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Sports
Local racing
HorsePower Park kicks off its ’26 return to racing
By JASON FREEMAN
Sports Correspondent
Pictured are the six winners at HorsePower Park in its first
night of weekly racing for 2026 on March 7. They included Freddy
Frady, Joey Barker, Clay Ross, Colton Saam, Blake Walker, and John
Fox.
Photos FOR THE PAPER
Local weekly racing started at several local tracks this past weekend.
HorsePower Park in Morganton started its season with racing in six divisions. Marion driver Freddy Frady won the Thunder Bomber main event ahead of Brock Jones.
Burke County drivers swept the podium in the Crown Vic feature as Joey Barker beat Tim Moretz and his son Chandler Barker to the checkered flag. Drexel driver Clay Ross won the Pro Four race, and Colton Saam took the Young Guns victory.
Lenoir driver Blake Walker won the FWD feature, and John Fox beat Austin McAlrith by five laps to win the Renegade feature. The next race at HorsePower Park is March 21.
Harris Speedway in Rutherford County hosted the East Coast Crown Vic racers, with the winner taking home $10,000. Valdese driver Brian “Meathead” Carswell was the fastest of the 62 Crown Vics in qualifying but experienced mechanical issues in the feature and finished 20th.
Justin Watts won the 60-lap feature ahead of Chuck Sims and Shannon Barnhill. In other action, Coby Lambert won the FWD feature and Matt Hoots won the Thunder Bomber event. Harris returns to racing on March 28.
The birthplace of the NASCAR stars, Hickory Motor Speedway opened its 74th season the same way last year ended, with Michael Bumgarner in victory lane.
The 22-year-old Taylorsville native who won the Late Model track championship the last two seasons beat Thomas Beam, Charles Watson, and Burke County driver Landon Huffman to the checkered flag in the 75-lap feature. The next weekly event at HMS is scheduled for March 21.
And Tri-County Speedway in Hudson will hold its season opener on March 21. The track is scheduled to host nine different divisions of asphalt racing that evening.
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