*Please Note: Since the writing of this article, doctors have determined that Chris Madden should remain out of action for at least two more weeks.
The Ray Cook-promoted Southern Nationals Series has always attracted some of Dirt Late Model racing’s top drivers and the 2016 version of the mid-summer mini-series has been no different as drivers literally from all over the globe have entered races. And during the second week of this season’s series at least a couple more well known names to racing fans across the country plan to enter events in hopes of earning wins and collecting paydays.
Chris Madden’s No. 44 is expected to enter races at SMS and Tazewell.
Five-time Southern Nationals champion Chris Madden had originally planned to compete throughout the entire series in hopes of collecting another championship trophy. However, the Gray Court, SC driver suffered a concussion in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race held earlier this month at Smoky Mountain Speedway. As a result, the driver of the No. 44 car initially removed all eleven SoNats races from his schedule.
Chris Madden
Recently, however, the final two series races scheduled for Smoky Mountain(7/29) and Tazewell Speedway(7/30) have been added back to Madden’s schedule on his website. Those races are set to pay $5,300 and $10,000 respectively.
Madden is the winningest driver in Southern Nationals history with 24 victories to his credit.
A noted driver of another sort is also expected to join the fray of Southern Nationals competition next week as NASCAR Xfinity Series star Ty Dillon is scheduled to race with the series on Tuesday night at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, GA. Dillon will drive for his family owned Team Dillon Racing operation.
Dillon, along with brother and Sprint Cup regular Austin, have raced on the Chattanooga area clay oval on multiple occasions in front of large crowds over the past few seasons. That facility is co-owned by Team Dillon Racing driver Dale McDowell(who is partnered with businessman and racer David Duplissey), which has helped lure the two grandsons of famed NASCAR owner Richard Childress to the track.
Ty Dillon is expected to race at Boyd’s on Tuesday.
Austin Dillon had originally hoped to join his younger brother at Boyd’s but a commitment by his Richard Childress Racing NASCAR team to test at Watkins Glen has resulted in a change in that driver’s plans.
McDowell won the first Southern Nationals race of 2016 at Virginia’s Wythe Raceway while David Crabtree took the honors at Tennessee’s 411 Motor Speedway, Shanon Buckingham scored the win at North Carolina’s Tri-County Race Track, Dennis ‘Rambo’ Franklin came home first at Swainsboro Raceway in Georgia and Chris Ferguson grabbed the checkered flag at Georgia’s Screven Motor Speedway.
