History and tradition will be honored at Hickory Motor Speedway this weekend for one of the zMAX CARS Tour’s most prestigious events, the Throwback 276.
Established in 2017 with a unique race distance that matches that of the two NASCAR Cup Series events held at Hickory from 1971-72, the Throwback 276 has served as a way for the CARS Tour, its drivers and fans to pay tribute to those who have left a profound impact on stock car racing and motorsports in general.
Several teams in both the Late Model Stock Car and Pro Late Model divisions have unveiled a throwback wrap of their choice in the days leading up to the Throwback 276. These concepts rang from NASCAR Cup Series legends to drivers who once entertained crowds at their local short tracks.
Fans will have plenty to enjoy during Throwback 276 weekend, with amenities that include a Fan Zone that features a children’s corner with inflatables. The CARS Tour is also expanding Fan Fest to encompass Hickory’s entire layout and will reward two free tickets to next weekend’s event at North Wilkesboro for the best appearing fan.
All the pre-race festivities will culminate with two intense races on Saturday evening for the LMSC and PLM Tour respectively, where drivers will seek to add their names to a prestigious list of notable winners at the ‘Birthplace of the NASCAR stars’.
Track Facts:
Track: Hickory Motor Speedway
Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Length: .363 mile
Laps: 125 (LMSC), 100 (PLM)
CARS LMSC Tour races: 20
CARS PLM Tour races: 5
Hickory LMSC winners: Josh Berry (4), Bobby McCarty (3), Anthony Alfredo (2), Brayton Haws (1), Deac McCaskill (1), Justin Carroll (1), Taylor Gray (1), Ryan Repko (1), Corey Heim (1), Chad McCumbee (1), Connor Hall (1), Carson Kvapil (1), Mason Diaz (1), Connor Zilisch (1)
Hickory PLM winners: William Sawalich (2), Mike Hopkins (1), Cole Butcher (1), Kyle Campbell (1)
LMSC Entry List (24 cars): #03 Brenden Queen, #08 Deac McCaskill, #14 Ronnie Bassett Jr., #1 Andrew Grady, #2 Brandon Pierce, #3 Buddy Isles Jr., #6 Bobby McCarty, #8 Carson Kvapil, #9 Brandon Jones, #12 Connor Hall, #15 Ryan Millington, #16 Chad McCumbee, #23 Kade Brown, #24 Cody Dempster, #28 Connor Zilisch, #29 Brent Crews, #37 Landon Huffman, #44 Conner Jones, #54 Michael Fose, #55 Isabella Robusto, #62 Josh Berry, #71 Katie Hettinger, #81 Mini Tyrrell, #95 Jacob Heafner
PLM Entry List (20 cars): #00 Jimmy Renfrew Jr., #03 Kyle Campbell, #5 Aiden King, #6 Tristan McKee, #6h Hudson Bulger, #9 Ashton Higgins, #15b Jonathan Shafer, #15s Brett Suggs, #18 Cameron Clifford, #24 Jake Bollman, #29 Spencer Davis, #29 Nick Loden, #35 Caden Kvapil, #43h Joshua Horniman, #44 Conner Jones, #55 George Phillips, #71 Katie Hettinger, #88 Max Reaves, #96 T.J. DeCaire, #97 Dylan Garner
LMSC Point Standings:
1. Connor Hall
2. Brent Crews -9
3. Brenden Queen -24
4. Carson Kvapil -28
5. Treyten Lapcevich -31
6. Ryan Millington -36
7. Mini Tyrrell -44
8. Bobby McCarty -57
9. Chad McCumbee -69
10. Andrew Grady -85
PLM Point Standings:
1. Spencer Davis
2. Kaden Honeycutt -3
3. Kyle Campbell -14
4. T.J. DeCaire -18
5. Jimmy Renfrew Jr. -19
6. Caden Kvapil -19
7. Tristan McKee -33
8. Jake Bollman -34
9. Conner Jones -56
10. Nick Loden -59
Connor Zilisch seeks to defend Hickory victory in Ranier No. 28 throwback
The 2024 season has seen Connor Zilisch build a reputation as one of the most promising NASCAR prospects in the country.
Having already recorded three ARCA Menards Series victories along with LMP2 class wins in the Rolex 24 and 12 Hours of Sebring, Zilisch is now turning his attention towards defending his Hickory CARS LMSC Tour win from April, this time with the iconic No. 28 Hardee’s scheme utilized by Ranier-Lundy Racing in the early 1980s.
“It’s going to be exciting to have the old Hardees Ranier Racing [scheme],” Zilisch said. “Lorin Ranier has done a lot for my career, so to honor some of his past and what he’s done is going to be really cool for me. We’ve been fast at Hickory, so hopefully we can do what we did earlier in the year and get us another win.”
Zilisch credits Ranier for being an instrumental part of his quick development on short tracks. Coming from a road racing background, Zilisch has done everything possible to absorb valuable information from Ranier on how to excel at different tracks and get the most out of his car.
That knowledge enabled Zilisch to claim a Hickory checkered flag in the LMSC Tour, which he considered to be one of the toughest challenges of his career. Hickory’s abrasive but versatile layout, combined with the LMSC Tour’s competitive depth, forced Zilisch to be methodical as he climbed from 11th to the front of the field.
Zilisch expects another arduous but exhilarating experience at Hickory for the Throwback 276. He feels confident about providing Ranier a chance to celebrate with the scheme made famous by his father Harry, but stressed the importance of finding a balance between being conservative and aggressive on Saturday night.
“It’s been fun racing at Hickory and it’s always a good time,” Zilisch said. “The track always races so well and that makes for good side-by-side racing. For as much as Lorin has done for me, being able to give back a little bit would be cool. It’s never easy to win in the CARS Tour, but we’re going to do everything we can.”
Buddy Isles Jr. bringing Dale Earnhardt’s 1996 Olympics scheme to Hickory
Already carrying on the proud tradition of Ray Hendrick’s flying No. 11, Buddy Isles Jr. will utilize another famous number for Saturday’s Throwback 276.
Isles has selected seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt as the driver he is paying tribute to at Hickory Motor Speedway. The No. 3 scheme selected resembles the one Earnhardt piloted to promote the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, a decision that perfectly coincides with NASCAR’s ongoing Olympic break.
“I’ve always liked the American flag stuff with the colors,” Isles said. “I’ve done a lot of flag schemes over the years. Of course, I’ve been a big Earnhardt fan and if we ever did the CARS Tour, I was going to run that All-Star scheme with the flag. Having the No. 3 on the car is almost like a dream come true.”
Honoring motorsports history has always been a part of Isles’ identity since beginning his career on dirt tracks. Isles’ great uncle Jack Tant was instrumental in preparing cars that enabled Hendrick to embark on a stellar career that included over 700 victories between Modifieds and the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series.
Isles has been determined to park Hendrick’s flying No. 11 in Victory Lane during his rookie CARS LMSC Tour season, but he has endured his fair share of challenges. In eight appearances this year, Isles has yet to amass a single top 10, with his best performances being two 12th place finishes.
Now in a partnership with VanDyke Racing Performance that includes two-time CARS LMSC Tour winner Justin Johnson as his crew chief, Isles believes he can start building momentum over the second half of the year. Doing so by winning in Earnhardt’s patriotic scheme at Hickory would be equal parts unbelievable and cathartic for Isles.
“I don’t know what I’d do [if I won], but it’d top everything I’ve done in racing,” Isles said. “The CARS Tour is tough and everybody knows that. I wasn’t expecting to come in here and win races out the get go. I always go to a racetrack to win no matter where I go. We have big goals at Hickory and everyone’s going to work really hard to run good.”
Hudson Bulger paying tribute to fellow Georgia driver David Ragan
For his first Throwback 276 weekend at Hickory Motor Speedway, Hudson Bulger will honor another competitor from his home state of Georgia.
The scheme on Bulger’s Pro Late Model will mirror the No. 6 Discount Tire Ford that David Ragan piloted to two NASCAR Xfinity Series victories during his career. Choosing that car as his throwback inspiration was an easy decision for Bulger, who credits the Ragan family for their guidance in helping him progress through the ranks.
“We’re super excited to use David Ragan’s [NASCAR Xfinity Series] scheme from 2007-09,” Bulger said. “The Ragan family has been a significant part of my racing career. Brett, David’s cousin, is my crew chief and he’s someone I look up to. It’s an honor to represent this scheme and I hope to perform well and make the entire Ragan family proud.”
Bulger added the Ragan family’s knowledge regarding Pro and Super Late Models has made it easy for him to absorb information during his first starts in full-bodied stock cars. There are many aspects about Pro Late Models Bulger is still ascertaining, but he is confident about his trajectory with the Ragans behind him.
Although he has been doing everything possible to accumulate track time, the only two CARS PLM Tour starts for Bulger so far this year were the opening two events. He earned a lead lap finish in the opener at Southern National Motorsports Park, but was sidelined after 50 laps at Hickory in April after being involved in a crash.
The first time at Hickory for Bulger taught him plenty of lessons about tire wear and being patient. With a full notebook about the track now at his disposal, Bulger is eager to give the prestigious 0.363-mile oval another shot with the goal of delivering a strong run in Ragan’s tribute scheme.
“[Hickory] is a lot different from anything I’ve ever raced on,” Bulger said. “I feel like we had a really good car last time, but we just got caught up in something. We learned a lot last time, so I think we’ll have a better run this time. I haven’t won a CARS Tour race yet, but it’s on my bucket list. Doing that in the [Throwback 276] would be really cool.”
Once Fan Fest concludes, the CARS Pro Late Model Tour will take the first green flag of the evening at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET, with the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour immediately following with their 125-lap race. FloRacing will provide coverage of all the Throwback 276 on-track action, beginning at 4:15 p.m ET.
For more information on the zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Tour and the zMAX CARS Pro Late Model Tour, visit www.carsracingtour.com. Be sure to stay active and social with the tour by liking “CARS Tour” on Facebook, following @CARSTour on X (formerly known as Twitter) and scrolling through photos on Instagram cars_tour.
Additional series information can be obtained by calling the CARS Tour series office, located in Mooresville, NC, at 704-662-9212.
-CARS Tour Press Release
