Coastal Plains: May 30th
Corey Takes a 2nd

 

Peltier Bests the Field at Coastal Plains for 2nd PASS Win of Year Preston Peltier now joins Ben Rowe as two-time winners on the PASS South circuit after his triumph Saturday at Coastal Plains Speedway in NC. Corey Williams, Justin Wakefield, John Stancill and Jay Fogleman followed Peltier across the line at lap 150. Corey had to storm back up through the pack from last place after pitting for a flat tire.

2009 Season Opener

PASS South Fields Stacked With
Big Names Heading To Hickory

Cory is among the top ranked competitors
that will be competing in the Easter Bunny 150.

Friday practice was wiped out by rain.
Corey hit the track first in line for the
initial round of expanded Saturday practice.

Follow along with Speed51's Trackside reports HERE

- 11th Pace Qualifier -

- 9th Place Finish for Corey -
 

51’s Short Track Draft – The Original

FULL STORY HERE   April 29, 2008  "Today, Speed51.com, is holding the “5th Annual Short Track Draft.” This is the “original” short track draft from the #1 Short Track site in America. Of course, since our basis is pavement racing, there is an asphalt bias to our picks, but dirt guys and open-wheel USAC drivers were certainly not excluded. To do this we have assembled a group of experts, more than 25 of them from all different realms (media, former drivers, series officials, parts manufacturers, industry leaders) to select their top draft picks.
They anonymously voted for their top prospects"

Winner of 2008 "51 Awards for Short Track Racing"

Best Story of the Year

Short track racing these days revolves around money. Let’s be honest, most rides go to someone writing a check and although a car owner might not put a total rookie into the driver’s seat, the days of earning a drive based just on talent are mostly over.

But not completely. When Corey Williams won his first, second and third PASS South races back-to-back, readers of Speed51.com noticed. So did NASCAR driver David Stremme, who happened to have a crate-engined Late Model sitting in his shop. Stremme called Williams and put him into the car to gain some experience during the ASA Late Model event at Orange County Speedway. It was his first start in the series.

And Williams won the race after leading every lap. It was a Hollywood ending to a Hollywood story, so fans voted it by a comfortable margin as the best story of the year.

Most Inspiring Moment of the Year

Triumph in the face of tragedy was the central theme of the fans’ votes for the most inspiring moment of the 2007 short track racing season.

Fourth was when Corey Williams went to the Easter Bunny 150 PASS South race at Hickory. Williams was quick in practice, but wrecked hard late in the afternoon. Without a backup, it looked like his day was through. But Williams’ team refused to give up. They thrashed and got their car ready for qualifying. They timed in the top group of cars, but had a mechanical problem in their heat race. They didn’t give up then though and thrashed some more to get ready for the feature. Another mechanical problem kept Williams back again during the main event, but he had one of the fastest cars on the track.

It should also be noted, that Williams’ team didn’t do this all for points. He didn’t run the full schedule of PASS South races due to work commitments. Instead, they did it for the right reasons – because they came to race and they didn’t want to go home without doing that.

Most Promising Driver Over the Age of 21

To those who watched him win countless Legends Car races in New England and then struggle with set-ups during his first few years of PASS North racing, Corey Williams always had plenty of potential. In 2007, his potential was finally realized though when he won three PASS South features and an ASA Late Model event.

The Speed51.com fans recognized that potential as well, as they voted Williams the Most Promising Driver Over the Age of 21 in the 51 Awards by a healthy margin.

Most Improved Driver

Didn’t we see Corey Williams’ name already in this story? Well, get ready to see it again as the Maine native, who now calls North Carolina home, was also voted as the most improved driver for the 2007 short track season.

Williams, who had won no races in his PASS North career, won his first PASS South race…and then his second…and then his third. Then he won in his first ever ASA Late Model start. He also contended for the victory while driving an unfamiliar car in the TD Banknorth 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway (ME).

Car Owner of the Year

Placing one car in the top five of the NASCAR Busch East Series standings is impressive. Owning two entries that finished there is amazing. But that kind of thing is nothing new for team owner Andy Santerre, who has won four series titles as a driver. Santerre fielded cars for Sean Caisse and rookie Jeffrey Earnhardt in 2007 and both young drivers delivered the goods. Also, while not owning the car per se, Santerre helped to coach Earnhardt’s car chief, Corey Williams, to breakthrough performances in PASS South and ASA Late Models (see above…twice)

For those reasons, Santerre squeaked out a narrow victory as Car Owner of the Year.

Best Development Team

The fans made this category a blowout. The winner gathered three times as many votes of the runner-up. Who were those winners? The boys and girls of Andy Santerre Motorsports.

ASM tackled the NASCAR Busch East (now Camping World East) Series with returning young driver Sean Caisse and total touring newbie Jeffrey Earnhardt this season. Caisse finished second in points, which was no surprise, but Earnhardt was the one who really turned heads. Despite a limited driving resume of dirt mini stock and a few Late Model races under his belt, Earnhardt stayed out of trouble and learned a massive number of lessons from team owner Andy Santerre, himself a four-time champion in the series.

Earnhardt finished sixth in his first start of the year at Greenville and third in the season finale at Dover. In between, he amassed a total of six top 10 finishes in 13 starts and secured the fifth position in the point standings.

Also deserving mention is that ASM helped out Corey Williams (Earnhardt’s car chief) on his PASS South effort. Williams scored his first three Super Late Model victories with guidance from Santerre.

Oddest Moment

Finishing second in the odd moment category was another strange finish. That was during the Mason Dixon Meltdown when Corey Williams led Ben Rowe going into the final turn. A lapped car spun right in their path and while Williams wisely avoided danger, Rowe raced back to the flag under yellow. The move was allowed under PASS rules and Rowe claimed the victory by only leading a very short distance.

Best Finish

If you went to the Mason-Dixon Meltdown at Concord Motorsport Park, it appeared that you either left the track loving the finish or hating it.

The race was voted as the second worst race earlier in the 51s due to a controversial finish. However, the finish was wild enough to also score a healthy victory in the best finish category.

The story was this…Ben Rowe passed race dominator and three-time PASS South winner Williams as the white and yellow flags were waving at the same time. PASS South rules dictate that once the leaders have taken the white flag, they race to the checkers unless the track is blocked and officials deem it a red-flag period. Williams came out of the final turn, went low to avoid a spun car and got out of the gas long enough to allow Rowe to jump to the outside and take the checkers in the final 50 feet of the race. Williams recovered and got back in the gas, but lost the drag race to the finish line by 0.976 seconds.

Fast Facts…

Moved to North Carolina from Maine in 2007 to pursue a career in motorsports; hired as car chief for Andy Santerre Motorsports on the #1 DEI Chevrolet driven by Jeffrey Earnhardt in the Busch East Series.

In three starts, Williams won three PASS South races in a row in the summer of 2007 – Peach State, Orange County and Lanier. They were the first three PASS victories of his career.

Named 2007 “Toughest to Beat” in Short Track Racing by Speed51.com.

Won his first-ever ASA race in 2007 in dominating fashion – leading all 125 laps in a car owned by NASCAR’ NEXTEL Cup driver David Stremme.

Williams has won multiple championships in Go-Karts and Legend Cars.

Williams drives and maintains his race cars – he has an incredible feel for the car and can communicate information quickly and effectively.

Williams was nominated in 2003 for the Maine “Driver of the Year” Award.

Corey Williams has proven he has what it takes to win races, accolades and Championships. His accomplishments speak volumes for his talent:

2008 2nd in PASS South Points Standings with 1 Win, 6 Top 5s, 7 Top 10s
and 3 Fast Qualifier in 12 Starts.

2007 Three consecutive wins in the Pro All Star Series – PASS South at Peach State, Orange County and Lanier Speedway.

2007 Won in dominating fashion his first and only ASA Late Model Start at Orange County.

2006 Set track qualifying record at Riverside Speedway in Antigonish, Nova Scotia

2004 PASS North “Rookie of the Year” and
3rd in Pro All Star Series standings

2003 Nominated for “Driver of the Year” in Maine.

2003 CHAMPION - NELCAR Legends Cars

2002 CHAMPION - NELCAR Legends Cars

2002 CHAMPION - Maine INEX Legends Champion

2002 CHAMPION - BRMS Thunder Legends Cars

2001 CHAMPION - BRMS Sprint Cage I Division

2007 Pro All Star Series (PASS) South Super Late Model
- Moved to North Carolina to pursue racing career; hired as car chief for Andy Santerre Motorsports on the #1 DEI Chevrolet in the Busch East Series.
- Raced Pro All Star Series – PASS South; Scored three consecutive wins in six series starts at Peach State Speedway, Orange County Speedway and Lanier Speedway.
- Raced ASA Late Model Series – Scored a dominating win in his first and only series start at Orange County Speedway driving for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Driver, David Stremme.
- Named Top-10 “Toughest to Beat” Drivers in Short Track Racing on Speed51.com.

2006 - 2005 PASS North Super Late Model Competitor
- PASS North “Most Improved Driver”
- Finished 7th in PASS North point standings.
- Graduate of Finish Line Racing School- Edgewater, FL
- Set track record at Riverside Speedway in Antigonish, Nova Scotia
- Finished 9th in the Oxford TD Banknorth 250

2004 PASS North Touring & Weekly Pro Stock
- Scored first win in third start in the Pro Stock Division at Wiscasset Raceway in Wiscasset, Maine
- Finished 3rd in PASS North “Rookie of the Year” standings, with 11 starts.

2003 - 2002 NELCAR Legends and Allison Legacy
- NELCAR Tour Champion 2002 & 2003
- Nominated for “Maine Driver of the Year”
- 21 victories in 26 starts during 2003 season
- Beech Ridge Legends Track Champion 2002 & 2003
- Sixth in National Points, INEX Pro Division
- Second in Legends National Qualifier Wins
- Second in Points at Legends Winter Nationals

2001 Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Modified Karts
- BRMS Sprint Cage I Division Champion
- BRMS 2nd in points Sprint Cage II Division

2000 BRMS and WKA Modified Karts
- BRMS Sprint Cage I Division Champion
- BRMS Sprint Cage II Division Champion
- Top finisher in major karting events - Pepsi Invitational 2nd, BRMS Sizzler 1st, - - BRMS Thirst Quencher 1st, New England Fall Shootout 1st

1999 – 1998 BRMS Modified Karts /Sugar Hill Speedway Karts
- BRMS “Most Improved Driver”
- Won Coca Cola 100 at Sugar Hill Speedway (NH)
- BRMS Restricted Junior II Division Champion
- Finished 3rd in points, BRMS Restricted Junior I Division
- Won Sugar Hill Speedway Fall Classic

Notes of Interest…

Corey Williams is a proven winner and versatile driver – he has won in every competitive racing series he has competed in since the age of 11; Go Karts, Legend Cars, Pro Stocks and Late Models.

Corey Williams has extensive knowledge and experience of automotive mechanics and has built and prepared every type of race car he has driven.

Corey Williams is a hands-on racer – since he can build a race car from the ground he has extensive chassis knowledge and can relay information to his crew chief quickly and effectively.

Corey Williams’ integrity, both on and off the track, make him one of the most respected short track racers in New England and most recently, in the southeast.

Corey Williams is a media favorite - always polite and quick to give an interview.

Corey Williams has been racing competitively for 12 years. He started racing when he was 11 years old.

Race Results & Photos HERE

SPONSOR HUNT for 2009 - More Here