Southern 100 Preview
6 min readWHEELERSBURG, OH-The biggest weekend of racing in the 45+ year history of the Southern Ohio Speedway is upon us with the 18th Annual Southern 100 weekend on Friday, May 3rd and Saturday, May 4th. May 3rd will be the Pepsi Southern 100 Qualifier featuring Late Models-$4,000 to win, Modifieds-$800 to win, and GCP Engines Sport Mods. Saturday, May 4th will be the Southern 100 Championship featuring Late Models-$12,000 to win, Modifieds-$1,000 to win, Pure Stocks, and a $250 to win Enduro at the end of the night.
Event History
The Southern 100 is one of the most prestigious races in the region. At one time, the Southern 100 was behind only the World 100 in prestige and popularity. The first Southern 100 was held 37 years ago in 1976 and was won by Billy Teegarden. The race has ran a variety of formats over the years with legendary drivers of the sport such as Delmas Conley, Jack Boggs, Randy Boggs, Charlie Swartz, Bob Pierce, M. D. Marshall, Jim Patrick, Larry Moore, Pat Patrick, John Mason, Rod Conley, Jackie Boggs, and Eddie Carrier Jr. claiming wins in the race. Eddie Carrier Jr. won last year’s Southern 100, the first Southern 100 held in 14 years.
Southern Trophy
The winner of the 2013 Southern 100 Championship on Saturday, May 4th will be presented with Mike Jewell’s Famed Southern Trophy. The Famed Southern Trophy is one of the most impressive trophies in all of motorsports nationwide. The trophy, designed by Mike Jewell, stands at 7 feet 10 inches tall. Previous winners of the trophy are: Billy Moyer (1988), Donnie Moran (1989), Delmas Conley (1990), “Black” Jack Boggs (1991), Paul Harris (1992), Eddie Carrier Jr. (2008), Mike Marlar (2009), Greg Johnson (2010), Jerry Rice (2011), Eddie Carrier Jr. (2012).
2013 Racing Action at SOS
The 2013 season at Southern Ohio Speedway has got off to an incredible start. The racing this year has been absolutely incredible each and every week. Every single Late Model feature has had lead changes with the final lead change coming on the final lap the past two races. Every single Modified race has been exciting with last weeks feature ending in a photo finish. We have seen track qualifying records broken in two out of the first three races. We have had a different winner every week in the Late Model and Modified division. The GCP Engines Sport Mod division has seen an average car count of 20 and great racing action each week. This has the anticipation for this years Southern 100 at an all time high.
Late Model Preview
Race fans will get to see two great nights of Late Model action during the 18th Annual Southern 100 with two complete, separate shows. Friday night will feature a 40 lap, $4,000 to win show while Saturday night will feature a 60 lap, $12,000 to win show. An excellent field of cars is expected to be in attendance as drivers look to go after the $16,000 on the line if you win both nights. While the winners payouts are high, the payouts throughout the field this weekend are strong as well. Just by starting a feature event both nights, a driver will earn a minimum of $850. By just starting a B-Main both nights a driver will earn $225. There are no entry fees outside of the pit pass as this years Southern 100 presents a great opportunity for race teams of all budgets to make a lot of money.
The format put together for the event is sure to create excitement. On Friday, the fastest qualifier will draw out of a stack of envelopes that has one #1, two #2′s, and three #3′s for the heat race invert. On Saturday, the heat races will be inverted by three with the top two finishers in each heat race plus the two highest finishers in Friday’s feature that didn’t finish top two in their heat, but transfered into the feature, going into a 6 lap dash race that will make up the first 4 or 5 rows of the feature (depending on car count).
Not only will Late Model drivers be racing for huge money, they will be going after something just as important than that this weekend; the prestige of being a Southern 100 champion and Southern Trophy winner. The group of drivers who have won the Southern 100 is a who’s who list of legends in this sport. You win the Southern 100, you are in that group. A Southern 100 win is a win that a driver will get to carry with him his whole career. The Southern Trophy is a trophy that all drivers want to have sitting in their garage. One driver will walk away as the 2013 Southern 100 Champion on Saturday, May 4th. Who will that driver be?
Late Model Tech Bulletin
The track will be checking for chemical alterations to tires. Other than no chemical alterations allowed, we will be running under an open tire rule for the Late Models.
Modified Preview
The Southern 100 weekend is also the biggest weekend of the season at the track for the Modified division. A potential $1,800 will be on the line as Modifieds will race for $800 to win on Friday, May 3rd and $1,000 to win on Saturday, May 4th. With as exciting as the racing has been in the Modified class this year, the Modified portion of the Southern 100 should be just as exciting as the Late Model portion. Jason Montgomery, Brian Skaggs, and Doug Adkins have claimed Modified feature wins this year with Jeremy Rayburn the current points leader.
GCP Engines Sport Mod, Pure Stock, and Enduro Preview
Another great show is expected on Friday in the GCP Engines Sport Mod division. Car counts have been strong this year and the racing action has been exciting. The Sport Mods will run on the Friday portion of the weekend. Danny Hamilton and Eric Dennison have claimed feature wins this season. Barry Brister has won all three races this year in the Pure Stock division. The car count is growing in the Pure Stock class and is expected to grow even more heading into Saturday. The final race of the weekend will be the $250 to win Enduro on Saturday, May 4th. Enduro’s are popular events at SOS and always put on a good show.
Camping Bulletin
Camping will be available for the Southern 100 weekend. All camping will take place in the field across the road from the pit area. The camping is not on race track property and will not be managed by the race track. Camping will be managed by the field property owners. The fee to camp is $25 for the weekend. No campers will be allowed up in the general admission parking lot, all campers must be in the field across the road from the pit area. This has been done to make sure plenty of space is available for general admission parking.
Race haulers are allowed to stay in the pits and camp overnight free of charge.
Times and Admission Prices
Friday, May 3rd: Gates will open at 4:00 pm with drivers meeting at 7:00 pm and hot laps at 7:30 pm. General admission prices will be $15 (ages 17 and up), $10 (ages 13-16), $5 (ages 7-12), and free (ages 6 and under). Pit passes will be $32 (ages 13 and up), $25 (ages 7-12), and free (ages 6 and under).
Saturday, May 4th: The gates will be open all day as race haulers will be staying overnight. At 3:30 pm, track officials will close the gates and eveyrone will have to exit the pit area and general admission area At 4:00 pm the gates will reopen and everyone already at the facility will pay to get in at that time. Drivers meeting will be at 6:30 pm with hot laps at 7:00 pm. General admission prices will be $25 (ages 17 and up), $20 (ages 13-16), $10 (ages 7-12), and free (ages 6 and under). Pit passes will be $35 (ages 13 and up), $30 (ages 7-12), and free (ages 6 and under).
Pay Per View Coverage
Both nights of the 18th Annual Southern 100 will be broadcasted live on Pay Per View through XSAN TV. XSAN provides high quality motorsports PPV events nationwide including the East Bay Winternationals and IMCA Supernationals. The cost is $19.95 per night for the PPV. The PPV coverage will start at 7:30 pm on Friday and 7:00 pm on Saturday. To order the PPV go to www.xsan.tv.
Event Payouts
May 3rd Late Model Payout
1. $4,000
2. $2,000
3. $1,000
4. $900
5. $800
6. $600
7. $500 8
. $400
9. $350
10. $300
11-15. $275
16-20. $250
B-Main Non-Transfers: $100
May 4th Late Model Payout
1. $12,000
2. $5,000
3. $3,000
4. $2,000
5. $1,500
6. $1,300
7. $1,200
8. $1,100
9. $1,000
10. $900
11. $800
12. $700
13-20. $600
B-Main Non-Transfers: $125
No additional entry fees besides pit passes both nights!
May 3rd Modified Payout
1. $800
2. $350
3. $250
4. $200
5. $180
6. $170
7. $160
8. $150
9. $130
10. $120
11-20. $100
B-Main Non-Transfers-$35
May 4th Modified Payout
1. $1,000
2. $500
3. $300
4. $250
5. $200
6. $180
7. $170
8. $160
9. $150
10. $130
11-20. $115
B-Main Non-Transfers-$40