Jordan Black knows that his path to Bojangles' Summer Shootout history won't be easy, but if last season is any indication, the 19-year-old driver will be the man to beat once again. Black, the two-time and defending Pro Division champion, begins this season on Monday with his focus on capturing an unprecedented third Pro title in a row on Charlotte Motor Speedway's frontstretch quarter-mile.
The Orlando, Florida, native won four races last year - including the final two - to wrestle the championship from now-NASCAR NEXT driver Chase Purdy. With Purdy and fellow competitor Dillon Faggart not chasing the title this year, Black expects his challenges to come from a mix of old and new sources.
Austin Green, the son of 1994 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion David Green, begins his second year aboard the No. 48 Ladyga Motorsports car. Green, 16, figures to be one of the most difficult drivers to beat in the series.
"It's going to be tough," said Black, who this year trades in his black No. 14 Legend Car for a new, white No. 14 machine. "There's a lot of competition in the Pro Division. You're looking at 10-15 cars driven by the best Legend Car drivers in North Carolina."
While no driver in the Shootout's 24-year history has ever won three straight Pro Division titles, two current NASCAR competitors - Jordan Anderson in 2007-'08 and Daniel Hemric in 2013-'14 - claimed back-to-back championships.
"It would mean a lot to get three in a row," Black said. "Obviously, no one's ever done it. That's the ultimate goal but on a weekly basis, we want to come out here and be competitive. We want to try and be first in every session if we can. That's the goal and if we can do that, the racing will take care of itself."
The season kicks off with wrecker racing Monday and, in addition to a full slate of Legend Car and Bandolero action, continues with a school bus slobberknocker on Tuesday night among area school principals. This year's Bojangles' Summer Shootout field will feature more than 120 cars.
Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing beginning at approximately 7 p.m. on both nights.
TICKETS:
Single-day admission to the Bojangles' Summer Shootout costs just $8 for adults and is FREE for children under 13. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267)
KEEP TRACK:
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