LUCAMA, NC – Wednesday night’s renewal of the Jerry Moody Memorial is bring the late icon’s daughter and former track champion back to the track and inside the cockpit of a racecar.

Haley Moody, who won the 2014 Limited Late Model championship at Southern National, will pilot the no. 50 Late Model Stock Car in the 125-lap race that honors her father’s memory. The race will be her first at Southern National since 2017 and her first anywhere since racing at Carteret County Speedway in the later years of the pre-COVID decade.

“I’m very excited to get back in the racecar,” Moody said. “It’s been six years since I’ve behind the car. Ross went and tested with me this past week and we were pretty good for my first time back. He got me very comfortable in the car, and it was just like riding a bicycle, like I never left. But a lot of learning to do still. It’s like starting over basically.”

The Inaugural, and only, previous running of the Jerry Moody Memorial took place in May 2015. Moody competed in that race, running inside the top five before being turned off the nose of another car in the closing stages, ending her strong run. The race was won by Matt McCall, who gave the custom-designed trophy to the Moody family in victory lane.

“The trophy is sitting in my living room right now,” Moody commented. “I’m thankful Matt gave me the trophy after his win; it means a lot to me.”

When Southern National Motorsports Park track owner Michael Diaz called her about renewing the race as part of the I-95 Showdown, Moody began working on getting back in a racecar.

“It means the world to me,” Moody stated. “That he wants to put this race together for my dad is a very big honor. We, I grew up racing at Southern National. Obviously, that was my home track. I won a championship there and unfortunately my daddy didn’t get to see it. It means the world that Mike thinks enough of my family to put this race together and to keep it going. I hope that it’s a year thing going on. The first race was very emotional so I’m sure this is going to be emotional too. I hope we can get a good finish for my dad.”

Wednesday night’s Jerry Moody Memorial, which is being presented by Big Kahuna Pools & Spas, is expected to draw a large field of heavy hitters to the high-banked, 4/10-mile track in Lucama, North Carolina. Among the heavy-hitters expected to compete are Matt McCall and possibly four-time track champions Jamey Caudill and Deac McCaskill.

“I think it’s gonna be a big deal,” Moody remarked. “It was a big deal the first time we ran it. Matt got to race in it and Deac got to race and that was cool to race against them. Form going when I was younger watching them race every weekend, it’s pretty cool to be able to race against them, and Jamey. I’ve ran one race against Jamey, that was Martinsville, and we haven’t raced against each other since, so I think that’s going to be pretty cool if he can run the race. There’s going to be some good cars and hopefully we can race against them.”

Moody expanded a little more about how the race is shaping up to have an old school Southern National feel to it.

“It’s gonna be like old school,” Moody continued. “That’s what I like about it. The old school drivers are coming back and I think it’s going to be a really good show.”

Moody has several starts, and wins, at Southern National, mostly in either Charger or Limited Late Model competition. Wednesday’s Jerry Moody Memorial will be only her second Late Model Stock Car start at Southern National. She also has not raced at her home track since 2017.

While getting back in the car was like riding the bicycle, what has changed was noticeable to the Kinston, North Carolina driver.

“I ran one true late model race at Kenly,” Moody explained. “The difference in the cars that I was used to, like when I ran Limited, the motor package is a lot different. I can tell the racetrack has changed a lot. The grip level is completely gone, obviously, but I was pretty comfortable. We went out several times and, each time that I went out, I got better and faster.”

In racing, it requires more than willpower or talent to race, but also a lot of other people, and it is no different for Moody.

“I’d like to thank Ross Dalton Racing for giving me this opportunity to drive his racecar,” Moody said. “Also Got to be NC Agricultural for coming on board with us, Suzann T. Jackson Insurance, Michelle, Tom, Heath with Finish Line Turkey Farms, Landon Brown, and Lead Foot Racing League for all the help and support.”

Moody also noted that Wednesday, March 4 will be her mother, Becky Moody’s birthday. “I’d like to thank my mom for all the help and support throughout all the years. March 4 is her birthday, so we are going to try to make it a good one for her.”

The Jerry Moody Memorial presented by Big Kahuna Pools & Spas will commence at 8:00pm with Bandoleros and Legends preceding the I Dig Pigs 125-lap main event. Tickets are available online and at the gate on race day, and the feature racing program will be streamed live on Ultra Broadcasting.

“I think it’s gonna be a big deal,” Moody remarked. “It was a big deal the first time we ran it. Matt got to race in it and Deac got to race and that was cool to race against them. Form going when I was younger watching them race every weekend, it’s pretty cool to be able to race against them, and Jamey. I’ve ran one race against Jamey, that was Martinsville, and we haven’t raced against each other since, so I think that’s going to be pretty cool if he can run the race. There’s going to be some good cars and hopefully we can race against them.”

Moody expanded a little more about how the race is shaping up to have an old school Southern National feel to it.

“It’s gonna be like old school,” Moody continued. “That’s what I like about it. The old school drivers are coming back and I think it’s going to be a really good show.”

Moody has several starts, and wins, at Southern National, mostly in either Charger or Limited Late Model competition. Wednesday’s Jerry Moody Memorial will be only her second Late Model Stock Car start at Southern National. She also has not raced at her home track since 2017.

While getting back in the car was like riding the bicycle, what has changed was noticeable to the Kinston, North Carolina driver.

“I ran one true late model race at Kenly,” Moody explained. “The difference in the cars that I was used to, like when I ran Limited, the motor package is a lot different. I can tell the racetrack has changed a lot. The grip level is completely gone, obviously, but I was pretty comfortable. We went out several times and, each time that I went out, I got better and faster.”

In racing, it requires more than willpower or talent to race, but also a lot of other people, and it is no different for Moody.

“I’d like to thank Ross Dalton Racing for giving me this opportunity to drive his racecar,” Moody said. “Also Suzann T. Jackson Insurance, Michelle, Tom, Heath with Finish Line Turkey Farms, Landon Brown, and Lead Foot Racing League for all the help and support.”

Moody also noted that Wednesday, March 4 will be her mother, Becky Moody’s birthday.

“I’d like to thank my mom for all the help and support throughout all the years. March 4 is her birthday so we are going to try to make it a good one for her.”

The Jerry Moody Memorial presented by Big Kahuna Pools & Spas will commence at 8:00pm with Bandoleros and Legends preceding the I Dig Pigs 125-lap main event. Tickets are available online and at the gate on race day, and the feature racing program will be streamed live on Ultra Broadcasting.