The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the World of Outlaws Late Model Series have already begun their 2019 national touring seasons with the events they sanctioned in February during Georgia-Florida SpeedWeeks. And now, this first weekend in March will kick off the beginning of regional series racing action in the southeastern corner of the United States with tracks in South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee set to host season openers.
Chris Madden won the 2018 March Madness race while driving a Barry Wright machine
The Southern All-Star Dirt Racing Series will begin its 22-race campaign on Sunday, March 3rd in what has become over the past few seasons its traditional opening venue at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, South Carolina. The feature at the track dubbed “The Place Your Momma Warned You About” will pay out $12,000 to the winner. With the two national tours not in competition at this stage of the season, this event known as “March Madness” has in the past drawn some of the sport’s biggest stars to compete on the high-speed 4/10 mile clay oval.
In 2018, Chris Madden from nearby Gray Court, SC garnered his first win as the driver of the Barry Wright Race Cars house car by beating out Scott Bloomquist, Ross Bailes, Don O’Neal and Zack Mitchell. Jay Scott went on to win the Southern All Stars season-long championship last year.
Aside from Madden, who has won this race seven times, previous March Madness winners include Bloomquist, Jimmy Owens, Mike Marlar, and Earl Pearson, Jr.
Michael Page won the Ultimate SLM opener last year at North Georgia
The Ultimate Super Late Model Series will set off on what looks to be at least a 21-race schedule(more possibly being added) on Saturday night, March 2nd at the North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, GA. The feature will dole out $4,000 to the winner in what has typically proven to be a highly competitive race in previous years.
The 2018 version of this race saw Georgia native Michael Page beat out Mike Marlar, Cory Hedgecock, Jason Welshan and Aaron Ridley to score the victory. Mitchell went on to win the Ultimate SLM crown last season after besting Kyle Hardy and Joey Coulter in a very tight points battle that went down to the final race and was eventually settled by a tie-breaker.
Dennis Erb, Jr. was one of last year’s Toilet Bowl Classic feature winners
The Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Late Model Series will get its 13-race 2019 schedule up and running with a pair of features co-sanctioned by the Schaeffer’s Oil MARS Racing Series in the Tuckasee Toilet Bowl Classic at the Clarksville(TN) Speedway on Friday, March 1st and Saturday, March 2nd. The Friday feature will pay $3,000 to the winner while the Saturday night main event will offer a $5,000 first prize.
David Seibers and Dennis Erb, Jr. scored wins in the two feature races on the track located in the upper part of middle Tennessee last year. Tennessee’s Joey Standridge took home the Iron-Man Late Model Series title in 2018.
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