LUCAMA, NC – Brandon Clements has had one of the best seasons of his racing career but victory at Southern National Motorsports Park has eluded him so far this year. He hopes to change that on October 22nd.
The 27-year-old from Swansboro, North Carolina has scored 19 wins in 2017 but none of them have come at Southern National. The iconic no. 7 Toyota he races has scored over 75 wins at Southern National – but none of them have come with Clements behind the wheel. Clements plans to change that in the 65-lap Mini Stock race at the Spooktacular as he comes in riding a wave of momentum.
“We have had an unbelievable season so far and, on track, to be our team’s most successful and we’re not done yet,” Clements stated. “We ran Southern National back in August and we were just not prepared but we picked up some good notes and really looking forward to a strong run this time back. It is one of only six tracks we have been to this year and not scored a win. We’re looking to change that on Sunday.”
Clements’ work will be cut out for him as he races against track regulars such as Ronnie “Buckshot” Jones, Joseph Pittman and against Mini Stock icon AJ Sanders among others. Prior to the rainout last Saturday, the Spooktacular had boasted one of the best Mini Stock fields with racers coming from all around North Carolina and even from Virginia.
“It’s going to be tough to win with competitors such as Sanders, Buckshot and Pittman,” Clements said. “All those guys know how to get around that place and have been hard to beat there.”
In the later years of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st century, the brown no. 7 Toyota became an iconic car at Southern National with racers such as Andy Smith and Adam Murray dominating the division. The car was built in 1997 and has scored two championships and over 75 wins. However, not since 2004 has the car, then driven by Murray, visited victory lane at Southern National.
“Really looking forward to putting the no. 7 Toyota back in victory lane at Southern National where it dominated in the early 2000s,” Clements explained. “To be the best, you have to beat the best. I feel like a win next Sunday against some of the state’s best cars would put another peg on the board towards our 2017 season.”
Clements himself has one career win at Southern National which came in a Southeast Limited Late Model race back in 2012.
In addition to the Mini Stocks, the Spooktacular will feature 100 laps of Limited Late Model racing and twin 75 lap races for the Fast Five Pro Late Model Series finale. Legends, Bandoleros, Any Cars and Mini Cups will also be in action during the Spooktacular which will commence on Sunday, September 22nd at 2:30pm.
For more information about the Spooktacular, visit the event page at http://www.snmpark.com/spooktacular.
For more information about Southern National Motorsports Park, check out SNMP’s website at www.snmpark.com, “like” Southern National Motorsports Park on Facebook or “follow” @SNM_Park on Twitter.
