LUCAMA, NC – Southern National Motorsports Park’s 2026 season will go green on Saturday, February 28 when the zMAX CARS Tour makes its return to the Wilson County track with both of its divisions.  Along with opening the season for Southern National, the doubleheader also kicks off the 2026 CARS Tour season.

The CARS Tour double feature will feature the KevinSaysYes.com 100 for the CARS Pro Late Model Tour and the Folsom Fence 125 for the CARS Late Model Stock Tour.  The CARS Tour doubleheader marks the first time the series has raced at Southern National since March 2024.

“It’s exciting to have the CARS Tour back at Southern National,” Southern National Motorsports Park track owner Michael Diaz said.  “This track has played such an important role in the CARS Tour’s history, and they always put on an exciting show.  This is also the best way to kick off Speed Week.”

The CARS Tour’s inaugural event was held at Southern National on March 28, 2015.  Todd Gilliland, who currently races in the NASCAR Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports, won the Late Model Stock Car feature.

Over the years, the CARS Tour has produced some of the top names in NASCAR racing, including Christopher Bell, Josh Berry, Carson Kvapil, Layne Riggs, Corey Heim, Sam Mayer, and many more.  Bell, Berry, and Kvapil are among the drivers who have won in CARS Tour competition at the 4/10-mile Southern National Motorsports Park oval in Lucama.

The first weekend of racing will then carry over into Sunday, March 1, with a $2,000-to-win Charger feature, plus Mini Stocks, Any Cars, the Southern National Vintage Series, and the Virginia Vintage Racers.

Speed Week will then commence on Wednesday, March 4 with the Jerry Moody Memorial which kickstarts four straight days of racing at Southern National.

The CARS Tour races will be broadcast live on FloRacing for people unable to make it to the race, while the rest of Southern National’s Speed Week will be carried on Ultra Broadcasting.

Former CARS Tour winners at Southern National

March 2015 – Todd Gilliland (LMSC); Cole Timm (SLM)

May 2015 – Deac McCaskill (LMSC); Christopher Bell (SLM)

April 2016 – Deac McCaskill (LMSC); Quinn Houff (SLM)

November 2016 – Josh Berry (LMSC); Raphael Lessard (SLM)

March 2019 – Brandon Pierce (LMSC); Bubba Pollard (SLM)

March 2020 – Taylor Gray (LMSC); Matt Craig (SLM)

March 2023 – Deac McCaskill (LMSC); Mike Hopkins (PLM)

March 2024 – Carson Kvapil (LMSC); Kyle Campbell (PLM)

A field of CARS Tour late models races around Southern National Motorsports Park during a 2023 race. (Andy Marquis photo)