Cory Hedgecock drove to a $3500 win at Volunteer
The Iron-Man Late Model Series made its way to the Volunteer Speedway to contest its second race of the 2018 season. After an attrition filled day on the Bulls Gap, Tenn. track, it was Cory Hedgecock who came away as the race winner, netting $3,500 in the process.
Ray Cook was fastest in qualifying when he posted a lap of 12.334 seconds around the 4/10 mile clay oval. With twelve cars signed in for competition, series officials decided to line the main event up solely based off of the results from time-trials. Chicky Barton, Ryan King, Casey Roberts, Hedgecock, Billy Ogle, Jr., Jadon Frame, Pierce McCarter, Chad Ogle, Steve Smith, Craig Greer and Joey Standridge were set in that order to take the green flag.
At the start of the 35-lap feature it was Cook who initially bolted to the lead with Barton, Roberts, King and Hedgecock trailing. The top-5 cars raced in single-file formation on the hammer-down track for the first seven circuits. However, it would be the race leading car of Cook that suffered the first trouble of the day when the drive shaft broke on lap 7, leaving the veteran driver stranded on the speedway and bringing out a caution flag.
Ray Cook led the early laps until mechanical troubles sidelined his efforts
On the ensuing restart it was King who looked to move forward as he executed an aggressive slide job maneuver to take second from Roberts. At the same time, Billy Ogle jumped into the top-5 as he passed by Hedgecock.
By lap 10, the battle for second was reignited as Roberts offered a challenge to King for the spot. Roberts battled back on lap 15 as he looked inside King for the runner-up position. Just one lap later, Hedgecock regained the fourth spot as he moved around Ogle.
On lap 17, Roberts took second away from King and brought Hedgecock along with him as the No. 9 car assumed third. However, a caution for the smoking car of Standridge slowed the action on lap 19 and set up and restart opportunity. During the caution period, the fourth running car of King pulled off track with mechanical issues.
Hedgecock took second away from Roberts on the lap 19 restart and those two racers engaged in a fierce battle for position behind the leading car of Barton. But on lap 22, it would be Roberts who experienced difficulties as he spun in turn two then had to be towed from the racing surface.
Hedgecock took advantage of the lap 22 restart and swept by Barton to take the lead. And four laps later, Barton’s afternoon would turn entirely sour as his car puffed smoke and brought out the day’s final caution.
From that point, there were only four cars remaining as attrition had taken its toll. Hedgecock cruised to the checkered flag to score the victory.
Feature Finish: 1. Cory Hedgecock, 2. Jadon Frame, 3. Billy Ogle, Jr., 4. Craig Greer, 5. Chicky Barton, 6. Casey Roberts, 7. Ryan King, 8. Chad Ogle, 9. Joey Standridge, 10. Pierce McCarter, 11. Steve Smith, 12. Ray Cook
