Jason Hiett (Photo taken from his Facebook page)
*Story submitted by Daniel Watkins.
With a number of races falling victim to rain on what was to have been a very busy weekend of Super Late Model action across the southeast, a number of the sport’s top competitors made their way to the Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA for the track’s unsanctioned season opening Southeastern Classic. In the end, it was Oxford, Ala. driver Jason Hiett who would drive his way to the $5,000 first prize, but not until he held off a strong late race challenge.
Hiett began the night by setting fast time in qualifying as he turned a lap of 13.892 seconds. The top-12 in time-trials were locked into the main event so the pole sitter would be joined by Shawn Chastain, Shane Clanton, Clint Smith, Ray Cook, Jake Knowles, David Payne, Jason Croft, Austin Smith, Donald McIntosh, Kurt English and Todd Morrow on the starting grid for the main event.
Jordy Nipper and Tyler Millwood won the two B-main races used to established the remainder of the starting lineup for the feature.
At the start of the 50-lap race, Hiett showed right away that his new Barry Wright Race Car was the machine to beat as he went to the lead over the likes of Chastain, Clanton, Smith and Cook. However, a lap 7 caution for the stalled car of Clanton drew a yellow flag and bunched the field once more.
But Hiett was undeterred as he again assumed command until a lap 9 caution came out when Brian Reese made heavy contact with the inside wall of the third turn.
At the mid-race point, Cook and McIntosh began to knife their way through the pack as they moved forward from further back in the field. By the race’s halfway mark, these two drivers had moved to the second and third positions respectively and looked as if they might be poised to take on the leader.
Two more cautions would keep the pace in check and the racing tight back through the field.
Hiett, however, was able to build a sizable lead during the green flag stretches until the final ten laps began to count down. At that point, Cook carved into the front runner’s advantage and ultimately offered a late race challenged for the top spot. But the ‘Tarheel Tiger’ was unable to make the pass and Hiett sailed under the checkered flag as the victor.
At the finish, it was Jason Hiett winning out over Ray Cook, Donald McIntosh, Shawn Chastain, William Thomas(who started 15th), Clint Smith, Dale Thurman, Jordy Nipper and Austin Smith.
Jerry Coffman
In other racing action, a pair of Chattanooga area drivers did the Volunteer State proud with their efforts in the Limited Late Model feature.
Jerry Coffman and Tod Hernandez qualified second and third respectively for the event and battled each other along with race leader Matt Cooley over most of the 20-lap race distance. Coffman eventually broke free from Hernandez and made a hard charge on Cooley late in the going.
Cooley held on for what appeared to be the win. However, his car was deemed to be too light at the scales in post-race inspection and was disqualified. Coffman got the win with Hernandez coming home second.
