Trackside Now: North-South Shootout

Friday, 09:30pm ET - That is it for today's action. Swing back by Speed51.com Saturday for continuing coverage of the sixth annual North South Shootout.

Friday, 09:00pm ET - Jeff Melton won the Street Stock 50-lap feature, then promptly caught on fire in turn one trying to get to victory lane. He was able to get out ok, but had to run down to victory lane while his car sat in turn one with the safety crews removing it from the track.

Friday, 08:35pm ET - With qualifying completed for the Modifieds, here is a list of who is not locked in the field, forcing them to race in the consi (and guaranteed spots) to see who gets in the sixth annual North-South Shootout:

MODIFIEDS: NOT LOCKED IN YET AFTER QUALS AND HEATS

Jason Myers

Jamie Tomaino

Ed Flemke

Danny Bohn

Gene Pack

Daren Scherer

Rick Kluth

Kenny Horton

Rusty Smith

Lloyd Agor

Jason Trinchere

Pete Brittain

Jay Mize

Chris Whitenight, Jr

Luke Fleming

Woody Pitkat

Josh Nichols

Carl Pasteryak

Richie Kuiken, Jr

Barry Callavini

Friday, 08:30pm ET - The final heat race for the Mods is in the books. To no surprise, Ted Christopher dominated the event, wire to wire. Chuck Hossfeld finished second while Les Hinckley took third. Woody Pitkat was in the transfer spot, but with two laps to go, Bobby Santos III drove around Pitkat to take the final transfer spot.

Friday, 08:20pm ET - The fourth and last Modified heat is next. Here is the lineup:

Ted Christopher

Les Hinckley

98h

Chuck Hossfeld

Woody Pitkat

34s

Josh Nichols

98n

Bobby Santos III

Carl Pasteryak

98s

Richie Kuiken, Jr

Barry Callavini

Friday, 08:19pm ET - Jimmy Blewett won the third heat race over Eric Beers. Glen Reen hung onto third while Earl Paules moved his way by Pete Brittain for fourth. Brittain held onto fifth, but it was one spot short of the transfer.

There were two yellows again in this heat. Racing for the transfer spot, Jason Trinchere made contact with Brittain, sliding himself sideways and coming to a rest in turn two. Trinchere brought out the second caution as well, spinning in turn four with just a handful of laps remaining in the heat.

Friday, 08:09pm ET - The third Modified heat is next. Here is the lineup:

Jimmy Blewett

Eric Beers

Jason Trinchere

17n

Glen Reen

Earl Paules

Pete Brittain

Jay Mize

17s

Chris Whitenight, Jr

Luke Fleming

Friday, 08:07pm ET - George Brunnhoelzl III won the second heat from the pole. Ryan Preece raced his way up to second with Rowan Pennik and Ronnie Silk rounding out the top four. Rick Kluth was fifth, missing the transfer by one spot.

During the race, there were two yellows. The first occured right around the transfer spot when Daren Scherer spun in turn two. Kenny Horton spun to avoid. The second yellow was for Horton spinning in turn four.

Friday, 07:57pm ET - The second Modified heat is next. Here is the lineup:

George Brunnhoelzl III

Rowan Pennik

Daren Scherer

Ryan Preece

Rick Kluth

Kenny Horton

79x

Ronnie Silk

34n

Rusty Smith

Lloyd Agor

Friday, 07:54pm ET - Brian Loftin went to the point and won the first heat race. Todd Szegedy, Frank Fleming and Thomas Farrell III rounded out the top four and all transferred into the feature.

The only yellow in the race occured when Flemke and Jason Myers had contact in turn four, causing both to spin. Flemke was able to make it back to fifth, but was unable to get in the big show via this heat race.

Friday, 07:45pm ET - The Modifieds are on track for the first of four heat races. Here is the lineup:

Todd Szegedy

Brian Loftin

Frank Fleming

Thomas Farrell III

Jason Myers

Jamie Tomaino

Ed Flemke

659

Danny Bohn

Gene Pack

Friday, 07:43pm ET - Ron Yuhas, Jr. took the final heat race checkered flag ahead of Rob Janovic, Jr, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Pete Brittain and Adam Cicero.

During the race, Earnhardt, in his first SK Modified event, made contact with Brittain in turn three, then again in turn one, sending Brittain into the spin cycle, bringing out the yellow. . Both were able to continue and make it into the feature.

Friday, 07:36pm ET - The third SK Modifieds heat race is on track, about to take the green flag. Here is the starting lineup:

Ron Yuhas, Jr.

Rob Janovic, Jr

Pete Brittain

Jeffrey Earnhardt

Richie Evans, Jr

Adam Cicero

Jeff Rocco

Henry Stampfl

Friday, 07:35pm ET - Ted Christopher took an easy win in the second heat race. Eric Beers was second, followed by Ryan Preece, Rick Kluth and Richard Knapp, Jr. The rest head to the consi.

Friday, 07:29pm ET - The second of three SK Modifieds heat races is on track, about to take the green flag. Here is the starting lineup for the second race:

Ted Christopher

Ryan Preece

Eric Beers

Rick Kluth

Richard Knapp, Jr

Patti Pruitt

Mike Carpenter

Robert Schwartz, Jr

Friday, 07:28pm ET - Tommy Cravenho held off Jimmy Blewett to take the victory in the first SK heat race. Blewett was all over the back of Cravenho, racing like he way trying to win a feature event. The two made contact a few times, but all 15 laps were caution free. Shaun Carrig, Jimmy Zacharias and Marc Nappi rounded out the top five. The rest have to race their way in through the consi, according to the announcers.

Friday, 07:22pm ET - The first of three SK Modifieds heat races is on track, about to take the green flag. Here is the starting lineup for the first race:

Tommy Cravenho

Shaun Carrig

12B

Jimmy Blewett

Jimmy Zacharias

12F

Kevin Flockhart, Jr

Marc Nappi

Sherri Hogan

Gary Young, Jr

Friday, 07:19pm ET - Pete Brittain took the checkered flag first in the Vintage Modifieds heat race.

Friday, 07:08pm ET - The two Super Modified heat races are in the books. Dave McKnight won the first heat race over Bobby Santos, while David Shullick, Jr. won the second heat over Charlie Schultz.

Friday, 07:00pm ET - Besides Mike Herman, Jr. watching Speed51.com's Trackside Now from Phoenix, we have learned there are many NASCAR-affiliated folks checking out the site on their laptop to find out how their friends are doing at the North-South Shootout. Tony Hirschman, Jr. has been one of the guys checking out the site as well as Kevin "Bono" Manion and the whole #1 Cup team.

Friday, 06:55pm ET - Mike Herman Jr. is literally heartbroken that he cannot be at the North vs. South Shootout this year, but we are told that he is keeping track of what's going on from afar. Herman is spotting for NASCAR Nationwide Series and Gibbs development driver Marc Davis at the Phoenix Int'l Raceway this weekend. In between practices today he has been stopping by the Racing Electronics bus in the infield of PIR and hoping on the computer to check out Speed51.com and all the happenings from Concord, which is more than 2,000 miles across the country from where he is.

Herman was supposed to be racing, but had to withdraw due to the economy issues.

Friday, 06:30pm ET - Heat races for the support divisions are up next.

Friday, 06:28pm ET - Qualifying for the Modifieds has concluded, and Burt Myers took the fast qualifier position for tomorrow's event. The top-four in qualifying are locked in and the rest will race in heats and the consi to set the field.

Here is the results from the Modified qualifying session:

Burt Myers

15.238

Erick Rudolph

15.275

Charlie Pasteryak

15.290

Matt Hirschman

15.290

Todd Szegedy

15.314

George Brunnhoelzl III

15.315

Jimmy Blewett

15.319

Ted Christopher

15.327

Brian Loftin

15.329

Rowan Pennik

15.342

Eric Beers

15.347

Les Hinckley

15.357

Frank Fleming

15.364

Daren Scherer

15.370

Jason Trinchere

15.379

98h

Chuck Hossfeld

15.379

Thomas Farrell III

15.379

Ryan Preece

15.385

17n

Glen Reen

15.394

Woody Pitkat

15.429

Jason Myers

15.436

Rick Kluth

15.443

Earl Paules

15.447

34s

Josh Nichols

15.457

Jamie Tomaino

15.469

Kenny Horton

15.483

Pete Brittain

15.484

79x

Ronnie Silk

15.496

98n

Bobby Santos III

15.496

Ed Flemke

15.505

Jay Mize

15.536

Carl Pasteryak

15.563

659

Danny Bohn

15.636

34n

Rusty Smith

15.660

17s

Chris Whitenight, Jr

15.663

98s

Richie Kuiken, Jr

15.678

Gene Pack

15.900

Lloyd Agor

15.996

Luke Fleming

16.167

Barry Callavini

16.811

Friday, 05:40pm ET - Ronnie Silk has set fast time in the SK Modifieds qualifying. We will have the complete list from qualifying once we receive it from the track.

Next up is the Modifieds qualifying session.

Friday, 05:17pm ET - Qualifying has begun. We will have updates once each division completes their session.

Friday, 05:15pm ET - While the officials waited for the sun to go down behind the trees, they decided to go ahead and sing the National Anthems (Canadian and American). Those as well as the invocation have been completed and the sun is down below the trees, so it should be just a few more moments before qualifying begins.

Friday, 05:05pm ET - We are moment away from qualifying. Up first is the SK Modifieds. We are in a waiting pattern though as officials are hoping the sun goes down just a bit more in the sky. The location of the sun right now causes a major blind spot to drivers as they exit turns one and two and head into the dogleg on the backstretch, one of the most critial parts of the track.

It shouldn't be too long before the sun is down below the tree line, which will curb the issue.

Friday, 04:50pm ET - The driver's meeting has concluded, and we are about 10 minutes away from the start of qualifying.

During the driver's meeting, the format for tonight was told to the drivers. Here is what we know:

MODIFIEDS

There are 42 Modifieds here. The top four drivers from qualifying will be locked into the show. From there, there will be four heat races, 20 laps each in length. The top three from each heat advance into the big show. The rest of the field will be determined by the consi race and guaranteed spots, for a 33 or 34 car field.

SK MODIFIEDS

The SKs will time trial as well as having three 15-lap heat races.

SUPER MODIFIEDS

There will be a 15-lap heat race for the Supers. There appears to be about 13 cars on hand.

ROLLING THUNDER MODS

There will be a 12-lap Rolling Thunder heat race.

VINTAGE MODS

There will be an eight-lap heat race.

STREET STOCK FEATURE

The only feature of the night, which is for the Street Stocks, is currently scheduled for 50 laps, but may be cut short due to low car count. They will have a 10-lap heat race.

Friday, 04:15pm ET - All practice sessions have completed. Up next is qualifying for all divisions.

Friday, 02:55pm ET - After a walk through the pit area, it is time for a generous helping of pit notes. Here is what we have found:

- Hillbilly Racing is fielding two cars here at the North-South Shootout and it is a reunion of sorts. In addition to the neon orange #79 of regular driver Ronnie Silk, the team has also rolled out a silver Modified for former driver Eddie Flemke, Jr. - who drove to many race wins and a runner-up finish in the NASCAR Modified Tour standings - when he drove for the team earlier this decade.

- Jerry Marquis is here walking around the pits. The former NASCAR Modified Tour champion isn't racing, to the disappointment of many of his longtime fans. Instead, he is strolling around in street clothes and visiting many of his old friends. Marquis moved from New England to North Carolina earlier this season and is looking for an opportunity to work full-time for a team in the Charlotte area.

- For awhile, it looked like the legendary #00 Brady Bunch Modified team would be skipping this year's North-South Shootout. But they have shown up here with young connecticut driver Keith Roucco behind the wheel of their car - which was last raced in the All-Star Challenge Series finale at All-Star Speedway a few weeks ago by Teddy Christopher.

- One team that is not here today is the #09 operation of Bobby Grigas, III. The team planned to run both the Tour-type Modified and SK Modified races this weekend and practiced at the track last week. They appear to have loaded up to go back to New England early though.

- Chuck Hossfeld is driving the #96 H&H Motorsports Troyer this weekend.

- True Value Modified Racing Series champion Chris Pasteryak is here this weekend, but he's not racing. Pastreyak is serving as the crew chief on his father Charlie's metallic blue #5 Modified. He did report that he suited up and turned some practice laps with the car yesterday though. Also helping out the team this weekend is former Waterford Speedbowl (CT) Late Model champion Tim Jordan.

- Several drivers, including Ted Christopher, Jimmy Blewett, Kenny Horton and Earl Paules are doing double-duty this weekend - racing both in the Tour Modified and SK Modified events.

- Part-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Doug Coby isn't in the Tour-type Modified field this weekend, but he is here racing his own #10 SK Modified.

- Stafford Motor Speedway (CT) SK Modified driver Lloyd Agor is driving a second MSR Modified this weekend as a teammate to Todd Szegedy. Agor has the #22 on his Mod.

- The #31 Modified of Gene Pack has the words 'Thank You Son" on the passenger's side roof in tribute to Brian Pack, who passed away in a motorcycle wreck earlier this year. The Packs have been fixtures of the North-South Shootout for several years.

- Glen Reen is a surprise entrant in the North-South Shootout. The 2008 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Rookie of the Year won last year's NSS SK Light feature, but after a wreck at the season-ending Mod Tour race at Thompson, he pretty much decided to skip the Shootout. But you can't keep a good racer down and Reen's team rebuilt their car to come here anyways. They did a fine job of that, placing in the top 15 of their practice sessions.

Friday, 02:00pm ET - The distance between Phoenix, Arizona, and Concord, North Carolina, is over 2000 miles, but that didn't stop Bobby Santos III from racing in both cities, a day apart.

Thursday night, Santos raced in the Copper World Classic Midget race. He was running up in the top five before mechanical issues took him out of the event with just a few laps to go.

Today, Santos is planning on practicing and qualifying a Super Modified in the North South Shootout. Santos shows that distance between tracks doesn't matter when you are a hard-core racer.

Friday, 01:10pm ET - While practice continues here at Concord Motorsport Park, check out the list of drivers that are either here or expected to be here (pre-registered). The list below was provided by CMP track officials:

MODIFIEDS

Luke Fleming

Les Hinckley

Frank Fleming

Thomas Farrell III

Keith Roucco

Burt Myers

Todd Szegedy

Daren Scherer

Jason Myers

Barry Callavini

Charlie Pasteryak

Earl Paules

Jay Mize

Eric Beers

Mike Herman Jr (on pre-entry list, but not here)

17s

Chris Whitenight, Jr

17n

Glen Reen

Jimmy Blewett

Lloyd Agor

Brian Loftin

George Brunnhoelzl III

Kenny Horton

Gene Pack

34s

Josh Nichols

34n

Rusty Smith

Ted Christopher

Ryan Preece

Rick Kluth

Erick Rudolph

Matt Hirschman

Pete Brittain

Johnny Bush

Carl Pasteryak

Jason Trinchere

Ronnie Silk

79x

Ed Flemke

Woody Pitkat

Rowan Pennink

98s

Richie Kuiken, Jr

98n

Bobby Santos

98h

Chuck hossfeld

Jamie Tomaino

659

Danny Bohn

SK MODIFIEDS

Ted Christopher

Ricky Knapp

Henry Stampfl

Ron Yuhas, Jr.

Eric Beers

Keith Rocco

Thomas Garrell III

Patti Pruitt

Jeffrey Earnhardt

Doug Coby

Pete Brittan

12b

Jimmy Blewett

12f

Kevin Flockheart, Jr

Mark Nappi

Kenny Horton

Danny Cates

Adam LaCicero

Thomas Cravenho, Jr

Robert Schwartz, Jr

Gary Young, Jr

Rick Kluth

Rob Janovic, Jr

Steven Reed

Ronnie Silk

Richie Evan, Jr

Jimmy Zacharias

Sherri Hogan

Jason Trinchere

Michael Carpenter

Ryan Preece

Shawn Carrig

SUPER MODIFIEDS

Doug Didero

Randy Burch

Charlie Schultz

Bobby Santos III

Scott Martel

Dave Shullick, Jr

Tim Ice

Mark Sammut

Mike Lichty

Jeff Russell

Larry Lehnert

Dave McKnight, Jr

Rob Summers

VINTAGE MODIFIEDS (according to track officials, 12 to 13 cars are expected by tomorow)

Kenneth Deese

Randy McAnulty

Pete Brittain

Anthony Colosimo

Ken Pullen

David Poskitt

ROLLING THUNDER MODIFIEDS

list not provided at this time

STREET STOCKS

list not provided at this time

Friday, 12:00pm ET - Even though the main action of the North-South Shootout takes place on the half-mile oval, this season there were additional races and days added to the big event. The November Nightmare events took place Wednesday and Thursday on the quarter-mile oval, just outside turn two of the big track. Legends Cars, Bandoleros, Stadium Stocks and Ford Focus Midgets took to the track for two nights of racing. Who won the events? Visit Speed51.com's sister site LegendsNation.com for a list of the winners.

Friday, 11:30am ET - We are working on getting a complete driver roster of who is here. Once we get that, we will pass it along.

Friday, 11:00am ET - The weather is absolutely beautiful here at CMP. It is currently 70 degrees and sunny with the temperature to top out around the mid-70s mark. Rain is supposed to enter the area, but it is not scheduled to hit Concord until late tonight and be gone early in the AM on Saturday, so at this moment, we do not predict any drops to hit the area during the on-track action.

Friday, 10:30am ET - Good morning from Concord Motorsport Park in Concord, North Carolina, for the sixth annual North-South Shootout. There will be plenty of racing action on track today and tomorrow on the half-mile oval for fans of the Modifieds. If you cannot make it to the track, follow along here at Speed51.com as we provide updates both days.

Here is the schedule for today's on-track action:

ROUND ONE PRACTICE

10:30 AM - 10:55 AM : Modifieds

10:55 AM - 11:10 AM : Street Stocks

11:10 AM - 11:25 AM : Vintage Divisions

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM : SK-Type Modifieds

12:15 PM - 01:00 PM : Super Modifieds

01:10 PM - 01:30 PM : Rolling Thunder Modifieds

ROUND TWO PRACTICE:

01:35 PM - 02:05 PM : Modifieds

02:10 PM - 02:30 PM : Street Stocks

02:35 PM - 02:55 PM : Vintage Divisions

03:00 PM - 03:25 PM : SK-Type Modifieds

03:35 PM - 04:10 PM : Super Modifieds

04:20 PM - 04:40 PM : Rolling Thunder Modifieds

04:45 PM: MANDITORY DRIVER'S MEETING

05:00 PM: QUALIFYING

SK-Type Modified Time Trials

Modified Time Trials

Street Stock Heat Races

Super Heat Races

Vintage Heat Races

SK-Type Modified Heat Races

Rolling Thunder Modified Heat Races

Modified Heat Races

STREET STOCK FEATURE

North-South Shootout

November 7th - 8th, 2008

Concord Motorsport Park

Concord, North Carolina

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Trackside Now: North-South Shootout - Friday's Action

Practice, Qualifying and Heat Races Scheduled Today

The Super Modifieds have thier pit area just outside the turn one area of the track. (51 Sports photo)

Richie Evans might not be racing on the track, but he is never forgotten. A tribute to him appears on the hood of someone's passenger car in the parking lot. (51 Sports photo)

The tire compound is quite full. (51 Sports photo)

Ken Deese nosed his Vintage Mod into the wall in the first practice session. (51 Sports photo)

Practice continues. (51 Sports photo)

Legends, Bandoleros, Stadium Stocks and Ford Focus Midgets raced on the quarter-mile oval Wednesday and Thursday night at CMP. (51 Sports photo)

Practice is on track Friday AM at CMP. (51 Sports photo)

Bobby Santos was in Phoenix racing a Midget on Thursday, but will race a Super Modified in North Carolina Friday and Saturday. (51 Sports photo)

Jerry Marquis (right) talks to Eric Beers (left). (51 Sports photo)

Chuck Hossfeld (top left corner) is driving the #98H Modified this weekend. (51 Sports photo)

Three drivers on one crew – Charlie Pasteryak, Chris Pasteryak and Tim Jordan (left to right). (51 Sports photo)

The #79 Hillbilly Racing Modifieds of Eddie Flemke, Jr. (silver) and Ronnie Silk (orange). (51 Sports photo)

The blinding sun just after 5:00PM at Concord Motorsport Park is delaying the start of qualifying. (51 Sports photo)

Mike Herman, Jr. was supposed to race this weekend, but had to withdraw his entry. Instead, he is in Phoenix with Joe Gibbs Racing watching Speed51.com online for updates. (51 Sports photo)

Burt Myers, pole winner for the North South Shootout, gets interviewed after his fast run. (Jim DuPont Photo)