FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Southern All Star Racing Series 35th Annual Coca-Cola Tennessee Memorial at Cleveland Speedway May 18

By Michael Despain, SAS PR

Huntsville, AL- May 9, 2013- After being halted by Mother Nature last weekend, the Southern All Star Racing Series is set to return to action for its second visit of the 2013 season to the Ronnie Willkomm promoted Cleveland Speedway in Cleveland, TN for the 35th Annual Coca-Cola Tennessee Memorial event on Saturday May 18. The event will be 40 laps in distance and see the winner walk away with $4,000 in prize money.

In addition to the SAS event at Cleveland Speedway May 18th, the postponed Ray Cook-Promoted Spring Nationals event will run on Friday Night May 17th at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, GA and pay $4,000 to win. This gives the drivers an opportunity to race for $8,000 in win money over two days at two fairly close race tracks.

The Southern All Star Racing Series event at Cleveland Speedway on Saturday May 18 will feature a complete program of practice, WhitePerformance.com A-B Group Time Trials, PPM Racing Products Last Chance Showdowns, and will conclude with the 40 lap, $4,000 to win 35th Annual Coca-Cola Tennessee Memorial Southern All Star Racing Series A-Main. Joining the Southern All Star Racing Series in action at Cleveland Speedway on Saturday May 18 will be the track’s Steel Head/Limited Late Model, Crate Late Model, A-Hobby, B-Hobby, Pony, and Front Wheel Drive divisions.

This will mark the second of five trips of 2013 to the 1/3 semi-banked clay oval located just minutes from the Chattanooga area and Randy Weaver of Crossville, TN captured the win in the inaugural SAS visit to Cleveland in 2013, the 18th Annual Shamrock back on March 9, in an event that many race fans in the Southeast have dubbed the “race of the year” up to this point in 2013 that saw three different leaders with multiple lead changes and plenty of three-wide racing action that drew 39 entries from eight states and saw Weaver win over Mike Marlar, Billy Ogle, Jr., Dale McDowell, and David Payne.

Also as part of the 35th Annual Coca-Cola Tennessee Memorial, Cleveland Speedway will host the Blood Assurance Blood Drive. Cleveland Speedway and the Southern All Star Racing Series encourage everyone to visit the Blood Assurance Blood Drive and give the gift of life to help someone that may be in need.

Among those drivers expected from the Southern All Star Racing Series stable of cars include series points leader Riley Hickman of Chattanooga, TN, Jason Hiett of Oxford, AL, defending series Rookie of the Year Mike Weeks of Friendsville, TN, Mark Rosner of Rockford, TN, Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA, Bret Holmes of Munford, AL, Billy Ogle, Jr. of Knoxville, TN, Hunter Peacock of Gray, GA, Mark Vineyard of Powell, TN, Shamrock winner Randy Weaver of Crossville, TN, and Bo Shirley of Gadsden, AL, along with a strong array of talented local and regional racing stars such as Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA, defending race winner Skip Arp of Georgetown, TN, Jake Knowles of Tyrone, GA, Brian Hendrix of Knoxville, TN, Jeff Franklin of Ten Mile, TN, Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC, Dylan Ames of Harvest, AL, William Thomas of Phenix City, AL, plus many more are expected.

Activities for the Southern All Star Racing Series event at Cleveland Speedway will see pit gates open at 2:00 p.m, with general admission opening at 3:00 p.m. The drivers meeting will be at 6:30 p.m., with practice laps set to begin at 7:00 p.m., followed immediately by time trials and green flag racing. All times listed are Eastern Daylight Time. Ticket prices for the Southern All Star Racing Series at Cleveland Speedway on Saturday May 18 in the general admission area is $15 for adults and a pit pass will be $30.

Southern All Star Racing Series Cleveland Speedway 35th Annual Coca-Cola Tennessee Memorial A-Main Payout for May 18, 2013: 1st- $4000, 2nd- $2000, 3rd- $1000, 4th- $750, 5th- $650, 6th- $550, 7th- $525, 8th- $500, 9th- $450, 10th- $425, 11th- $400, 12th- $350, 13th- $340, 14th- $330, 15th- $320, 16th- $310, 17th- $300, 18th- $300, 19th- $300, 20th- $300, 21st- $300, 22nd- $300, 23rd- $300, 24th- $300.

Skip Arp of Georgetown, TN won the 2012 version of the Southern All Star Racing Series sanctioned Coca-Cola Tennessee Memorial contest. The Southern All Star Racing Series has visited Cleveland Speedway at least one time every year since 1987 and has contested 104 previous series events at the storied facility originally built by the late Joe Lee Johnson and has produced 36 different series winners, with Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA the winningest driver in Southern All Star Racing Series history at Cleveland Speedway with 17 victories. Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN has 7 series wins, while Clint Smith of Senoia, GA and Rex Richey of Ringgold, GA have 6 series wins, with Randy Weaver of Crossville, TN, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN, Duayne Hommel of Newport, TN, and Chris Madden of Grays Court, SC each with 5 series checkered flags at Cleveland Speedway.

Cleveland Speedway is located at 2420 South Lee Highway in Cleveland, TN 37311 and is in its 54th season of dirt track racing entertainment. Directions to Cleveland Speedway are to take I-75 to the first Cleveland Exit (if you're coming south from Knoxville, take the Third Cleveland Exit), go east (away from Fireworks Bldg.) about a mile (first exit ramp) to Hwy. 11. Turn left (back under the overpass) on Hwy. 11, and go two blocks (past the car lots & Mr. Zip,) the Speedway is on the left. Further information can be obtained by calling the Speedway office at (423) 479-8574 or by logging on to www.clevelandspeedway.net on the internet.

Further information on the Southern All Star Racing Series can be obtained by calling General Manager Lynn Acklin at (256) 924-4546 or Race Director Chris Tilley at (606) 219-1723 or you can log on to the official series website at www.sasdirt.com . Also, LIKE the Southern All Stars Dirt Racing Series on Facebook or be a FOLLOWER on Twitter @SASDIRT.

Current Southern All Star Racing Series Points (after April 6th):
1. Riley Hickman (Chattanooga, TN)- 418
2. Jason Hiett (Oxford, AL)- 386
2. Mike Weeks (Friendsville, TN)- 386
4. Jonathan Davenport (Blairsville, GA)- 372
5. Mark Rosner (Rockford, TN)- 358
6. Bret Holmes (Munford, AL)- 310
7. Billy Ogle Jr. (Knoxville, TN)- 284
8. Hunter Peacock (Gray, GA)- 240
9. Mark Vineyard (Powell, TN)- 220
10. Randy Weaver (Crossville, TN)- 214
11. Bo Shirley (Gadsden, AL)- 210

Current DirtonDirt.com/Cruise with the Champions Rookie of the Year Points (after April 6th):
1. Jason Hiett (Oxford, AL)- 127
2. Mark Rosner (Rockford, TN)- 126
3. Bret Holmes (Munford, AL)- 122

Southern All Star Racing Series Event Winners:
#1-Jared Landers-Batesville, AR (Cherokee Speedway) March 3rd
#2-Randy Weaver-Crossville, TN (Cleveland Speedway) March 9th
#3-Jonathan Davenport-Blairsville, GA (East AL Motor Speedway) March 16th
#4-Jonathan Davenport-Blairsville, GA (Smoky Mountain Speedway) March 23rd
#5- Billy Ogle, Jr.-Knoxville, TN (Tazewell Speedway) April 6

Upcoming Southern All Star Racing Series Events:
May 18 (Saturday)- Cleveland Speedway/Cleveland, TN- $4,000 to win (35th Annual Coca-Cola Tennessee Memorial Race)
June 1 (Saturday)- Volunteer Speedway/Bulls Gap, TN- $5,200 to win (Scott Sexton Memorial)
June 15 (Saturday)- Smoky Mountain Speedway/Maryville, TN- $5,000 to win (3rd Annual Big Daddy 500)

2013 Southern All Star Racing Series Sponsors:
*Hoosier Racing Tire “The Official Race Tire” of the Southern All Star Racing Series
*Patriot Sports “The Official Merchandise Vendor” of the Southern All Star Racing Series
*Sunoco Race Fuels “The Official Race Fuel” of the Southern All Star Racing Series

2013 Southern All Star Racing Series Supporters/Marketing Partners Include: AR Bodies, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Cruise with the Champions, DirtonDirt.com, H3 Performance Graphics, Integra Racing Shocks, Intercomp Racing Systems, JT Kerr Racing Equipment, MSR Mafia Web Design and Service, PPM Racing Products, RockAuto.com, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil by Ed Lowe, The Joie of Seating, WhitePerformance.com