By Chris Tilley, Series Publicist
BRASSTOWN, NC. – July 6, 2018: The busiest weeks of dirt track racing in the Southeast kick off on Saturday, July 14, with the running of the Fourteenth Annual Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Tennessee RV.
The 11-race mini-tour kicks off July 14 at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va., paying $10,000-to-win. Last year’s event winner at Wythe Raceway was Vic Hill of Mosheim, Tenn.
Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., will host Round 2 on Monday, July 16, paying $3,500-to-win. This will be the first time the since 2013 that the series will visit Volunteer Speedway. Vic Hill took the payday that year.
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, July 17, 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 2016 and McIntosh won during last season’s visit.
On Thursday, July 19, the tour will visit to Toccoa Raceway in Toccoa, Ga., for a 35-lap $3,500-to-win and $400-to-start event. This will mark the first-ever trip to the Mike Davidson promoted track.
On Friday, July 20, the Southern Nationals competitors travel to Swainsboro Raceway in Georgia for Round 5 of the tour paying $5,300-to-win. Last year at Swainsboro, McIntosh took the payday.
Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga., will host the series on Saturday, July 21, paying $10,000 to win during the 19th 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. Casey Roberts claimed the victory during the 2017 series visit to Screven.
On Sunday, July 22, Round 7 of the series will bring action to the Rome Speedway in Rome, Ga., paying $5,300-to-win. 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 and rain claimed the event in 2017.
Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Ga., will host Round 8 of the tour for the fourth time on Tuesday, July 24, 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. Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., claimed the 2017 visit to Boyd’s Speedway.
On Thursday, July 26, the tour will roll into Crossville Speedway in Tennessee for a 35-lap $3,500-to-win show and Round 9 of the tour. Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., won the series visits to Crossville in 2008 and 2009 while Craig Vosbergen of Perth, Western Australia, captured his first-career victory in 2016. Overton claimed the victory in 2017.
Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn., will host Round 10 of the tour on Friday, July 27. This will mark the series’ fifth appearance to the track located just minutes from Knoxville. The event pays $5,300-to-win. Madden claimed the 2014 series visit while Weaver won in 2015. The event was rained out in 2016 and 2017.
On Saturday, July 28, the tour will finish the 11-race journey with a $10,000-to-win event at the Gary Hall owned high-banked Tazewell Speedway oval in Tennessee. Eric Jacobsen of Rio Del Mar, Cal., won the 2014 series visit while Hill won the 2015 series visit to the Bad Fast Taz. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., won the $10,000 payday in 2016 while Overton claimed the finale and the Championship in 2017. 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: Chicky Barton of Middlesboro, Ky., Shanon Buckingham of Morristown, Tenn., 2016 Champion Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind., Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, Ga., Robby Moses of Maryville, Tenn., Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., Aaron Ridley of Chatsworth, Ga., and Craig Vosbergen of Perth, Western Australia.
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), and Brandon Overton (2017).
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.
2018 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule
Saturday, July 14
Wythe Raceway, Rural Retreat, VA
$10,000 to win/53 laps
Monday, July 16
Volunteer Speedway, Bulls Gap, TN
$3,500 to win/35 laps
Tuesday, July 17
411 Motor Speedway, Seymour, TN
$3,500 to win/35 laps
Thursday, July 19
Toccoa Raceway, Toccoa, GA
$3,500 to win/35 laps
Friday, July 20
Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro, GA
$5,300 to win/53 laps
Saturday, July 21
Screven Motor Speedway, Sylvania, GA
$10,000 to win/53 laps
Sunday, July 22
Rome Speedway, Rome, GA
$5,300 to win/53 laps
Tuesday, July 24
Boyd’s Speedway, Ringgold, GA
$3,500 to win/35 laps
Thursday, July 26
Crossville Speedway, Crossville, TN
$3,500 to win/35 laps
Friday, July 27
Smoky Mountain Speedway
Maryville, TN
$5,300 to win/53 laps
Saturday July 28
Tazewell Speedway,Tazewell, TN
$10,000 to win/53 laps
