Rudolph Headed To North-south Shootout

After a month off, the DeLange Racing team swings back into action this weekend. Erick Rudolph of Ransomville , New York is headed south to compete in the 5th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout at Concord Motorsport Park in Concord , North Carolina. Rudolph will be driving the #45 Original Pizza Logs Modified in this premier event that attracts the best teams and drivers in the Modified division.

This will be Rudolph’s second visit to the speedway that is billed as “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile Tri-Oval”. He competed for the DeLange team in the 2006 Shootout last fall, driving in the 50-lap SK Modified/SST Sportsman event. After starting 13th he was challenging for a top-ten position when he was caught up in a multi-car incident that ended his race and relegated him to a 24th place finish. He hopes the experience gained from that effort will yield a better result this year.

“I really like the Concord track,” explains Rudolph. “It’s a fast racetrack with three different turns and high banks where momentum is very important. You can pass anywhere on the track, depending on where your car is working the best. I’m looking forward to going back. Last year I learned a lot racing there in the SST against top competition and gained a lot of experience that will help when I return with the Modified. It was definitely an advantage to get some laps under my belt. I’m looking forward to returning and racing against the best Modified teams and drivers. Hopefully our luck will be better.”

“Erick’s rise through the ranks has been remarkable,” says team owner Dave DeLange. “He moved up into the SST division at mid-season last year and quickly became very competitive, winning two features in a limited number of starts. This June he drove a Modified for the first time and won a Race of Champions Modified Tour event in only his sixth race. His talent is obvious and I believe he will be very competitive at the Shootout against the best Modified drivers. This is a young man with a bright future ahead of him.”

Qualifying for the 5th Annual John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout will begin late Friday afternoon. The 100-lap Modified feature will close out the program under the lights on Saturday night.

Bruce Boucher/DeLange Racing