The zMAX CARS Tour Series returns to kick-off the NASCAR All-Star Race week at historic North Wilkesboro Speedway early this week, May 14-15, and both races feature several NASCAR stars from various series who plan to battle with the zMAX CARS Tour regulars for victory in both Pro Late Model and the Late Model Stock Car divisions.
Some of the best up-and-coming talent in the world of stock car racing will be showcased. The Window World 125 and Reverend 100 are considered the crown jewels for the zMAX CARS Tour and are loaded with young guns who are primed for success as they target the next level.
Tuesday’s winner of the Reverend 100 will claim $5,000 and Wednesday’s Window World 125 winner will pocket $10,000. Both races will be streamed live on FloRacing. The two-days of late model racing will include practice, qualifying, potential last chance qualifying races and the main events. See the schedule below for a breakdown.
NASCAR Cup Series regular Josh Berry, who had a decorated late model career and still holds records in LMSC victories (22) and poles (15), is entered in the Window World 125 at the controls of the No. 4-B Ford owned by Kevin Harvick Inc. Berry, who drives the No. 4 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing in the Cup Series and will compete in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Open, will have to be at the top of his game because he will be challenged by a slew of rising stars from NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck series, including, JR Motorsports Xfinity stars Sammy Smith and Brandon Jones, Front Row Motorsports truck driver Layne Riggs, Spire Motorsports’ Chase Purdy and William Sawalich of Joe Gibbs Racing, to name a few.
Defending winner Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, who plans to make his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut on Saturday in the Wright Bacon 250, is ready for a tough challenge as he sets out to defend his Late Model Stock Car Series victory in the Window World 125 on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.
“I grew up racing a tough little short track in my hometown, Langley Speedway (Virginia), and it prepared me well for racing here at North Wilkesboro,” Queen said. “I’m excited for the Window World 125 this year. The repave looks great and I think you are going to see a lot more grip out there than we had last year. It’s going to be hard to pass and track position is going to be very big. Qualifying is also going to be important, as it always is in the zMAX CARS Tour. It’s going to be hard to pass with the hard tire we are running on the fresh pavement. The biggest change from last year to this year is you are not going to be able to slide around and make passes.”
Along with Queen, there is a tough contingent of CARS Tour LMSC regulars who are certainly among the pre-race favorites, including former North Wilkesboro LMSC winner Carson Kvapil, two-time NASCAR Weekly Racing Series champ Peyton Sellers of Virginia, current LMSC points leader Connor Hall in the No. 22, and highly-decorated late model racer Stephen Nasse, of Florida, who is one of several drivers who plan to pull double-duty and race in both the Window World 125 and Reverend 100. Chevy driver Nasse will pilot the 51 N in the Reverend 100 and the No. 51 in the Window World 125.
For Kvapil, winning at North Wilkesboro two years ago in the JR Motorsports No. 8 Chevy put him on the racing map, and he’s ready to add another victory to his resume at the historic .625-mile short track. He says the level of talent in the zMAX CARS Tour series keeps increasing.
“For a while it seemed like there was maybe 10 cars that could win a race and it’s always challenging,” said Kvapil. “When I won here two years ago we were pretty dominant that night, but it’s going to be tough this week. Now it seems like there’s 15 or more cars that can win. The competition level is so tough. It was tough back in ’22 but it’s even more difficult now. There are so many good cars here this week that if you are off just a little bit you’ll be in 10th place. Hopefully we can go out here and have some good runs and be competitive.”
CRAFTSMAN Truck Series star Corey Heim, who drives the No. 11 Toyota for TRICON Garage, will pilot the No. 20 TRD Toyota in Tuesday’s Reverend 100, which is scheduled to take the green flag at 8:30 p.m. A seven-time winner in the truck series and the 2022 rookie of the year, will certainly be one to watch in a race that also features a stout lineup of NASCAR talent.
Kayden Honeycutt, who is a regular on the CRAFTSMAN truck tour this season and also currently leads the points in the zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model division, is among the pre-race favorites in his No. 51 Ford, as is fellow truck rival Conner Jones of ThorSport Racing, who will drive the No. 44 Toyota Pro Late Model on Tuesday night.
Spencer Davis and Cody Coughlin have a lot of experience in the Truck Series and will be ones to watch in the Reverend 100. Davis will drive the No. 29 Chevy and Coughlin, of JEGS Racing fame, will drive the No. 72 Chevy. CARS Tour regular Clayton Green will drive his No. 54-G Chevy in the Revered 100 and then plans to make his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut on Saturday, driving the No. 04 for Roper Racing in the Wright Bacon 250.
Reverend 100 defending winner Augie Grill, a two-time winner of the famed Snowball Derby, had a tough battle with Heim for most of the 75-lap race last year for the win. Grill was thrilled to take the victory and is hoping he’s able to repeat and take another ride on the famed North Wilkesboro Victory Lane elevator lift.
“I’ve never been on an elevator with a racecar before, so that’s a first,” Grill said last year. “That’s pretty cool; I remember watching Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte take that ride back in the day when they would win here at North Wilkesboro and to be able to do that now is pretty awesome.”
The two-day zMAX CARS Tour race schedule at North Wilkesboro offers, practice, qualifying and races for The Reverend 100 and the Window World 125:
Tuesday, May 14
11 a.m. Reverend 100 zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Models practice session one
12:15 p.m. Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars practice session one
1:30 p.m. Reverend 100 zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Models final practice
2:45 p.m. Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars practice session two
3:45 p.m. Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars practice session three
5 p.m. Reverend 100 zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Models qualifying
6:30 p.m. Reverend 100 zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Models last chance qualifying race (15 laps)
8 p.m. Reverend 100 zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Models driver introductions
8:30 p.m. Reverend 100 zMAX CARS Tour race (100 laps)
Wednesday, May 15
1 p.m. Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars final practice
5 p.m. Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars qualifying
6:30 p.m. Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars last chance qualifying race (15 laps)
8 p.m. Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars driver introductions
8:30 p.m. Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Cars race (125 laps)
TICKETS:
Single-day tickets, which start at $30, camping and parking for the zMAX CARS Tour portion of race week can be purchased online by visiting www.northwilkesborospeedway.com. A two-day pass for the zMAX CARS Tour events on Tuesday and Wednesday is available for $53. Children’s single day tickets are $10 and the two-day ticket is $23.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news regarding the zMAX CARS Tour events, NASCAR All-Star week and North Wilkesboro Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.
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