) $500, 19) $500, 20) $500, 21) $500, 22) $500

Tire Rule for Tri-County, Swainsboro, Screven:
Hoosier Racing Tire: 1300, 1350, 1600, LM 40, Crate 21. (Lucas equivalent allowed)
American Racer: 44, 48, 56.

Tire Rule for Wythe, 411, Senoia, Rome, Boyd’s, Crossville, Smoky, Tazewell:
Hoosier Racing Tire: 1350, 1600, LM 40, Crate 21. (Lucas equivalent allowed)
American Racer: 48, 56.

Special Thanks to the following Southern Nationals Series Supporters: Schaeffer’s Oil, Sunoco Race Fuels, Tennessee R.V. Sales & Service Super Center, Arizona Sport Shirts, Gotta Race, American Race Tires, AR Bodies, Collins Signs, Delph Communications, DirtonDirt.com, FK Rod Ends, Hoosier Racing Tire, Keyser Manufacturing, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Capital Race Cars, RockAuto.com, The Joie of Seating, Vic Hill Racing Engines, VP Racing Fuels.

411 Motor Speedway
www.411MotorSpeedway.net
632 Maryville Highway
Seymour, TN 37865
PH: (865) 257-7223
Promoter: Mitch McCarter

Boyd’s Speedway
www.BoydsSpeedway.net
1481 Scruggs Road
Ringgold, GA 30736
PH: (706) 891-6803
Promoters: David Duplissey & Dale McDowell

Crossville Speedway
www.CrossvilleSpeedway.com
5434 U.S. 70
Crossville, TN 38571
PH: (931) 261-0532 or (931) 252-8625
Owners: Lewis Jackson & Josh Norris

Rome Speedway
www.DixieSpeedway.com/Rome
1933 Chulio Road
Rome, GA 30161
PH: (706) 235-2541
Promoter: Mickey Swims

Senoia Raceway
www.SenoiaRaceway.com
171 Brown Road
Senoia, GA 30276
PH: (770) 599-6161
Promoters: Bill Massey, Mayes Massey, Doug Stevens

Screven Motor Speedway
www.ScrevenMotorsportsComplex.com
6118 Savannah Highway
Sylvania, GA 30467
PH: (912) 857-4884
Promoter: James “Redd” Griffin

Smoky Mountain Speedway
www.SmokyMountainSpeedway.com
809 Brickmill Road
Maryville, TN 37801
PH: (865) 856-8989
Promoter: Casey Moses

Swainsboro Raceway
www.SwainsboroRaceway.com
586 Modoc Road
Swainsboro, GA 30401
PH: (478) 252-1300
Promoter: Paul Purvis

Tazewell Speedway
www.TazewellSpeedway.net
1400 Bacchus Road
Tazewell, TN 37879
PH: (423) 626-2222
Promoter: Gary Hall

Tri-County Race Track
www.TriCountyRaceTrack.com
10456 Old U.S. 64
Brasstown, NC 28902
PH: (828) 837-3815
Promoter: Ray Cook

Wythe Raceway
www.WytheRaceway.com
164 Race Track Road
Rural Retreat, VA 24368
PH: (276) 686-4261
Promoters: Fred & Susan Brown