South Boston, Virginia – (June 7, 2014) It was a beautiful Saturday for short track racing all over the eastern region, no rain in the forecast, plenty of sunshine and a nice breeze to boot! South Boston Speedway played home to the PASS South Super Late Model series over the weekend and we were there to check more events off our list. Until this past weekend I have never been to South Boston, every year I tried to plan on going for their big 200 lap race in July but something would always come up.

This year was a different story I am in a little bit better position to travel to these tracks and experience new racing. This is exactly what was in store for the crew here at The Weekly Racer, and when I say crew I mean my father! Who I might add has been extremely helpful on these trips helping me carry equipment, an extra set of eyes, and more than willing to take notes for me!

Not only was this both of our first experience with South Boston Speedway but also with the Super Late Model’s! Before this weekend the closest that I have been to this track was the few races I have competed in on iRacing! I was very impressed with the complex in a whole. The drive to the speedway, though pretty long for us, was easy an easy one! It’s a straight shot down 58 and a right hand turn onto James D Hagood Hwy and boom the track is on the right!

A 4/10 mile short track that has in my opinion an incredible mix of old school and new school appeal! I will go out on the line and say this track is one resurface away from being one of if not the premier track in the state of Virginia! I loved the appeal of the wooden bleachers and the named grandstands, it adds to the allure and the history of the sport. The staff was very welcoming and helpful, a staff member was constantly bringing up to date lap time information to us. I want to personally thank the staff for allowing us to come into their facility and cover the event. We will certainly be back to cover more events in the future!

We arrived at the speedway just as the PASS South guys took to the track for their first practice of the day, mind you teams were able to test the previous day along with a rotating practice schedule with the local divisions. Trevor Noles in the #2 machine was the fastest in first practice setting a best time of 15.390 (93.567 MPH) on lap 16 of the first session with Tyler Dippel only about .080 seconds of the pace. Preston Peltier was third fastest early on with Tyler Church right behind him in fourth. Harrison Burton, the son of NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, was making his first start in a Super Late Model at his hometown track. 13 years young Burton was 5th fastest early on the speed charts with a time of 15.599, just two tenths of a second off the top spot.

As practice wrapped up for the afternoon the #2 of Trevor Noles was the fastest machine on the day with a 15.390 (93.567 MPH). Burton moved up to P2 with a time of 15.455, followed by the #1 machine of Tyler Dippel posting the third best time on the day with a 15.474. Garrett Campbell posted the fourth best time (15.492) with Preston Peltier rounding out the top five early on in the day with a 15.503.

Qualifying was the next order of business at South Boston Speedway, two laps on the clock to set the field for 150 laps. Now I am used to an invert, usually the pole sitter will pull a pill or spin a wheel and what number it lands on is the inversion. The PASS series does things a little different, the top ten qualifiers pull pills at random numbered 1-10 to determine the final starting position.

Draw       Pos.    No.  Name:                       Time:
1               8          2     Trevor Noles             15.473
2               9         16    Jared Fryar               15.524
3              10        12    Harrison Burton      15.559
4               6         57    Cole Timm                15.428
5               4          1     Tyler Dippel              15.416
6               2          7     Tyler Church             15.363
7                1         26    Preston Peltier         15.344
8               3         28    Jared Irvan               15.411
9               5        12C  Garrett Campbell      15.425
10             7          6     Brandon Setzer         15.445
11             11        8F    Tate Fogleman          15.559
12            12        13   Joe Ryan Osborne      15.606
13            13        15    Tanner Rumburg       15.615
14            14        14    Clete Caywood           15.663
15            15       12J   Trey Jarrell                 15.715

PASS South Super Late Model 150:

Engines were fired just before 7pm as 15 cars were ready to take the green flag. Trvor Noles & Jarad Fryar were ready to lead these high-speed machines to what we hoped to be an exciting race! These two had to be on top of their game for the start of this race, as there is not only a harsh penalty for jumping the start but a monetary fine to go along with it! As a very late green flag in my opinion flew over the field Noles took the field down into one, the front four cars running side by side for 10 laps before settling in single file with the 57 of Cole Timm just behind him.

As the drivers got settled into a rhythm and tire pressures started to come up it was almost like Burton’s car was strapped to a rocket and shot of the deck of an aircraft carrier because he made his move through the field with some purpose taking fourth place from Fryar. 20 laps into the feature Peltier almost took the field three wide coming off turn two with Fryar & Dipple, good thing he thought twice about that move because it could have ended the night early for all three of them.

By lap 40 Peltier had not only caught up to the lead pack but had made the pass on Timm to move into the top three. The top six consisting of Noles, Burton, Peltier, Timm, Dippel, and Church had now created a full straightway lead over the rest of the field! As the laps ticked down Burton got closer and closer to the back bumper of Noles. With lap 47 on the board Harrison Burton stuck is nose under Noles going into one, drove it hard off two, and the lead was his down the backstretch. Yet again another Burton lead laps around South Boston.

As the greater portion of the race being under green flag conditions this gave Peltier plenty of time to work his way to second position. When the field started working their way through lap traffic it allowed for Peltier to really work on the bumper of Burton. Cole Timm started to work the high line, which by the way was woking towards his advantage. Lap 75 up in lights Dipple & Church start working their way though the back markers but with some issues. Dipple has to slow way up which causes Church to get into his back bumper. Dippel way off the pace, and he has to bring his machine to the attention of his crew, and they immediately go under the hood. Dippel makes another attempt to head back out on the track but has to bring it back down pit road, his crew pushes him behind the wall and he is done for the evening.

Lap 95 up in lights, caution free so far; Burton, Peltier, Timm, Noles, Church your top five. Burton, who had distanced himself by a good half straightaway over Peltier and would soon have to work to get by the slower cars of Jarrell & Osborne then its open track. Easier said than done right? Trey Jarell took this opportunity to go head and lock up the “D’Oh Moment of the Race” award by running Burton as if they were battling for position. I know I am new to the PASS series but racing is racing… You don’t run the leaders like you would for position, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY! Not only did he cause issues for Burton but he also allowed for Cole Timm to catch and pass Preston Peltier to take over second place!

Lap 112 saw the first caution of the evening as the black and green machine of Jared Irvan cut down a right front tire and was practically stranded on the track, the #13 machine of Joe Ryan Osborn also with issues as he was slow on the speedway and took full advantage of the caution. Remember the PASS Series does not count cautions in their races so coming down pit road for repairs is not as rushed as your regular 100+ lap Late Model race.

The yellow flag was what everyone but one person, Harrison Burton, wanted to see. This allowed the tires to cool down, drivers to relax, but most importantly it bunched everyone up. This was just the break that Cole Timm needed as he took full advantage of the restart and was crowned the new leader on lap 114! After the restart it seemed as if Burtons car to a hard dive off a very steep cliff as his car looked like it was running in reverse. Peltier takes his machine way bellow the yellow line in three, makes the pass on Burton out of four, Peltier to P2 as lap 128 went up in lights.

Peltier now with a rocket powered machine set his eyes on Cole Timm who started to move his car gradually up into the second, almost third groove in the corners. He was the only car to try this pretty much all race and it worked out to his advantage as it made it difficult for Peltier to mount a solid run coming off the corners. We almost witnessed a scene from Days of Thunder as two back markers battling for position, get loose off four and Timm splits the two and keeps on getting’ it!

With only three laps to go and what looked to be a pretty easy victory for Timm the #7 of Church & #12C of Campbell make contact in three and four bringing out what would be the second and final caution on the evening while battling for the fifth position. With the field bunched up yet again, there were only three laps left before we had a winner. Cole Timms our leader who had found something with the high line trying to out run long time mentor Preston Peltier looking to add another victory to his resume.

As the field took the green off four Timm’s does what any leader in the entire country DOES NOT want to do… spins the tire. This opens a pretty large door for Peltier and give him a full car length lead by the time they cross the line. Timm did not give up because he knew he had the high line that would work to his advantage. By the time the field returned to the line Cole had closed the gape to the back bumper of Peltier and sailed it off into one with that “hope this sticks” attitude and stick it did! Timm took his 57 machine to the high line, pulled to Peltier’s rear quarter panel coming out of two, even to his door going into turn three but pulled ahead by just a nose coming to the white flag.

The two remained side by side for most of the final lap, Timm with just a slight advantage of two thanks to the high line. Peltier giving everything he has down the backstretch dive bombs into turn three taking the car a lot lower than anyone had run all night, Timm sticking to the high line. It wasn’t enough to hold off Cole Timm as he collects his first career PASS South Super Late Model victory!

From a fans stand point I would say the first three-quarters of the race was a bit boring. Fans often want to come to the track to see the cars beating and banging on each other, however this wasn’t the case. With the higher line these cars were able to actually get side by side and race. Probably what I like most about the cars and the track was the ability to race anywhere on the track and anywhere in the pack. The PASS South Super Late Models and Pro Late Models will take the next weekend off but return to action June 21st at Franklin County Speedway in Callaway, Virginia.

PASS South Super Late Model 150 Finishing Order:
Pos.    No.   Name:                       Laps:
1            57     Cole Timm                    150
2           26     Preston Peltier             150
3            2      Trevor Noles                 150
4           12     Harrison Burton           150
5           16     Jared Fryar                    150
6           8F    Tate Fogleman              150
7             7     Tyler Church                  150
8          12J    Trey Jarrell                    150
9           28     Jared Irvan                   150
10           6     Brandon Setzer             150
11           15   Tanner Rumburg           148
12          14    Clete Caywood               148
13        12C   Garrett Campbell           147
14           13   Joe Ryan Osborne         111
15             1    Tyler Dippel                    83