Want to race in the Superstar Racing Experience‘s 9 July event at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway? Better hope the fans love you.
On Tuesday, the track announced the launch of a vote in which fans pick from a pool of six late model stars who they want to see in the SRX event. Dylan Fetcho, Michael House, Stephen Nasse, Bubba Pollard, Cole Williams, and Brittney Zamora are on the ballot. Voting begins on 3 April, and the winner will be announced at the track’s ARCA Menards Series East race on 7 May.
“Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), and Track Enterprises are giving a special promotion to all grass roots race fans before the SRX race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on Saturday, July 9th. Fans will get a chance to vote one of their favorite late model drivers into the seat of an SRX machine to compete against some of the best in motorsports,” reads a statement from the track. “[…] All six drivers have a rich history at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway with many of them being past champions and one even making history.”
Fetcho won the Pro Late Model track championship in 2020, and recently claimed the Baby Rattler Pro 125 victory at South Alabama Speedway. House is the defending Nashville PLM champion after holding off House for the crown, and he previously won said title in 2018.
Nasse and Pollard are popular names in the short track community, both of whom having raced against each other and won in multiple divisions including the Southern Super Series, CARS Super Late Model Tour, and World Series of Asphalt. Nasse has three starts in ARCA East, with his most recent being a sixth in the 2020 season opener. Pollard, nicknamed “Redneck Jesus”, has experience in the national ARCA Menards Series. Despite their grassroots successes, neither currently have plans of moving up to NASCAR as they enjoy the homely environment of regional short track racing. Still, SRX would provide them with a national audience, as was the case with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour legend Doug Coby winning the inaugural SRX event in 2021 to bolster his series’ and his individual image.
Williams won the PLM track title in 2014 and 2016.
“A chance to race door to door with some of the best in the @srxracingofficial series! Count me in! Pretty cool to let the fans choose! Huge thanks to SRX & @nashvillefairgroundsspeedway for choosing me as 1 of the 6 drivers,” Williams posted on Instagram.
Zamora finished fifth in the 2019 ARCA West standings, but lost her ride at season’s end. Over the next three years, she has mainly focused on regional series before making her ARCA national début at Daytona in 2021. In October, she became the first woman to win a major race at the Fairgrounds when she triumphed in a Pro Late Model feature. She is one of seven female drivers with Busch Light support via its new Accelerate Her programme. If Zamora wins the vote, she would be the second woman to race in SRX after Hailie Deegan.
With SRX fielding cars for local track stars in addition to those racing for the championship, circuits are using various methods to determine who gets the seat. Five Flags Speedway and Stafford Motor Speedway both intend to reward the highest average finisher of its PepperJack Kennels Twins and winner of the Spring Sizzler, respectively.