(Press Release from North-South Shootout)
Andy Seuss is interviewed by announcers Derek Pernesiglio Saturday at Concord Speedway in Concord, N.C. (Photo: North-South Shootout)
In a weekend filled with thrilling finishes and last-lap heroics, it was Andy Seuss and Dalton Sargeant hoisting the big trophies and checks with wins at the 14th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North South Shootout in Memory of Charles Kepley at Concord Speedway.
For Seuss, it was a sweet return to a race he loves to compete in after sitting out last year. And, five-time North South Champion Matt Hirschman made the New Hampshire native, now living in North Carolina earn every nickel of the $10,000 top prize.
Teams debated differing pit strategies all weekend with Seuss opting for a one-stop race, which put him in the lead on lap 93 of the 125-lap race. Hirschman went with a two-stop strategy and used fresher rear tires to track down Seuss in the waning laps.
With Hirschman on his back bumper and a bevy of lapped cars running side-by-side; Seuss was masterful, weaving inside and outside of cars while keeping Hirschman in check. Seuss cleared traffic into the dogleg on the final lap, wheeled his car through the final corner with Hirschman “all over him” and scored the win.
Hirschman finished second with Richard Savary, Jon McKennedy and Jeff Fultz completing the top five.
The 125-lap Pro All Star Series (PASS) Super Late Models kicked off the afternoon and produced a similar thrilling dash for the checker flag.
Entering the weekend, 18-year-old Florida native Dalton Sargeant had never raced on the challenging tri-oval Concord Speedway. He made good use of practice sessions and on lap 81 of the 125-lap race took the lead.
While Sargeant had never raced Concord, looming large in his mirror was Preston Peltier who has hundreds of laps and multiple victories at the track. Over the final 15 laps the gap would narrow and expand, with lapped traffic dictating the margin.
Peltier appeared to save his best for last and when the while flag was displayed he was right on the back bumper of Sargeant; gently making contact over the final lap a couple of times. Sargeant fended off a final corner bump to win by less than a car length at the stripe.
It was not only Sargeant’s first visit and win at Concord but his first PASS Series victory as well. Peltier was second with Jared Irvan, Ryan Moore and Clay Rogers completing the top five.
In other racing throughout the weekend: Mack Little III won the Limited Late Model Feature; Woody Pitkat won a last-lap batter for victory in the SK-Type Modifieds, Jeff Melton won the Street Stock Race and A.J. Sanders with a last corner pass won the King of the Mini Stock feature.
125-Lap North South Shootout Modified Feature:
1. Andy Seuss
2. Matt Hirchman
3. Richard Savary
4. Jon McKennedy
5. Jeff Fultz
6. George Brunnhoelzl III
7. Jimmy Blewett
8. Jason Myers
9. Chuck Hossfeld
10. Tyler Truex
11. Jeremy Gerstner
12. Bobby Measmer Jr.
13. Gary Putnam
14. Kyle Bonsignore
15. Andres Krause
16. Steve Masse
17. Brandon Ward
18. Ronnie Sounders
19. Woody Pitkat
20. Burt Myers
21. Calvin Carroll
22. John Sutton
23. Clay Rogers
24. James Civali
25. Brian Dauzat
Well, well, well… looks like many cars ‘missed the setup’.
I’m sure they think so.
Would like to have seen more A-list teams. This was shooting-fish-in-a-barrel for Seuss and Hirschman.
I’m glad I didn’t make the trip.
Anybody have results for SK race? I’m curious of car count and who showed.
Anybody have results of SK mod race? I’m curious of car counts and who showed up. THanks.
TG3,
Nothing was released by the track/promoters through their public relations information.
1) Woody Pitkat
2) Todd Owen
3) Justin Gaydosh
4) scott Wiley
5) Eddie Leclerc
6) Mike Benevides
7) Rich Cooper
Unofficial results for race monitor
tg3, there were 7 SK Mods – Pikat, Owen, Gaydosh, Scott Wiley, Eddie Leclerc, Mike Benevides, Rich Cooper.
Thanks fellas. I sure hope in the coming years the NS Shootout can get back to the prestige it once was. 10 years ago all the big modified cars and stars showed up, many of the big teams fielding multiple cars. Not many were willing to miss out, especially the Northerners. Even the SKs had a full field of power hitters. I’m not sure why but I feel like there’s less and less energy or promotion or something. Last year had a slight boost with the return of Concord but this years event wasn’t really on my radar until the week prior.
7 SK’s, that’s it? Good turn out however for the tour type cars. Expensive trip though, probably why more did not go.
Next time someone says “anyone can be replaced” tell them about Charles Kepley and the North/South Shootout.
Let’s hope that New Smyrna Speedweeks gets a really good turnout.
These events are not what they should be without the A-listers. These events are just another off-off-Broadway show with all the off-off-NWMT teams.
What is an A-lister? A team that is, or would be, consistently competitive on the NWMT.
Well, well, well… looks like many cars ‘missed the setup’.
I’m sure they think so.
Would like to have seen more A-list teams. This was shooting-fish-in-a-barrel for Seuss and Hirschman.
I’m glad I didn’t make the trip.
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Too bad you didn’t make the trip you might not have made such an ignorant statement.
Matt had to work his butt off to get a shot at Andy but it wasn’t happening given the number of good cars still on the track at the end.
Savary
McKennedy
Blewett
Hossfeld
Masse
GBIII
the Myers Bros
Pitkat
are chumps you say? easy pickins’?
You really do say some stupid things goodfella. Try something other than the Tour once and awhile.
Crazy in NY, just look at the facts for once.
What do you mean by “given the number of good cars still on the track”?
Savary finished P3
McKennedy finished P4
Blewett finished P7
Hossfeld finished P9
Masse finished P16
GBIII finished P6, second place in NSMT points
Myers Bros finished P8 & P20. Burt finished P1 and Jason finished P6 in NWSMT points
Pitkat finished P19
This was a VMRS and NWSMT combo event. There was no NWMT car in the event. Or it can be said it was a NWSMT event with plenty of VMRS invaders. Now the NWSMT and VMRS cars are never competitive when they run a NWMT event. It’s a simple fact. And when a NWMT car runs a southern event, it (they) usually do very well. How could you not know this? Even the VMRS cars dominate the NWSMT cars/events, and the VMRS cars can’t compete with the NWMT cars.
Crazy in NY, this event will have the cachet of a special event when cars such as the NWMT 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 16, 82, 44, and 51 show up.
There was not a single competitive NWMT car at this event. That’s not snobbish, that’s a fact.
dareal. none of your facts have anything to do with your statement that it was a fish shoot for Seuss and Hirschman. Everybody knows the Tour cars don’t wonder off the reservation in CT. Hell they don’t
show for the big TriTrack money in their own backyard. The 51 was there last year and the team is in
transition right now but they didn’t dominate like you suggest. When do the Southern and MRS guys
run WNMT events? ( Bristol OK…) Should be a fish shoot for your “dominate” Northern guys but they
don’t show. Why?
Good fella your an idiot!.
Crazy, the facts were in response to your statement regarding all those good cars that were still on the track. Those cars that finished so poorly in such a weak field.
Crazy, don’t waste your time bantering with dareal, it will just aggravate you.
Good whatever still see you are spewing its hard to win any race give it a break Deplorables won you and your girl lost now Obama is not taking a pardon off the table learn anything yet?
Got it!! If the race doesn’t have the 2 3 4 and 51 it’s unworthy. No prob
The glue on the back of your Hillygirl bumper stickers have chemically altered
your brain. Trump 2020 !!!
Crazy in NY he’s either at consulting or on suicide watch like Megan Kelly and everyone at Cnn and MSNBC