3/6/2026 — Naples, Maine — The Pro All Stars Series (PASS) is gearing up fast for the CorvetteParts.net Easter Bunny 200 at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway. The showdown on Saturday, March 14, marks the 20th anniversary of the inaugural PASS visit to the historic 0.363-mile oval, and PASS is pulling out all the stops with more laps, more money, and more divisions to open the PASS National Championship chase.
This year’s Easter Bunny event reverts to the original one-day format and will go 200 laps instead of the traditional 150, with each team allotted six tires. The added-distance format introduces a strategy element that will have teams planning and plotting before the green flag even drops. The extra laps come with a huge purse increase, as the 2026 CorvetteParts.net Easter Bunny 200 will pay $8,000 to win with more than $44,000 in posted awards on the line.
Alongside the Super Late Models, PASS is putting popular divisions from Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway in the spotlight at Hickory. The Limited-Street Stock Challenge, which debuted to resounding success at last fall’s PASS 400 Weekend, now travels to Hickory with 100 laps and $5,000 to win. The KHM Thunder Stock Crown Vics are also making the trek, with 50 laps and a $2,000 top prize.
“Any event thriving for 20 years is special, and it speaks to the way that teams and fans have supported the Easter Bunny event,” PASS President Tom Mayberry said. “When we first had the opportunity to race at Hickory in 2006, we obviously took it, and we’re thrilled it’s become an annual tradition. We think the format changes and new divisions for this year’s running are going to make the Easter Bunny even better and hopefully be the jump-off to another 20 years.”
The final big change is that, for the first time, the Easter Bunny event will be broadcast on the North East Short Track Network (NESTN). It’s the start of a new streaming agreement for PASS, with all 2026 events outside of Oxford Plains Speedway available live or on the fast-growing service.
Over the past 20 years, PASS Super Late Models have taken the green flag at Hickory 38 times with 22 different winners. They include not just accomplished Northeastern and Southeastern Super Late Model drivers, but competitors who have made their mark on the biggest stock car racing stage, such as former NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott and two-time Daytona 500 champion William Byron.
The entry list for the 2026 event continues to grow as drivers seek the Easter Bunny trophy. Three former PASS Super Late Model winners at Hickory Motor Speedway highlight the latest entry list. They are Center Conway, New Hampshire’s D.J. Shaw, the reigning PASS North champion and 2014 Easter Bunny winner; Mooresville, North Carolina’s Ryan Moore, the 2022 Easter Bunny 150 and 2024 St. Patrick’s Day 150 winner; and Berwick, Maine’s Joey Doiron, the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day 150 winner.
Plenty of other compelling storylines can be found throughout the field. Mike Hopkins has won at Hickory with the CARS Pro Late Model Tour and Kennebec Equipment Rental PASS Modifieds and now will try to complete the trifecta in the PASS Super Late Model ranks. Garrett Hall, last year’s Celebration of America 300 winner, has four podium finishes at Hickory but is still seeking that elusive victory.
Brandon Barker is regarded as one of the Northeast’s best Super Late Model drivers and will try to finally crack PASS Victory Lane on one of its biggest stages. Meanwhile, multi-time PASS winner Gabe Brown will begin his first full-season campaign for Bobby Webber Jr. Racing. For potential dark horses, fans should watch teenage phenoms like Kaiden Fisher, the 2024 Thunder Road track champion, and Cole Robie, who was recently named a Kulwicki Driver Development Program semi-finalist. Canada will also be represented with Nova Scotia standout Craig Slaunwhite and Ontario’s J.P. Josiasse on the entry list.
The Limited-Street Stock Challenge entry list is also full of notable names. Jordan Russell and Kyle Treadwell, the top two finishers in the PASS 400 Weekend 100-lapper, have thrown their hats into the ring for a potential encore. They’ll have to contend with top V8 Limited and Street Stock runners such as Chris Riendeau, Kris Watson, Rick Spaulding, Kristina Nadeau, and brothers Nate and Spencer Barth. Jimmy Renfrew Jr. is slated for a busy Saturday of double-duty in the Super Late Model and Limited-Street Stock ranks.
The Thunder Stock Crown Vics are one of the fastest-growing entry-level divisions in North America, and they’re expected to put on an outstanding show. Two of Oxford’s best from 2025, Logan Spencer and Karson Hewins, are getting ready to start their 2026 seasons strong. Other early entrants include Dan Collins in a Bobby Webber Racing machine and Massachusetts Late Model racer Randy Cole.
Qualifying for the CorvetteParts.net Easter Bunny 200 at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway begins at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, with features to follow. Pit gates open at 10:00 a.m. with spectator gates opening at 1:00 p.m. General admission is $20 for adults, $12 for juniors ages 6-12, and free for ages five and under. The event will be live-streamed on the North East Short Track Network at www.nestn.tv.
An open practice day is slated for Friday, March 13. The pits will open at 12:00 p.m. with rotating practice for all divisions from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
For more information about the CorvetteParts.net Easter Bunny 200 and the Pro All Stars Series, visit www.proallstarsseries.com.
For more information on Oxford Plains Speedway, visit www.oxfordplains.com.
To get all your Corvette parts for restorations, modifications, and repairs, visit www.corvetteparts.net.
To take advantage of marketing opportunities at the Pro All Stars Series or Oxford Plains Speedway or to buy a lap in the 53rd Oxford 250, please call 207-577-1836 or inquire at OPSmarketing50@gmail.com.
For technical information concerning all PASS divisions, please contact passracing@roadrunner.com or call Jason Ricker at 704-881-4429.
Don't forget to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series, NESS, and the PASS MODS touring series on Facebook:
facebook.com/ProAllStarsSeries
facebook.com/p/Official-Page-of-Oxford-Plains-Speedway
https://www.facebook.com/NESupers
facebook.com/p/PASS-MODS-Touring-Series
Photos by Norm Marx
