Field Continues To Grow For The “Mason-Dixon Meltdown”
USAR Hooters Pro Cup Driver Ben Stancill Enters Pro/Masters Division Feature
Ben Stancill spent 2007 in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup North Series. (51 Photo)
The second annual Mason-Dixon Meltdown at Concord Motorsport Park (NC) is just a few days away as the buzz continues to circulate around the Legends and Bandolero portion of the weekend’s festivities held Friday evening on the quarter-mile track behind the facility’s half-mile fast track. More names have surfaced on the entry lists for the Legends races, which will pay $600 to win the Semi-Pro feature and $1000 to win the combined Pro/Masters feature.
One driver that has entered the event is USAR Hooters Pro Cup racer Ben Stancill.
The Stancill name has been all over the headlines this season with Ben’s brother John winning the Semi-Pro
Legends Nationals as well as the divisional National Points Championship. Now, it is his older brother Ben creating the noise by dipping back down in the Legends world, something he is familiar with, but hasn’t driven in this season.
“We had a really good run in the (USAR Hooter’s Pro Cup) North division at the beginning of the year,” said Ben Stancill. “We had three top fives and ended up sixth in the points. Now this weekend I am just looking to have some fun.”
While his younger brother will not be racing this weekend’s Meltdown, Ben Stancill will carry the family name in the Pro/Masters combined feature, driving a car supplied by Kyle Beattie Racing.
“The last time I was in a Legends was probably Winter Heat of last year,” said Stancill. “I used to run pretty good at Concord. I have won a few races out there. I feel pretty good about our chances out there.
“I am going to be driving one of Kyle Beattie’s cars. I am going there to win, but he is there too. I am going out there like I am going out there in my car.”
Beattie will be pulling the cars to the track Thursday to help get Stancill up to speed in his new Legends car, one he hopes to see in victory lane if he doesn’t get there himself.
Kyle Beattie has been a fixture in Legends racing over the years. (LN Photo)
“Our chances should be pretty good,” said Beattie. “We have run there a few times during the regular season. We have a pretty good baseline to go with. We are going to go there tomorrow and shake the cars down a bit. I think I brought a better motor with me, which is the same one I had in Vegas. It was pretty strong, so we hope for a good run.
“The main reason we are going out to practice tomorrow is to get Ben up to speed in the Legends Car. He hasn’t driven one for a while. He is driving one of my new cars. It just happened that an opportunity came up for Ben to drive my Sedan. I built it for myself because the Legends Car I drive now belongs to ABS Insulating. I have a really good relationship with those guys. My intention was to build another car to run when I couldn’t run (the ABS Insulating) car or if I had a really good Pro driver that wanted to run it I could rent it out.
“He (Ben) is an awesome Legends Car driver and has been running Hooters Pro Cup. We are going to go out there and have a good time.”
The second annual Mason-Dixon Meltdown will take place at Concord Motorsport Park (NC) on November 16th-17th, with the Legends and Bandolero portion taking place on the 16th. The Legends and Bandolero races will be officiated by PASS under the INEX rules.
The pit gates on Friday at the quarter-mile track open at 1:00 pm Friday with alternating practice running from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm. Heat races will begin at 6:00 pm, followed by Consi races and the features. The complete schedule can be found on the official website for the Mason-Dixon Meltdown at www.MasonDixonMeltdown.com.
By Jason Buckley
