Tight Modifieds of Mayhem Points Battle Heads to Five Flags on Friday

A decade has come and gone, and the bellowing engines from the Modifieds of Mayhem still shake the pavement, grandstands and Earth at every short track they visited.

The touring series Stan Narrison helped create in the mid-2010s continues to rise in popularity year after year. The 64-year-old Montgomery Motor Speedway promoter can easily pinpoint why the open-wheeled Modifieds are such an attraction for drivers and fans alike.
“Most everybody wants to drive ’em,” Narrison said. “Think about it: It’s an 8-inch tire on a car with high horsepower to figure out and no limit on the carburetor. It comes down to how well you can get it powered to the ground.”

The Mods return to Five Flags Speedway on Friday night for a 50-lap feature. They will be joined by the Allen Turner Hyundai Pro Late Models, who will compete in their third of four 100-lap races this season. This weekend marks an important doubleheader for the PLMs. After racing Friday at Five Flags, they’ll head west on Interstate-10 and compete at Mobile International Speedway on Saturday night. The driver with the best average finish between both tracks pockets an extra $1,000 as part of the Pro Late Model Challenge presented by Rogers Dabbs Performance Parts.

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The Gulf Real Estate Group Trucks (25) and Story & Bleich Roofing Crown Stocks (20) round out the Friday night show at Five Flags. Gates open at 5. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors, military and students; $5 for children ages 6 to 11; and free for the little ones (5-and-under).

After last year’s Modifieds of Mayhem series was dominated by Cody Stickler, this season has seen more parity. Longtime short-track driver Jeff Letson currently leads the overall points standings by just two points against Jaxon Bishop. Bishop cut into Letson’s lead thanks to a win at Mobile last month.

“This year has been Letson’s show for much of the year,” Narrison said. “He is such a fixture in the Modifieds world. I feel like I’ve been watching Jeff Letson race for 50 years. He came out of the box strong this year.

“We’ve had a great overall season. A lotta different drivers have gotten a taste of the Mayhem series. And with our guys building up for the Derby, I think we’ll get a lotta folks down there this Friday to get used to that big, fast place and get ready for the Derby.”
Which is another unique factor for the Modifieds of Mayhem.

The series champion will not be decided until the conclusion of the Mods race at the 57th annual Snowball Derby in December.

“We’ve done that since we started the series,” Narrison said. “We feel privileged to race for our championship at the Snowball Derby. (Five Flags General Manager) Tim Bryant was instrumental in putting this together in the first place. Why not crown a champion. A lotta drivers get nervous on that stage. That’s why we race every lap.”

And why fans stay glued to the edge of their seats anytime the Mods roll onto Pensacola’s high banks.

“The fans love seeing something on the track other than a fender car,” Narrison said. “It’s always to see great, big crowds down in Pensacola. We love running on Friday night. It’s a great platform for us.”

-Story by: Chuck Corder, Five Flags Speedway
-Photo credit: Will Bellamy, Racing America