Cory Hedgecock took the lead on lap 15
After a rain out at the Volunteer Speedway on Monday night, the Southern Nationals mini-series made its way to the 411 Motor Speedway for what would be the second of what is now a ten race tour. Cory Hedgecock left the Seymour, Tenn. facility with the winner’s trophy and a pay check worth $3,500.
This proved to be another race in which Hedgecock proved his abilities at 411. The Loudon, Tenn. racer and also won the World of Outlaws Late Model feature in early June on the same speedway.
Hedgecock led the way in Group A qualifying and overall when he posted a lap of 13.499 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval to beat out Randy Weaver, Forrest Trent, Vic Hill and Shanon Buckingham.
Michael Chilton topped Group B time-trials with a lap of 13.603 to beat out Michael Page, Eric Wells, Robby Moses and Ryan King.
Cla Knight on the first of two consolation races as he beat Kenny Colling and Tommy Kerr to the finish line while Brandon Overton was victorious in the second preliminary race ahead of Casey Roberts and Joey Coulter.
Chilton bolted to the early lead at the start of the 35-lap feature with Hedgecock, Weaver, Page and Wells in is tire tracks. Just behind the front runners, Moses challenged Wells for the fifth position while the top-3 of Chilton, Hedgecock and Weaver broke away from their pursuers.
Randy Weaver(116) and Michael Page fight for position
Wells cleared his battle with Moses and moved forward to take on Page for fourth on lap 7. Overton climbed to sixth in the running order after he passed by Moses on lap 9.
At the front of the pack Hedgecock was closing in on Chilton as he prepared to make a move for the leadership of the race. On lap 15 that opportunity came as the No. 9 of Hedgecock swept by Chilton as the cars passed under the flag stand.
Third running Weaver brought out the first caution flag when his car clipped the inside berm in turn 3 on lap 19. The damage proved to be too much and the No. 116 machine with Weaver aboard for the first time since 2016 had to be retired(He ran a Crate Late Model race last weekend in a No. 16 car).
On the lap 19 restart, Wells took second away from Chilton while Overton moved up to fourth and Buckingham seized fifth. Three laps later, Buckingham moved up one more spot when he took fourth away from Overton.
Eric Wells and Michael Chilton(97) battled each other for much of the race
However, Buckingham’s progress would be halted on lap 24 when he spun out of turn two.
In the final green flag run of the night, Wells continually worked the high side of the track while Hedgecock stayed low. Ultimately, it would be Hedgecock who would roar under the checkered flag to collect the victory.
Casey Roberts(101) made a late run that earned him a top-5 finish
Feature Finish: 1. Cory Hedgecock, 2. Eric Wells, 3. Michael Chilton, 4. Brandon Overton, 5. Casey Roberts, 6. Vic Hill, 7. Dale McDowell, 8. Robby Moses, 9. Donald McIntosh, 10. Michael Page, 11. Joey Coulter, 12. Jason Hiett, 13. Forrest Trent, 14. Kenny Collins, 15. Aaron Ridley, 16. Cla Knight, 17. Craig Vosbergen, 18. Austin Smith, 19. Tommy Kerr, 20. Ryan King, 21. Shanon Buckingham, 22. Randy Weaver, 23. David Crabtree
