A National Weather Service prediction of severe thunderstorms with hail and a possible tornado forced postponement of Saturday’s races at Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway to Sunday.
Rain began falling at the 0.625-mile track shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday, but it was the severe storms that were expected to hit the area about 6 p.m. that caused track and PASS officials to decide to postpone the event. The teams were told to secure all of their pit equipment and take down their pop-up tents in preparation for the high winds that were expected.
Pit gates open at 10 a.m. Sunday and the grandstands at 11 a.m. The 100-lap Modified race is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. with the richest-ever PASS Super Late Model event to follow.
Stephen Nasse, from Pinellas Park, Fla., earned the pole for “The Race” with a track record qualifying lap of 18.700 seconds, 120.321 mph. However, when PASS held its redraw Saturday morning for the top 10 starting positions, Nasse drew the 10th starting spot. Johnny Clark, who qualified ninth, picked the pole. Joining him on the front row is Jay Fogleman, of Durham, N.C., one of five drivers eligible for a $25,000 bonus. The winner of “The Race” is guaranteed $75,000. There is a $25,000 bonus for the winner if he competed in either the PASS Southern or Northern division full time and in four national races last year. That means a victory by Fogleman; Preston Peltier, from Harrisburg, N.C.; Clark, of Hallowell, Maine; Ben Rowe, from Turner, Maine; or Steven Legendre, of St. Johnsbury, Vt., would mean a $100,000 winner’s purse.
Jimmy Zacharias, of Candor, N.Y., earned the pole for the Modified race with an 18.694-second lap. Joining him on the front row is Jason Myers, who won last fall’s Modified race at the historic short track. His brother, NASCAR Southern Modified Tour champion Burt Myers, will start third, while rival Junior Miller goes off fourth. Rounding out the top five is Rick Kluth, from Brockport, N.Y.
North Wilkesboro Speedway PR
