Carolina Racers Ready For The Nationals
17 Top Drivers Pre-Registered For Vegas
by Jason Buckley
Over 200 drivers are pre-registered for this weekend’s 16th Annual RACEceiver Legends Car and Thunder Roadster Asphalt Nationals at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway(NV). Among the group are 17 Carolinas racers looking to take the top honors in three classes of Legends racing action.
In the Masters division, Clay Hair is looking to take his fifth straight Nationals victory. Hair has been the master of Masters, claiming the Summer Shootout division championship earlier this season. He will not be alone in representing the Carolinas as seven other Masters have pre-registered for the event, including Larry Friddle, Billy Gomez, Jr., Jan Ingram, Todd Johnson, Tommy Jordan, “Cotton” Spry and Tom Van Wingerden.
Jordan Anderson and Craig Goess, Jr. lead a strong field of Carolinas drivers in the Pro division. Anderson finished a close second in the Nationals points chase this season and won the LMS Summer Shootout for the Pro division. Goess stepped out of the driver’s seat earlier this season, but is looking for a strong showing once again in Vegas. They will be joined by Kyle Beattie, Ryan Bird, Michael Van Wingerden and Thomas Van Wingerden.
Only three Semi-Pro drivers from the Carolinas are pre-registered for the Nationals, and all three have had a strong 2007 season. Justin Morton won multiple races in his return to Legends cars, claiming the Caraway Speedway championship. Christian PaHud also had a stellar year, including being crowned the Lowe’s Motor Speedway Summer Shootout Semi-Pro Champ. Then there is the 2007 Nationals points winner John Stancill, who has gone virtually unbeatable over the last few months of the year.
All three divisions have plenty of top talent representing the Carolinas, but there also other drivers from across the country ready to steal their thunder, like Minnesota’s Tim Brockhouse (Masters), Georgia’s Casey Roderick (Pro) and Texas driver Jason Richardson (Semi-Pro). Also, there are other drivers from across the country that might enter the racing event late this week, throwing more hats in the ring.
Asphalt Nationals Tentative Schedule
Wednesday, Oct. 10 - Pre-race
Pre-registration at the Rio Hotel and Casino 4 pm - 8 pm
Clay Hair (top), Jordan Anderson (middle) and Christian PaHud (bottom) all won divisional titles at the 2007 Summer Shootout. All three will look to claim the Nationals victories for the Carolinas region. (LN Photos)
Thursday, Oct. 11 - Practice Day
Credentials Open 7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Pit Area Opens 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
Mandatory Pre-Race Tech (cars must clear tech before qualifying) 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Alternating Practice for Pro, Semi-Pro, Masters & Pro 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Pit Area Closed and Secured 8:00 pm
Friday, Oct. 12 - Qualifying Day
Credentials Open 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
Garage Area Opens 7:00 am - 10:00 pm
Mandatory Drivers' Meeting for Semi-Pro (Pit Grandstands) 8:00 am - 8:40 am
Semi-Pro Qualifying European style 9:00 am
Mandatory Drivers' Meeting for Masters 10:00 am - 10:40 am
Masters Qualifying 11:00 am
Mandatory Drivers' Meeting
Pro and Thunder Roadsters 12:00 pm - 12:40 pm
Pro Qualifying (2 laps - qualify by car #) 1:00 pm
Thunder Roadster Qualifying 1:30 pm
Heat Races (12 laps; starting position inverted from qualifying) 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Semi-Pro Division
Masters Division
Pro Division
Thunder Roadsters 7:00 PM - 8:30 pm
Race of Champions (State Points Champions Only) 8:45 pm - 10:00 pm
Semi-Pro
Masters
Pro
Thunder Roadsters (Top Two from each state +)
Saturday, Oct. 13 - Championship Day
Pit Area and Gates Open 9:00 am
Mandatory Bandolero Drivers' Meeting 10:30 am
Mandatory Legends and Thunder Roadster Drivers Meeting 11:00 am
Bandolero Practice 11:15 am - 12 pm
Last Chance Practice Alternating classes 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Bandolero Heats 1 pm
D-Mains (15 laps with top 4 transferring to the C-Main)
Semi-Pro Division 1:15 pm - 1:30 pm
Masters Division 1:30 pm - 1:45 pm
Bandolero Heats Round two 1:45 pm
C-Mains (20 laps with top 4 transferring to B-Main)
Semi-Pro Division 2:30 pm - 2:45 pm
Masters Division 2:45 pm - 3:00 pm
Pro Division 3:00 pm - 3:15 pm
B-Mains (25 laps with top 4 transferring to A-Main)
Thunder Roadsters 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Semi-Pro Division 4:30 pm - 4:45 pm Masters Division 4:45 pm - 5:00 pm
Pro Division 5:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Credentials Close 5:00 pm
Bandolero Main Event 20 Laps 5:15 pm - 5:30 pm
Asphalt National Championship A-Main (40 laps; 24 cars + provisionals)
Thunder Roadsters 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm
-National Championship Podium/Pictures (Top 5) To Follow
Semi-Pro Division 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm
-National Championship Podium/Pictures (Top 5) To Follow
Masters Division 8:00 pm - 8:30 pm
-National Championship Podium/Pictures (Top 5) To Follow
Pro Division 9:00 pm - 9:30 pm
-National Championship Podium/Pictures (Top 5) To Follow
Pit Area Closes 10:00 pm
