Mike Jones laments a string of tire and parts failures at South Boston Speedway this season, but don’t feel too sorry for the Limited Sportsman driver.
He’s won two of the last three Limited races at South Boston and finished second in the other. He hasn’t finished out of the top 10 in 12 starts in 2016 and has six top-five efforts despite his woes. But, he says, it could have been much better.
“I think my worst finish is second when I didn’t have a tire or parts issue,” said the 26-year-old Jones. “Overall it’s been a very successful season (even with those problems). I finished sixth twice in a row with a broken shock.”
Those two broken shocks actually were a key to Jones’ recent visits to victory lane. He broke a shock on June 18 and managed to finish sixth. On July 1 the same thing happened with the same results.
“After that we stepped back and changed some things. We had gone to a new shock manufacturer this year and we went back to the old one. After that it’s been like we hit on something. The car is working better than it ever has now,” explained Jones, who was born and reared in South Boston and returned home last year after living in Richmond for a couple of years. While in Richmond he put his racing career on hold, but returned to the track when he moved back in the middle of last summer.
Jones says the last three races, with finishes of first, second and first, have been very rewarding. “It’s a good feeling when you keep the fenders on the car and just have to tweak it a little bit when you get back in the shop,’ said Jones, who is sponsored by Halifax Insurance, Stallings Collision Center, S&D Machine and Tool, Halifax County Cancer Association, Halifax County Sheriff’s Department and Tommy V’s Brick Work.
Even though Joey Throckmorton has dominated much of the season in the Limited Division, collecting nine wins along the way, Jones says the competition is very tight.
“It’s been a really competitive second half of the season. The second race last week was the most exciting race I’ve been in. You could throw a blanket over the top five for five laps,” he said. “Fortunately we all get along with everybody we race with and it’s good racing.”
The PASS Super Late Model Series returns to South Speedway Saturday, August 13 with the 7 p.m. running of the PASS Super Late Model 150 racing program. There will also be twin 75-lap races for the NASCAR All-American Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors.
Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $10 and may be purchased at the South Boston Speedway office until 5 p.m. on Friday, August 12. Adult general admission tickets will be $15 each at the gate on race day. Youth ages 7-12 will be admitted for $5. Kids ages six and under will be admitted free with a paying adult.
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