LUCAMA, NC – Ronnie “Buckshot” Jones picked up another Southern National Motorsports Park championship in 2017, this time in the relaunched Mini Stock division.
The 23-year-old from Kenly, North Carolina first came on the scene at Southern National Motorsports Park 10 years ago, helping build cars for his step-sister, Ashley Smith, when she raced in the U-CAR division. That fueled a passion that eventually put him in the driver’s seat chasing wins and championships.
“Ashley was the first lady to win a race at Southern National,” Jones recalled. “Watching her race and working on her car, building the cars, got me into racing more than anything.”
When Jones did begin racing, success came with him. When Southern National Motorsports Park reopened in 2012, Jones began competing in the Charger division where he went on to win the championship.
In 2015, Jones scored his second Southern National Motorsports Park championship with three wins on the season and a win in the U-CAR portion of the Thanksgiving Classic. It was not just his championship triumph that made last season a success, but the success of P.J. Flowers who won five races in a car built by Jones.
“It meant a lot to me, all the things we did last year,” Jones remarked. “Between winning the championship and building PJ a car. We had a great battle with him all year last year.”
This season, Jones and Flowers both moved up to the Mini Stock division and, once again, both drivers finished first and second in points. Jones only won one race, but consistency was the key for his championship triumph.
“Me and P.J. stayed about the same in speed all year,” Jones said. “We didn’t always have the speed, but we were there every week and that’s why we won it. I was excited about winning the championship.”
Jones finished the season with one victory, two runner-up finishes and top-five finishes in all but two races in the 2017 regular season.
