Cory Hedgecock in Boyd’s victory lane
Boyd’s Speedway hosted its annual Cabin Fever event on Saturday with racing in the Iron Man Mountain Championship for Super Late Model cars serving as the headliner race of the day. However, the track also staged racing in four other classes as part of the activities. Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn. continued his run of success in the Crate Late Model class by taking the lead near the halfway mark of that feature and driving on to the checkered flag to claim the $1,500 first prize.
Kyle Courtney grabbed the pole position for the Crate Late Model feature by setting fast time in qualifying ahead of Hedgecock, Lamar Scoggins, John Ownbey, Greg Huskey, Riley Hickman, Chip Brindle, Tom Maddox, Joe Mike and Jesse Lowe. A total of 47 cars made an attempt to get into the race via time-trials.
Todd Morrow and Bryan Pritchard won the two consolation races used to set the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
Courtney shot to the lead of the 25-lap feature at the drop of the green flag with Hedgecock, Scoggins and Ownbey trailing in his tire tracks through the first set of turns. However, Hedgecock showed immediately that he would not be content to play follow-the-leader as he attempted a crossover move at the exit of turn two and dove to the inside of the race leader. But Courtney was up to the challenge and held the 2016 NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series champion back as the cars completed the first circuit around the third-mile oval.
Courtney led the first half of the event with Hedgecock applying almost constant pressure throughout. At the same time, Scoggins, Ownbey and Brindle ran in tight formation as they contested the remaining positions within the top-5.
Just after the field received the crossed flags sign from the flagman indicating the race had reached the halfway mark, the leaders found themselves in heavy traffic. At that moment, Hedgecock seized the opportunity and was able to move by Courtney to claim the race lead.
A total of two caution flags waved over the event with the first coming on lap 16 when Logan Palmer crashed at the entrance of turn one and the second on lap 20 when Jason Manley spun in turn two. On both of those ensuing restarts Hedgecock was able to break away from the pack.
At the finish, it was Cory Hedgecock claiming the win ahead of Kyle Courtney, Lamar Scoggins, Chip Brindle, Riley Hickman, John Ownbey, Tom Maddox, Greg Huskey, Joe Mike and Jesse Lowe.
