LUCAMA, NC – Southern National Motorsports Park will be honoring one of its greatest icons, legendary car owner Jerry Moody, on April 26th with the inaugural running of the Jerry Moody Memorial.
Jerry Moody (April 18, 1942 – November 24, 2013) was a long-time car owner at Southern National Motorsports Park, owning cars driven by Scott Riggs, Matt McCall and Jamey Caudill, among others. He was the father of current Southern National Motorsports Park competitor and 2014 Limited Late Model champion Haley Moody.
Southern National Motorsports Park will honor Jerry Moody’s legacy with a special Late Model Stock Car race which is scheduled three days after the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at South Boston Speedway and one day after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway. The date of the event promises to attract NASCAR stars past and present.
Haley Moody, 20, from Kinston, North Carolina said the marquee event in her father’s name means a lot to her and to the Moody family.
“It means a whole lot,” Moody said. “My dad did a lot for the sport. He loved racing, it’s what his life consisted of. He loved watching me race. I’m sure he is looking down smiling knowing he is being recognized and that I will be racing in it as well.”
Haley said Southern National Motorsports Park is the perfect venue for this event.
“He wouldn’t want it anywhere else,” she remarked. “Every car he has owned has raced there.”
Jerry Moody was 71 when he passed away after a battle with cancer – two days after watching Haley score her first career Limited Late Model victory.
Matt McCall, who now serves as the crew chief for Jamie McMurray in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, raced for Jerry Moody for several years including a 2009 championship together in the UARA-STARS Series.
“It’s so cool to see Southern National step up to do this race,” McCall stated. “Jerry was a longtime friend of mine and of this sport. I’m excited to see that he’s being honored with this memorial race and I plan to be there and hopefully win the race.”
Southern National Motorsports Park promoter Langley Austin is also excited about this race and having a big race for the spring.
“Jerry Moody is a guy who I got to know when he was running the UARA-STARS tour with Matt McCall in 2009,” Austin stated. “He was a long time member of the Southern National community and he’s been part of the tracks history from day one. From the moment I was offered the opportunity to run Southern National, I knew this was a race that I wanted to do for him and his family. We’re honored to be able to honor his legacy with this race which we hope to make an annual event.”
The Jerry Moody Memorial will be held at Southern National Motorsports Park on Sunday afternoon, April 26th. Additional details on this race will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information about Southern National Motorsports Park, check out SNMP’s website atwww.snmpark.com, “like” Southern National Motorsports Park on Facebook or “follow” @SNM_Park on Twitter.
