Smart emerges victorious on hot night at HMS

It was 93 degrees at 7 p.m. on June 13 when the green flag dropped on another night of action at Hickory Motor Speedway.

The Renegade division began the proceedings with a 20-lap race that included five cars. Jordan Cook won the pole and fellow Connelly Springs driver Steve Smart started beside him on the front row. At the drop of the green flag, the two battled door-to-door as Cook led by a razor-thin margin. On the third lap, Smart drove under Cook going into turn one, causing Cook to spin.

Cook started shotgun on the restart, but within a lap he was back to second. Smart paced the field the remainder of the race, leading the final 17 laps. Cook finished second, Matthew Chambers took third, Ethan Perdue came in fourth, and Johnny Vassh Jr. rounded out the field.

Next up was the Paramount Limited Late Models in a 40-lap feature. The No. 14 car, driven by Lenoir native Don Carlton, started on the pole and led the opening 20 laps. Dexter Canipe III eventually passed second-place Ethan Tovo and Carlton to take the lead, and Canipe led the second half of the event to take the checkered flag, while Tovo finished second, Carlton was third, Paityn Feyen took fourth, and Mark Johnson came in fifth.

Mexican driver Eloy Falcón started on the pole in the Late Model race and led on the opening lap before Billy Snodgrass of Newton took the lead shortly thereafter. Thomas Beane in the 01 Starbucks-sponsored Chevrolet ran second behind Snodgrass from the second lap until points leader Michael Bumgarner passed him on the 46th lap. Snodgrass, Bumgarner, and Beane stayed in that order and paced the field the remaining 29 laps, with Skyler Chaney finishing fourth and Hudson Sharp taking fifth.

The Heritage Finance Street Stock division was dominated by pole-sitter Jacob Hayes, who led all 30 laps. The action on the track was the battle for the runner-up spot. Trey Buff ran second the entire race, but 74-year-old Marshall Sutton stayed in Buff’s rear-view mirror. Sutton, who has been racing since 1967, attempted to pass Buff on the 24th lap coming out of turn one on the inside until Buff got loose and the two banged doors. Sutton got sideways but kept his machine off the inside way, and both kept their position on the racetrack. Hayes took the victory, with the rest of the top five, in order, featuring Buff, Sutton, Kevin Eby, and Kyle Divanna.

The Leapfrog Lawncare Super Trucks ended the night with 35 caution-free laps. Kevin Bumgarner started on the pole and led the opening two laps before Hayes, fresh off his Street Stock victory, took the lead and drove away from the field. With three laps remaining, it sounded like Hayes’ truck had dropped a cylinder, but he had a big enough lead to take his second checkered flag ahead of Bumgarner and Tim Dale in second and third, respectively.

Burke drivers dominate Crown

Vic at HP Park

HorsePower Park hosted six divisions of dirt-track racing on June 13, with Burke County drivers Homer Cook, Chandler Barker, and Caden Barker finishing first through third in the Crown Vic feature.

In the Thunder Bomber division, points leader Freddy Frady of Marion beat Morganton’s Tim Moretz and Lenoir’s Nathan Starnes to the finish line for the victory and a $600 check.

Also at HorsePower Park, TS Bolin won the Renegade feature ahead of John Fox and Rusty Douville, Adam Piercy topped Drexel native Clay Ross in the Pro Four division, the FWD main event saw Mark White finish ahead of Kevin Saam and Mike Vance, and Rhodhiss driver Brayden Saam took home the FWD Young Guns victory.

Three in a row for ‘Meathead’ at Harris

Brian “Meathead” Carswell collected his third straight win on June 13 at Harris Speedway. The Valdese wheelman dominated the Street Stock division by turning the fastest time in hot laps, winning the pole, and leading every lap of the feature.

“I have been racing for over 30 years. Right now everything is just clicking, and I’m more excited to get to the track than I have been in years,” said Carswell. “Ready to get back here next week and see if we can make it four in a row.”

Harris Speedway hosts a full slate of racing tonight (Saturday, June 20), while both Hickory Motor Speedway and HorsePower Park are off last week before returning to action on June 27.