Three More Guaranteed Modified “Meltdown” Spots Up for Grabs

Sports fans from across the country are glued to their television sets these days. People of St. Louis and Detroit await every pitch of the Major League Baseball World Series in hopes that their teams will bring home the illustrious World Championship to their cities.

By virtue of the American League’s victory in this summer’s MLB All-Star Game, the Detroit Tigers hold home-field advantage in this year’s World Series, meaning that they get the chance to open and potentially close out the World Series in their home stadium. But that All Star game was held back in July, in the midst of baseball’s regular season.

In the short track racing world, the biggest events of the season that bring the biggest names in the sport typically take place at the end of the regular season, around the same time as baseball’s World Series. That’s why the Pro All Stars Series, promoters of the inaugural “Mason-Dixon Meltdown,” have selected three of the biggest end-of-the-season events in the Tour-Type Modified world to be automatic qualifying events for the “Mason-Dixon Meltdown” at South Boston Speedway in Virginia, November 24th and 25th.

The first qualifier will come from the Papa John’s Pizza Shootout ASA Southern Modified Tour event at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, October 27th. The following day, another qualifier will be named at Stafford Motor Speedway, as the winner of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour 150-lap season finale at the historic Connecticut half-mile will earn a

guaranteed starting spot in the “Mason-Dixon Meltdown.” The third and final guaranteed starting spot will be the 10th-place finisher in the November 4th North-South Shootout at Concord Motorsport Park (NC).

“Modified teams and fans alike typically get a little more excited about these early-fall events at the end of the season,” said “Meltdown” co-promoter Bob Dillner. “We selected these three races to get three well-deserving qualifiers into the Meltdown from three of the biggest races this time of year. The Fall Final has a great tradition in the Northeast; it’s an event I’ve been to many times. The ASA Southern Modified event should be a great show as the Modifieds share the Atlanta Motor Speedway stage with the top levels of NASCAR that weekend.

“The winners of both the Fall final and the Atlanta ASA Modified race will get guaranteed starting spots, but we also wanted to celebrate the drivers that work just as hard as the winners of the races, but came up just a bit short. That’s why we are giving the 10th-place finisher at the North-South Shootout at Concord Motorsport Park an invitation for a guaranteed start at the “Meltdown.”

The guaranteed starters from Atlanta, Stafford and Concord will add their names to the list that already includes Massachusetts driver Bobby Grigas, III, who earned a starting spot in the “Meltdown” by winning July’s open Modified race at Canaan Fair Speedway in New Hampshire. The promoters of the event are also offering provisionals to the highest non-qualifying driver from both the Northern and Southern Whelen Modified Tours and the Race of Champions trail (from the top-20 in points). That spot will be non-transferable and the driver must attempt to qualify for the 250-lap race.

The Modified portion of the “Mason-Dixon Meltdown” will be a 250-lap battle for a $12,500 paycheck to the winning driver. Just starting the race guarantees a $1,000 payday. The PASS South Super Late Models will also compete for the same prize money in a twin 250-lap feature on November 25th. Qualifying heats for both divisions, as well as a feature for the Pro Challenge Series will take place earlier that day. Time trials for the Modifieds and Super Late Models take place Friday, November 24th, along with qualifying and feature events for the INEX Legends Semi-Pro and Pro/Masters divisions.

Tickets for the inaugural “Mason-Dixon Meltdown” are currently on sale at the official website of the “Meltdown,” www.masondixonmeltdown.com or by visiting the South Boston Speedway box office. For more information on the “Mason Dixon Meltdown,” please contact Jeremy Troiano at (704) 455-2051.