Michael Page won the Ultimate SLM race at North Georgia for the second consecutive year
The Ultimate Super Late Model Series made its way to the North Georgia Speedway to kick off its 2019 campaign with a $4,000-to-win feature event. At the end of the night it was Michael Page who left the Chatsworth, GA track for the second year in a row with the winner’s trophy and the big check.
Jason Hiett led the way in Group A qualifying as he posted a time of 13.307 seconds around the third-mile clay oval. Zach Leonhardi, Ryan King, Bobby Giffin, and Donald McIntosh followed. Those five drivers would be locked into the feature as a result of their efforts in time-frames.
Michael Page was fastest in Group B qualifying and overall with a time of 13.156 seconds. Brandon Overton, Tyler Millwood, Cory Hedgecock, and Booger Brooks followed. Those five drivers would be locked into the feature.
Shane Clanton and Riley Hickman won the B-main races that were used to set the remainder of the starting grid for the main event.
At the start of the 40-lap feature it was Page who shot out to the early lead with Hiett, Overton, Millwood and Leonhardi trailing in his tire tracks. Hedgecock made an early move toward the front as he took fifth away from Leonhardi on the second lap. While at the same time, Page quickly began putting distance between himself and his pursuers.
Traffic began to play a factor on the tight layout early on in the event. Hiett was able to cut into the margin enjoyed by Page on lap 10 as the leading No. 18 Stinger Race Car became mired among slower cars.
A caution offered a reprieve to the race leaders in terms of getting them out of traffic when the yellow flag waved on lap 15 for the slowing car of Daulton Wilson. On the ensuing restart a fast rising Clanton broke into the top-5 as he wrested that spot away from Hedgecock.
Following the lap 15 restart, Hiett kept much closer tabs on Page as his No. H1 machine rode right on the rear spoiler of Page’s ride for several laps. But a lap 27 caution for the slowing car of Johnny Cloer broke up the battle that appeared to be taking shape fo the top spot.
Just after the restart following the night’s final caution, McIntosh cracked the top-5 as he slipped by Hedgecock to take the spot. But over the closing laps it was all Page as the Georgia native blasted under the checkered flag to score the win.
Feature Finiah: 1. Michael Page, 2. Jason Hiett, 3. Brandon Overton, 4. Shane Clanton, 5. Donald McIntosh, 6. Cory Hedgecock, 7. Riley Hickman, 8. John Ownbey, 9. Tyler Millwood, 10. Zack Mitchell, 11. Booger Brooks, 12. Ryan King, 13. Ray Cook, 14. David Payne, 15. Zach Leonhardi, 16. Michael Brown, 17. David Crabtree, 18. Bobby Giffin, 19. Jackson Hale, 20. Austin Arnold, 21. Johnny Cloer, 22. Kurt English, 23. Daulton Wilson, 24. Gary McPherson
