Four months of offseason preparation for zMAX CARS Tour competitors ends this weekend when both divisions head to Southern National Motorsports Park for the first race of the 2026 season.

Southern National has long been a significant track for the CARS Tour, as it hosted the first two races in series history back in 2015. Saturday will be the seventh time Southern National has hosted a CARS Tour season-opener, which also marks the facility’s return to the schedule following a one-year absence.

Through three decades of operation, Southern National has become a cornerstone of North Carolina’s asphalt short track racing culture with marquee events that include the Thanksgiving Classic each November. The high-speed, technical layout of Southern National provides plenty of challenges drivers will need to acclimate to if they wish to contend for a win.

The entry lists for the Folsom Fence Supply 125 and KevinSaysYes.com 100 feature plenty of names familiar to the CARS Tour, along with a handful of young prospects seeking to gain experience. All of them have the same goal in mind for Saturday, bring home a checkered flag and build momentum for the year ahead.

Track Facts:

Track: Southern National Motorsports Park

Location: Kenly, North Carolina

Length: .400 mile

Laps: 125 (LMSC) / 100 (PLM)

CARS LMSC Tour races: 8

CARS PLM Tour races: 2

Southern National LMSC winners: Deac McCaskill (3), Todd Gilliland (1), Josh Berry (1), Brandon Pierce (1), Taylor Gray (1), Carson Kvapil (1)

Southern National PLM winners: Mike Hopkins (1), Kyle Campbell (1)

Caden Kvapil takes reigns of JR Motorsports’ No. 88 Chevrolet

Among the notable names that have won in a Late Model Stock prepared by JR Motorsports include Josh Berry, Carson Kvapil and Connor Hall.

Caden Kvapil, the younger brother of Carson, joined that prestigious list last year by winning the CARS LMSC Tour finale at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The 2026 season will see Caden drive JR Motorsports’ flagship No. 88 Chevrolet full-time, an opportunity that brings high expectations but also plenty of excitement.

“I’m feeling good about it,” Caden said. “We ended last year with two really big wins, so I have a lot of confidence going into this year. We’ve been doing a lot of offseason maintenance and prep work for 2026. We’re going to be really prepared, and I can’t wait to get to finally kick off the season. I think we’ll have a real good shot at the championship.”

Throughout Caden’s transition from Pro Late Models into Late Model Stocks, his older brother Carson has been a constant influence. Caden carefully observed Carson as he found his own success in the LMSC Tour, but he made sure to ask him plenty of questions on all the fundamentals needed to one day thrive in Late Model Stocks himself.

Carson’s guidance, combined with his own on-track experiences, proved invaluable when Caden faced off against his older brother in last year’s South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway. The two barely left each other’s sightlines the whole evening, but Caden eventually gained the upper hand on Carson to score another marquee victory for JR Motorsports.

If he can replicate the performances from North Wilkesboro and Florence consistently, Caden believes he can win an LMSC Tour title. Doing so would allow Caden to join his brother Carson as a champion in two separate CARS Tour divisions, he looks to start that journey with a strong showing at Southern National Motorsports Park to open the season.

“It’d be a really cool feat for me,” Caden said. “Watching [Carson] win the [Super Late Model] championship in our family-owned car was super cool. Now I feel like it’s my turn to hopefully prove myself like he did. Not many people have won [two separate CARS Tour] championships, but I’m looking forward to trying to accomplish that feat.”

Lee Pulliam all set for first CARS Tour start in six years

It only took two appearances by Lee Pulliam in 2025 for him to remind the Late Model Stock industry that he was still one of the best in the discipline’s history.

Pulliam was a contender in both the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway and the Thanksgiving Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park, each race ending in a runner-up finish. With confidence on his side, Pulliam is set to embark on an expanded Late Model Stock schedule beginning with the CARS LMSC Tour opener at Southern National on Saturday.

“I’m excited for sure,” Pulliam said. “The CARS Tour presents such a competitive opportunity week in and week out. When you run those races, you have to be in top shape with really good equipment, and the driver has to do a really good job. The challenge is what makes it exciting for me and I’m looking forward to seeing where I stack up.”

After being a mainstay in Late Model Stock competition for a decade, Pulliam shifted his focus over to team ownership during the 2020s. Several drivers in NASCAR’s top three divisions were developed by Pulliam and his team, among them being Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen and reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Corey Heim.

While he enjoyed guiding the next generation, Pulliam was patiently waiting for a chance to climb into a Late Model Stock once again. Pulliam is grateful he gets to race on a more consistent basis in 2026 and is ready to test his skills against the LMSC Tour regulars, a series he has not competed in since 2020 when he substituted for a suspended Brandon Pierce.

Pulliam has visited Southern National’s Victory Lane plenty of times during his career, most notably during the Thanksgiving Classic back in 2015. Only a few months removed from a second in his most recent Thanksgiving Classic attempt, Pulliam knows he can earn another Southern National victory if he drives a clean, methodical race.

“[I’ll] need a fast race car and a little bit of luck,” Pulliam said. “There’s nothing like winning. I haven’t felt that feeling as a driver since September 2019. It’s a feeling I’d love to experience again, so best believe there is going to be a lot of heart from me inside the cockpit and a lot of effort by all the crew guys. It’d be pretty cool to go win that thing.”

Carson Ware kicks off Rick Ware Racing’s PLM Tour owner’s title defense

Three wins for Rick Ware Racing during the 2025 CARS PLM Tour season enabled them to add an owner’s title in the series to a long list of accomplishments that includes earning crowns in the Asian Le Mans Series and FIM World Supercross Championship.

The organization’s quest for a second consecutive PLM Tour owner’s title will see Rick Ware’s youngest son Carson serve as the anchor driver starting at Southern National Motorsports Park. Carson was impressed with how efficient the Pro Late Model program was in year one and has every reason to believe that success can be sustained throughout 2026.

“All of our guys have been doing a lot of hard work over the offseason keeping our cars prepped at the same level of competitiveness we had last year,” Carson said. “In a good way, we have some added pressure to defend that owner’s championship. We’re very excited to get this year kicked off and hopefully we’ll start out strong.”

In many ways, 2025 served as validation for Carson, who ended up earning his first career PLM Tour victory with his family’s team at Ace Speedway. After showing speed in practice, Carson avoided an early, multi-car accident to assume control of the lead, staying out in front until rain ended the race after 51 laps.

Carson considers Rick Ware Racing’s Pro Late Models to be the best equipment he has driven in his career to date, which is why he is motivated to become more polished behind the wheel. Qualifying is an area Carson wants to improve on, especially since responsibility is going to fall primarily on him to defend his team’s PLM Tour owner’s championship.

Although his experience at Southern National is limited, Carson does not feel uncomfortable going into Saturday’s KevinSaysYes.com 100. Composure is going to be imperative for Carson and the entire Rick Ware Racing team this weekend as they look to get a head start on the other Pro Late Model operations seeking to usurp them.

“I need to make sure I’m dialed in, focused and communicating to my team what I need out of the car,” Carson said. “Those guys were fantastic all year and we’re pulling out all the stops again this year with Troy Smith building our cars and [being the crew chief]. Anything I need to get a win is going to be on my side of the driver’s seat.”

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Kicking off a new season of racing for the zMAX CARS Tour will be the KevinSaysYes.com 100 for the Pro Late Models, with the green flag waving at 3 p.m. ET. Once the PLM Tour feature concludes, the Late Model Stocks hit the track for the Folsom Fence Supply 125 at approximately 4 p.m. ET, with FloRacing providing live coverage of all the on-track action.

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 Late Model Stock Car Entry List

CARS Tour Pro Late Model Entry List