The zMAX CARS Tour returns to familiar territory this Saturday, April 20, as the series heads to Orange County Speedway (OCS) for the Orange Blossom 250. However, those who are new to the series may be unfamiliar with Orange County and its prominence in the series history.
That’s because OCS hasn’t hosted a CARS Tour race since April 25, 2021 – essentially three years ago. This Saturday’s event marks the CARS Tour’s 12th visit to Orange County, second only to Hickory Motor Speedway. But a lot has changed in the series since Josh Berry led 154 of 200 laps en route to a $30,000 victory in the 2021 Old North State Nationals.
While it may seem somewhat cliché, the entire landscape of the series has changed in just three short years. So let’s take a look at some of the biggest changes during Orange County’s CARS Tour hiatus.
Starting off with the biggest and most obvious, the series was once owned by Jack McNelly, who founded it back in the fall of 2014. McNelly organized the tour’s first season back in 2015 as a continuation of the former Pro Cup Series. Series ownership changed ahead of the 2023 season, when current owners Kevin Harvick, Justin Marks, Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (more on him in a sec) bought the series.
As one would expect, with new ownership comes new sponsorship. Ahead of the 2024 season, the CARS Tour split with longtime sponsor Solid Rock Carriers to kick off a new era with zMAX. The new sponsorship in 2024 with zMAX means a partnership with zMAX subsidiary owners Speedway Motors, LLC, and leader Marcus Smith.
The partnership with zMAX means a healthy relationship with North Wilkesboro Speedway. The track now has two dates on the CARS Tour schedule including the championship finale. If you had told someone back in 2021 that North Wilkesboro would sell out a CARS Tour race in 2022, host a 37-car field in 2023 and host two events in 2024, they might’ve called you insane.
With the help of the aforementioned Earnhardt, Smith, and many others, the track came roaring back to life in August 2022. The CARS Tour capped off the…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at …