The field of the U.S. Southern Shootout at this week’s Super Chevy Show has grown so strong that officials at Memphis International Raceway (MIR) had to find a way to make it better.
The entry list for Pro Mod race that is part of the event’s Pro Show has swelled to 22 high-caliber cars with a scheduled eliminations bracket set for just eight cars.
“Once we got the entry list we saw how many really good cars were coming to our Super Chevy Show,” said MIR VP and GM Pam Kendrick. “It didn’t make sense for the drivers or the fans to send so many cars home. We didn’t have any choice but to expand Pro Mod field.”
So instead of eight cars competing for the $4,000 to-win prize, the eliminations field will be doubled to 16 cars thanks to the approval of the U.S. Southern Shootout officials. MIR will also award $100 to each first round loser.
“It’s a decision that will make the racers and the fans happy,” Kendrick said. “This adds some more competition and will make our Pro Show on Sunday just that much stronger. Honestly, it was an easy choice to make.”
Even though the field is bigger, six cars will still be eliminated, so making it into the field is far from guaranteed.
Ripley, Tenn.’s Jerry Prater finished runner-up at last year’s Super Chevy Show and said the Memphis race always seems to draw a strong field.
“We’ve been at races like this where we’ve missed the field by .01 seconds,” Prater said. “We’re running a new blower and a few more new part
s, so we should get in this field. We’re only an hour away, so this is like our hometown track. We’re loaded with fans up there.”
Today is the last day fans can buy discounted advance Super Chevy Show tickets by going to racemir.com or calling 901-WOW-RACE901-WOW-RACE.
Individual tickets for the Super Chevy Show go on sale at the gate on Friday morning. Adult ticket prices are $15 on Friday, $25 on Saturday and $15 on Sunday ($40 for a weekend pass). Children 6-12 are $5 each day and Children 5 and under are free.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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