Ronnie Souders,
Jr. Beats The Heat For Third Top Ten Of 2011
Salem,
Oh – June 12, 2011 – Team Release – South Boston Speedway is known as America's
Hometown track, serving as a stepping stone for many NASCAR stars
such as Ward and Jeff Burton, and Elliott Sadler. On Saturday, it
would play host to the USARacing Pro Cup Series 250 presented byStrutmasters.com.
Temperatures soared to 96 degrees with high humidity making this
an obstacle for the drivers. Ronnie took the car out for qualifying,
and laid down a couple of nice
laps, and qualified thirteenth for
the 250 lap event. After qualifying concluded is when things looked
like they were headed south for the WMS team. Battling the heat, and
fighting the 3,300 pound race car took its toll on Souders. With an
in car temperature of 160 degrees; Ronnie became ill with heat
exhaustion and spent the next 3 hours cooling and re-hydrating his
body to be able to start and park the car for the race.
Still feeling the effects of the heat, Souders took the green
flag, and the race was underway. In the opening laps, Ronnie was
turning laps, and assessing his car. Ronnie decided to tough it out
and stay behind the wheel. At lap 80, the race was red flagged for
rain. After about 30 minutes; the drivers were called back to their
cars, and the race resumed. During the caution laps, the crew chief
Tim Sliva decided to pit for fuel. Around lap175, the caution flag
flew once more, and Ronnie pitted for tires. Then, after a hard
fought day, the EZ-Slider Cylinder Liners Chevy finally saw the
checkered flag running in the ninth position. After climbing out of
the car, an exhausted Souders said, “I really loved racing here and
I think my crew and crew chief did an excellent job to get me to 9th
position.” “I can't believe that my boy was able to finish this
race. I am so proud the way he stuck in there,” said Ron Souders,
Sr.
The WMS team will prepare the car, and
head to Lonesome Pine Raceway next weekend. Ronnie has no previous
starts at the .375-mile, semi-banked asphalt oval track in Coeburn,
VA. The USARacing Pro Cup Series has not raced there since 2006.- J.P./ E.W./ R.S. Sr.
