Shootout Winners Bear Repeating;
Defending Race Champions Set to Preserve Titles
photo credits: Scott Nickel, Jim Feeney & Bobby Everhart
Lexington, NC (September 15, 2008): Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA is the two-time and defending champion of the John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout. In 2007, Jimmy Blewett scored an emotional victory in the SK-Type Modified main event, joining his late brother John as a Shootout winner. John was a two-time winner of the Modified portion of the annual event. Both Hirschman and Blewett have expressed their intentions to defend their titles in 2008.
The first obstacle in their respective title defense has been removed. By virtue of his dominating performance in the Race of Champions event as part of Modified Mania at Thompson International Speedway September 7, 2008, owner/driver Hirschman earned a guaranteed starting spot in the field of the North-South Shootout for his family-owned #60. Blewett, who had previously won a guaranteed starting spot in the Modified portion of this year's event for car owner George Bierce with a victory at Stafford Motor Speedway on August 8, scored a popular victory at Thompson Speedway on August 28 th in the 50-lapper for the Sunoco Modifieds to earn long-time car owner Eddie Partridge a spot in the SK-Type potion of the event as well.
In Southern Modified competition, the highest finishing Southern Modified Tour competitor in NSS history, Brian Loftin, put himself solidly in the field as he prepares to become the first Southern winner of the prestigious event. Loftin earned a guaranteed starting spot for his family owned and operated team with a victory in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour on August 22, 2008 at Caraway Speedway. Loftin is joined by southern ‘bad boy' Burt Myers, who won on a very emotional night at Ace Speedway to earn his car owner Phillip Smith a spot on the starting grid. Myers took top honors on September 1, 2008 in the ASA Southern Modified Race Tour race dedicated to the memory of Brian Pack.
Myers was not done there. He was victorious in another Modified qualifying race on September 13, 2008 in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour event at Southern National . With Myers already in the field, runner-up Tim Brown was awarded the guaranteed starting spot for his brother, car owner Ben Brown.
In Supermodified qualifying race action, Englewood Racing Association competitor Nick Haywood earned a guaranteed starting spot in the East-West Supermodified Shootout for his car owner by virtue of his victory on August 30th at Colorado National. Subsequently, because Haywood, the winner of September 6 event also held at Colorado National, had already earned his starting spot, runner-up Tom Adler was awarded the second ERA guaranteed starting spot at this year's Shootout. On August 31, 2008, owner/driver Doug Didero bested a stellar field of competition at the celebrated Non-Wing Classic Oswego Speedway to earn a spot on the starting grid for the East-West Supermodified Shootout.
Continuing with the pattern of repeat winners, Chris Perley earned a guaranteed starting spot for his car owner Vic Miller on July 27 th with his win in the qualifying race at Sandusky Speedway. He replicated his winning ways defeating young driver Jon McKennedy after a fierce battle in the prestigious All-Star Classic on Saturday, September 13, 2008. (The event was originally scheduled for September 6 but was ultimately postponed due to inclement weather in the form of tropical storm Hanna). Despite settling for the runner-up position to Perley, owner/driver McKennedy was awarded the starting spot on November 8 th at Concord Motorsport Park.
Only a handful of races remain on the qualifying race schedule for the 6 th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout. Four positions remain open for the Modified starting grid including races at two northern facilities new to Shootout qualifying action. On September 28, 2008, the winner of the “King of the Mountain” event at Mountain Speedway as well as the winner of the Ricky Miller Memorial 100 at Twin State Speedway will each earn one of the remaining spots. A pair of winners will also be decided on October 25, 2008 at All-Star Speedway in Epping, NH and Hickory Speedway in Hickory, NC .
The final SK-Type Modified qualifier will be determined in the Sport Mod portion of the “King of the Mountain' event at Mountain Speedway.
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