Southern Super Series / CRA Super Series Open 2024 ASA Branded Tours Season
The ASA Southern Super Series and ASA CRA Super Series co-sanctioned the Protect Your Melon Buckle Up SpeedFest event Saturday afternoon at Watermelon Capitol Speedway in Cordele, GA. The event, won by Georgia Short Track Super Star and local favorite Bubba Pollard, was the season opening points event for the Southern Super Series. The Annual SpeedFest event has previously been a non-points race early season special.
The next event for the ASA Southern Super Series will be Tuesday, February 12 & 13th at New Smyrna (FL) Speedway. The Clyde Hart Memorial 200 will be Tri-Sanctioned by the ASA STARS National Tour; The ASA Southern Super Super Series and Sunbelt David Rodgers World Series of Asphalt Racing series.
Pollard Dominance Continues
Pollard’s SpeedFest victory was his 3rd consecutive in the early season special event, and 4th overall since the event debuted.. The win puts the veteran racer in the early points lead for the 2024 ASA Southern Super Series.
Pollard, who has won the Southern Super Series title before in 2014, earned his 35th ASA Super Late Model victory in the last 12 years and 87th overall. Arguably the best short track pavement racer of his generation, Pollard also raced in the CRA Jegs All-Stars race at Watermelon Speedway, finishing 20th.
NASCAR Visitors Struggle at SpeedFest
Drivers from NASCAR’s top three tiers competed in the SpeedFest on-track activities: Two from the NASCAR Cup Series and one each from the NASCAR Xfinity Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
Ross Chastain had the best day of the NASCAR visitors, finishing 2nd in the 100 lap CRA Jegs All-Stars pro late model portion of SpeedFest. Chastain qualified 5th in a Rackley W.A.R. entry, drove to the lead during the middle stages of the 100 laps race, before being overtaken by eventual race winner Stephen Nasse.
Chastain, who has gained considerable fame through his families Watermelon Farming business, was involved in the Georgia Highway Departments “Protect Your Melon – Buckle Up SpeedFest” promotion.
Stewart-Haas Racing Cup Series Rookie Josh Berry was fast in practice and qualifying in his Kevin Harvick Racing #62 super late model, but had his qualifying time disallowed due to an air-cleaner rule infraction, which forced him to start from the rear of the Protect Your Melon – Buckle Up SpeedFest 150. At the drop of the flag, Berry advanced through the field and cracked the top ten by lap 25, when he was collected in a turn 4 incident not of his own doing. He was credited with 26th finishing position.
NASCAR Xfinity Series regular and Georgia native Brandon Jones struggled to find speed all weekend at Watermelon Speedway. Jones qualified 15th and finished 17th.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series regular fare the worst of all the visiting NASCAR stars, finishing last of the 28 cars that started the 150-lap feature race.
ICYMI – VOD Replay Available
In Case You Missed It, the Protect Your Melon – Buckle Up SpeedFest event is available to subscribers of TrackTV.com, Midwesttour.tv, and Racing America. To subscribe, visit TrackTV.com.
