North-South Shootout

The North-South Shootout was created in 2003 by Charles Kepley & Josh Jenkins as an independent, high-paying, late-season modified event. It has always been held during the first weekend in November, with hopes to attract modified drivers from up & down the east coast as most tracks & series have completed their seasons by then. Many tracks that ran modifieds weekly offered automatic qualifier races for the North-South shootout during their seasons.

The race debuted at the unique half-mile tri-oval at Concord Speedway. John Blewett III set the tone during the first event with a last lap pace of Jerry Marquis to take the win in a photo finish – the perfect ending for an event called a shootout. Blewett won the race again in 2005. After he passed away tragically in 2007, the event was rebranded as “The John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout”.

The Shootout was moved to Caraway Speedway from 2011-2014. After returning to Concord for 4 more years (2015-2018), it was held at Hickory Motor Speedway for one season (2019) before moving back to Caraway Speedway in 2020 and has remained there since.

Originally a 100 lap race, it was increased to 125 for the 2008 race. From 2018-2021 it was a 150 lap race, then reduced back to 125 laps in 2022.

While the tour-type modified race remains the headliner, the North-South shootout has incorporated other open-wheel and fendered division races into the event over the years.

Matt Hirschman has won the modified race at the North-South Shootout a record 9 times. Blewett, Burt Myers, Ryan Preece and Andy Suess have each won twice.

NORTH-SOUTH SHOOTOUT MODIFIED WINNERS

DATE	LAPS	MODIFIED WINNER	TRACK	SIZE
11-08-03	100	JOHN BLEWETT III	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-06-04	100	DONNY LIA	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-05-05	100	JOHN BLEWETT III	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-04-06	100	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-03-07	100	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-08-08	125	BURT MYERS	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-07-09	125	BURT MYERS	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-06-10	125	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-05-11	125	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile
11-10-12	125	RYAN PREECE	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile
11-09-13	125	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile
11-02-14	125	RYAN PREECE	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile
11-08-15	125	JUSTIN BONSIGNORE	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-05-16	125	ANDY SEUSS	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-04-17	125	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-10-18	150	JON McKENNEDY	Concord Motorsports Park	0.500 mile
11-09-19	150	ANDY SEUSS	Hickory Motor Speedway	0.363 mile
11-07-20	150	MAX McLAUGHLIN	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile
11-06-21	150	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile
11-05-22	125	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile
11-04-23	125	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile
11-09-24	125	MATT HIRSCHMAN	Caraway Speedway	0.455 mile