Story By: RYAN DELPH / SOUTHERN NATIONALS SERIES – BRASSTOWN, NC – The 20th edition of the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco is setting up to be the biggest version of the tour yet.
The barnstorming twelve-race summer series once again kicks off at Beckley Motor Speedway this Friday, July 12 before visiting Wythe Raceway, Volunteer Speedway, I-75 Raceway, Senoia Raceway, East Alabama Motor Speedway, Screven Motor Speedway, Swainsboro Raceway, Cherokee Speedway, Toccoa Raceway, North Georgia Speedway, and Tazewell Speedway.
As has been the case in recent years, a $10,053 Championship check is in store for the winner of the 2024 Southern Nationals Series.
Half of the twelve series races will pay at least $10,053 to the winner, while the other six shows will be $7,553 to win. For the twentieth straight season, the tour concludes the points campaign at the high-banked Tazewell Speedway. This time; however, the stakes have never been higher. The winner of the Ray Varner Ford 75 at “The Taz” on Saturday, July 27 will take home a whopping $20,053 winner’s check. In all, nearly $400,000 in prize money will be paid out in a matter of only sixteen days!
“We are very excited about our 20th Anniversary season,” quoted series promoter Ray Cook today. “There is a lot of driver interest in our twelve races – we’ll see how many of them run the entire tour, but there will be a lot of different guys coming and going throughout the two weeks. I also think it’s a very cool thing that the Red Clay 602 Late Model Series is joining us for five of the shows. Fans should enjoy having a couple of touring series at the same venue and it’s a partnership that we hope to expand moving forward. Hopefully, the weather cooperates and we can put on some great racing for all of the fans throughout the Southeast to enjoy!”
In addition to all of the race purses and championship money to be distributed during the 16-day miniseries (outlined below), an extra award will be issued each race night courtesy of the series. For the 20th annual Southern Nationals Series, the driver that is leading on lap 20 of each feature event will receive an additional $200 bonus. Hypothetically, if a driver could sweep the entire series and pick up every bonus, they could walk away with over $128,000 in earnings and point money!
Jimmy Owens, of Newport, Tennessee, is the defending Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Champion, but is not expected on the tour this year due to commitments with another series. However, past series Champions Chris Madden, Brandon Overton, Donald McIntosh, and Cory Hedgecock are expected for the majority of series races, if not all of them in some cases. Other drivers that have reached out and expressed their intentions of attending multiple series races include Dale McDowell, Ricky Weiss, Jensen Ford, Benji Hicks, Stacy Boles, Mark Whitener, Gavin Cowan, Ross Bailes, Kenny Collins, and Ethan Dotson.
The Southern Nationals tire rule in 2024 is Hoosier Racing Tire NLMT 2, 3, 4 and American Racer Tire 44, 48, Pro3/56, Pro4. Body rules and the Droop Rule will be the same as those agreed on by both the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series – among others. The entry fee will be $100.00 each night ($150.00 for the Tazewell $20k finale) and transponders will be available to rent. Any driver not advancing into the feature field will receive $75.00 in tow money.
Southern Nationals Point Fund:
Championship Points
1. $10,053, 2. $5,053, 3. $3,053, 4. $2,053, 5. $1,553, & $1,053 to all other perfect attendance drivers
Rookie of the Year Points
- 1. $1,000, 2. $500
* Each driver will be able to drop their worst race after the finale at Tazewell Speedway
$7,553 to Win Events:
- 1. $7,553, 2. $3,500, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,200, 6. $900, 7. $700, 8. $650, 9. $600, 10. $575, 11. $550, 12. $540, 13. $530, 14. $520, 15. $510, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500 – – – $25,275 TOTAL
$10,053 to Win Events:
- 1. $10,053, 2. $5,000, 3. $3,000, 4. $2,000, 5. $1,500, 6. $1,000, 7. $800, 8. $700, 9. $675, 10. $650, 11. $625, 12. $600, 13. $575, 14. $550, 15. $525, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500 – – – $31,700 TOTAL
$20,053 to Win Event:
- 1. $20,053, 2. $10,000, 3. $6,000, 4. $4,000, 5. $3,000, 6. $2,000, 7. $1,500, 8. $1,400, 9. $1,300, 10. $1,200, 11. $1,150, 12. $1,090, 13. $1,080, 14. $1,070, 15. $1,060, 16. $1,050, 17. $1,040, 18. $1,030, 19. $1,020, 20. $1,010, 21. $1,000, 22. $1,000 – – – $63,053 TOTAL
2024 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule:
- Friday, July 12 – Beckley Motor Speedway, Mount Hope, WV – $10,053 to win
- Saturday, July 13 – Wythe Raceway, Rural Retreat, VA – $10,053 to win
- Sunday, July 14 – Volunteer Speedway, Bulls Gap, TN – $7,553 to win
- Tuesday, July 16 – I-75 Raceway, Sweetwater, TN – $7,553 to win
- Thursday, July 18 – Senoia Raceway, Senoia, GA – $7,553 to win
- Friday, July 19 – East Alabama Motor Speedway, Phenix City, AL – $7,553 to win
- Saturday, July 20 – Screven Motor Speedway, Sylvania, GA – $10,053 to win
- Sunday, July 21 – Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro, GA – $10,053 to win
- Tuesday, July 23 – Cherokee Speedway, Gaffney, SC – $7,553 to win
- Thursday, July 25 – Toccoa Raceway, Toccoa, GA – $7,553 to win
- Friday, July 26 – North Georgia Speedway, Chatsworth, GA – $10,053 to win
- Saturday, July 27 – Tazewell Speedway, Tazewell, TN – $20,053 to win