(Cordele, GA) The 20th running of the Protect Your Melon – Buckle Up SpeedFest presented by Byron Outdoor Superstore will be held one day earlier than originally scheduled due to a Saturday forecast that calls for large amounts of wet weather. The feature portion of the event will now be held on Friday night, January 17, 2025 to ensure that race fans have the opportunity to see the likes of NASCAR’s Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott race against Super Late Model stars Bubba Pollard, Stephen Nasse, Cole Butcher, Matt Craig, Michael Hinde, and more.
Faced with a Saturday forecast calling for a 90% chance of all-day rain, series and track officials worked together on a decision to move the feature racing to Friday night or Sunday afternoon. With Sunday showing a slight chance of rain and keeping teams, drivers, and fans in the area for an additional two days, it was decided to move the feature program to Friday night where the forecast is dry.
Friday’s activities will begin early with tech, followed by practice, qualifying, and an evening of feature action. On tap are full fields of Southern Super Series & CRA Super Late Models, JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Pro Late Models, Legends, and Bandoleros. The main event portion of the program will begin at 6:00 PM. An optional testing day is still on the docket for Thursday afternoon beginning at 12:00 noon for teams looking for additional track time.
The $10,000 to win, 150-lap Protect Your Melon – Buckle Up SpeedFest boasts a star-studded field of 26 pre-entries including NASCAR stars Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott. Chastain competed in the Pro Late Model portion of the event last year and finished on the podium, while Elliott is a multi-time winner of the event.
Some of the top Super Late Model talent that will be battling Chastain and Elliott include three-time defending winner, Bubba Pollard, last year’s Pro Late Model SpeedFest winner and this year’s Snowball Derby runner-up Stephen Nasse, ASA STARS wheelman and two time Oxford 250 winner Cole Butcher, Southern Super Series point runner up and former All American 400 winner Matt Craig, ARCA and Super Late Model standout Jake Finch, former Pro Late SpeedFest winner Michael Hinde, Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway champions Dylan Fetcho and Dawson Sutton, and many more.
The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Pro Late Models will be running a 100-lap event and will feature a mix of veterans and youth, looking to turn some heads and have a breakout event to start the season. The Pro Late Model race last year was a thriller and this year’s event features the likes of former winner Michael Hinde, Cole Butcher, Hudson Bulger, Tyler Reif, Seth Christensen, TJ DeCaire, and more.
The Legend cars will have a chance to shine in the spotlight with well over 20 cars now pre-entered and the youth of the Bandoleros will start the night’s program at 6 PM.
On Friday, Pits will open at 8:00 AM with grandstands opening at 12:00 PM when practice begins. Group qualifying for Bandos and Legends will begin at 4:30 PM, followed by JEGS/CRA Pro Late qualifying at 5:00 and Super Late Model qualifying at 5:30. The green flag is scheduled to drop on the feature program shortly after 6:00 PM.
Pit gates will open for the optional testing day Thursday at 10 AM with on-track activity from 12:00-4:00.
Advance sale tickets for the event are available at https://bit.ly/SpeedFest2025Tix but will also be available at the gate on race day. Pit passes are available on the Pit Pay app or at the gate upon arrival.
For more information on the event, visit www.trackenterprises.com, www.cordelemotorspeedway.com, www.southernsuperseries.com, and www.cra-racing.com.
UPDATED SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, January 16 (Optional Testing Day)
10 AM - Pits Open
12-4 PM - On Track Testing
4 PM - Early Pit Pass Sales For Friday When Practice Ends
Friday, January 17
8 AM - Pits Open
12 PM – Grandstands Open
12 PM – Practice Begins
4:30 PM – Bando & Legend Qualifying
5 PM – JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Qualifying
5:30 PM – Southern Super Series/CRA Super Series Qualifying
6:00 PM – Opening Ceremonies Followed By Feature Racing
-Bandolero 15 Lap / 15 Minute Feature
-JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour SpeedFest 100
-Legends 25 Lap / 25 Minute Feature
-ASA Protect Your Melon – Buckle Up SpeedFest
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