Cory Hedgecock scored his biggest super late model win on Saturday. Hedgecock led flag-to-flag to capture the Frostbuster 50 Southern Nationals Bonus Series race. Hedgecock followed that up with a crate late model win.
With a 15.815 second lap in qualifying, Hiltat Kentucky’s Brandon Hutchinson earned the pole for the 25 lap Street Stock feature. Brad Davis arrived late to the track and things would not go his way as he spun at the beginning of the race setting up a complete restart. After a couple stumbles the race eventually got going with Hutchinson taking the top spot ahead of Dean Travis, Lamar Hughes and Jerry Hux. Hux was ready to go as he put pressure on Hughes for the third spot in the opening laps. The top four drivers quickly separated themselves from JJ Green who held down the 5th spot. The racing was intense throughout the pack and it boiled over a couple laps later when Jonathan Sims and Mike Williams tangled in turn three bringing out the caution. Both cars would be damaged and ended up retiring for the day. After starting in the back because of a penality, Eddie Stewart had already moved his #119 machine into the top 4. Stewart was a man on a mission and the very next lap he powered past Jerry Hux and Travis Dean moving himself into the runner up spot. Up front Hutchinson hit his marks perfectly and went on to pick up the victory.
1: #85 Brandon Hutchinson
2: #119 Eddie Stewart
3: #04 Dean Travis
4: #10 Lamar Hughes
5: #01 Jerry Hux
6: #44 Jamie Lackey
7: #119 Mike Williams
8: #35 Jason West
9: #12 JJ Green
10: #127 Marshall Banks
11: #88 Brad Davis
12: #30 Jonathan Sims
13: #3 Jeff McLemore
2: #119 Eddie Stewart
3: #04 Dean Travis
4: #10 Lamar Hughes
5: #01 Jerry Hux
6: #44 Jamie Lackey
7: #119 Mike Williams
8: #35 Jason West
9: #12 JJ Green
10: #127 Marshall Banks
11: #88 Brad Davis
12: #30 Jonathan Sims
13: #3 Jeff McLemore
A 15.024 second lap time was good enough to earn Michael Courtney the top spot for the 20 lap Sportsman feature. Trouble would find Courtney early however as a right rear flat sent him to the attention of his crew before the first lap was complete. With Courtney having to restart at the rear, that handed the top spot over to Heath Alvey but another caution for Wade Howerton slowed the pace. Youngster Kyle Courtney qualified in the 6th position but was moving forward as he slipped past Wayne Rader in the early laps. With Nick Perry going for a spin that would negate Courtney’s pass and he had to fall in line behind Rader for the restart. Coming off turn 4 Alvey got loose and opened the door for Bradley Lewelling to take over the lead. As the laps ticked off the top three of Lewelling, Alvey and Clyde Stanton put on a thrilling battle for the lead. The white flag waved and Alvey got a run on the inside coming off two as the two leaders drag raced into three one last time. Lewelling lost control of his machine and looped it around on the last turn allowing Alvey to slip by and into victory lane.
1: #7 Heath Alvey
2: #01 Wayne Rader
3: #c11 Clyde Stanton
4: #c11 Michael Courtney
5: #171 Kyle Courtney
6: #50 Adam Mitchell
7: #97 Aaron Guinn
8: #27 Authur Russell
9: #76 Mikah Reams
10: #22 Michael Millsap
11: #79 Joshua Sneed
12: #2 Chris Johnston
13: #101B Bradley Lewelling
14: #19 Nick Perry
15: #7 Michael Phillips
16: #15 Wade Howerton
17: #3 Floyd Self
2: #01 Wayne Rader
3: #c11 Clyde Stanton
4: #c11 Michael Courtney
5: #171 Kyle Courtney
6: #50 Adam Mitchell
7: #97 Aaron Guinn
8: #27 Authur Russell
9: #76 Mikah Reams
10: #22 Michael Millsap
11: #79 Joshua Sneed
12: #2 Chris Johnston
13: #101B Bradley Lewelling
14: #19 Nick Perry
15: #7 Michael Phillips
16: #15 Wade Howerton
17: #3 Floyd Self
Cory Hedgecock set a blistering 14.321 second lap in qualifying earning the pole for the 50 lap Frostbuster Super Late Model feature. Hedgecock wasted no time jumping into the lead ahead of Mack McCarter, Donald McIntosh and Jimmy Owens. McIntosh had won 4 straight Super Late Model races at 411 heading into the day and had another great run going. Early on he was working the low line underneath McCarter just behind Hedgecock. The “Newport Nightmare” Jimmy Owens was also showing his strength as he looked low under McIntosh for third early on. The caution would wave for David Payne who went for a spin in turn one erasing the lead Hedgecock had built up. On the restart McIntosh dove underneath McCarter for the runner up spot but couldn’t get enough traction off turn two and had to fall back in line. Hedgeock looked to be on cruise control all day as he had pulled out to a full straight away lead. Dustin Linville qualified in 12th but the Lancaster, Ky native was on the move as he was into the top 6 halfway through the event. After working him over the entire race McIntosh was able to move past McCarter into second taking Jimmy Owens with him. McCarter clearly had issues with his #51 machine as he kept falling back and eventually pulled off the racing surface. Hedgeock was on a rail out front but Owens and McIntosh were thrilling the crowed with their battle for second. Neither of them would gain any ground as Hedgecock cruised to the victory.
1: #23 Cory Hedgecock
2: #7 Donald McIntosh
3: #20 Jimmy Owens
4: #D8 Dustin Linville
5: #88 Greg Johnson
6: #2x Anthony White
7: #8 David Payne
8: #8 Joe Leavell
9: #29 Jason Welshan
10: #1G Ryan King
11: #B00 Josh Henry
12: #5j Jesse Lowe
13: #37k Drew Kennedy
14: #51 Mack McCarter
15: #10j Tony Morris
16: #1 Skip Arp
17: #0j John Ownbey
18: #121 Benji Cole
19: #3 Steve Smith
20: #2 Danny Yoder
21: #0 Ross White
22: #00 Ruben Mayfield
2: #7 Donald McIntosh
3: #20 Jimmy Owens
4: #D8 Dustin Linville
5: #88 Greg Johnson
6: #2x Anthony White
7: #8 David Payne
8: #8 Joe Leavell
9: #29 Jason Welshan
10: #1G Ryan King
11: #B00 Josh Henry
12: #5j Jesse Lowe
13: #37k Drew Kennedy
14: #51 Mack McCarter
15: #10j Tony Morris
16: #1 Skip Arp
17: #0j John Ownbey
18: #121 Benji Cole
19: #3 Steve Smith
20: #2 Danny Yoder
21: #0 Ross White
22: #00 Ruben Mayfield
The 20 lap Mini Stock feature was up next. James Ramey put his #29 machine on the point as the green waved ahead of Thomas Clark and Derek Duggan. The caution would waved quickly for Jacob Murrell who spun slowing the pace. After starting in the rear Chuck McMahan was up into the top 5 in the early laps. Just a lap later he had moved into the third position behind Ramey and Duggan. The battle was also on for 5th between Rocky McNabb and Nathan Adams. A lap car collected McNabb bringing out the caution but he would continue on with little damage. Ramey looked like he was gonna run away with the lead but he spun coming off turn four ending his bid for the win. McMahan would take over the lead and go on to cross the finish line first. However he would refuse to teardown which resulted in him being disqualified and giving the win to Derek Duggan.
The final race of the night would be the Crate Late Model feature. Cleveland Tennessee’s Jimmy Elliott put his #j39 machine on the pole for the 30 lap feature. Elliott jumped out to the lead ahead of Eddie King Jr, Cory Hedgecock, Greg Husky and Josh Fields who rounded out the top 5. Husky looked to have some handling issues as he dropped back a couple spots in the opening laps. Jason Welshan turned up the heat on Josh Fields for 4th as the early laps ticked off. Elliott was pulling away up front but a spin by Drew Deaver put the field back on his bumper. Back under green and it looked like Jimmy Elliott had things in control but as we’ve seen before there is a reason we don’t have a winner till they cross the line. Elliott got sideways and spun his machine off turn four collecting second place Eddie King Jr. The caution was called on Elliott so King Jr regained his spot. However he had heavy damage on the right side of his car and it proved too much for him to be able to finish the race. Hedgecock would take over the lead in the final laps and sweep the day winning both the Super Late Model and Crate Late Model features.
1: #23 Cory Hedgecock
2: #29 Jason Welshan
3: #32 Greg Husky
4: #2x Anthony White
5: #A1 Jason Manley
6: #11 Josh Fields
7: #7 Matt Henderson
8: #17 Logan Roberson
9: #B00 Josh Henry
10: #1 Conner Meate
11: #20 Devin Stuart
12: #18 Gary Crittenden
13: #47 Dustin Golden
14: #00 Ruben Mayfield
15: #19 Chris Fair
16: #12D Drew Deaver
17: #55 Benji Hicks
18: #29 Rusty Ballenger
19: #39 Eddie King Jr
20: #39j Jimmy Elliott
21: #58 Cody Brake
2: #29 Jason Welshan
3: #32 Greg Husky
4: #2x Anthony White
5: #A1 Jason Manley
6: #11 Josh Fields
7: #7 Matt Henderson
8: #17 Logan Roberson
9: #B00 Josh Henry
10: #1 Conner Meate
11: #20 Devin Stuart
12: #18 Gary Crittenden
13: #47 Dustin Golden
14: #00 Ruben Mayfield
15: #19 Chris Fair
16: #12D Drew Deaver
17: #55 Benji Hicks
18: #29 Rusty Ballenger
19: #39 Eddie King Jr
20: #39j Jimmy Elliott
21: #58 Cody Brake
The next event at 411 Motor Speedway will be March 19th and will be the regular season opener.
