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Royal Treatment Awaits Crown 300 Winner
Who Will Join Short Track Royalty on July 4th?
The Slack Auto Parts World Crown 300 gets set to roll for its 30th running on July 4th at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia. Since 1983, the World Crown 300 has been the premier Late Model race in the state of Georgia and one of the biggest in the southeast.
Today it's first-place pay day makes it one of the richest events in not only Super Late Model racing, but in all of asphalt short track racing. $20,000 will be awarded to the win in one lump sum. In recent years the segments totaled up for the big prize. This year, it's a straight-up 300 lapper sanctioned by the Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco.
The endurance of 300 laps in the Georgia heat makes this one of the most demanding events around as driver look to wear the crown at the end of the night. When it's all said and done one driver will become a part of history.
Tying History
Dave Mader III, Mike Eddy, and Rick Crawford all went on to win the World Crown 300 after finishing second in the race. Bubba Pollard will be making his 10th start in the 300 and hopes to win the race that has escaped his fingers several times, including last year in a runner-up effort.
Sweet History
This week Stephen Nasse will get behind the wheel of a race car looking to get cleared to race next week at the World Crown. We don't want to put the cart before the horse just yet, but if he could make it back to run after his recent illness it would be a big deal for him, the other drivers and the fans. To win it would be a performance beyond belief We just hope to see the 51 car next week and let him take care of the rest.
Why Not History
In the Southern Super Series, John Hunter Nemechek has been second, second and third in three of his last four races. Why not get his first win in one of the crown jewels of Super Late Model racing? Other drivers should consider him very dangerous until he gets that first win and even after that he will be just as dangerous.
History Chaser
Chase Elliott will look to become the first driver since Paul Kelley to go back-to-back in the World Crown 300. Elliott dominated a year ago and looks to equal Kelley's feat from 2006 and 2007. Prior to that, Rich Bickle won two in a row and Darrell Waltrip did the trick in 1986 and 1987.
History Lesson
Georgia rules as Peach State drivers have taken 11 of the last 12 World Crown 300's at Gresham Motorsports Park. The overall number is 14 in favor of home state drivers in the big race.
Chase Elliott was the first driver to win the pole and the race since Fredrick Moore in 2004. It's also only the second time on record that a driver has won from pole, according to known World Crown history. For such a legendary event, some data from its early years is still missing.
Surprising History
Don't count out the young guys like Spencer Davis, Anderson Bowen, Cody Coughlin and Brandon Jones. Davis is a former track champion in Pro Late Models at GMP, Bowen was strong in the spring in his Pro Late Model, Coughlin loves the high speed tracks and Jones will have plenty of notes to go along with his steadily improving experience as Cale Gale will be on the box as crew chief. Gale scored a top-five finish as a driver in this event last year.
History is History
They may not be the same drivers, but some car numbers share a lot to history. Augie Grill drives the 112 and that number went to victory lane with Gary Balough in the World Crown. The 18 is driven by Hunter Robbins, but Ronnie Sanders piloted the car to victory lane. Daniel Hemirc hopes to be the second different driver to win the World Crown with the number 98 as Jody Ridley was close and Justin Wakefield picked up the win a few years back.
June 28, 2013
