Cory Hedgecock had to beat back a race-long challenge for the win
Along with the Southern Nationals race for Super Late Models, Crossville Speedway staged racing action in the Steelhead Late Model division as well on Thursday night. Cory Hedgecock had to beat back a persistent challenge from Ryan King to take the checkered flag and pick up the $1,000 payday.
Ryan King led the way in qualifying by posting a lap of 13.107 seconds around the third-mile clay oval. Hedgecock, Chase King, Josh Henry, Jason Deal and Perry Delaney followed the leader in time-trials among the eleven cars signed in for competition.
There were no heat races held as the starting grid for the main event was set entirely by time-trials.
On the initial attempt at a start, the pole starting car of Ryan King came to a stop on the backstretch. After the yellow flag was displayed, King was given his starting spot back.
Hedgecock used his outside front row starting spot to his advantage at the start of the 25-lap feature and took the lead as the cars roared through turns one and two. Ryan King, Chase King, Henry and Deal followed Hedgecock on the initial circuit. Henry went on the move on lap 2 when he passed by Chase King to take third. At the same time, Layne Clifton moved under Deal in an attempt to capture the fifth position.
The top-4 cars demonstrated that the track had two usable grooves during the early laps as first place Hedgecock and third running Henry employed a high line around the high banks while second place Ryan King and fourth running Chase King took to the low side of the speedway.
Chase King moved around Henry to regain third on lap 10 and then set sail in hopes of tracking down the top-2 drivers. Clifton used a slide job pass on Deal to seize fifth on lap 15. Meanwhile, Drew Kennedy, who had to start last on the grid due to issues in qualifying, had made his way up to seventh and began to work over Deal for sixth.
Over the closing laps of the feature both Hedgecock and Ryan King used the low groove on the track with King constantly peeking to the inside in hopes of nudging his way under and around Hedgecock for the lead. However, it would be Cory Hedgecock who would win the race to the checkered flag ahead of Ryan King, Chase King, Josh Henry, Layne Clifton, Drew Kennedy and Jason Deal.
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