Millington Tastes NWAAS Late Model Victory at 14 Years Old
Wins Paramount Kia ‘Big 10′ Challenge Round 1
Newton NC: March 5 th – Racing action returned this Saturday to Hickory Motor Speedway as it opened the doors for its 66th season with the Spring Classic Season Opener and the 1st Round of the Paramount Kia ‘Big 10’ Racing Challenge.
The first race on tap for the opening night would be the Super Trucks with Sheflon Clay in the #15 on the pole, with Dillon Faggart in the #09 to his outside, 2015 HMS Track Champion Tyler Dayton would start 3rd, and the #51 of Allen Huffman rounded out row 2. Clay would go to the point early and hold off repeated challenges from Dayton, Faggart, and Huffman to grab his 1st win on the young season. Dayton would finish 2nd, Faggart would grab 3rd, while Kerry Lawrence in the #03 and Jason Smith in the #25 would round out the top 5.
Next up would be the Limited Late Models hitting the historic 3/8 mile oval. Charlie Watson in the #9 would take up where he left off in the 2015 season by grabbing the pole, Mark Johnson in the #88 would start to his outside, Evan Swilling in the #18 and Baron Kuritzky in the #17 would round out the 2nd row starting positions. Watson and Swilling would swap the lead several times and there would be exciting door to door action throughout the field. Watson would eventually take the lead for good and pull to his 1st win of the season. Johnson would battle it out and grab the 2nd finishing position while Swilling would take a 3rd place podium finish. Baron Kuritzky in the #17 would get 4th place while Dylan Oliver in the #3 would bring home a top 5.
The NASCAR Whelen All American Series Bojangles Late Models would lineup for the 1st Round of the Paramount Kia ‘Big 10’ Racing Challenge with Josh Berry in the JR Motorsports #88 setting a new track record with a blistering qualifying lap of 14.760. Fresh off of his first ARCA start at Daytona Shane Lee in the #00 would start from the 2nd position, Dexter Canipe Jr. In the #5 would start 3rd, while Hayden Humphrey in the #07 would grab the 4th starting position. Berry would jump to the lead at the start but but Lee and Canipe were close enough and waiting to strike. As the 100 lap feature progressed it became evident that tire management was going to be a factor in deciding the winner for this one. The #17 of Ryan Millington would make his way to the front late in the event and with plenty of time left as he reeled in Berry and made the pass in the final 20 laps. Millington would be the first to the checkered flag and go on to collect his first win at America’s Most Famous Short Track. Canipe would also work his way around Berry for 2nd, Berry would grab 3rd, Charlie Watson in the #9 would back up his limited win with a 4th position, and Casey Pierce in the #18 would overcome missing qualifying as a result of a part failure and rebound to finish a strong 5th after starting shotgun on the field.
In the Street Stocks Cody DeMarmels in the #18 started 2016 off right by grabbing the pole for their 30 lap feature with Kevin Townsend in the #10 starting to his outside. The pair would race side by side for several laps before Townsend would finally nose out to the front of DeMarmels. Townsend would go on to take his first win on the season with DeMarmels holding on for 2nd. Defending track champion Kevin Eby in the #03 would grab 3rd while Trey Buff in the #69 and Marshall Sutton in the #64 would swap positions several times before finally settling in with Buff taking 4th and Sutton in 5th.
As the Renegades lined up to go racing the skies opened up, the rain came, and their race would have to be canceled for the night. The Renegades are scheduled for Twin Races on March 19 th to make up their feature.
Racing action will return for the NASCAR Whelen All American Series this coming Saturday night, March 12th, with Round 2 of the Paramount Kia ‘Big 10’ Racing Challenge. The NASCAR Whelen All American Series Bojangles Late Models will do battle for 100 laps, Limited Late Models 35 laps, Street Stocks 30 laps, 4 Cylinders 25 laps, and Classic Sportsmen 25 laps.
Hickory Motor Speedway
Race Results for 3/5/2016
Late Model – Feature
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 17M Ryan Millington Statesville, NC
2 5C Dexter Canipe, Jr. Conover, NC
3 88B Josh Berry Hendersonville, TN
4 9W Charlie Watson Lenoir, NC
5 18P Casey Pierce Lenoir, NC
6 77B Travis Byrd Sherrills Ford, NC
7 47B Brandon Grosso Belle-Meade, NJ
8 0 Shane Lee Newton, NC
9 1W Dylon Wilson Taylorsville, NC
10 12G Andrew Garcia Eagle Pass TX, NC
11 23D Zachary Dabbs Mooresville, NC
12 07H Hayden Humphrey Cornelius, NC
13 77T Tal Davidson Mooresville, NC
14 25A Anthony Alfredo Ridgefield, CT DNS
Late Model – Qualifying
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 88B Josh Berry Hendersonville, TN
2 0 Shane Lee Newton, NC
3 5C Dexter Canipe, Jr. Conover, NC
4 07H Hayden Humphrey Cornelius, NC
5 9W Charlie Watson Lenoir, NC
6 77B Travis Byrd Sherrills Ford, NC
7 1W Dylon Wilson Taylorsville, NC
8 17M Ryan Millington Statesville, NC
9 77T Tal Davidson Mooresville, NC
10 23D Zachary Dabbs Mooresville, NC
11 12G Andrew Garcia Eagle Pass TX, NC
12 47B Brandon Grosso Belle-Meade, NJ
13 18P Casey Pierce Lenoir, NC DNS
14 25A Anthony Alfredo Ridgefield, CT DNS
Limited Late Model – Feature
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 9 Charlie Watson Lenoir, NC
2 88M Mark Johnson Newton, NC
3 18S Evan Swilling Cohutta, GA
4 17B Baron Kuritzky Connelly Springs, NC
5 3D Dylan Oliver Stanley, NC
6 29 Mitch Walker Newton, NC
7 21 Monty Cox Granite Falls, NC
8 43 Greg Wise Candler, NC
9 7W Dylan Ward Winston-Salem, NC
10 41 Dennis Trivette Newton, NC
11 19H Randall Humphrey Cornelius, NC
Limited Late Model – Qualifying
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 9 Charlie Watson Lenoir, NC
2 88M Mark Johnson Newton, NC
3 18S Evan Swilling Cohutta, GA
4 17B Baron Kuritzky Connelly Springs, NC
5 3D Dylan Oliver Stanley, NC
6 29 Mitch Walker Newton, NC
7 21 Monty Cox Granite Falls, NC
8 43 Greg Wise Candler, NC
9 7W Dylan Ward Winston-Salem, NC
10 41 Dennis Trivette Newton, NC
11 19H Randall Humphrey Cornelius, NC
Renegades – Qualifying
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 6N Charlie Neill Hickory, NC
2 8 Kenneth Roberts Hickory, NC
3 71 Kyle Divanna Statesville, NC
4 69 Ben Campbell Hudson, NC
5 68 Steve Griffith Morganton, NC
6 97 Danny Crump, Jr. Morganton, NC
7 83 David Hasson Newton, NC DQ
8 4 Gregory Austin Granite Falls, NC DNS
Street Stocks – Feature
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 10T Kevin Townsend Lenoir, NC
2 18D Cody DeMarmels Newton, NC
3 3 Kevin Eby Lenior, NC
4 69 Trey Buff Hickory, NC
5 64 Marshall Sutton Burnsville, NC
6 10 Ethan Johnson Hudson, NC
7 77W Mark Whitten Hogtown, VA
Street Stocks – Qualifying
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 18D Cody DeMarmels Newton, NC
2 10T Kevin Townsend Lenoir, NC
3 3 Kevin Eby Lenior, NC
4 77W Mark Whitten Hogtown, VA
5 64 Marshall Sutton Burnsville, NC
6 69 Trey Buff Hickory, NC
7 10 Ethan Johnson Hudson, NC DQ
Super Trucks – Feature
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 15C Sheflon Clay Asheville, NC
2 36D Tyler Dayton Mooresville, NC
3 09F Dillon Faggart Concord, NC
4 03L Kerry Lawrence Winston-Salem, NC
5 25S Jason Smith Claremont, NC
6 80 Edward Collins, Jr. Winston-Salem, NC
7 5J Johnny James Clemmons, SC
8 70B Travis Baity Hays, NC
9 51 Allen Huffman Hickory, NC
10 22 Stephen Shore Stanley, NC
11 15Q Lee Queen Catawba, NC
12 5 Jeff Byers Stony Point, NC
Super Trucks – Qualifying
Finish Car No Driver Hometown DQ/DNS/DNF
1 15C Sheflon Clay Asheville, NC
2 09F Dillon Faggart Concord, NC
3 36D Tyler Dayton Mooresville, NC
4 51 Allen Huffman Hickory, NC
5 03L Kerry Lawrence Winston-Salem, NC
6 25S Jason Smith Claremont, NC
7 15Q Lee Queen Catawba, NC
8 5J Johnny James Clemmons, SC
9 22 Stephen Shore Stanley, NC
10 5 Jeff Byers Stony Point, NC
11 80 Edward Collins, Jr. Winston-Salem, NC
12 70B Travis Baity Hays, NC
Sources: Hickory Motor Speedway