The month of money continues for the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models, March 26-27, at Cherokee Speedway for the first annual Rock Gault Memorial with $45,000 in winnings and three trophies waiting for a new home.
Friday night’s event – giving show-up points only – will feature twin 25-lap Features – splitting the night’s field of cars – each paying $5,000-to-win/$500-to-start. Then, Saturday’s event – a regular points night – will award the winner with one of the biggest payouts of the year: $35,000-to-win/$1,200-to-start.
“We’re excited to team with Cherokee Speedway for a doubleheader weekend that presents the drivers with a great opportunity to run for an impressive payout and presents fans with two nights of exciting racing,” said Casey Shuman, World of Outlaws Late Model Series Director. “The event is one of many examples this year of the Series’ commitment to continually provide opportunities to put more money in driver’s pockets and the best racing possible for the present and years to come.”
The format for Friday’s twin-Features will look like a normal race night with Qualifying, Heat Races, a Redraw and Last Chance Showdown. However, the A/B split in Qualifying will determine which of the twin Features a driver will race in. Saturday’s event will be a normal race night.
There will be a practice night for all classes on Thursday, March 25.
COMPETITOR NOTES: https://www.dirtcarmembers.com/upload/f8db62021%20Cherokee%20March%20event%20Comp%20Notes%20.pdf
The event is set to see the biggest names in Late Model racing take on the stars of the World of Outlaws. Chris Madden, a South Carolina native, made the decision to join the Series full-time after claiming the win at the Series’ most recent event. He has 27 victories in total at the 3/8-mile track, most recently in February with the Drydene Xtreme DIRTcar Series. However, he’s still searching for his first Series win at the speedway.
Fellow South Carolina-native Ross Bailes, who is running for Rookie of the Year honors with the Series this year, earned his first career World of Outlaws victory at Cherokee in 2019 and has 10 wins there overall.
“I feel like any car I get in there, I just feel comfortable at that track,” Bailes said on the Stick Signals podcast. “I don’t think there are many other drivers that have more laps than I do at that track. That’s a comfortable track to me.”
Brandon Overton, who won with the Series at Volusia in February, has won the last two Series events there.
They’ll be joined by the likes of three-time defending Series champion Brandon Sheppard – still looking for his first win in 2021 – current Series points leader Kyle Strickler, 2004 Series champion Scott Bloomquist, 2015 Series champion and 2017 Series winner at Cherokee Shane Clanton, 2019 Rookie of the Year Ricky Weiss and a plethora of regional standouts.
If you’re unable to make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS subscription for $39/month.
