PASS South continues Frances’ tradition at Greenville-Pickens

CHARLOTTE, NC (June 25, 2008) – Throughout its long history, Greenville-Pickens Speedway has played an essential part in the history of automobile racing in the United States.  Its beginnings were very similar to those of other race tracks around the country.  Greenville-Pickens Speedway opened as a half-mile dirt track in 1940, used primarily for horse racing, although stock cars raced there as well on occasion.  Like many tracks around the United States, Greenville-Pickens closed shortly after the onset of World War II.  That's where comparisons to other race tracks end and the unique story of Greenville-Pickens begins.  Following World War II, some race tracks managed to reopen while others remained shuttered forever.  However, an optimistic young promoter felt like a card of stock car races and horse races might be successful, especially at a track near a major Southern city.  Despite the naysayers, that promoter brought racing back to Greenville-Pickens on July 4, 1946.  The success of that event encouraged the young promoter to start a series for stock car racers in 1948.  The series was NASCAR and that promoter was Bill France senior.

 

On Thursday, July 3rd, the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Models and Greenville-Pickens will continue Frances' tradition with the running of the Firecracker 125, over 60 years after that historic race in 1946.  This year's race will merge a long history of NASCAR Super Late Model racing with the ongoing history of PASS South.  Whether is was the All-American Challenge, All Pro, or Southeast Series, fans fell in love with the low slung, lightning fast Super Late Models.   PASS South's visit to Greenville-Pickens in 2007 for the Howler 150 brought back that roar of 600 horsepower engines to the Upstate of South Carolina.

           

 "Prior to 1997, the straight rail Super Late Model was the type of car we ran as our feature division," said Keith Cochran, marketing director for Greenville-Pickens Speedway.  "The fans love the Super Late Models and I think that's because Bob Harmon brought the old All Pro Series to GPS more than any other track in the nation.  The fans loved the series and followed it religiously."

          

  Through the years, the list of drivers who raced and won at Greenville-Pickens reads like a Hall of Fame list for asphalt short track racing.  Drivers such as Jody Ridley, Mike Cope, Hal Goodson, Dick Anderson, Billy Bigley, Jr., Wayne Anderson, David Reutimann and Jeff Fultz all put there names in the record books as winners at Greenville-Pickens.  That doesn't even include local drivers like Donnie Bishop, Marty Ward, Randy Porter, Jason Keller and Toby Porter who won races and track championships in those years of Super Late Model competition.  

           

Despite the fact Jeff Fultz won four straight All Pro races from 2003-2005 at Greenville-Pickens, he too felt the frustration that comes with trying to figure out the flat half-mile.

           

 "Jeff was not always the terror he became at GPS, that's what folks don't realize," Cochran remembers.  "GPS is tough on those that don't know her and even Jeff had struggles in his first appearances here.  At some point, Jeff got it and became the dominating force in the latter years of the All Pro Series."

          

  Now, PASS South along with Greenville-Pickens look to make more history with the 3^rd running of the Firecracker 125.  Mike Rowe won the first Firecracker held in 2006 at Tri-County Motor Speedway in North Carolina and Corey Williams won last year's Firecracker held at Peach State Speedway in Georgia.  This year has been a year for history in PASS South.  Five different winners in the first five races, four first time winners (Brown, Stroupe, Sanborn, Haase,), Zach Stroupe becoming the series' youngest winner at the age of 15, and Alex Haase taking the first PASS South win for a Toyota.  With the success of last year's first Howler 150 at Greenville-Pickens and the great racing held through the first half of the 2008 season for PASS South, excitement is at a fever pitch for the upcoming Firecracker 125.

           

 "It's been the talk of the track," said Cochran.  "The Howler was such a huge success and a great race too.  It's a natural fit with the GPS fans and has filled a huge gap that was created when the All Pro Series no longer existed."

 

 

 Who could have ever imagined after Bill France brought a group of hard nosed racers that loved to drive fast to Greenville-Pickens Speedway, 62 years later another group of racers, born of the same cloth, would continue that tradition.

 

The 3^rd Annual Firecracker 125 will be held on Thursday, July 3^rd with gates opening at 1 PM, PASS South practice at 3 PM, and qualifying at 6 PM.  Racing for the Chargers, Renegades, and Sportsman will kick off at 7 PM and the green flag for the Firecracker 125 will drop at approximately 9:15 PM, to be followed by one of the largest fireworks displays in South Carolina.  Greenville-Pickens Speedway is located just off the Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley, SC.

 

The second race of the PASS National Series will be held on July 18-19 at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC.  The Southern Sizzler 200 will feature the top Super Late Model drivers in the country racing for $10,000 to win.  Also in action will be the Late Model Stock cars racing for 150 laps and $3,500 to win.